I just had a strange thought…well more like a few questions: what happens with all these dead zombies in the show? Does Joe the trash man comes in with a special broom for dead people? If he does, I hope he pushes them away while saying, “Okay…move it along people…nothing to see here. Or, maybe they are offered as free people? Since they are dead, it makes a lot of sense. Plus, it-would-be-awesome! Beer! Beer! …no, wait…wait. I got a better one: Dead! Dead! Dead people here!
Days Gone Bye
Okay…
Well, our journey was introduced with misery. This leads me to my following question: what is the deal with some of these new shows coming out? The first ten minutes of these shows are introduced by “the happenings” (or aftermaths) then the back stories leading to “the happenings” unfolds. I do not know what this deal is, but I take it the writers (or producers) of these shows assume or believe that this is how the audience will be seized. This is how the viewers’ pupils will be magnetized on the screen. I do not get it, but at times it works. And the Walking Dead is not short of this argument. But one thing that remains certain is that everyone is unique. Great minds think alike sometimes. But great minds are not drafted on blueprints because the mind is an invisible force; it holds the greatest ability—im-ag-i-na-tion. Imagination! The imagination leads to a hero. The hero: One of the City of Kentucky’s finest—Officer Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln). The entire misery scene with Rick passing thru reminds me of something out from the film Mad Max. There was not much dialog; which worked out great because it kept me intrigued. I know what you are thinking, intrigued? Yes, this is a zombie show. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure this out. But I do not know who Officer Rick Grimes is. I was not even aware that he was an actual cop until it was actually confirmed. Just because Rick is wearing a cop uniform I cannot acknowledge him as cop. For all I knew, Rick could have been wearing a Halloween costume. After all, the first episode to this show premiered on Halloween. But I was intrigued because I was desperate in knowing where the first zombie was and how was that zombie reaching a demise. Then it happened. I could blink a hundred times and I still managed to savor the scene. I blinked a hundred times more and the first glimpse of repetition was exposed—the opening theme.
The opening theme to the Walking Dead seems patriotic. Think George Washington and his wooden teeth, peace on earth, damnation deliverance, and a brand new American flag (no pun intended) and you have a visual understanding of this show’s opening theme.
As the show progressed, Officer Grimes’ partner was introduced and his name is Officer Shane Walsh (Jon Bernthal). Here is a fun fact: Rick’s partner’s last name has been used on characters more than casinos slots have ever been touched. This was where the writers first exercised the use of a back-story. After a few bites of fries and small talk inside the squad-car, a call comes in which leads them to the middle of nowhere. There, all hell breaks loose and Rick finds himself in the last place he thought he would be that day—the Hospital. Since it was more than just a scratch, Rick needed a long time to recuperate. Hence, the title—Days Gone Bye…
After a series of days gone by, Rick abruptly woke up in the Hospital and discovered that his city has been overtaken by flesh eating zombies. Conversely, Rick managed to make friends with the first two survivors he encountered, Morgan Jones (Lennie James) and his son Duane (Adrian Kali Turner). Here is another interesting fun fact: actors Lennie James and Adrian Kali Turner do not appear on the list of cast for this show on imdb.com. This means you have to do a little more than digging to identify each character. Interestingly, exactly five walkers (zombies are referred to walkers for logical reasons which I cannot reveal) do appear on the list of cast on the same website. How the hell are five walkers more important than the two survivors Rick generated a bond with? Well, that certainly beats the hell ‘outta me. Nevertheless, this bond makes this show powerful. This demonstrated that dramatic scenes are capable of extracting the viewers’ fixations of zombies and focusing them on the powerful connections between these characters. Only one time was this ever pulled off and it was in the film 28 Days Later.This is the first horror film than can actually be called a film in my book because always remember there is a clear cut difference between a movie and a film. Rick’s bond with Morgan and Duane is friendship. However, Rick’s mission is to search for his family—his wife Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) and son Carl (Chandler Riggs). Unfortunately, there are two sides to their story; the one Rick knows and the one Lori understands.
As the episode neared an end, Rick traveled thru town on a horse just like the one on the promotional posters for the show. At first I thought, ‘Well, there are cops who do travel on horses but the real question is, where did he
get it and how did he managed to get on it?’ Well, this episode thoroughly explained it. And it was not because he is a police officer from Kentucky either. As Rick roamed thru the wrecked town, a foreign aerial apparatus led him to make a devastating wrong turn. How devastating? Imagine the LA Riots in 1992. There was no surrender. No escape. No Mercy. Or at least that is what Officer Grimes thought until a friend in need became a friend indeed.
I give this badboy – 5/5
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