The Walking Dead is a horror television show that is aired on AMC. It is based on the comic books of the same name by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. It has several characters, but the main character is a deputy sheriff called Rick Grimes, who is played by Andrew Lincoln. Another supporting character is Daryl Dixon, who at the end of the fourth season becomes the main helper and protector of Rick. Daryl is played by actor Norman Reedus. The series is produced by AMC studios and directed by Frank Darabont, who is also an executive producer.
This is a series that has won many accolades, and more importantly viewers. The series had broken records, and is one of the first zombie shows to last this long. It has experienced extreme success, but why and how has this happened?
One of the reasons behind the exponential growth of the show’s fan base is the rarity of the series’ genre. There are many fans of survival-horror shows, and the Walking Dead is one of the very few shows that can satisfy their needs. The show is not a finite show, which gives it an advantage over horror movies since the viewers are able to connect with characters at a personal level.
Also of special importance is the fact that the series is based on an already successful graphic novel, and at least some fans of the novel were transferred to the series. This gave the show a steady fan base from day one, and allowed it to experiment a little since it already had a set group of viewers.
The show also has some amazing writers who ensure that its story never gets boring. There is also the fact that the seasons of the series don’t continue for very long as each season is released in two blocks of eight episodes each. The release of episodes in blocks not only creates suspense among the viewers, but also keeps the audience from getting used to and bored of the series.
The large and varied cast also plays a key role in the success of the series. There are so many characters who have appeared in the show at one time or another that it is impossible for a viewer not to find a character who appeals to them and who they can connect with. Some viewers may connect with the show’s lead character, Rik Grimes, and others may feel more similar to the close-mouthed bad-ass character of Daryl Dixon.
So what is the show about? As mentioned earlier, it is a survival-horror story set in a post-apocalyptic world where zombies, referred to as ‘walkers’ in the show, have killed off a lot of the world’s population. It follows Rick Grimes, who wakes up after a coma to find a world taken over by zombies. He collects a group of survivors, including his later-to-be right hand man, Daryl Dixon. The group eventually finds sanctuary at a prison where they live peacefully. The main villain is the Governor, portrayed by David Morrissey. In the fourth season, he is shot and presumably killed. The fourth season ends with a cliffhanger as Rick and some of his surviving friends are captured by townspeople of a place known as ‘Terminus’. It ends as Rick proclaims that the townspeople have chosen the wrong people to screw with.