Title: The Walking Dead – Season One
Directed by: Frank Darabont, Michelle MacLaren and Gweneth Horder-Payton
Starring: Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal and Sarah Wayne Callies
Based on the Image comic book by Robert Kirkman is the story of Rick Grimes, an injured sheriff’s deputy who awakens from a coma to discover the world has been devastated by a zombie apocalypse. He is driven to find his wife and son, and seek out how the “Walkers” came to be while helping those in need along the way.
This is an amazing show. I kept putting off seeing the first season because I didn’t have high hopes for a zombie show on AMC of all networks, but I will admit the error of my narrow thought process and praise this show as best I can. Visually it’s fantastic, but the script is amazing as well. A few scenes had me pacing the room because it’s so intense.
Greg Nicotero’s make-up visual effects are incredible, and after watching the numerous behind the scenes featurettes on disc 3, I appreciate how much detail went into the show. The CG effects team are uber talented with their attention to the smallest details like placing flies on the rotting corpses, and digitally increasing the size of the zombie hordes. There is so much dedication by the camera crew, who stood in waist high leech infested water to get a shot. Frank Darabont is so enthusiastic and open to new ideas, he seems like a dream director to work with. The casting was next to perfect, even the kids were believable.
The special features include an entire disc of featurettes and the pilot episode in black and white – in the spirit of the comic book, but it also gives it a George Romero homage feel. Each episode on the first two discs have commentary by either the directors, cast members or the creative team. Disc 2 has quite a few bonus behind the scenes segments, including a zombie make-up tutorial to use for Halloween using some basic grocery items and Halloween store make-up kits. The first season is only six episodes, which is pretty British of AMC, but each episode is an hour long, so it’s more like a miniseries than a show. This is a mature show as there is some sex, language and all around scary elements that parents should be made aware before allowing their kids to watch.
It wouldn’t be an honest review without some nitpicks. The little girl zombie picking up a stuffed animal, a zombie picking up a rock to break a window, one using a doorknob – there’s no cognitive thought in a zombie brain as explained in episode six; they wouldn’t know to use these items. A few other scenes had extras obviously holding down a piece of flesh to the body they’re eating, and these can be overlooked by most viewers, but they irked me a little.
I am really impressed with this show and I can’t wait to see the new season. Even though the show does not follow the comic book exactly, the comic book fans will definitely enjoy this series.
Total Rating: A
Reviewed by: JM Willis
