The Walking Dead

Walter said:

How? HOW?! I wouldn't call this show "good" by any stretch of the imagination.

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I'm kinda surprised myself. No one would be watching this show if it wasn't for the zombie scenario. The "drama" is hilariously bad besides one or two scenes, so after the novelty of the pilot it should've lost some steam.

Griffith said:

Wow, yeah, they fucked up. That's what they get for hedging their bets, though this is certainly a better problem than investing double or triple the money in a longer season and it failing. They obviously saw it coming when they ordered the second season.

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Yeah I think that's precisely why they did what they did. It makes business sense, and I don't really fault them for it. Honestly I didn't think the show would be successful either. I'm still kind of scratching my head as to why it's retained the audience size that it has after five, mostly boring, episodes.

Compared to what other shows currently on though?

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What a sad trophy to win...

PS: Read the comic

Griffith said:

Compared to what other shows currently on though?

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Actually i'm not watching any show besides this one...

The other day i saw the original Dawn of the Dead and man it felt incredibly dated, and it's arguably the best zombie movie ever. With so many zombie games (now it even seems obligatory for every new game to have a zombie mode) and zombie literature around, maybe people are just eager for a good story to watch during a zombie apocalypse.

I definitely prefer this to all the vampires and werewolves shows.

Walter said:

What a sad trophy to win...

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NightCrawler said:

Actually i'm not watching any show besides this one...

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Check the top 25 in broadcast and basic cable ratings if you really want to see some sad shit. Hell, actual written shows don't even make up too much of the lists, it's dominated by the NFL and Dancing with the Lowest Common Denominator type shit. Then comes the cookie cutter comedies and crime/medical dramas. Speaking of which, I was treated to an episode of "Bones" the other week. It was the first time I'd seen it, and within 5 minutes I guessed where the body was going to be, who the killer was, and their motive... Television!

NightCrawler said:

The other day i saw the original Dawn of the Dead and man it felt incredibly dated, and it's arguably the best zombie movie ever.

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Well, whether being "dated" is good or bad depends on your outlook of where things are going. In my opinion, the mainstream keeps getting generally more slick, streamlined... and superficial. I'll be watching old movies I thought were decent but didn't think twice about and see scenes that kind of blow me away compared to today's standard of "good." I mean, even mediocre movies that had some real substantive scenes in them from every angle of the craft. The kind of subtly that is rare these days, and it's intentional really, everything has to be faster, more economical, but it's gotten well beyond the point of diminishing returns. It's like a new era of movies that are so completely, obviously artificial that it brings to mind the days when in old films the outdoor scenes were clearly filmed on a sound stage.[/soapbox]

NightCrawler said:

With so many zombie games (now it even seems obligatory for every new game to have a zombie mode) and zombie literature around, maybe people are just eager for a good story to watch during a zombie apocalypse.

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It's truly the age of zombies and vampires, and when you consider like 10,000 zombie movies have been coming out every year the last decade, TV was slow to catch up here.

NightCrawler said:

I definitely prefer this to all the vampires and werewolves shows.

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I prefer this:

[flash=640,385]http://www.youtube.com/v/6dAZ1-nF3VI[/flash]

Griffith said:

Well, whether being "dated" is good or bad depends on your outlook of where things are going. In my opinion, the mainstream keeps getting generally more slick, streamlined... and superficial. I'll be watching old movies I thought were decent but didn't think twice about and see scenes that kind of blow me away compared to today's standard of "good." I mean, even mediocre movies that had some real substantive scenes in them from every angle of the craft. The kind of subtly that is rare these days, and it's intentional really, everything has to be faster, more economical, but it's gotten well beyond the point of diminishing returns. It's like a new era of movies that are so completely, obviously artificial that it brings to mind the days when in old films the outdoor scenes were clearly filmed on a sound stage.[/soapbox]

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I agree with you, and I actually watch more older movies than new ones, but I can't stomach Romero as a filmmaker. He's really awful. I still prefer Night of the Living Dead as the ultimate zombie movie (even the Savini remake is alright), but there are small things that irk me and prevent me from fully enjoying his Dead trilogy. On Dawn of the Dead (which has the best plot and characters), my problem is mainly with the music. I don't know if I have the goblin/international cut or the theatrical cut with the stock music. Sure one may say it's no big deal, but not when it's always playing, all the time, and it's annoying and nauseating. I can look past all the campy stuff, but the music makes me wanna put the subtitles on and turn the sound off.

NightCrawler said:

I agree with you, and I actually watch more older movies than new ones, but I can't stomach Romero as a filmmaker. He's really awful. I still prefer Night of the Living Dead as the ultimate zombie movie (even the Savini remake is alright), but there are small things that irk me and prevent me from fully enjoying his Dead trilogy. On Dawn of the Dead (which has the best plot and characters), my problem is mainly with the music. I don't know if I have the goblin/international cut or the theatrical cut with the stock music. Sure one may say it's no big deal, but not when it's always playing, all the time, and it's annoying and nauseating. I can look past all the campy stuff, but the music makes me wanna put the subtitles on and turn the sound off.

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Ahh dude, the directors cut of Dawn of the Dead really is the King of zombie films. Believe me, I love Night of the Living Dead, Day of the Dead is ok, but Dawn takes the cake. Not only a great zombie flick, but a great film in general, from that very first shot to the end. But if you haven't seen the extended cut, please, for love of the god, see it. I own this box set http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002IQNAG/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0002ABURA&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=16G09CGQPTNV1D3Y5XXY which is one of my most prized possessions. It containts several versions of the film, but the extended cut (not to be mistaken for the Directors Cut) has the longest running time and is the best, and in my eyes a masterpiece. The music is dated for sure, but honestly some of it isn't that bad. One theme in particular is perfect http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihb5QwqDwWk&feature=related this is what plays on the main menu for the dvd. So fuckin good.

Anyway both Night and Dawn will always have a special place in my heart since i saw them very young at a friend house, and I'm talking 9 or 10 young, before I understood anything about campyness or cheesyness. To me, they were horrifying. I couldn't even watch some scenes without feeling sick.

As for Walking Dead, I thought the last episode was bad, I was really tired so maybe I'll try again, but man I thought it sucked bad.
EDIT- hmm, interesting http://www.deadline.com/2010/11/the-walking-dead-lets-go-of-writers-considers-no-writing-staff-for-season-2/

NightCrawler said:

I agree with you, and I actually watch more older movies than new ones, but I can't stomach Romero as a filmmaker. He's really awful. I still prefer Night of the Living Dead as the ultimate zombie movie (even the Savini remake is alright), but there are small things that irk me and prevent me from fully enjoying his Dead trilogy. On Dawn of the Dead (which has the best plot and characters), my problem is mainly with the music. I don't know if I have the goblin/international cut or the theatrical cut with the stock music. Sure one may say it's no big deal, but not when it's always playing, all the time, and it's annoying and nauseating. I can look past all the campy stuff, but the music makes me wanna put the subtitles on and turn the sound off.

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So hard on Romero, you didn't think Monkey Shines was a classic film? Yeah, he's pretty much spent his career since the dead trilogy proving that's all he had to say (ad nausea, though it's a shame he didn't get to do the Resident Evil movies, for him and the franchise). As for the music, c'mon, how can you not get some guilty, campy pleasure out of this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpAAQrJ93w8#t=3m20s

Oburi said:

Ahh dude, the directors cut of Dawn of the Dead really is the King of zombie films.

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One of my most prized VHS tapes.

Oburi said:

As for Walking Dead, I thought the last episode was bad, I was really tired so maybe I'll try again, but man I thought it sucked bad.

Spoiler

Also when that chick shot her sister in the head at close range without flinching... yea that was dumb.

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Well, looks who's coming around, the next stage is bargaining.

Oburi said:

EDIT- hmm, interesting http://www.deadline.com/2010/11/the-walking-dead-lets-go-of-writers-considers-no-writing-staff-for-season-2/

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From what that article says, it sounds like they basically already fired the writers this season. Explains a lot of the uneveness, but what a mess, they're truly succeeding despite their best (continued) efforts to fuck this up.

Well, looks who's coming around, the next stage is bargaining.

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Well if it sucks it sucks. Maybe you caught on quicker than I did, but I just loved that first episode so much. The last one was just god awful. I don't even think I can stomach another sit through. Oh well, I'm now in the mood to watch Dawn again, in fact maybe even Creepshow! Don't forget about that classic from Romero! He's not that bad, well, back then at least.

I watched the first and second episodes. Never felt compelled to watch anymore.

I'll stick with the comics.

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/the_walking_dead/news/?a=25860

All the writers for the first season were "let go" by Darabont (fired). They plan to farm out the script writing work for season 2. Unsure how I feel about this. While the writers did suck, will freelancers be any better?

Final episode was a big "meh", as was the season overall, ultimately. Best moment of the episode:

Yea it was underwhelming.

*yawn* See you next year. Let's hope with better writing.

apparently this is the only place on the planet where this show is hated

http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/12/07/the-walking-dead-finale-breaks-ratings-records/?hpt=T2

Johnstantine said:

apparently this is the only place on the planet where this show is hated

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I was talking to some of my girlfriend's friends the other day about the Walking Dead and mentioned I wasn't impressed with the show, they had this really dumbfounded look on their face and wanted to know how could I not like it after "how badass episode one, was". Take away the zombies and this show would suck.

Should I watch the last two episodes?

Johnstantine said:

apparently this is the only place on the planet where this show is hated

http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/12/07/the-walking-dead-finale-breaks-ratings-records/?hpt=T2

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I almost feel sorry for them for not ordering more, the finale even felt like a mid season event rather than a final climax, which isn't good, and I can't say I wouldn't have watched again next week despite... hmmmm, should we bother complaining about the stuff that doesn't make sense or are we just moving past that? I have a theme here though; the really soapy stuff plays even worse in the face of these extinction level, extreme survival circumstances. Whether it's love triangle BS or Jenner acting like a retarded robot and the rest acting like bunch of dumb animals instead of everyone just talking like human beings. Alright, I can't help it,

Vampire_Hunter_Bob said:

Take away the zombies and this show would suck.

Should I watch the last two episodes?

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You basically just described the last two episodes.

The comic nips this love triangle stuff in the bud in the sixth issue. Then it moves on into more interesting territory. That's the trouble I have with the show. It feels reluctant to evolve.

Yeah, I'm worried that's always going to be part of the "show" aspect. It's like to balance the zombies they're sticking to a very basic TV drama mold otherwise.

One question looms for me as we move into season 2:

On that note, I found every character to be unlikable somehow in the last episode, they're either stupid, selfish, or weak.

Just watched the finale. They really neutered all the main characters, when compared to the comic versions of them. These are like watered-down, wussy versions of the cast. Why is Rick mopey and indecisive? These are opposite qualities of his character in the comics. Why is Andrea crying so much? Why is Dale speaking so optimistically? Why is Carl acting his age? Why is Glenn ... well, ok at least they got Glenn pretty much right. And please, please, please tell me that "T-Dawg" is not Tyrese.

If you haven't read the comic, just read the first issue on the link below(provided by image comics) to have an idea of how it is.

The walking dead

The artist changes after issue 6 to someone with a less comic-booky approach.

Wow, such hate against the TV show. I know there has to be an opposing wave to every popular thing, but..

"Take out the zombies, and who would watch this?"

Er...
Doesn't taking out a key element of a story you know, do that?

:The Good, the Bad, The Ugly
Take out the wild west and who would watch this! It's a boring civil war film!

:X-men
Take out the mutants and who would read this! It's malcom X vs MLK!

:Superman
Take the Super out of the man and who wou...etc etc

Being a bit of an ass, but despite the whole "we know drama" take on this, zombies are still a central theme and quite well done in the show. There's nothing done on the zombie side of things that's heretic to the medium or the book other than ratio of drama/brains.
Something about Daranbot's film direction made this a lot better than the comic to me, which was -really-, and I mean -really- hard for me to get more than a passing joy out of. This literally felt like a History of Violence again, much better than its graphic novel piece.

That said, him firing the writers makes sense to me. I'm more than open to acknowledging the show had some bumps in the road and way too much drama at times, but was still damn good entertainment. Hopefully now that they have launched their "pilot" (..the entire first season) we'll see if season 2 improves any down the road or if the zombie medium has finally reached complete global saturation.

Blues said:

Wow, such hate against the TV show. I know there has to be an opposing wave to every popular thing, but..

"Take out the zombies, and who would watch this?"

Er...
Doesn't taking out a key element of a story you know, do that?

:The Good, the Bad, The Ugly
Take out the wild west and who would watch this! It's a boring civil war film!

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I think you just shot yourself in the foot with this one. You could fit TGTBATU in every setting, context, background, etc, and you'd still get an amazing movie. Because it is a great story exceptionally directed. Which isn't the case with TWD. I definitely watched the entire season only because of the zombie scenario. The pilot promised a solid show but all the other episodes were poorly written and directed. If it wasn't for the zombie scenes, i wouldn't come back every week.
If they don't improve in the next season, the z-novelty will wear off.
Btw, i don't think there's "hate" against this show, just bitter indifference.