Recently, I have talked with a few of my friends about what they thought of the first season of AMC's supposed "hit" zombie-drama "The Walking Dead." The thing that I keep hearing from the majority of them, and the thing that continually stuns me, is that they actually really liked it.
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Zombies. How could they do it wrong? |
Now, let me be clear. I did not like this show in the least when I first saw it. I thought that it was poorly done, ill-staffed (both in regards to the actors and the writers) and a general waste of my time.
However, I decided that mayhap I had been too harsh with the fledgling TV series. After all, the graphic novels of "The Walking Dead" are absolutely awesome and some of my favorite things to read, and zombies have always held a special place in my heart when it comes to my entertainment love. Much as those macabre shamblers ravenously devour flesh, I too have consumed hundreds of hours of zombie media, be it in the form of literature, movies or video game.
Honestly, I know that I can tell a good zombie story from a bad zombie story. Rather than doubting myself, though, I decided to watch the entire "Walking Dead" first season again, now with a critical eye to not only the show but on my attitude itself, to make sure I was not just being some rare breed of zombie hipster elitist.
After watching the series again, and taking a look at the graphic novels, and analyzing what it is exactly that so bothered me the first time I saw it, I've made a few conclusions about the show.
WARNING: SPOILER ALERT. I'm talking about a lot of junk from the first season, so if you don't want anything spoiled, then I suggest you leave now. And preferably read the graphic novel to catch up...