TV: The Walking Dead

My first post in a while will be about my new favorite drama,, The Walking Dead.  To those who don't know what it's about, it's set in a world where a pandemic has turned people into mindless "walkers" and a group of people lead by Georgia sheriff Rick Grimes attempt to survive not only against the walkers, but also anyone who threatens them in this new dog-eat-dog world.

What I love about this show is the premise, it's simple and effective.  It doesn't try to be fancy or classy or cool, it is what it is and it is awesome.  With a show like this, you expect the same people fighting zombies every week, but it isn't the case, they don't just fight zombies, especially in the recent third season.  Every season has a new feel, new setting and new challenges for the group to face and every few episodes, a well-known or beloved character will see a bloody end, the question is always "Who will it be?"  This aspect of the show keeps you on your toes as you never know who is next to die, a prime example is Lori, Rick's wife, who died early in the third season, no one saw this coming, it was a huge blow to everyone and really emphasised the point that no one is safe.

The characters are also well thought out, deep, complex individuals, two examples of this are The Governor, played incredibly by David Morrisey, a man who has lost everything due to the pandemic and Rick's group and as a result has become corrupt and evil.  Another is the mysterious Michonne, played by Danai Gurira, whose actions speak louder than her words.  You had no idea if she was good or bad and that made her interesting to see as her character develops.  Another character to watch out for is Carl, Rick's son, as I think he'll play a big part in season 4 due to his desensitized nature.

My one concern about this show is how it ends each season, as it doesn't give you enough to make watch the next one.  Seasons 2 and 3 had quite anti-climatic endings, which makes me concerned about how it will the end the whole show, as it may not give the audience what they want or expect.  But it is only one fault in an other wise enjoyable show.

Overall, The Walking Dead is an interesting, well-presented piece of drama which shows no sign of slowing down.