November 1st, 2010
10:45 AM ET
'The Walking Dead's' gutsy premiereEditor's Note: If you don't like spoilers of any kind, you should probably stop reading now. Just a few minutes into Sunday night's premiere of "The Walking Dead," director/executive producer Frank Darabont made sure you knew exactly what you were in for. After coming upon a young girl-turned-zombie, our hero, Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), dispatched her with a bullet to the head. At that point, either you're along for the ride or you're not.
For those who stayed tuned in (seeing as it was Halloween night, I'd wager to guess that was most people), they saw what I think was the most engrossing premiere episode of any new show this season. A good deal of the show's effectiveness rests on actor Lincoln's shoulders, and thankfully, he's excellent here as a police officer who awakens from a coma in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse. Even better than Lincoln, however, was Lennie James as Morgan. Morgan takes Rick in, along with his son, and explains to him everything that's happened since he was hospitalized. Morgan's wife has become a zombie, and the scene where he struggles over whether or not to put her out of her misery was extremely gripping (and Rick's apology to a zombie woman - who is literally a shell of a person - before shooting her was extraordinary as well). Meanwhile, the goings-on at a camp near Atlanta - where Rick's family and his former partner, Shane, are located - so far isn't terribly interesting (including the fact that his wife Lori has begun a romantic relationship with Shane). The scene where Rick rides a horse along the interstate towards Atlanta only to run into - Han Solo-style - a swarm of zombies made for some impressive visuals, although Atlanta residents like myself might find them slightly more compelling than others. If nothing else, this show should be a shoo-in for an Emmy nomination in the makeup category, but it won't necessarily appeal to some of AMC's "Mad Men" audience. At the same time, fans of the comic book the show is based on - and straight-up horror fans - are going to have a blast watching the rest of the season. I'm looking forward to it as well. Did you catch "The Walking Dead"? Did it live up to your expectations, and will you keep watching? Share your video iReport here or comment below.
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wired007 once again ill tell you,28 days later was done 28 months earlier.use the internet for christ's sake.
Love the show this year in tv hasnt happened . But this show is so off the hook even my hubby loves it and he is not a zombie fan. stop worrying about this and that and just enjoy. week two was just as good . I did feel bad for the horse but over all evryone I told to watch has loved it < Been waitng a long time for something like this . PLease give it a chance a real chance . looking forward to week three
I don't like television shows. (Despise commercials) I especially don't like television series that have a continuing plot. Who wants to wait a week to see what's going to happen, only to be left hanging again for another week, but I had to give "The Walking Dead" a shot. I thought it was very, very good, and feel it will only get better. I went out and bought a dvr, so I can cut out the commercials, and will be tuning in every week!
While I loved the premier I was a little disappointed by the running zombies. Zombies don't run. You can get away with it if you pull a 28DL and go with "infected" but true zombies don't run. Also, nice to see some people still read the classics (like Day of the Triffids) but I don't recall Robert Neville ever going into or waking up from a coma in the book. Perhaps they changed it for the movie Omega Man but it's not in the book.
Who cares who used the idea first? It works and that's all that matters. To get stuck on that argument as opposed to simply saying that you love it or hate it is pointless. That being said, I was drawn in by the wonderful acting, special effects and overall feel of the show. I, for one, was tense the whole time. Both scenes with the zombie wife were great and gut wrenching at the same time. Keep up the good work, and you will have a great TV show to keep us all scared at night.
I believe that the director is paying homage to many different classic zombie movies. He does indeed seem at times to cross the line between paying homage and outright stealing scenes directly from other movies. Here are just a few that I caught.
Dawn of the dead 2004 The first zombie we encounter is a young girl with a torn up mouth. Same as in Walking Dead.
28 Days Later the main character wakes up from a coma in a hospital to find everyone gone, dead, city deserted.
28 days Later The facemask used to baseball bat his first zombie to death
Dawn of the Dead 1979 In this movie a man in the mall is swarmed and literally taken apart by zombies, the same fate that the horse in Walking Dead had.
Night of the living Dead 1990 and original.... We see a scene of a dead body, head blown open with a shotgun laying there... and we see a virtually identical scene in Walking Dead.
So for fans of classic zombie movies, keep your eyes open I'm sure we will see even more scenes from our favorites reimagined (stolen) from the originals.
Who cares if they steal a few scenes from the zombie classics. Especially if they do them with better effects than the original. It's just a movie. The Romero movies were all great, for what they were, but I always felt they could've been better. A 90 minute movie just doesn't allow enough time to really develop a story that: A. Truly develops the characters B: Take the time to develop a storyline that feels believable. And C: Properly build up the suspense, and tension for the action scenes. "The Walking Dead" just may be the ultimate zombie movie!!!
there was no scene in the original night of the living dead where a dead body was sitting there dead from a shotgun blast.nor with the gun sitting beside their corpse.only in the remake was there a scene like that.
Great GREAT show.
I.... LOVED it. Zombie flicks don't give the audience enough time to involve themselves in the world or get attached to the characters. Can't wait to see the rest.
In case anyone was wondering; Flowers typically start to wilt in a vase after 4-5 days. The flowers in the vase at his bedside were pretty far gone, so from when they were dropped off to him waking up was any where between 14-24 days. He came out of the coma dehydrated but the hospital staff likely kept him on IV's and taken care of until the hospital was over run. It was probably luck that he woke up at all, albeit severely dehydrated. From the amount of military hardware lying around they likely didn't have an organized evacuation. So. My estimate from the time of outbreak to him waking up was likely one to three weeks. The hospital was likely over run a week or so before he awoke.
Marry me.
Quite enjoyed that. Saw Day of the Triffids at the movies when I was a kid. In that movie the guy in the hospital was there for eye surgery and missed the meteor shower that blinded everyone else.
I also like the Zombie Chronicles with Ron Perleman from a couple of years ago, way too cool.
Really hate the idea of fast zombies. Up until they appeared I had imagined I could survive zombies.
And just for grins, Zombie Land, too funny. Remember you fat a** people "Cardio" and for those with guns "Double Tap".
there is no zombie chronicles with ron pearlmen that i could find.and also wired 007,28 days later was in fact filmed before the walking dead comic was created.get you facts straight and also look up robert kirkman who basically admits as much.he says great minds think alike.
FROM THE REVIEWS, HOW MANY CHRISTIANS WATCHED THIS MOVIE?
who cares?
Amazing series. Check out the comics to fully appreciate what's being created on AMC | http://www.amcspreadthedead.com/share?ref=977375908
Who frickin' cares about who stole what from who??? Shaddup already. Sheesh! Great story, great acting, quality TV. MORE, MORE, MORE!!!
Who cares about 28 Days Later. Doesn't relate for issues #2-78 in the comic series. I believe Rick was in a coma for one month in the comic. They're incorporating flashbacks so we might see how it all started. Check out thewalkingdeadpodcast.com for more coverage.
A lot of people hung up on the whole 28 days later thing. For one, that movie wasn't all that great. For two, not like it's some sort of genius plot device anyhow. Finally, it's not really all that relevant to the show's progression so who the hell cares. The premiere was excellent and far superior to the tripe on network TV.
Oh, and lastly:
GREG NICOTERO IS KING OF THE ZOMBIES! GO GREG!
The whole Horse scene shook me up ! I was not ready for that...scared the bejeebus out of me!
Me too. As soon as he started riding off on that horse I had a feeling something would happen to it. Didn't think that something would be so gruesome though. That whole final sequence was great, from the time he ran into the horde in the street until the end with the voice coming over the radio, I was hooked.
For anyone thinking that The Walking Dead's intro was a rip off of 28 Days Later's intro should know that The Walking Dead's first issue/comic(which this episode was based on) was written a year before 28 Days Later hit theaters. The comic didn't come out until a year after 28 Days Later but that doesn't change the fact that the comic was written before that, it just wasn't printed and distributed until after 28 Days Later's release.
@Collin, it's not chicken before the egg. OKx3 has some factual timelines listed in this blog. Also 28 Days Later was written first, in production, completed and aired in the UK before the first issue of The Walking Dead was completed. Not that 28 Days Later opening sequence wasn't stolen from the books Day of the Triffids or I Am Legend.
The concept is still a good one. Hopefully the show can live up to it's initial and continued hype. But for television taboos, Dexter it ain't, however still nice to see a weekly horror series about something other than vampires. Probably the first scary series since The Night Stalker.
Also Collin, have you see the very independent although refreshing film "Colin"? A great B-level zombie film about a zombie just trying to get home.
""Ann
How can anyone be a zombie fan? Don't get me wrong, my favorite genre is supernatural–fantasy (Vampire Diaries, The Gates, True Blood) and I really did like the pilot for The Walking Dead, but I can't say I'm a fan of zombies. Eww.""
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because it plays upon our sense of survival and self reliance thats so ingrained in American Life
It was a little slow at times but overall I thought it was great. My wife was glad it wasn't all zombies and gore all the time, the character moments were good and help make it more of just a zombie show.
"""Then suddenly you wake up from a coma and see these walking dead peope and act all confused and have no clue what's going on. Oh and lets go looking for them and let's get real close to them too."""
seeing zombies in movies and waking up one day and seeing actual dead people walking around and feasting on the living are two very different things. Heres an analogy you've seen a ton of war movies right?? ok so now i drop you into the middle of a firefight you'd know what to do right?????
Although I loved Day of the Triffids, I can come up with an earlier story about someone who awakens to find the world changed. The book is The Sleeper Awakes by H.G. Wells from 1910. In this story the guy sleeps for over 200 years ( no zombies or monsters) so it is like a more modern Rip Van Winkle story.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h62un5nys_8&w=640&h=360]
This might be a great show for AMC. It kept my attention the entire time. From the preview of the rest of the season, it looks like it might be really interesting. Not many "horror" TV series have made it. This might have some backbone.
With all of the Romero remakes going on, I wasn't expecting much going in, however I'm pleasantly surprised. I like that the living characters, at least for now, still have sympathy and view the zombies as people and not just monsters. I also like how there are different stages of dead zombies. So basically, if you get attacked and your brain isn't destroyed, you're going to crawl around with no legs, etc. Very cool and unique!
The scene with the horse being attacked and consumed probably didn't work with PITA, however over all a good premiere. Hopefully the plot and acting will stay strong and we don't move into another Dawn of the Dead where the Zombies are just target practice.
PETA.
I still want to know why one highway was loaded with cars pointing both into and out of the city while the other was completely empty, free for Rick and his horse to travel on without issue. In a mass hysteria situation, all roads would be blocked with vehicles, especially in an city so large. That and why didn't he collect some gas and ride the horse back out to refuel his squad car? Oh, and I guess that yellow sun of ours turns white-ish/grey when a zombie creating virus comes to town.
Actually what was wrong was that, in reality, both sides of the highway would have been turned into 1 way, out of town. In reality when evacuating before bad storms the authorities route traffic this way.
So, it should have been blocked up with cars all facing out. But, this was a visual they were going for. It emphasized that nobody was heading in and it just looked cool.
As for the sun color. Most TV and films take rather large liberties with it. Once again for dramatic purposes. Look at almost anything visual and the sun is messed with. If you really pay attention you see the sun facing north or south in many shows.
The comics are awesome n I agree with "rich", there is no way the tv plot will follow the comic plot involving Lori (who I found to be a teeny bit irritating in the comics). From my interpretation of the comics they were more about how humanity adapts to the situation, some good and some bad, and how they try to come to terms with the hell that has been unleashed on them. It is unfair to compare TWD with 28 DL as (from what I have read) the US release date for the film was mid 2003 and the 1st volume was released just a few months later, the story was written well in advance but that, for me is where the similairities end. I personally found 28DL boring, I feel 28 Weeks Later was a far superior film. Read the comics, they don't dissapoint and really are amazing if you like the zombie genre. And to "Norm", I'm 30 and female (not that it matters) and I love comics, there's far, far more depth to a comic character than you will ever find in the majority of the dross the TV and movie studios churn out. I did have big hopes for Dead Set but I'm afraid I got very bored very quickly.
LOVED IT!!!!! The suspense was killing me and making my heart beat a mile a minute. Cuh-RAZYimpressive special effects and "beautifully" done make-up on the zombies. The only "bad" thing is now I want to buy a gun. And a flame-thrower. 😉
Who cares about who did what first. It was excellent!!!! The special effects were unbelievable, the acting just right. I look forward to the next exciting episode.
How can anyone be a zombie fan? Don't get me wrong, my favorite genre is supernatural–fantasy (Vampire Diaries, The Gates, True Blood) and I really did like the pilot for The Walking Dead, but I can't say I'm a fan of zombies. Eww.
I thought the premier was great. I was glued to the TV the entire time. I am a big fan of the zombie genre and am happy to see a weekly series dedicated to it. Like many others, I too would like to know how long Grimes was in a coma and what caused the zombie outbreak to begin with. I'm not going to get all bent out of shape about it yet though. I'm sure the issue will be addressed in future episodes.
I really liked where the episode ended. I will definitely be tuning in to find out what happens and what other survivors he runs into in that infested city.
One more thing..... what of the commerical I saw for the new show, "The Killing"? Anyone know anything about this? It's the first I've heard of it and I gotta say, I'm intrigued 🙂
Thanks to the one that pointed out it was a coincidence the opening being like 28 Days Later. Also something no one is pointing out is that both are similar to Day of the Triffids only the character can't see but he awakens in a hospital that is largely abandoned only to have a blind doctor tell him what happened. I thought it was handled better in Walking Dead anyway. Brilliant pilot and I can't wait to see the next episode! Rock solid writing, directing, acting and make up effects. The final scene was feature film quality. One of the best TV series ever!
The son crying over his Mombie struck a cord. Well acted, I'm all in.
As an avid zombie fan and reader of the comic (Yes, it's that good!) I would say the show exceeded my expectations, and they were high expectations. Kudos to Darabont, Lincoln, and Kirkman for pulling this off on the small screen. Those of you who are not familiar with the story are in for a hell of a ride.
The Walking Dead comics began way before 28 Days Later was made, and the opening scene to the series is straight from the comic. Danny Boyle is the one who did the ripping off (I love 28 Days Later, btw.)
Some clarification kids:
Day of the Triffids novel was released in 1951, the film in 1962 and subsequent radio and TV shows from 1971 to now.
I Am Legend (book 1954), Omega Man (film 1954, based on the same) and I Am Legend (film 2007).
28 Days Later was released in the UK in November of 2002.
The Walking Dead comic series began October 2003.
Zach Snyder's Dawn of the Dead, where Darabont and his team owe the most credit to, along side the comic, was released in 2004. However no coma sequence.
It's certainly not an original idea, waking up from a coma after an apocalypse.
I have read The Walking Dead, and although it's fun to see it on the screen, it pales in comparison to one's imagination while reading the books however is very comparable to scads of other "undead" films Darabont and crew are stealing from for the TV version.
Where's the Winchester? Oh wait, it's set in Atlanta where the white to black ration of zombies seems, lopsided.
I give it a C- ... so far.
Oops, my typos: Omega Man movie was 1971 and I meant "ratio" not "ration". Also the original Dawn of the Dead which includes many of the same elements as The Walking Dead comic and TV show, excluding the coma sequence, was released in 1978.
My point? These films borrow from pop culture as much as vampire and werewolf movies do but it was clear from a film and story standpoint that Day of the Triffids may have done the coma thing first, followed by I Am Legend/Omega Man, then 28 Days Later.
I too am a longtime fan of the genre and enjoyed putting my 10 and 11 year old into zombie makeup yesterday. Here is what I would like to say to other zombie fans who are dumping on the show – ARE YOU KIDDING!! GET OVER IT, we have a zombie series on network TV! And the fact that it was an awesome premiere with a great story, excellent actors and amazing visual effects only makes me want the next episode even more! On a secondary note – I would like to give the ad guys at Toyota a high five for doing a zombie themed car commercial. Awesome!
HA! I couldn't agree more!
yep, yep...quality zombie series on tv. been waiting for something on this level in a continuing series since "dawn of the dead".
i only hope this scares off the people who are attempting to make a workable script out of max brooks' overrated and unreadable gimmick "world war z". quality stuff like "walking dead" should make how amateurish and silly that attempt was.
Rip-off!! They stole the whole show from Night of the Living Dead! LOL You guys are wacky!
Awesome!!!!!
Really, really enjoyed the opener. I hope Morgan and his boy have reoccurring roles. I will be glued every Sunday night.
Loved, Loved, loved it. It was great, and a fab ending to halloween night. Yippee!!!!
I am scared of fast zombies, you cant out run them, they wont stop coming for you.
Glad I caught the premiere when it aired. It was a little slow at times, but definitely had award-winning effects all over it, and I hope they can keep that up.
This may be a weird analogy, but the last time I watched a good drama from the start with complete trepidation and was gratefully rewarded was the reboot of Battlestar Galactica. Similarly, you basically start off with the survival from a catastrophe, and soon discover that the test of the human character can be as conflicted, troubling, and dangerous as the enemy themselves.
Great work, guys. Looking forward for the rest of the season and series!
Awesome show! ATL Represents!
So many people reference 28 days later as the inspiration for the intro to the Walking Dead. 28 days later stole that idea from the classic book Earth Abides that has been a major inspiration for many apocalyptic stories.
So tip of the hat to Earth abides.
the show has started off great. i understand the whole coma thing everyone is talking about, but even though it happened in 28 days later, at least we know how this character ended up in his coma to begin with(he was shot on duty) i would like to know just how long rick was in his coma because from how it appears, it had to be at least some months. the show was awesome and i cant wait until next sunday so i can learn more. i am a huge zombie fan and this is definetly something i have been looking for! is every episode going to be an hour as well?? i hope so!
Black OPs has Zombies! This show is on... I'm in zombie heaven... oh wait hell who cares get my gun!
Looks like we're in for a good ride. Loved both 28 films. Could cool shots last night... when he was peering through the door optical and his eye was swinging up and down as the handle moved and then at the end when the camera shot from overhead as the walking dead converged on the tank. I'm EXCITED!
OMG this a well anticipated series. I have been waiting for this all month and best believe it was WORTH THE WAIT. Finally I can watch some awesome series on Sunday. The first episode was so so awesome I was on the edge of my couch LOL. Keep them coming(CANT WAIT FOR NEXT WEEK TO HIT).
I'm currious how they handle Lori later on. My bet – NO WAY IT WILL GO THE SAME ROUTE AS THE COMICS. To taboo for TV audiences.
Like will they go the same way "True Blood" did, not staying so close to the story line to keep those who've read it in suspense? Probably, but hopefully not too much.
I have no knowledge of the comic book series before I started reading about the show last night. Having said that, the only thing that got on my nerves was how "the sheriff" couldn't figure out what happened... How can someone be that clueless about zombies. Except for that fact, I thought the show was great. When he shot the little girl, I almost fell from my sofa! LOL!
Saw a couple of the zombies walking around town. Really creeped me out. They looked so real. Think I will check out the series.
The show was much deeper than I anticipated. The writing seems pretty good. Even bringing a touch of sympathy for the zombies. I look forward to the next episode. Also, very cool of AMC to do this type of show. On another note, who cares if it's like 28 days or whatever. Why do people always compare it to this or that....Clear your mind and just watch!
Although this series is basically going to be your average zombie movie, drawn out to last a whole season....I still thought it was pretty good. The only thing that always gets me is that people are actually "surprised" by zombies and have no clue what they are. Who has never heard of or seen zombies in their lifetime in movies or TV?
Then suddenly you wake up from a coma and see these walking dead peope and act all confused and have no clue what's going on. Oh and lets go looking for them and let's get real close to them too.
It was, indeed, a great premiere show. The only question I have after this first episode is: How long was Grimes in a coma that his wife is already swapping spit with Shane?
I have a feeling that hoe bag was up to no good with his partner before the coma.
I don't read comic books but I thought it was well done, full of suspense and delt with the human element well. Like when morgan could'nt shoot his now zombie wife or when rick said "I'm sorry this happended to you" to the zombie torso before shooting her. Powerful stuff!
The premiere of Walking Dead justified the hype. First off, the zombies make up and special effects are top notch and should definitely appeal to hard core horror genre addicts. The direction is also very good. I found the opening scenes at the hospital to be much more chilling and unsettling than even the opening scene in 28 Days later. You really see through the main character's eyes how the world has come apart. The rest of the show was mostly getting the audience up to speed on what's going on, so I am looking forward to future episodes to take us to new places in this very familiar fictional space.
I saw them filming the movie in little 5 points
Not a big fan of horror shows. But, I thought the Walking Dead a total hit. Will be tuning in next Sunday for sure.
Wait a minute guys!!
Some of you people are saying the scene where he wakes up from a coma is a copy of "28 days later".
But how come no one ever thought that "28 days later" copied that from the comic book "the walking dead"?
Just think on that...........
Because very few people read comics anymore. Especially over the age of 10.
Grown ups relate better to movies.
well maybe because the movie was done first?which many people have stated.theres a new invention called reading,try it sometime.
Who cares how it started? The series is going to take a good hard look at how we adapt to the inhumanity of the walking dead. That is something little explored and I think far more intersting.
As for the wife, did you notice how the partner seemed to have total authority over the survivors? The partner is the "king" and does what he wants. Good monay says the partner is using his power to use the wife. Did you see how uneasy she was when he approached? How he had to corner her in order to extract the kiss?
Exactly. Also, he refuses to put signs up on the road. I almost got the feeling after the CB call (which he would know is coming probably from a squad car..) he was purposley not wanting the guy to come find them and thus take his wife back. Instead, he's just trying to create his own little township.
Thought it was awesome. Held me to the tv and I enjoyed everything about it. Only thing I wish was an explanation of time in coma and what exactly happened to cause the zombies.
Otherwise, I will be a faithful watcher..
The premier was amazing. An excellent portrayal of suspense, despair and hope.
My only complaint is that the plot starts well after the outbreak. I'd like to see the how the authorities failed to contain the pandemic, and how everyone's lives devolved from the daily grind to to the day they chose to abandon their homes. I hope the series addresses this in future episodes.
Finally, something I can enjoy watching.
While I have no previous knowledge from the comic books, I do think that His wife was probably having a affair with his partner before. The scene where Rick and his partner are sitting in the car at the beginning, he mentions how his wife always seems mad at him and he doesn't know why. It's called guilt........... because she is already involved with his partner, before the zombie apocalypse.
The other cop was clearly sleeping with the wife even in the opening scene in the car. Him telling the story about the gal pal, and then inquirng about his partner's relationship, was a mechanism to both get him to open up about what was going on with him and his wife...appear to be as a friend but delve for info.
It's ironic that they use Atlanta as the back drop for the scene!!!!! The zombies in Atlanta are on the attack!!! They are at the bus stop... at the strip clubs... at the mall!!! THE CDC is headquartered in ATLANTA!!!! I am ready!!!!!! http://WWW.SONYLEGEND.COM ....... IT HAS BEGUN!!!!!
TWD is great. Thank you AMC. Now, just think about Preacher or Crossed.
Everyone keeps mentioning 28 days later. The way rick wakes up is the only similiarity they have. This novel is well written. The show doesn't have to do much work at all. Instead of just watching the show, read the graphic novels. Even if the show starts to suck, the novels are still great.
The comic book came out at the same time 28 Days Later did so it's not stealing the protaganist in a coma bit from 28 Days. In fact, the writer of 28 Days later specifically said he stole the into to 28 Days from Invasion of the Triffids which came out in 1962.
I just had to give you props for your screen name.
Well, from the prospective of having played a zombie in an indie film this past summer, Holiday of the Dead, it was pretty good.
So you pretty much just wanted us to know you were an extra in some lame straight to DVD movie?
You have 14 minutes left. Use them wisely.
Hahaha what a bunch of retards...you guys dont even know anything about the series so stfu.
I KNOW IT STARTS LIKE 28 DAYS LATER
I think the premiere showed what this series is capable of doing either that be show an amazing zombie apocolypse with few strong surviviors or show another zombie try hard that just meets our expectations as usual... Me personally I think the show is gonna "show" an amazing portrayal of a zombie takeover with much much great story/plot backup to keep the viewers compelled to keep viewing!
One word awesome!!!!! I love zombie flicks and this one lived up to the hype. The actors fit perfect with their characters. Rick is the man. I am disappointed with his wife...jeez lady if your gonna move on with your life at least do it WITHOUT your husbands partner. Can't wait for the next episode. This was more than one word sorry fellas.
Who exactly is she supposed to have the affair with as there appears to be not too many people (real live people) left for her to choose from.
It wasn't a rip-off of 28 days later. It was (as 28 days later is) an homage to an earlier zombie/horror film where the lead ends up in the same situation. You all need to do more researtch
At last! Someone who understands homage! And has seen more than three films to prove it! Well played.
Dude. People complaining about this being similar to 28 Days Later with the guy waking up from a coma - this show is based on a COMIC BOOK that was created BEFORE the movie. From an interview with the creator of the comic:
"It was complete coincidence. I saw 28 Days Later shortly before the first issue of Walking Dead was released. That first issue came out in October of 2003 and 28 Days Later was released in the States in June of 2003. So we were working on our second issue by the time I saw it. It was going to be a matter of somehow trying to restage the entire first issue, because it was a very similar coma opening. I made a decision—which I pretty much regret at this point—I said, “You know what? It’s so different [from that point on], I will probably never hear anything about this.” And I was wrong."
This is correct, the comic/graphic novel was was published before and around the time of 28 Days Later, but I too feel the stories are very different from each other as I have seen 28 Days Later and read the comic series. It is also worth mentioning that most likely both ideas took time to evolve before being published or released so in the end that "coma" opening (which isn't a new concept, the main character waking up from some sort of sleep to find the world changed) so in the end who knows really which one came "first." I don't care as I'm a fan of both.
It's from DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS; Bill wakes up in the hospital with his eyes bandaged and tears them off to find his eyes have healed, but everyone else who saw the 'meteor shower' is blind.
I am starting to wonder whether the screenwriter for 28 Days Later stole the coma idea from the comic. I don't believe in conspiracy theories or coincidences. 😉
28 days later was written in 2000 shot in 2001 so facepalm yourself.
The premier was amazing. Not only did they stay true to the comic, but they made it even MORE emotionally gripping.
WAKES UP FROM A COMA? IS THIS 28 DAYS LATER OR SOMETHING
The series is based on the comic book, The Walking Dead, by Robert Kirkman. 28 Days Later was released around the time the first volume of the Walking Dead was published and already out and circulation. In fact, Kirkman has stated in several interviews that he was working on the second volume of his creation when 28 Days Later was released in the states.
The Walking Dead Comic was out well before 28 Days Later premiered, know you're crap if your going to act like a d-bag.
I cant wait to see where they will go with this.I have been a long time reader of the series and there are certain characters and parts of it that I wonder if they will incorporate.
Me too. I want to see Michonne!
excellent. finally a horror show for horror fans. I loved every minute of it.
I'm a longtime fan of the zombie genre, and I was pretty impressed with "The Walking Dead." The premise of the main character being in a coma was straight out of "28 Days Later," but they handled it ok. I wasn't clear on how long Grimes was in the coma; don't know if I missed that or it just wasn't addressed. If it was just a few weeks it would have been a pretty short amount of time for his wife to take up with another man; if it was longer he would have died of thirst in the hospital. Also, he never really asked Morgan what had happened; that would have been the first thing I would have done. There were a few other minor plot holes but nothing that really distracted from the show. I'm looking forward to th rest of the series.
Yes!! I thought the same thing about the coma in hospital. I kept thinking 28 days later. But it was a great premiere despite the similarity of the protagonist Rick's coma.
From the conversation Rick and Shane were having in the cop car about the troubles in Rick and Lori's marriage, I wouldn't be surprised if the relationship had been going on well before the coma.
The first issue of walking dead was released before 28 days
The 'waking up in the hospital' thing is a steal from the classic DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS.
I COULD EASILY ARGUE YOURE POINT THAT WAKING UP FROM A COMA IS STOLEN FROM RIP VAN WINKLE BUT THEN SOME OTHER NERD IS GONNA TELL ME ITS FROM SOME OTHER STORY ONLY SUPER NERDS NO ABOUT
Actually, 28 Days Later was released in 2002 and The Walking Dead comic started publication in 2003 so the movie predates the comic.
@Daniel.... I was thinking the same thing. I think Lori and Shane have had something going on for a while. It seemed too soon for both Rick's wife AND friend to suddenly fall into a relationship. I'm pretty sure this has been an ongoing thing.
in a recent interview (terribly sorry but I can't find it again to source for you) the writers and director specifically mentioned they won't go into a lot of detail about the why's or how's the zombies came to be so they can focus on characters and how they cope with the situation. they don't want the series to devolve into the typical look-how-the-military/gov't- screwed-up-and-how-do-we-fix-it plotline.
The first issue of The Walking Dead(which the show is based on) was written before 28 Days Later released into theaters. It may seem like they're stealing the opening but in reality its just a huge coincidence.
Wow, the majority of the comments here are about the whole "which show started with a waking coma patient first" thing? Almost makes me think that quality storytelling like Kirkman's is too good for the likes of mainstream TV viewers who probably think the whole idea is a ripoff of "Resident Evil" anyway.
I long for the days when scifi/horror wasn't so mainstream as to warrant studios and networks jumping on the nerd culture bandwagon. Most of it is too smart for the "Jersey Shore" audience.
Then, of course, something as elegant, measured, mature and powerful as "The Walking Dead" comes along and reminds you that, in the hands of quality people who care about the human element, such stories NEED to be told to the largest possible audience. "Bicycle Girl" scene almost brought me to tears, even though I knew it was coming. That's the result of skilled musicians playing fine instruments.
May "The Walking Dead" live on.
(And a tip of the hat to all those who cited "Triffids".)
Very good, I wished it had been a two hour premiere. I didn't like how this first episode ended. Seems Rick got himself into a difficult situation and I don't see an easy fix for him to get out of it. If he gets out of it too easily, I don't know how many episodes I will watch.
It was worth watching and missing some sleep over. Special effects are really done well.
A difficult situation????
Hellllooooooo.....he's in a ....TANK.
Fire it up and crush every walking dead in his path to paste.
@Norm
Two things
-It isn't a Honda Accord. Driving one isn't as easy as you may think. Hence why the military trains people to drive them before putting them in them.
-Gas. As you might have seen, in the first 5 minutes there is none. The Abrams it was made to look like uses either diesel or jet fuel. It gets .33 miles to the gallon (that means it drinks 3 GALLONS for every MILE.) Also to start it, it needs 10 gallons alone.
It's a TV show, can't we have our thoughts of he can drive off, he is in a tank. Do we have to be so technical?
THE BEST I'VE SEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AWESOME...CAN'T WAIT TILL NEXT SUNDAY NIGHT!!
BOOOORRRRRRRRIIINNNNGGG. They stole the intro (guy waking in hospital to evauated world then rescued by two people who explain what happened) right from 28 Days Later......Dead Set is the real Mccoy
@ patman – Oh give me a break before you start spouting off about stealing an intro. So then "28 Days Later" was a rip off of "Day of the Triffids"? A much older example of someone missing the whole deal go down because they were injured in a hospital. "Day of the Triffids" was written in 1951, by the way, and the first movie adaptation was made in 1962. While I happen to really like "28 Days Later" it wasn't the first time this plot device has been used. I'm sure someone can come up with an even older example.
I happened to really like "The Walking Dead" I thought the acting was great.
@ patman, get your facts straight. Read the Comic book. 28 Days later was done after the comic.
Any self-respecting zombie will tell you that they check the hospital beds first.