T.V. Review: The Walking Dead: Season 1

There is something enticing about the concept of a survival scenario in the midst of a zombie apocalypse, slaughtering mindless creatures roaming around before they eat you. many video games and past movies have been based off of an outbreak of zombies, but the gore and action overwhelm leaving no room for characterization or plot development. With providing the best of both worlds, AMC's play off the graphic novel The Walking Dead provides in depth characterization and plot development, both covered in blood and guts.

The main character, Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), was a deputy sheriff before the outbreak so there is no shortage of ammunition around his belt. After being hospitalized for getting shot in the side on a chase, he wakes up in the same hospital, yet a totally different environment. Disoriented, he runs through the post-apocalyptic world to find that his wife and son are missing and through a lead from another survivor, he heads to Atlanta which is supposed to be a refuge center, but upon arrival, it is quite the opposite. Throughout the season, Rick makes allies, makes enemies, finds safezones, and fights to defend these safe areas. The main characters include Rick, His wife, his friend, his son, and a handful of survivors he stays with. The series dives deep (and will continue to dive) into these individual's lives in order to make a connection with the viewers that is in fact quite personal. This is what separates this series from any other zombie-centered show or movie. You begin to empathize and draw towards one certain character simply because the group of survivors is so eclectic. Try doing that with Dawn of The Dead

But not to worry, the blood and gore is ever present throughout. The undead (walkers) shuffle around with missing jaws, limbs, and sometimes, missing torsos. through biting and clawing (like any zombie movement), they convert the living. To compensate, the survivors use tools such as axes, screwdrivers, machetes, and of course guns to thrive and survive against, which allows gore to be at its maximum. and by using grainy film techniques, the show encompasses the essence of a cheap old horror film, except for the fact that it is anything but.

With combining depth and gore, The Walking Dead succeeds at being a plot and character driven series with just enough brains and blood to make viewers cringe, the perfect recipe. I cannot wait to see what the rest of the series has in store.

9.5 out of 10

-Richard Voltz