Life is challenging but it isn’t supposed to be a literal hell. If it were then theoretically you, I and everyone else would cope and react in our own unique way.
AMC’s six-episode first season of ‘The Walking Dead’ is a novel approach to – for the first time in entertainment – serializing a zombie apocalypse. Emphasis is placed on the human condition rather than the deliberately emotionless zombies whose presence and lingering threat has a profoundly different effect on the survivors they come in contact with. How one person deals with a relative being turned into a zombie may be completely different than another.
Based on Robert Kirkman’s ongoing comic series, ‘The Walking Dead’ follows a group of zombie apocalypse survivors in and around Atlanta, Georgia. Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) is the main protagonist having awoken from an injury in the hospital to discover everyone is gone and the world is overrun with walking dead zombies. He sets out to find his wife and son whom have taken refuge with a disparate band of colorful survivors whom have set up camp on the outskirts of town.
In many respects, the “walking dead” refer to the survivors as much as the zombies that have transformed their world into that literal hell. Hope is as rare a commodity as water in the middle of a desert. Without it some are willing to exit this world on their own terms. Others are willing to do whatever it takes to survive, even if it means cutting off their own limbs. These people are not only fighting against the zombies, but their own emotional weaknesses and fellow survivors as well.
The only area where ‘The Walking Dead’ stumbles at times is in its pacing. Since the show is primarily character-driven it can spiral into soap opera territory at times in a serialized format. There’s always that uncertainly of when zombies may attack that if forgotten will come back to bite you and the characters when you least expect it. When they do some of the most realistic and disgustingly brutal zombie effects you’ve ever seen in a movie, television show or otherwise will show no mercy. That uncertainty and the willingness to push graphic boundaries helps keep you on the edge of your seat even when the action is mired in an extended lull.
High-Def Presentation
‘The Walking Dead’ originally aired in high definition and 5.1 Dolby Digital on AMC but gets a slight upgrade to 1080p and 5.1 Dolby TrueHD lossless audio on Blu-ray. The 1.78:1 1080p video presentation has that slightly grainy grit to accompany the filtered image that has is deliberately slightly washed out to reflect the zombie apocalypse. The image holds up stronger than it did during the live broadcast with strong blacks and cleaner detail shining through. Likewise the lossless audio track extends further with clearer voices, greater depth and bass to the gunfire and explosions, and better overall fidelity.
Beyond the Feature
Anchor Bay packed all six episodes and the bonus features across two discs and included a slip cover for ‘The Walking Dead’s’ Blu-ray debut. For such a short first season there’s no shortage of supplemental features including a Trailer presented in HD, great news for existing fans of the show and newcomers experiencing it for the first time on home video. The only oddity is a marketing gimmick that requires an extra click through a text advertisement for The Walking Dead: Season Two each time you try to access the bonus features.
The Making of The Walking Dead (29:53) – This nearly half-hour documentary is the core of the bonus features and essential viewing. Frank Darabont, Robert Kirkman and the producers talk about the show’s genesis, inspirations that reach back to The Night of the Living Dead, and how AMC has been the perfect partner to get their vision in front of viewers (thus far, anyways).
Inside Looks – There is a separate inside look at each of the six episodes that run roughly five minutes-a-piece. These are similar to a commentary with Frank Darabont as he explains the motivation behind what is driving each episode with the help of his cast and crew. It’s interesting to note that episode 104 ‘Vatos’ was written by Robert Kirkman.
A Sneak Peek with Robert Kirkman (4:51) – The name’s a little deceiving as this is more a retrospective and inside look on season one than a look ahead at what stories could appear in season two. We’ll have to wait until Comic-Con in July for a sneak peek at what comes next. Speaking of which…
Convention Panel with Producers (11:32) – A perfect seat to ‘The Walking Dead’ panel at Comic-Con last summer.
Zombie Make-Up Tips (6:45) – Greg and Andy, the make-up gurus behind the show’s make-up effects, walk through creating a zombie effect from scratch. Bookmark this one if you have some liquid latex lying around and need a Halloween costume idea later this year that isn’t a superhero.
Extra Footage – Like the “sneak peek” this labeling is deceiving. Rather than actual cut footage or deleted scenes, this area includes six short segments serving as mini-featurettes to add a little extra colorfulness and extension to the making-of pieces. Zombie School, Bicycle Girl (great time-lapse of the make-up application), On Set with Robert Kirkman, Hanging with Steven Yeun (a fan of the comic before the show was conceived), Inside Dale’s RV, and On Set with Andrew Lincoln are all worth your time for a lighter look at the show’s production.
‘The Walking Dead’ set ratings records for AMC and is likely on its way to many memorable seasons in the years to come. Anchor Bay’s treatment of the first six-episode short season is right on-par with the effort Frank Darabont and his team have put into the show. I promise you won’t be let down by either.
– Dan Bradley
Pre-order The Walking Dead: Season One on Blu-ray for a discounted price at Amazon.com (March 8, 2011 release date).
