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Can someone tell me the best place to legitimately watch this?

Mr Kissyfur wrote:

Can someone tell me the best place to legitimately watch this?

On the tv in your lounge, whilst wearing your finest lambs wool cardigan.

the bit there the dude couldn't quite face sniping out his undead wife despite his obvious rage and grief, whilst the Sheriff apologised to a pitiful and clearly 'dying' (again!) zombie was hugely effective, and I'm fascinated to see where Darabont goes with the whole thing.

Sorry guys, but this wasn't very good. Yes it has pedigree in its producers and writers and there is obviously money being spent. However, am I alone in finding it really plodding, patronising in the way all events are telegraphed ten minutes before they happen, and all the characters are so two dimensional and thick. Writing the main character as a non communicative individual and then using that as a reason for him to ask NO questions at all.
Yes, there was tension, but you could see it coming a mile off as the principal character is a moron.

DBSnappa wrote:

I reckon to deviate from the standard, nay only zombie narrative there's ever been you have to start where everyone else has and make changes from there. I can see how you came to your conclusions and they aren't unfair but I hope in a couple of episodes they might be. Are you going to keep watching for a few more?

Of course, the comic book isn't about zombies at all, it's about the dynamics between the characters and how they survive in a world of constant danger where taking an eye off the ball for even a second can result in dire circumstances.

DB -- there's an awful lot of character development to come, the comics cover 3+ years of story time. The tradeoff is, it paces itself (and it'll suck if it gets cancelled). Personally, I like that fact that it subverts or avoids some common zombie tropes like a) the world falling apart (we enter the story after most zombie films have already finished) and b) "oh my god I can't believe this is happening to me" (which I've heard enough of).

Zio wrote:

Ah, so the zombies are just a setting? Got it

...What sounded like an "Achievement unlocked pop" when rick blew the brains out of the cop at the chain link fence, Other people heard it too. I'm not mad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4JD7Cliu7g

ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: 20g - Headshotted zombified former work colleague

Sure it could just be a happy aural accident, but it made me play it back multiple times when I first heard it to see if i was mad or not.

I'm just surprised there hasn't been a proper zombie series sooner.

After a slightly shaky start with the conversation in the cop car, I thought the main protagonist panned out pretty well.

He didn't do anything massively stupid (setting off down the pitch black stairs with just a book of matches when the zombies were trapped behind a padlocked door wasn't genius though), he came round to a grim acceptance of the situation in a reasonably believable fashion, and whilst they put in some suspect super-healing of his gunshot wound going on we don't really want to watch weeks of rehabilitation when there are zombies around.

We also have to assume that some stuff happens off screen, it goes without saying that as his day and night with the dude and his son progressed, they talked a lot and he was convinced that it was all real, especially considering what he'd seen with his own eyes prior to that.

I know nothing about the comics and indeed have never laid eyes on a single one, but I do like my zombie films and The Walking Dead got more right in its first episodes than most 'proper' films manage in their entire running length.

By the end of it I felt emotionally invested in the main character, his former partner and their friends, and also the dude and his son - it wasn't perfect by any means, but I'm interested to see what happens next and where the story goes.

My biggest complaint was CGI blood, which never, ever, looks convincing. Can it really be better/cheaper to use CGI blood over a $10 squib?

Anyway, my concerns were the fact that a trained law officer, regardless of his daze after coming out of a coma (we don't know how long he was out, but quite a few weeks I would imagine, which would negate the worst of the gunshot wound healing problem), proceeded to walk through a fucked hospital with all the sharps over the floor, through a war torn environ to his house, for ten minutes of episode time, without feeling the need to put anything on his feet or put any clothes on. This felt simply like an art direction choice rather than a logical one — marvel at our set dressing, while a too buff for his condition Andrew Lincoln moseys around in a pair of Jockey shorts and a hospital robe. He then encountered Lennie James and after being attacked and recuperating, proceeds to ask no questions. Then we have to deal with the clunking scene with his patrol partner and the scene where they do three things, two of which are simply plot mechanisms which are patronising. They establish that Atlanta is a bad place to go, which is where our hero is going, they establish that patrol partner and principal character's wife are getting it on, which leads us to flimsily surmise that is why principal character was abandoned to his fate in the hospital when the town was evacuated. Then we have to deal with a trained law officer blithely riding past a few zombies, noting that it's only a few but having witnessed already their ability to congregate is then shocked by the mob he encounters. I slapped my head at this point as I knew this was coming a mile off.

Atrocity Exhibition wrote:

It might be worth spoilering some of that.

ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!

Yes, I was vexed with the bare feet in the hospital too but I actually think they do stuff like that on purpose to make you invest in it. As long as it's not overdone, that's OK.

ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!

I think that made perfect sense that he just staggered around for a while and never stopped to consider shoes, he was convinced he was dreaming, as you would be really.

ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!

they establish that patrol partner and principal character's wife are getting it on, which leads us to flimsily surmise that is why principal character was abandoned to his fate in the hospital when the town was evacuated

That you become a zombie when you die regardless of how you die? And that whilst zombie bites kill you, they aren't responsible for zombification, which is inevitable? It was all the dead bodies outside the hospital, without obvious headshots, that suggested this to me.

but lots of those bodies had half bricks lying beside their heads, I noticed.

I'm assuming you only turn into a zombie from being bitten by one, anything else would be crazy!

Quote:

...the rule is: WHATEVER it is that causes the zombies, is something everyone already has. If you stub your toe, get an infection and die ... you turn into a zombie. UNLESS your brain is damaged. If someone shoots you in the head and you die ...you're dead. A zombie bite kills you because of infection, or blood loss ... not because of the zombie "virus."

DBSnappa wrote:

ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!

Your surmising is wrong, incidentally. Keep watching.

My argument is that I think it's very risky if not downright misguided of the producers/writers/directors to assume everyone else will keep watching when the opening episode requires so much legacy knowledge for it make sense.

the book, IIRC, doesn't reveal that Lori and Shane are at it until quite a bit later. They moved that forward.

DBSnappa wrote:

Does it though?

Again, I've not seen it yet, but from the sounds of it, the plot very closely follows the comic book. In which case, maybe you're meant to think that maybe Rick was abandoned in the hospital so his wife could run off with his partner?

Zio -

ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!

the book, IIRC, doesn't reveal that Lori and Shane are at it until quite a bit later. They moved that forward.

The radio being given to his 'neighbours' being the one i spotted but thats probably because i've only recently seen their future

Watched it, and twas awesome.

I also noticed...

ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!

Did anyone else think they've changed this from the comics (spoiler to volume 4 of the comic, I think; be careful with this one)

ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!

Now without reading the thread I was looking very closely for this and on a lot of the bodies that it showed you outside the hospital there was either a red smudge on the head or some dark markings on one side (i wonder if they managed to condense it down a little into something more clinical for them ?) , I also waited for the very first body he saw - that dismembered woman to start moving since her head was intact

It seems a slightly lazy way to skip all that "World is falling to shit" story and jump straight to "World has fallen to shit".

Squirt wrote:

It seems a slightly lazy way to skip all that "World is falling to shit" story and jump straight to "World has fallen to shit".

Well, it is. But also it allows them to shorthand through the "ZOMG I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING" stuff which (let's be honest) we've seen hundreds of times and into the more novel "we need to find a way to survive in this hostile new world" territory.

Sky+d it, not home'til Monday night. Can't wait to watch it. Also got two episodes of The Event to catch up on, anyone else been watching that?

but there's probably enough new about these Aliens to keep things interesting.

The head Alien - what was she in? I just can't think of it.

the more novel "we need to find a way to survive in this hostile new world" territory.

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:

the more novel "we need to find a way to survive in this hostile new world" territory.

Novel?

Mr Kissyfur wrote:

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:

the more novel "we need to find a way to survive in this hostile new world" territory.

Novel?

Within the zombie subgenre, yes.

Author:	flis [ Tue Nov 02, 2010 23:13 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
Mr Kissyfur wrote: Can someone tell me the best place to legitimately watch this? On the tv in your lounge, whilst wearing your finest lambs wool cardigan.

Author:	MaliA [ Tue Nov 02, 2010 23:25 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
Mr Kissyfur wrote: Can someone tell me the best place to legitimately watch this? Starts on FX on Friday I think.

Author:	Doctor Glyndwr [ Wed Nov 03, 2010 10:49 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
splitting out TV distribution talk

Author:	Doctor Glyndwr [ Wed Nov 03, 2010 10:52 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
Done.

Author:	DBSnappa [ Wed Nov 03, 2010 11:07 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
Sorry guys, but this wasn't very good. Yes it has pedigree in its producers and writers and there is obviously money being spent. However, am I alone in finding it really plodding, patronising in the way all events are telegraphed ten minutes before they happen, and all the characters are so two dimensional and thick. Writing the main character as a non communicative individual and then using that as a reason for him to ask NO questions at all. Yes, there was tension, but you could see it coming a mile off as the principal character is a moron.

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Author:	MrChris [ Wed Nov 03, 2010 12:08 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
flis wrote: Mr Kissyfur wrote: Can someone tell me the best place to legitimately watch this? On the tv in your lounge, whilst wearing your finest lambs wool cardigan. You are asking for a thorough spanking, you cheeky person. Lambswool! Alpaca, thanks.

Author:	Hearthly [ Thu Nov 04, 2010 0:07 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
Fuck me that was a good slice of telly. Started off a little bit weakly with characters who didn't immediately click, and the initial zombie explanation wasn't wholly convincing either, (28 Days Later but not as well done, maybe all the 'Dead London' shots in 28 Days meant a USA version wasn't going to compare), but thereafter, it stepped up a gear and remained superb right to the closing credits. What I particularly liked was there was no 'I'M GOING TO DO SOMETHING REALLY STUPID BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE YOU AND TRIGGER A NEEDLESS ACTION SEQUENCE' - there was just the dull resignation of the characters and watching their humanity suffer in front of you, the essence of a compelling zombie tale. (Romero got this right in the fucking 60s, it's so good to see it done properly again.) It's already got Darabont's mark all over it, which couldn't be better as this is the man who put out The Mist with its proper ending against serious audience and studio pressure to make it all Hollywood and stupid instead. I suspect he'll really find his place with this series, he's got the time and the freedom to make this story work, and he also appears to have the money, the writers, the actors, and the production values to not have to cut any corners either. Some very striking shots and compositions, ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view! the bit there the dude couldn't quite face sniping out his undead wife despite his obvious rage and grief, whilst the Sheriff apologised to a pitiful and clearly 'dying' (again!) zombie was hugely effective, and I'm fascinated to see where Darabont goes with the whole thing. It's even got a half-decent explanation of the transformation and why there are dead, 'alive' dead, and normal humans, too. Most definitely looking forward to the second episode, excellent stuff all round.

Author:	GovernmentYard [ Thu Nov 04, 2010 1:27 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
DBSnappa wrote: Sorry guys, but this wasn't very good. Yes it has pedigree in its producers and writers and there is obviously money being spent. However, am I alone in finding it really plodding, patronising in the way all events are telegraphed ten minutes before they happen, and all the characters are so two dimensional and thick. Writing the main character as a non communicative individual and then using that as a reason for him to ask NO questions at all. Yes, there was tension, but you could see it coming a mile off as the principal character is a moron. I reckon to deviate from the standard, nay only zombie narrative there's ever been you have to start where everyone else has and make changes from there. I can see how you came to your conclusions and they aren't unfair but I hope in a couple of episodes they might be. Are you going to keep watching for a few more?

Author:	DBSnappa [ Thu Nov 04, 2010 11:49 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
GovernmentYard wrote: DBSnappa wrote: Sorry guys, but this wasn't very good. Yes it has pedigree in its producers and writers and there is obviously money being spent. However, am I alone in finding it really plodding, patronising in the way all events are telegraphed ten minutes before they happen, and all the characters are so two dimensional and thick. Writing the main character as a non communicative individual and then using that as a reason for him to ask NO questions at all. Yes, there was tension, but you could see it coming a mile off as the principal character is a moron. I reckon to deviate from the standard, nay only zombie narrative there's ever been you have to start where everyone else has and make changes from there. I can see how you came to your conclusions and they aren't unfair but I hope in a couple of episodes they might be. Are you going to keep watching for a few more? Of course. I usually but not always, allow something three episodes to bed in. I was just disappointed s'all. I understand it's possible to rationalise all of the things I found wrong in the episode but I'm wary of making excuses — ultimately in an ideal world it shouldn't need them and pacing aside, I will stop watching if Andrew Lincoln's character doesn't become more than a cypher. I think that's the problem I had more than anything is that all of the characters felt like they were all out of central casting and were there simply to service the predictable plot points.

Author:	Doctor Glyndwr [ Thu Nov 04, 2010 11:55 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
DB -- there's an awful lot of character development to come, the comics cover 3+ years of story time. The tradeoff is, it paces itself (and it'll suck if it gets cancelled). Personally, I like that fact that it subverts or avoids some common zombie tropes like a) the world falling apart (we enter the story after most zombie films have already finished) and b) "oh my god I can't believe this is happening to me" (which I've heard enough of).

Author:	markg [ Thu Nov 04, 2010 11:57 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
I don't reckon there's a chance it'll get cancelled any time soon. I'm just surprised there hasn't been a proper zombie series sooner.

Author:	Zio [ Thu Nov 04, 2010 12:26 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
I think it's taken the comic book to prove that the concept can work as an ongoing series. Of course, the comic book isn't about zombies at all, it's about the dynamics between the characters and how they survive in a world of constant danger where taking an eye off the ball for even a second can result in dire circumstances. Haven't actually seen Ep. 1 of this yet. I did acquire a copy off of the Download-O-Tron, but I've also got the whole series lined up to be recorded on my telly box anyway, so I may just watch it 'legit'. As for the comic, I've read every single issue up to 77 - can't get enough of it. Finest comic series I've ever read by quite some margin. And I've even met Charlie Adlard and had him sign a load of my Walking Dead stuff!

Author:	Grim... [ Thu Nov 04, 2010 12:45 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
Zio wrote: Of course, the comic book isn't about zombies at all, it's about the dynamics between the characters and how they survive in a world of constant danger where taking an eye off the ball for even a second can result in dire circumstances. Ah, so the zombies are just a setting? Got it

Author:	DBSnappa [ Thu Nov 04, 2010 12:46 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
Doctor Glyndwr wrote: DB -- there's an awful lot of character development to come, the comics cover 3+ years of story time. The tradeoff is, it paces itself (and it'll suck if it gets cancelled). Personally, I like that fact that it subverts or avoids some common zombie tropes like a) the world falling apart (we enter the story after most zombie films have already finished) and b) "oh my god I can't believe this is happening to me" (which I've heard enough of). I understand all of this, but I don't have any investment in this, I haven't read any of the comics. And that opening episode was weak in far too many places other than art direction for anyone not to be disappointed with it unless they've read the comics and know/hope it's going to get better. I'm just pointing this out. I've been informed by someone who has seen the second episode that it does improve, you'll be relieved to hear.

Author:	Zio [ Thu Nov 04, 2010 12:54 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
Grim... wrote: Zio wrote: Of course, the comic book isn't about zombies at all, it's about the dynamics between the characters and how they survive in a world of constant danger where taking an eye off the ball for even a second can result in dire circumstances. Ah, so the zombies are just a setting? Got it Heh. But, actually, I'd agree in this case.

Author:	Mentski [ Thu Nov 04, 2010 13:38 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
Watched it, and twas awesome. I also noticed... ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view! ...What sounded like an "Achievement unlocked pop" when rick blew the brains out of the cop at the chain link fence, Other people heard it too. I'm not mad. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4JD7Cliu7g ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: 20g - Headshotted zombified former work colleague Sure it could just be a happy aural accident, but it made me play it back multiple times when I first heard it to see if i was mad or not.

Author:	LewieP [ Thu Nov 04, 2010 13:49 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
Oh man, I heard the same, buy my Xbox was on whilst I was watching it, and thought it was just someone coming online or whatever.

Author:	SisterCheeba [ Thu Nov 04, 2010 14:31 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
markg wrote: I'm just surprised there hasn't been a proper zombie series sooner. There was definitely talk of a Romero-connected zombie series a few years ago, I think it may even have been British-produced, or would've been if it'd actually got greenlit. It didn't, however. I'm loving this so far. Aye, a lot of the first ep was a bit zombs-by-numbers, but it looks likely to get interesting pretty sharpish. The production design and direction are something else too. I just wish it'd already run and I'd somehow missed it, so I could watch the series as one long, intense siege, proper like.

Author:	Hearthly [ Thu Nov 04, 2010 21:09 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view! After a slightly shaky start with the conversation in the cop car, I thought the main protagonist panned out pretty well. He didn't do anything massively stupid (setting off down the pitch black stairs with just a book of matches when the zombies were trapped behind a padlocked door wasn't genius though), he came round to a grim acceptance of the situation in a reasonably believable fashion, and whilst they put in some suspect super-healing of his gunshot wound going on we don't really want to watch weeks of rehabilitation when there are zombies around. We also have to assume that some stuff happens off screen, it goes without saying that as his day and night with the dude and his son progressed, they talked a lot and he was convinced that it was all real, especially considering what he'd seen with his own eyes prior to that. I know nothing about the comics and indeed have never laid eyes on a single one, but I do like my zombie films and The Walking Dead got more right in its first episodes than most 'proper' films manage in their entire running length. By the end of it I felt emotionally invested in the main character, his former partner and their friends, and also the dude and his son - it wasn't perfect by any means, but I'm interested to see what happens next and where the story goes. My biggest complaint was CGI blood, which never, ever, looks convincing. Can it really be better/cheaper to use CGI blood over a $10 squib?

Author:	Malabelm [ Thu Nov 04, 2010 21:22 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
Oh! I just watched this. Blambo* lives! It was quite good, and I look forward to the next episode. When is this? *Black Rambo, from Jericho. That man kicks ass.

Author:	DBSnappa [ Thu Nov 04, 2010 21:47 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
Atrocity Exhibition wrote: After a slightly shaky start with the conversation in the cop car, I thought the main protagonist panned out pretty well. He didn't do anything massively stupid (setting off down the pitch black stairs with just a book of matches when the zombies were trapped behind a padlocked door wasn't genius though), he came round to a grim acceptance of the situation in a reasonably believable fashion, and whilst they put in some suspect super-healing of his gunshot wound going on we don't really want to watch weeks of rehabilitation when there are zombies around. We also have to assume that some stuff happens off screen, it goes without saying that as his day and night with the dude and his son progressed, they talked a lot and he was convinced that it was all real, especially considering what he'd seen with his own eyes prior to that. I know nothing about the comics and indeed have never laid eyes on a single one, but I do like my zombie films and The Walking Dead got more right in its first episodes than most 'proper' films manage in their entire running length. By the end of it I felt emotionally invested in the main character, his former partner and their friends, and also the dude and his son - it wasn't perfect by any means, but I'm interested to see what happens next and where the story goes. My biggest complaint was CGI blood, which never, ever, looks convincing. Can it really be better/cheaper to use CGI blood over a $10 squib? It might be worth spoilering some of that. ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view! Anyway, my concerns were the fact that a trained law officer, regardless of his daze after coming out of a coma (we don't know how long he was out, but quite a few weeks I would imagine, which would negate the worst of the gunshot wound healing problem), proceeded to walk through a fucked hospital with all the sharps over the floor, through a war torn environ to his house, for ten minutes of episode time, without feeling the need to put anything on his feet or put any clothes on. This felt simply like an art direction choice rather than a logical one — marvel at our set dressing, while a too buff for his condition Andrew Lincoln moseys around in a pair of Jockey shorts and a hospital robe. He then encountered Lennie James and after being attacked and recuperating, proceeds to ask no questions. Then we have to deal with the clunking scene with his patrol partner and the scene where they do three things, two of which are simply plot mechanisms which are patronising. They establish that Atlanta is a bad place to go, which is where our hero is going, they establish that patrol partner and principal character's wife are getting it on, which leads us to flimsily surmise that is why principal character was abandoned to his fate in the hospital when the town was evacuated. Then we have to deal with a trained law officer blithely riding past a few zombies, noting that it's only a few but having witnessed already their ability to congregate is then shocked by the mob he encounters. I slapped my head at this point as I knew this was coming a mile off.

Author:	Hearthly [ Thu Nov 04, 2010 22:07 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
DBSnappa wrote: Atrocity Exhibition wrote: After a slightly shaky start with the conversation in the cop car, I thought the main protagonist panned out pretty well. He didn't do anything massively stupid (setting off down the pitch black stairs with just a book of matches when the zombies were trapped behind a padlocked door wasn't genius though), he came round to a grim acceptance of the situation in a reasonably believable fashion, and whilst they put in some suspect super-healing of his gunshot wound going on we don't really want to watch weeks of rehabilitation when there are zombies around. We also have to assume that some stuff happens off screen, it goes without saying that as his day and night with the dude and his son progressed, they talked a lot and he was convinced that it was all real, especially considering what he'd seen with his own eyes prior to that. I know nothing about the comics and indeed have never laid eyes on a single one, but I do like my zombie films and The Walking Dead got more right in its first episodes than most 'proper' films manage in their entire running length. By the end of it I felt emotionally invested in the main character, his former partner and their friends, and also the dude and his son - it wasn't perfect by any means, but I'm interested to see what happens next and where the story goes. My biggest complaint was CGI blood, which never, ever, looks convincing. Can it really be better/cheaper to use CGI blood over a $10 squib? It might be worth spoilering some of that. ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view! Anyway, my concerns were the fact that a trained law officer, regardless of his daze after coming out of a coma (we don't know how long he was out, but quite a few weeks I would imagine, which would negate the worst of the gunshot wound healing problem), proceeded to walk through a fucked hospital with all the sharps over the floor, through a war torn environ to his house, for ten minutes of episode time, without feeling the need to put anything on his feet or put any clothes on. This felt simply like an art direction choice rather than a logical one — marvel at our set dressing, while a too buff for his condition Andrew Lincoln moseys around in a pair of Jockey shorts and a hospital robe. He then encountered Lennie James and after being attacked and recuperating, proceeds to ask no questions. Then we have to deal with the clunking scene with his patrol partner and the scene where they do three things, two of which are simply plot mechanisms which are patronising. They establish that Atlanta is a bad place to go, which is where our hero is going, they establish that patrol partner and principal character's wife are getting it on, which leads us to flimsily surmise that is why principal character was abandoned to his fate in the hospital when the town was evacuated. Then we have to deal with a trained law officer blithely riding past a few zombies, noting that it's only a few but having witnessed already their ability to congregate is then shocked by the mob he encounters. I slapped my head at this point as I knew this was coming a mile off. Oops yes spoilers done. I'm not fundamentally disagreeing with your points, they're all valid, but I came to this from the perspective of knowing I was watching the start of a series, and that there are going to be bits of it that are a shade on the clunky side. More importantly, I'm painfully aware that a good chunk of mainstream cinema and TV output is utter fucking shite these days, and has been for years, which is partly why I've got far more interested in world cinema recently, although I can't say I've done the same for telly. On its own, The Walking Dead got off to a pretty strong start IMO, and considering the competition its up against, it's head and shoulders above much of the rest. They set a lot of stuff off in motion (and you have to remember the evilness of the US syndication system, they'll cancel shows without blinking), and they had to get a lot in to make a 'strong' first episode (i.e. enough actions and zombies and 'easy wins' if you will), I still say this is going to settle down into a really great series - Darabont's cinema work shows how he likes to tell a tale the long way but has been limited by the 2 to 3 hours format of film. You only need to look at the likes of 28 Weeks Later to see how much they can fuck things up in true studio fashion, following the brilliance of 28 Days Later.

Author:	kalmar [ Fri Nov 05, 2010 0:36 ]
Post subject:	The Walking Dead
Well, I thought it was excellent. The protagonist Egg isn't the sharpest tool in the box, and yes the setups are obvious but it's a refreshing change to see someone realistically use machinery and technology to their advantage instead of running about like a headless chicken. It should go awesome from here. ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view! Yes, I was vexed with the bare feet in the hospital too but I actually think they do stuff like that on purpose to make you invest in it. As long as it's not overdone, that's OK.

Author:	markg [ Fri Nov 05, 2010 9:33 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
DBSnappa wrote: ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view! Anyway, my concerns were the fact that a trained law officer, regardless of his daze after coming out of a coma (we don't know how long he was out, but quite a few weeks I would imagine, which would negate the worst of the gunshot wound healing problem), proceeded to walk through a fucked hospital with all the sharps over the floor, through a war torn environ to his house, for ten minutes of episode time, without feeling the need to put anything on his feet or put any clothes on. This felt simply like an art direction choice rather than a logical one — marvel at our set dressing, while a too buff for his condition Andrew Lincoln moseys around in a pair of Jockey shorts and a hospital robe. He then encountered Lennie James and after being attacked and recuperating, proceeds to ask no questions. Then we have to deal with the clunking scene with his patrol partner and the scene where they do three things, two of which are simply plot mechanisms which are patronising. They establish that Atlanta is a bad place to go, which is where our hero is going, they establish that patrol partner and principal character's wife are getting it on, which leads us to flimsily surmise that is why principal character was abandoned to his fate in the hospital when the town was evacuated. Then we have to deal with a trained law officer blithely riding past a few zombies, noting that it's only a few but having witnessed already their ability to congregate is then shocked by the mob he encounters. I slapped my head at this point as I knew this was coming a mile off. ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view! I think that made perfect sense that he just staggered around for a while and never stopped to consider shoes, he was convinced he was dreaming, as you would be really.

Author:	Doctor Glyndwr [ Fri Nov 05, 2010 10:32 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
DBSnappa wrote: ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view! they establish that patrol partner and principal character's wife are getting it on, which leads us to flimsily surmise that is why principal character was abandoned to his fate in the hospital when the town was evacuated Your surmising is wrong, incidentally. Keep watching.

Author:	kalmar [ Fri Nov 05, 2010 10:44 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view! but lots of those bodies had half bricks lying beside their heads, I noticed. I'm assuming you only turn into a zombie from being bitten by one, anything else would be crazy!

Author:	DBSnappa [ Fri Nov 05, 2010 11:34 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
Doctor Glyndwr wrote: DBSnappa wrote: ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view! they establish that patrol partner and principal character's wife are getting it on, which leads us to flimsily surmise that is why principal character was abandoned to his fate in the hospital when the town was evacuated Your surmising is wrong, incidentally. Keep watching. I am. My argument is that I think it's very risky if not downright misguided of the producers/writers/directors to assume everyone else will keep watching when the opening episode requires so much legacy knowledge for it make sense. I hope I'm wrong and there's a good chance I will be.

Author:	kalmar [ Fri Nov 05, 2010 11:37 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
What legacy knowledge? It's basic zombie rules so far. No problems here.

Author:	Zio [ Fri Nov 05, 2010 11:40 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
DBSnappa wrote: My argument is that I think it's very risky if not downright misguided of the producers/writers/directors to assume everyone else will keep watching when the opening episode requires so much legacy knowledge for it make sense. Does it though? Again, I've not seen it yet, but from the sounds of it, the plot very closely follows the comic book. In which case, maybe you're meant to think that maybe Rick was abandoned in the hospital so his wife could run off with his partner?

Author:	Doctor Glyndwr [ Fri Nov 05, 2010 11:52 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
Zio - ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view! the book, IIRC, doesn't reveal that Lori and Shane are at it until quite a bit later. They moved that forward.

Author:	DBSnappa [ Fri Nov 05, 2010 11:55 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
Zio wrote: DBSnappa wrote: My argument is that I think it's very risky if not downright misguided of the producers/writers/directors to assume everyone else will keep watching when the opening episode requires so much legacy knowledge for it make sense. Does it though? Again, I've not seen it yet, but from the sounds of it, the plot very closely follows the comic book. In which case, maybe you're meant to think that maybe Rick was abandoned in the hospital so his wife could run off with his partner? Sorry, I should have been clearer. I was referring to the fact that an awful lot was left unexplained or inexplicable, the characters were barely formed and the principal came across as a dumbass. The pacing was probably slightly too slow and the story needed to progress a bit further in that opening episode. I get the fact that it gets better, my argument is that that's a bit of a reach when you view the opening episode in isolation of any knowledge of the story from the comics. In other words, if you know nothing about the story then the first episode wasn't as good as it could have been, which is why I think it's risky to assume it'll run and run. American network TV is bloody ruthless and if this halves it's viewing figures after the first episode and doesn't recover it probably won't get recommissioned, regardless of how good you think it is or how much you love the comics. I am going to watch the next couple of episodes, but that's down to you lot more than the opening episode if I'm honest, and I don't think my opinion on this is so wrongheaded to not be a possibility just because you lot love it.

Author:	markg [ Fri Nov 05, 2010 12:01 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
I think basically though it's zombies and there aren't any there zombie series. There's a huge appetite for it and it's already much better than it needs to be. Imagine if there was only one series about vampires, you could churn out any old shite and it would run and run.

Author:	Zio [ Fri Nov 05, 2010 12:05 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
Doctor Glyndwr wrote: Zio - ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view! the book, IIRC, doesn't reveal that Lori and Shane are at it until quite a bit later. They moved that forward. Ah, I believe you may be correct, now I think about it. Haven't read the first few issues in a long time now and I really should, as I always slightly preferred Tony Moore's artwork to Charlie Adlard's.

Author:	Zardoz [ Sat Nov 06, 2010 0:43 ]
Post subject:	Re: The Walking Dead
Just finished watching episode 1. Fucking brilliant.