By Malice Intended

The last decade has seen a revival of the zombie movie, with talented directors offering seemingly endless variations on the formula.  The zombie craze has since gone on to infiltrate other mediums with equal success.  Thanks to filmmaker Frank Darabont, the undead will be making the transition to the small screen.  With the help of producer Gale Anne Hurd, Darabont has adapted the award winning Image Comic Series The Walking Dead into a television series that will be airing on the AMC Network.  The series will be launched by a 90 minute series premiere on Halloween night.

The Walking Dead tells the story of small band of survivors wandering through the desolate remains of civilization after a zombie apocalypse.  They are led by Rick Grimes, who uses his experience as a police officer to survive and protect the people under his charge.  This proves easier said than done as the group is constantly plagued by threats from within and without.  The comic is known among fans for its relatively realistic take on the material as well as the unexpected twists and turns of the plot.  With Frank Darabont at the helm, one can assume that the television incarnation will closely follow suit.

The trailer is filled with harrowing imagery.  Corpses in various stages of decomposition are shown.  Some are missing limbs.  Although not much gore is shown in the trailer, it should be noted that a series being aired on AMC is probably not subject to the constraints of network television.  The zombies themselves are of the slow, shuffling variety as opposed to the olympic sprinting zombies that have come into vogue since 28 Days Later.  Frank Darabonts approach seems to favor suspense over pulse pounding action.

While horror anthology series have been plentiful in generations past, an ongoing dramatic series set in the midst of a zombie apocalypse is something that has never been attempted.  As long as the characters and storylines remain fresh, the show should be able to maintain a healthy run that could stretch out for more than just a few seasons.  Hopefully, The Walking Dead will prove more than just a faithful adaptation of its source material and be a memorable and trendsetting television series in it’s own right.

[pro-player width=’455′ height=’344′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=319knAYrTRE[/pro-player]

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