Walking Dead Revives Zombies with Killer Ratings

The Walking Dead premiered on the AMC this Halloween weekend and was a mega-hit drawing a total of 8.1 million viewers, the biggest number for any new series on the network this year. Pushing the limits of television with it’s no hold barred approach to the genre, it offered engrossing performances and a genuine sense of realism with a strong character driven story that felt more like a film or an epic mini-series.

The pilot episode boasted lavish production values and featured moments of bloody violence that were both mesmerizing and entertaining. Based on Robert Kirkman’s graphic novel, it was a faithful adaptation which went beyond the excessive designs of zombie films like Sam Raimi‘s The Evil Dead, and offered a displaced reality within the realm of the undead. The series is a testament to the caliber of the production team, from executive producer Gale Anne Hurd whose credits include Aliens and T2 and director Frank Darabont of Shawshank Redemption fame, who masterfully helms this gripping story which he also adapted for television.

Surprisingly the show is shot on traditional 16mm film as opposed to Digital HD to capture the original grainy look of the classic zombie flicks and is lensed by cinematographer David Boyd. The biggest draw-card are the old school effects which bring the terrifying world of the zombies to life, created by veteran special effects makeup designer Greg Nicotero.

Andrew Lincoln stars as Rick Grimes,  a highway policeman who is injured in a shoot out and later wakes up amidst a zombie apocalypse.The English actor commands most of the screen time as he slowly discovers the extent of the undead infestation. His performance heightens the realism of  the story, creating a surreal experience for viewers who follow Grimes as he makes the first of many gruesome discoveries which show the zombie holocaust is now all around him.

Hero Complex recently spoke with the star about the tone of the new breakout show:

Emotionally, it begins in a very, very intense, bewildering place, and it only gets worse. Within it, there are moments of incredible beauty and hope and humanity and dignity but, all the time, almost suppressed and oppressed by the situation…

He also added how he crafted the sensibilities of the character of Rick Grimes after one of Hollywood’s former screen legends:

I watched a lot of Gary Cooper. There’s an old-fashioned sensibility that I think is part of Rick that I really admired, that’s kind of honorable,honest. He feels like a moral compass for the show that gets eroded through time; that’s where I looked to that era in Hollywood as a reference point.

The Zombies featured are surprisingly unique from their performances to the way they look, gone are the supercharged demented flesh eating killers seen in The Evil Dead, here they are depicted as mindless souls the victims of some terrible plague that is represented with a dark humor and truth.

…it’s spectacular what they achieved. I knew what was coming when I saw a couple of the scenes, and I laughed out loud because it’s that terrifying, macabre, but it’s so out there it’s hilarious. You have that nervous laughter that comes, which I love. I adore it. You’re so shocked and so bewildered. It’s so incongruous with some of the scenes that are so beautiful and moving, and then it cuts to some real humdingers, I tell you. There’s a couple of spots where I was just flabbergasted. I really couldn’t believe it. Frank’s editing, he’s just got impeccable timing…

Shot on location in Atlanta, The Walking Dead also features Jon Bernthal as Shane Walsh, Sarah Wayne Callies as Lori Grimes, Laurie Holden as Andrea, Jeffrey DeMunn as Dale, Steven Yeun as Glen, Emma Bell as Amy and Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes.

You can check out a recap of the pilot episode plus the making of the show and some behind the scenes of how they created one of the shocking zombies that Grimes first encounters:

Be sure to check out episode 2 when The Walking Dead continues this Sunday on AMC.