TV Talk: The Walking Dead

I've spent the past few months catching up on this show, watching all four seasons. I resisted the show because of the violent graphic nature, but I came for the characters. And I haven't been at all sorry.

Yes, it's violent. Very violent, very graphic. But the story and the characters and the intensity of it all... fascinating! Gripping! And heartbreaking. And worth it.

It all begins when Rick gets shot during a police chase. When he wakes up in the hospital, who knows how long later, the world has changed. A virus as taken over. He runs for home, but no one is there. He is now on a mission to find his wife and kid. Welcome to episode 1.

Here's the trailer for that:



I got used to the violence against the zombies... they are just zombies after all! And I was able to handle it by thinking... Wow, that's some awesome special effects! How'd they DO that anyway?

But the other violence? That's when I have to turn my head, because it's much more real. The circumstances of this world have turned some people really good and some really bad. It's scary to see how bad some people get (I mentioned this in an other post a few months ago) and it's those moments that are really gut wrenching... what people can do to each other. I imagine should something like this really happen, this is truly what we'll be dealing with.

But most of the characters are so amazing. Here are some of the characters we are introduced to in the first season:

Rick: the cop and all round good leader type guy. He knows how to manage people. He's tough and smart and savvy... but he's also easily broken.

Glenn: one of the sweetest guys you'll ever meet on any TV show let alone a gruesome one like this one! He has no business having to deal with this stuff! He's too nice!

Carl: Rick's son who is just a little boy when it all starts, but as you can well imagine, he grows to be as smart and savvy as his dad and learns to deal with whatever comes his way.

Daryl and Merle: a set of white trash no-do-good brothers who are like time bombs and can get set off by anything. One proves that he is as volatile as we expect him to be the other proves he is worth more than any of the rest of them put together!

Carol: Who starts out as an abused wife. In fact, I thought her character would be dead from the get go, but she has lived on to show she has inner strength to match the best of them.

Shane: Rick's cop partner who gave me the creeps from day one! I root for most of them, but I'm not rooting for this guy!

Andrea: Another really smart, really strong female character, yet she gets herself into one freaking awful mess!

And then as the seasons go one, several more awesome people are introduced. You become attached to them all (well except Shane maybe) but none of them are safe! You never know who's going to be killed next! It sure keeps you on your seat and clicking for the next episode! I don't think I've ever screamed and yelled and moaned and groaned at the TV screen quite as much as I have watching this show. Oh, and the music... awesome!!! (Scary creepy music, along with really cool folksy music. It's a cool mix.)

So despite the gruesomeness of this show, I've come, I've watched and I've loved. Now I'm in the same boat as all the other fans, dying for next season to start to see what happens to all our heroes next! Will they ever get a break, these characters? I highly doubt it.


Are you fan? What's your feeling on this show? Are you reluctant to watch? Why? Or... have I convinced you to give it a try? Discuss in comments!