I’m dedicating this Monday Mayhem post to all the fans of The Walking Dead. There really is no two ways about it—the show is one of the best series on TV today. This is what I like about it.
As many of you are familiar already, the show delves into the heart of humans, giving an often-frightening glimpse into the darkness that lays beneath the otherwise innocent exterior projected to others. The depths of depravity to which humans can reduce themselves to appears each week as one survivor offs another in a matter-of-fact way. This is not a show for juniors. There is a message there that we should soon not forget. If, and when, an apocalypse truly does hit the world, as foreseen by the prophets of old, humanity would benefit being prepared. Neighbor against neighbor will be the norm.
This is realistic, and as depicted in episode after episode, people will be ready to take others down if it guarantees their own survival.
I also appreciate the show’s intense value for resources. If someone comes upon a rare find—a satchel perhaps, a box or a jar—which by today’s standards means nothing, it’s as if the rare find is treasure. Money, jewels, precious ore mean nothing in the world of the apocalypse. For in that world, money, jewels and precious ore will not feed survivors. Neither will they clothe, bathe or shelter them. The value in today’s riches will mean nothing in the future end times. The Walking Dead does an incredible job demonstrating how futile a chase it is when money, jewels and precious ore makes an appearance into a story.
The absolute best part about The Walking Dead is the zombies. What will the world be like when friend turns against friend all because of a virus? What will it be like when that friend will not only turn away, but also deliver the fatal blow that will destroy what they perceive as the enemy? Remember now, zombies were once human who fell to the infection. What’s that to say about the human compulsion to destroy one another? There isn’t a doubt it exists, and the zombies attest to that. Every time a zombie appears in the show, a lesson speaks to the audience—no one is safe. The show’s zombies have a purpose, and with that purpose, it enlightens the viewer to a world that could be, a world filled with pain, and a world crippled by the destruction of morality.
I ask this—isn’t the show The Walking Dead fun?
What do you like about The Walking Dead? Is there someone who you can’t do without in the series?
Looking to God 
I enjoy the show enough that I’m watching it for the second time. My wife is very squeamish about horror and gore so I watched the first three seasons alone on Netflix. When she learned I’d be watching the fourth season, she agreed to watch with me if I’d start the series from the beginning. Ha! A few episodes in and she zombified herself for a Halloween party we attended.
Oh boy. I have never ever seen even one show. Not one. 🙂
Reblogged this on Geeking Out about It and commented:
Thought I’d share this:
Thanks for the reblog!
It’s the best show, truly. I love the variety of characters, the dimensionality of each one and the development they each go thru over the course of the show. It seems very real, people would change in response to these kinds of events. And that’s what the characters do, they evolve.
It’s certainly better than Syfy’s ” Z Nation “. About 2 episodes in, & I was going ” meh “, nothing to see here, folks. Move along…..
I tried with Z Nation, but it’s works too hard to be TWD when it should aim to find it’s own niche in the genre. I did like that it addressed the turned animals/turned babies issue because that’s something that seemed unanswered on TWD.
Rick Grimes! Rick Grimes! Rick Grimes!
The Internet has eviscerated the element of surprise.
we turn on each other because we are different already due to color, origin and religion, so the apocalypse just heightens our inhumanity to each other
I’m not sure if I should read on because I haven’t seen the latest episode yet. It might have spoilers. But yeah. Me love Walking Dead! I want my WP dashboard to bleed TWD, or at least for the entire season
The Internet has eliminated the element of surprise, unless you deliberately IGNORE the spoilers.
Suspense, drama, seeing people come & go. Seeing an entire planet – pretty much – brought to a screeching halt, then essentially thrown back to the days when humans were hunter – gatherers by a disease. Amazing.
The Walkers aren’t the biggest monsters around, it’s the living, like the Governer, then Gareth. Our band of survivors can’t seem to find a truly ” Safe ” haven that isn’t harboring a dark secret.
I only caught the first season before I fell behind. I’m terrible at keeping up with stuff, especially weekend shows. I heard it did turn more into dealing with other survivors than the zombies. I’m curious though. Have they mentioned if it’s a global event or just the United States? Many zombie stories don’t seem to point out if it’s localized or global.
The origin of the plague is a bit of a McGuffin, actually. How far it’s spread has never been stated.
The humans who have been left alive can be as big of a threat as the walkers / biters / lurkers.
Seems like they can be more of a threat. The zombies have the simple and predictable motivation of ‘eat people’. The humans are harder to predict, so they come off as more dangerous. They can think and betray as well.
I’m not going to give any ” Spoilers ” about ” Woodbury ” or ” Terminus ” then. Let’s just say that our hardy band of survivors is on the move yet again…..
I’ve heard. Sadly, just logging into the computer and opening a browser tends to reveal spoilers. That’s why I tend to take the following approach:
“Knowing the event is not as much fun as seeing how it unfolded.”
Then again, my son wanders into the room or I fall asleep every time I try to watch the show.
The immediacy of the Internet eviserates the element of surprise.
I get surprised at the people who want to be ” walkers “. The makeup & those contact lenses – Not very comfortable ! Matt Smith ( Doctor # 11 ) has said he’d like to get into the ” walker ” makeup.
I know some people who do those ‘Zombie Walks’ or ‘Zombie Runs’. They love dressing up as the undead and going after people.
I wouldn’t mind it, just as long as I didn’t have to wear the ” zombie eye ” contact lenses. My eyes ache just thinking about it.
I’ve heard a lot of those special contacts are murder on the eyes. Actors and actresses seem to complain about them whenever they come up.
I guess they’re assuming that people wouldn’t die with glasses or shades on then become zombies / walkers / lurkers…..
I thought a few had those in the classic zombie movies.
Hmmm. Wouldn’t know…..