This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
"The Walking Dead" is absolutely not my kind of show.
It's violent. It's beyond bloody and gross. It's horrifying. And there's an air of hopelessness surrounding it.
But I really liked it. A lot.
Not because of the violence and the gore. But because "The Walking Dead" is a compelling narrative that knocks you off balance. It's filled with great characters who are stripped emotionally bare by the horror that surrounds them. Characters you can't help but empathize with.
Writer/executive producer/director Frank Darabont ("The Shawshank Redemption") does an amazing job of translating Robert Kirkman's popular series of graphic novels to the screen. "The Walking Dead" (Sunday, 8, 9:30 and 11 p.m., AMC) is by no means "Zombieland" — it's supposed to scare us and make us think, not make us laugh.
Unless that laughter is an emotional release to the tension the show creates.
"The Walking Dead" centers on small-town deputy sheriff Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), who awakes from a coma to discover that, while he was unconscious, zombies overran the world.
It's a fantastically effective plot device — the horror of being suddenly thrust into this insanity with no explanation, no warning.
There's even, believe it or not, a moment that recalls "Gone With the Wind." As Rick exits the hospital, the camera pulls back to reveal row after row of dead bodies — not unlike the famous "GWTW" shot at the Atlanta train yards that showed us thousands of dead and dying soldiers.
The emotional impact is similar. Perhaps even stronger.
"The Walking Dead" works as something very simple and something a great deal more complex. It's the story of Rick, who's searching for his wife and son as he fights to survive.
But it's also the story of what happens to humanity when facing unthinkable odds.
As hard to believe as it might sound, the violence and gore in "The Walking Dead" are not gratuitous nor employed simply for shock value. They are part of the story.
Don't get me wrong. There's lots of shocking content that's simply stomach-churning. There's a sequence in Episode 2 that's utterly horrifying and disgusting, yet it's pivotal to the plot.
And "The Walking Dead" isn't just scenes of violence and gore from beginning to end. There are sequences that are R-rated-movie-like in terms of the special effects. But that's not all the series is.
The show works because of the story. Even if you aren't inclined toward zombie tales, this one will drag you in.
Big Shiny Geekshow Horror-thon
BigShinyRobot.com and GeekShowpodcast.com are sponsoring a movie/TV event on Halloween night at Brewvies Cinema Pub, 677 S. 900 West, Salt Lake City. At 5 p.m., it's the 2002 horror film "28 Days Later," followed by a costume contest. At 8 p.m., the debut of "The Walking Dead" will be shown on the big screen. Admission is free; must be 21 or older.