AMC Series: The Walking Dead

When I first learned of this new upcoming series back in October, I was hyped. Finally, a zombie TV series, something that is ongoing and doesn't simply end after 2 hours (stupid movies). Unfortunately, a show of this magnitude requires a lot of producing effort so the producers decided to make the first season only 6 episodes. Since there will only be 6 episodes, I decided I will give a plot summary each week. The show airs every Sunday at 10 PM ET on AMC.


*******SPOILERS AHEAD*******


Episode 1: Days Gone Bye

Summary:
Rick (main character) is a sheriff who was shot and put into the hospital for a month. After he wakes up, he discovers he is alone in the hospital. Rick decides to go home and encounters very "strange" people as he rides a bike back to his house. He later meets a father and a son and they tell him what's been going on. Apparently, the zombie apocalypse is happening (no duh). The father informs the sheriff that the city might be a safe zone based on a broadcast a while ago. Rick decides to go look for his wife and kid and sets off on his journey, parting ways with the father and son. Having no vehicle of transportation, Rick innovates and finds a horse in a barn. He rides the horse into the city and is overwhelmed by a large number of walkers. The walkers eat his horse and he barely escapes and is trapped inside a tank.

Thoughts:
The pilot was 90 minutes long and it sets up a situation that's similar to 28 Days Later. A guy wakes up from a hospital and discovers the world is in chaos. One thing I never understand from this concept is; why didn't the zombies eat him while he was unconscious? Nevertheless, the plot is linear and somewhat predictable. Even though they try to portray Rick as cool as possible, one has to question his intelligence. What kind of idiot rides a horse into the city and expects to be able to escape a horde? The horde easily zerg'd him and tore the poor horse apart. The poor bastard was stuck inside a tank. I really did not know how he was going to get out of that one, which made me want to watch EP 2 ASAP.

28 Days Later anyone?

Hey sup gaice, yall like mah horse?

Episode 2: Guts

Summary:
We see glimpses of survivors and more importantly, Rick's wife and son. For whatever reason, the wife Lori is banging Rick's co-worker. Back in the city, Rick receives a radio transmission from someone outside. Glenn, an Asian guy, helps Rick escape from inside the tank and the horde. After they get back into their hideout, everyone scolds on Rick for being an idiot. By firing his gun whenever a walker came close, he drew more noise and attention from the rest of the horde. Now, the shopping mall entrance is crawling with hungry zombies trying to break in. On top of the rooftop, a violent hooligan in the group almost kills one of the survivors and Rick steps in to disarm him. The rest of the survivors plan to escape from the mall because the doors won't hold out forever. Unfortunately, going out would be suicide with so many zombies waiting outside. Rick finally uses his brain for the first time in the series and decides to blend in with the zombies. They dismember a walker and spill the walker's guts onto their clothing. By smelling like the dead, they manage to get far enough to hitch a truck. In the end, they manage to get everyone out of the building--all of them except the violent hooligan, who was handcuffed to the rooftop to be left for dead.

Thoughts:
The pilot wasn't all that original. However, episode 2 really stepped it up. Rick's stupidity never ceases to amaze me, which is why I was surprised that he was the one who came up with the idea of cloaking themselves with the stench of the dead. The scene in which they chopped up the dead was gory and bloody disgusting. The scene when they had to walk slowly to the car was probably the best scene so far. I thought the entire episode was very well thought out. The only thing that didn't surprise me was the thing affair with the wife.

Choppin' it up.

Blending in with the crowd.

Screens from AMC.