Squealing for the Premiere of The Walking Dead

SPOILER ALERTS! Don’t read if you haven’t watched up to the fourth season of the show.

The holidays are a busy time for most, which is why most shows take a welcome break in December, resuming in the New Year. Of course when you already have a routine that includes TV watching in the evening, you can easily feel that void without them.

For I, I decided to open up my Netflix account and watch one of those shows that I’ve been meaning to watch for ages, but never got around to. I discussed with my husband, and we decided on The Walking Dead. Boy, am I glad we did!

From start to finish, I was literally on the edge of my seat. I am not the type of person that would be into zombie shows or movies. In fact, I’m terrified of horror movies, avoid them at all costs, and when I do watch them, I typically have trouble sleeping for the next few nights. That being said, for the 2-week period that we binged-watched Walking Dead, those bumps in the night were extra scary as I kept one eye open on zombie watch.

But the reason I like this show so much is that it’s not really about the zombies. Yes, the premise of the show is that some unknown disease has taken over the world and turned people into zombies. And you follow along with a group of survivors trying to navigate the world, and either find a cure, or wait it out. But the zombies are just a small part of the show, easily replaceable with any unknown predator. The show is about the characters and, most importantly, how they manage to make it through each day, each hour, heck, each minute. And the critical decisions they have to make. Taking us back to primitive times, there’s a group leader, sometimes friction among the leader and those who think they should lead. There are the hunters, the gatherers. There are relationships, fights, and really, really, really hard decisions. For example, do you stay in a small boarded up house because it’s safe…for now. Or do you move the whole group in attempt to get to the CDC where there’s reportedly a safe house? If a lone survivor approaches your group, pleading with you to let him join, do you welcome him in? Or turn him back to the walkers/biters/whateveryoucallthem? If one survivor gets pregnant, does she keep the baby? How does having your pre-teen son with you impact all of the decisions you make? And at what point do you decide to give up completely, or do you just keep sticking it out until there are no options left? The decisions are so very much about life and death, and so incredibly difficult, I can’t imagine ever having to make them. 

But then you also watch the submissive characters, and how being exposed to such an awful environment can completely change them. Watch an abused wife eventually let out all her anger, lose everyone she loves, and become completely heartless. Watch a timid farmer’s daughter become an expert shooter who knifes the walkers in the head, one by one, like nobody’s business.

To say I am excited for tonight’s premiere would be an understatement. I went through years or watching friends write posts on Facebook about the show, but just didn’t have the time to watch. I’m glad I’ve caught up and can join the fun. Though I’m not looking forward to having to wait an entire week in between episodes. Thanks to this blog, I’ll be able to let off some steam in between. Stay tuned for my thoughts on the premiere episode of this season.