Saying that I am a zombie fanatic would be putting it lightly. I write zombie fiction, I read zombie comics, I watch zombie movies, I wear zombie t-shirts, and (now) I watch zombie television. I'm not one of those fans who will accept anything as long as it has a zombie in it, and I find myself being extremely critical of the genre I love. That being said, AMC's "The Walking Dead" is one of the greatest zombie stories ever told. I thought the same thing when it was just a popular comic book, and they have stay true to form by making it into an amazing show.
In 2003, Image comics took a risk and allowed Robert Kirkman to come on board and create a black-and-white comic book about zombie survival. Much to the failing publisher's delight, the comic was a huge success. It helped reestablish Image as one of the leading comic book creators and heralded a new age for them. The comic follows a group of survivors led by a police officer named Rick Grimes. He is a tragic hero, and the series has all of the heartache and loss of an Italian opera.
Another thing that adds to the incredible depth of the characters is the superb acting by the cast. The characters can be as richly written and directed as you like, but it takes skill and charisma as an actor to flesh those words out into a three-dimensional being. Andrew Lincoln brings the character of Rick Grimes into stark reality. His emotions are fully bare as he stoically leads a group of survivors across a wasted landscape, taking the responsibility of many people's lives all upon his own weary shoulders. Jon Bernthal also gives a noted performance as Rick's sketchy best friend, Shane.
One of the arguably best things they've done in this series is deviate strongly from the original story featured in Kirkman's comic. Some people rant and rave against not staying true to the original story, but I do not agree. Frankly, there are many scenes that would work well on paper but would not translate quite so well onto film. Changing the story up, introducing new characters, and keeping some alive while killing others makes the story new to me. They never even went to the Center For Disease control in the comic, but it was heavily featured in the first season of the show.
As much as I loved the first and second season of the television adaptation of "The Walking Dead", the third season looks like it's going to be even more jaw-dropping than the first two. The characters have been fleshed out and there are some that you hate and some that you love, but they are all developed so much that you're able to definitely understand them and their motivations. I don't know where the show will be going and what twists they're going to take us down, but I can't wait to find out! I'll be perched on the edge of my seat, knuckles white, and ready to get my zombie on!
In 2003, Image comics took a risk and allowed Robert Kirkman to come on board and create a black-and-white comic book about zombie survival. Much to the failing publisher's delight, the comic was a huge success. It helped reestablish Image as one of the leading comic book creators and heralded a new age for them. The comic follows a group of survivors led by a police officer named Rick Grimes. He is a tragic hero, and the series has all of the heartache and loss of an Italian opera.
Another thing that adds to the incredible depth of the characters is the superb acting by the cast. The characters can be as richly written and directed as you like, but it takes skill and charisma as an actor to flesh those words out into a three-dimensional being. Andrew Lincoln brings the character of Rick Grimes into stark reality. His emotions are fully bare as he stoically leads a group of survivors across a wasted landscape, taking the responsibility of many people's lives all upon his own weary shoulders. Jon Bernthal also gives a noted performance as Rick's sketchy best friend, Shane.
One of the arguably best things they've done in this series is deviate strongly from the original story featured in Kirkman's comic. Some people rant and rave against not staying true to the original story, but I do not agree. Frankly, there are many scenes that would work well on paper but would not translate quite so well onto film. Changing the story up, introducing new characters, and keeping some alive while killing others makes the story new to me. They never even went to the Center For Disease control in the comic, but it was heavily featured in the first season of the show.
As much as I loved the first and second season of the television adaptation of "The Walking Dead", the third season looks like it's going to be even more jaw-dropping than the first two. The characters have been fleshed out and there are some that you hate and some that you love, but they are all developed so much that you're able to definitely understand them and their motivations. I don't know where the show will be going and what twists they're going to take us down, but I can't wait to find out! I'll be perched on the edge of my seat, knuckles white, and ready to get my zombie on!
