Beth Greene

For those of you that watch The Walking Dead and have not seen the recent episode…….there are spoilers ahead.

 I started watching The Walking Dead not too long ago. I binged on all four seasons on Netflix for probably a straight two weeks, meanwhile I should have probably been doing homework, but watching this series was more important to me. I heard the hype over the walking dead when it first premiered and I did not really see what everyone was talking about. The concept of zombies can either be really good or just plain horrible. Being that I was a fan of Resident Evil, I thought maybe it will be good. I started watching it, and at first I did not see the obsession, but I found myself wanting to watch what happened in each next episode. I became addicted and obsessed. It was good, and so I added another television shows to my list to watch.

The walking dead was interesting because of every character. Every character brought something different to the table. And being that every couple episodes you learn more about one character, as well as introduced to several news ones, you have to keep watching what happens to each person. You grow an attachment to what each character does and what they represent in the world. You want to see how this character develops and who they become. Even though I prefer some characters over the others, they all have some kind of interest. 

One character that I never really liked or hated was Beth Greene. Beth Greene is introduced in the second season when the main characters are brought to a farm. A farm where Beth lives with her father, sister, and other people from before the outbreak of the apocalypse. When I first was introduced to Beth I did not think much of her, she was kind of just there. She was the sweet farmer’s daughter, pale, blonde, and blue eyed who sang songs for everyone. Although she knows about the outbreak in the world, she still has not been that exposed to what it’s really like

out there. When the other group joins her family, she’s shown here and there helping out with providing food, and anything anyone needs. People do not really get a sense of who Beth is until the episode where she says she wants to kill herself. To me at least, I kind of expected that. I expected her to be a weak girl who couldn’t hold on. After she tries to kill herself, she soon realizes death is not what she wants. Death would not fix the world, she would just be gone. After that episode we see that Beth more. When all the characters have to leave the farm due to the fact that walkers overran it, they stay at a

prison. While at the prison, the people make it more homely. Once they have developed a system, Beth becomes somewhat of a motherly figure for character, Rick Grimes’ daughter, Judith. Judith’s mother, Laurie was killed during the birthing of her. Rick so destroyed from this, payed little attention to Judith because it reminded him of Laurie’s death. Although sad, this was a great moment for Beth to shine and show what kind instincts she has. Her singing also became more prominent and she slowly became closer with more of the main characters.

Everyone was seeing the prison as their new home, and somewhere they could live during all of this madness. Unfortunately the prison was attacked by other people. Once they were attacked many people were fleeing the prison and the group did get very separated. Being that Beth was one of the last people to stay around and help fight, she was left with Daryl Dixon, one of the group’s best fighters. 

Daryl’s character in the beginning was one of an asshole. Him and his brother were typical redneck low lives. Many people did not like him or his brother Merle. However once Merle was gone from the group, there was a side of Daryl that came out. He became more sensitive, and loving. He felt like it was his job to protect everyone, and now that Merle was gone and did not have a bad influence on him, he could finally show the caring side of him that was always there. Daryl’s character has become one that viewers love now, a protecting, caring, sympathetic man.  When Beth and Daryl were stuck together, it was kind of their first real close interaction. At first Daryl was very short, and rude to Beth. Beth did not understand why he acted this way, and being Beth she tried to stay positive, but he kept shutting her down. Finally he reveals to Beth that he feels responsible for the prison’s overtake, even though it was not his fault. Being that he was a protector to them, he felt like it

 was his one purpose to keep everyone safe, it was what he was good at, and he felt like he failed everyone. He was upset that they found somewhere wonderful to live, and it was so easily destroyed. Of course he says this under intoxication, and it comes off a bit rude to Beth, however it is under that circumstance that we see a side to Beth that we can’t help but love.

She faces the fact of what happened, and she feels
nothing but compassion for Daryl. She tells him that he can’t give up just because of everything bad that happens in their lives. She says this with force, and we truly see Beth for who she is, a strong woman full of hope even in the saddest of times. It is through her hope that Daryl continues and moves on from his guilt. It is her hope that guides him back, and helps him find their way.

 After this time together, they become very close. Many fans began to ship them as a couple because together they were a balance. She was full of hope and brought out all the love in him, and strength to continue on even when something goes wrong. He brought out more strength in her, showing her how to be strong physically, and never giving up on her. However their time together was ended when beth was kidnapped by a group of cops from Atlanta. Daryl destroyed by this, eventually finds the group and tells them what happened and how he is going to find her. When we finally see Beth, she wakes up in a hospital. The people taking care of her say they saved her life and that she couldn’t leave until she repaid them. We begin to see how unstable this hospital is and how no one ever leaves. Beth however, is determined to get back to Daryl, and tries her hardest to find an escaped. After a failed attempt in trying to leave she realizes that even though she’s failed she cannot give up. While at this hospital Beth proves how strong she is. She is no longer that sweet weak girl that we first met. She is no longer that girl who tried to kill herself. She is determined, strong, and full of hope, never ever giving up.

In last week’s latest episode, the group that Daryl finds finally comes for Beth. When they negotiate a trade for Beth, everything is going fine. However, when they are about to leave, the main officer in charge, Dawn Lerner, wants one Noah back (one of the people at the hospital that escaped and joined Daryl’s group). When beth hears this, it hurts her so much that something that we would have never expected to happen, did. As Beth goes up to Dawn, and basically insults Dawn, she pulls out a scissor she had in her cast and stabs Dawn. However, Dawn already had her gun in hand, and shot Beth in the head immediately after this. 

The symbol of hope, dies. The one person who never gave up, and always encouraged others to keep going, is gone just like that. After the writers built her character up so much, the took her away that quickly. Everyone in the group is affected by this death. They were so happy to finally get her back safely, the one person they all looked to. To them Beth was the one of the only things pure left in the world. Without her and her guidance, everyone feels kind of lost. 

I was kind of surprised the writers killed her off. Especially after all the praise fans were giving her character. People are outraged that she is dead. There is already a petition to bring her back from the dead, signed by more than 10,000 people. As well as plenty of conspiracy theories as to how she is going to come back to life. Basically, no one really wants to see a world without Beth Greene. I don’t really blame them either. I was really upset by this too. Even though she was never really my favorite character it was very sad to see her go. And not only seeing her go, but seeing everyone’s reactions to her death. Seeing Daryl’s reaction, someone who she loved for all of the purity that she contained.

Seeing Rick’s reaction, someone who grew a family bond with her over his daughter. And seeing Beth’s sister’s reaction, Maggie, someone who only had one family member left.

The episode overall was just heartbreaking. And while I’m devastated to see Beth go, I think it was necessary. These characters are living in a world where death happens every second. After the world has turned into this apocalyptic state, people become scared. When people are scared they do stupid things. And that resulted in Beth’s death. The writers had to show that the world they are living in is scary, and not everyone lives. At any second, any could be killed. And not only that, but they also have to show some kind of development in the other characters. How everyone will be effected by this, will show what kind of person everyone is. And personally, I believe that while at first everyone will feel down about everything and not want to survive at first, they will fight through it. They will fight through it and survive for as long as they can because that’s what Beth would do. Beth would continue to survive, because it’s what you have to do. She would not completely lose hope because of someone’s death. She would honor that person’s death by continuing on and fighting for her life. 

Overall I just wanted to talk about her character because it is a prime example of strong character development. And her character will have a huge effect on the other characters and how they develop.

R.I.P. Beth Greene. 

Makeup: Another Essential Part of the Story

So we all know that in order to make an awesome video (film/show/etc.) you need a camera, a tripod, an audio person, lights, a script, costumes, actors, and so much more. One aspect that I personally forget about is makeup. Makeup can really help set the mood of the video and can actually make or break it too. For example, think of "The Walking Dead" series; imagine if they used no makeup. They would look horrible and the show would be nonexistent. Luckily for "The Walking Dead" they have amazing makeup artists who create amazing works of zombies, or should I say art. I have watched a couple behind the scenes videos of the makeup artist creating these zombies. It is crazy what they use and how they use it to create these creatures. Here is a tutorial that "The Walking Dead" crew put up as tips for Halloween.

They used oatmeal, gelatin, latex, and a lot of makeup to create this realistic look. There have been a number of scenes within the series that have characters who have missing jaws, lips, arms, etc. How the heck do they do that? Well here is bicycle girl, who is the first walker to be seen in the show. This is how they got her ready.

So imagine this production of bicycle girl takes about three hours. There are scenes within the series that have twenty to fifty walkers walking the streets. Imagine how much time that has to take making everyone look like a legitimate zombie. While it probably only takes them a half hour or so for the smaller characters having to do twenty to fifty of them is insane. Really appreciate the work that is done by makeup artists because they are extremely talented and creative. Also I totally recommend watching "The Walking Dead"! It is an amazing show!!!!

Binge Watching

In a world of endless television shows and little to no time to watch them, I've decided that I will partake in a binge of television when I go home for winter break in just a few weeks. This semester has been a busy one, which has given me no time to watch the shows I've been meaning to watch for a few months now.

This has been one of my favorite shows for the past couple years now, but due to my recent schedule, I haven't been able to find the time to watch any episodes past the Season 4 premiere a couple months ago. It's been nearly impossible to avoid overhearing any spoilers giving insight into the newest season, but up to this point, I've managed to steer clear of any important details that will ruin the surprises. Apparently, the last couple episodes have been phenomenal--good enough to redeem the show for it's previously terrible season 3--so I'm overly excited to catch up on the show. The Walking Dead is definitely at the top of my list of shows that I'll be binge watching over the upcoming break.

Now, I can honestly say I haven't watched a single episode of Game of Thrones, but I've recently decided that it's being put on the list for winter break. I've been told it's long, complex, and often requires a lot of attention to understand what's going on (due to the surplus amount of characters), but with a month off from school that requires minimal mental and physical energy, I figure it won't hurt to watch a show that takes a little bit of thinking. Also, the blood, swords, and dragons certainly don't hurt. I also just really want to watch this "Red Wedding" that I've heard oh so much about. My friends couldn't talk about the episode since it made them so upset. I'm really interested to see what kind of show has the power to make so many people speechless, and that's why it's going on the list.

Breaking Bad is the last of the shows I'll list for you since I could just keep going and going and going. I know very little about this show. It has something to do with a chemistry teacher who turns into a meth dealer. He has an associate (as seen in the above photo) who I know absolutely nothing about. All I really know is that this show has to be some kind of masterpiece for it to receive as many rewards as it has and to have had so many avid followers. I'm a little late on the bandwagon, I know, but it's never too late to enjoy a great show.

With a month-long winter break coming along in just a few short weeks, I've been compiling a list of shows I feel that I should at least begin watching. I've listed just a few, but there are at least half a dozen more shows that I could list as well. While some people will be outside playing in the snow and others will be spending their time traveling, I'll be home binge watching.

The Walking Dead and the human condition

Hello there. I'd just like to take a minute out of your busy, busy schedule to discuss The Walking Dead. More specifically, I'd like to discuss the season premiere that came out last Sunday, so if you haven't watched it yet, but intend to, I'm giving you a heads up that there may be some spoilers coming your way. What The Walking Dead does very well--at least in my opinion--is portraying characters and the human condition. Basically, the writers for the show (Frank Darabont and Scott M. Gimple) do a wonderful job subtly showing viewers how, even though there's a zombie apocalypse going on, the characters still seem to maintain their most human characteristics.

First off, let's talk about Rick. Rick Grimes--father to Carl and leader of the "resistance"--is focused on a lot in the season premiere. In the opening of the episode, we see Rick tending to the garden and pig pen which he apparently built in the off-season. As a good father, Rick tells his son not to get attached to the pigs by naming them since they're simply going to be used for food. It turns out that Rick has already given them names of his own. Like a normal person, he himself has gotten attached and cares for the things he's taking care of, basically like pets. Later in the episode, Rick finds a woman wondering around in the woods. In the midst of a zombie apocalypse, many people would have just killed her--as previous episodes have shown--but Rick wants to help her. The only problem is, his past experiences have left him very suspicious of strangers. He could have just killed her right then and there, but, holding on to what makes him human, he chooses to try and help the woman.

Next up is Carl Grimes. Carl is Rick's son. He's a character who viewers typically, well, strongly dislike. Nobody quite knows why, but we all dislike him. Strongly. Anyway, in this episode, Carl names the pig as previously stated. He gets attached to his "pets" like any other normal kid would do. He also accidentally slept in due to his reading comic books with a flashlight until really late at night. What Carl, and even Rick, often forget, is that he's still a child. Despite his many attempts to act older and more mature than his age, he is still indeed a kid. This is strongly highlighted later in the episode when he refuses to go to story time that's held everyday for the kids. He says it's too childish for him to go to, but he later sneaks into the room so that he can listen to the stories. The season premiere of The Walking Dead really did a great job subtly reminding viewers that the stubborn, protective guy they're watching is actually still a little kid.

The woman in the woods, Clara, is a character that appears towards the beginning of the episode and kills herself towards the end (sorry, I said there may be spoilers). As her and Rick walk through the woods, she talks about her husband and what he taught her. She explained how he taught her what was often necessary to survive in a post-zombie apocalyptic world. He taught her how to steal, betray, and sometimes kill other people in order to stay alive. What was so touching about the writing in this scene was that it so strongly highlighted people's tendency to want to do good. While the need to survive may out-trump our original instincts, most people are not born complete savages. In order to be able to do such terrible things, one must often be shown how.

The final character I'd like to discuss from The Walking Dead's season 4 premiere is Bob (yes, just Bob). Bob is a new character who we don't really know anything about. The reason for his appearance in this post is what he did in this one episode. While the characters were searching around a convenience store for supplies, we see Bob stop in the alcohol section of the store. He stares at a bottle of wine, seems conflicted whether or not to take it, then eventually begins putting it in his bag. He then stops himself and puts the bottle back on the shelf. Bob's actions could indicate that he's a recovering alcoholic. While he's searching for necessary supplies in order to survive, he still has trouble fighting his urges and desires. The writers did a phenomenal job with this scene because, while nothing is explicitly said, viewers can deduce that Bob most likely struggled with alcoholism at some point in his life and is still dealing with it. It doesn't matter whether or not there are zombies knocking at your front door. If a person has an addiction to something, the urges don't simply go away overnight.

In the Season 4 premiere of The Walking Dead, the writers truly did an excellent job emphasizing the human condition. The episode showed all the characters are still human despite all the nonhumans trying to eat them.

3 Reasons Why 'Low Winter Sun' Will Never Replace 'Breaking Bad'

With only 8 episodes of their groundbreaking, genre-bending mega-hit Breaking Bad left in the series, AMC must have realized that they would soon need to fill a very big, genre-bending hole in their TV lineup. Enter Low Winter Sun: a dark, brooding crime drama centered around two Detroit cops who, in the opening of the pilot, kill another cop. Sub-plots and moody lighting abound, and the guy who played Gale on Breaking Bad even pops up every now and then. I'll be the first to admit that the show piqued my interest: AMC has a fairly good track record with its TV shows, and anything that might break me out of my post Breaking Bad depression seemed like a good deal to me. However, I'll also be the first to admit that Low Winter Sun totally lost my interest after the first episode. Here's three reasons why the show (despite its best efforts) will never be able to replace its predecessor.

1. It's too dark. Yes, I'm aware that Breaking Bad is a show about making crystal meth, where little kids are shot or poisoned (spoilers?) and where the main character is slowly imploding on himself. But something about Low Winter Sun is just...too dark. Breaking Bad has it's laughs, whether coming from Saul Goodman's antics or Jesse filling up his hazard suit with air and dancing around an empty meth lab. It's dark, but there's always some sort of silver lining. So far, I haven't seen anything like that in LWS. By taking itself too seriously, it almost guarantees that audiences won't take it seriously enough. Granted, Detroit is a pretty bleak backdrop, but a little light humor could really take things a long way.

2. It seems like just another cop drama. I may well be judging a book by it's cover, but I've seen the first few chapters of this one and it seems like the cover is pretty reflective of the book as a whole. I almost want to say that if the writers toned down the four letter expletives and made it a bit more network friendly, the show would be more at home on CBS or Fox. After something as creative and imaginative as a high school chemistry teacher getting cancer and turning to meth-making to procure money for his family, a cop drama just seems a little bland. All of the actors say that the show really picks up after its sixth episode (and maybe it does) but until then, it seems like it's doing nothing to grab the attention of veiwers. 

3. It's coming at a bad time. I totally understand the thought process for this one: "let's sandwich our new show between Breaking Bad and the Breaking Bad talk show to see how many viewers will stick around." Lots of networks do this to promote new shows, and sometimes it works. But for me personally, when an episode of Breaking Bad ends, I'm not mentally prepared to leave that universe, let alone jump headfirst into a totally new one. I would probably be more satisfied with watching a blank screen for an hour and going over what just happened on BB than with wrapping my head around the (somewhat dense) plot of this new show. If AMC had aired Low Winter Sun at a different time (maybe during the winter break they typically have in the middle of the new season of the Walking Dead) the show would be getting a better reception. 

I want to like you, Low Winter Sun. I really do. The timing just isn't in our favor. Maybe, in another time, a different place (a Netflix binge, perhaps) I'll learn to love you. Until then, I'm just going to buckle down and wait for Sunday nights at 9pm to get my final 4 doses of Walter White, Jesse Pinkman, and the rest of Albuquerque's finest. 

The Walking Dead

I started to watch the zombie apocalypse series last year and at the beginning I thought that it was very good. The story was great and all of the characters were intriguing. However as the show has been going on, the story seemed to get old. Every episode was just them fighting the zombies, or walkers, and trying to survive in a post apocalyptic world. The one thing that I hated most about The Walking Dead was that they always killed off my favorite characters and left the characters that I disliked alive. For instance, two of my favorite characters were Dale and T-Dog but both of them were killed off. Meanwhile the characters that I absolutely did not like, such as Carl, stayed alive. I liked Rick's character for about the first season and a half but after that he became sort of a dictator for the group and constantly messed things up. I was annoyed even listening to his character. The only character that I have consistently liked is Daryl Dixon. Daryl is a redneck equipped with a crossbow and is key member of the group. At first he kept mostly to himself but over time, he has integrated himself to become more of a team player. He acts as a protector for many members of the group and is now Rick's right hand man.

I thought that the first season of The Walking Dead was fantastic but the second season took a downfall. The show is now in its third season and it is going uphill. Rather than having the main story be Rick and the gang fight zombies, they are fighting The Governor, a ruthless leader of a town called Woodbury. I think what the show really needed was a single antagonist and with The Governor, they achieved that. The Walking Dead was missing the human element that makes the characters more relatable to the audience and once The Governor and the people of Woodbury were introduced, the show gained that missing factor.

If I were to give the producers of The Walking Dead some advice, I would stick to focusing the show on conflicts between humans and not so much with the zombies. The main focus should have to deal with humans but remember to make the fear of the zombies always present.

NEW WALKING DEAD!

It was the beginning of a great season. Shane is dead, and all of the characters survived the winter. Life was good Sunday night when I was watching my favorite show, the only thing bothering me was Dale's death (as I also spent last week re-watching season 2), and Laurie is still alive.

This episode had a lot in it that I loved. Lot's of zombie killing, everyone's badass-ness increased by 20 points because of Carl being able to pop zombies in the head like a boss, and lots of automatic weapons. The change of setting (to a prison) was a nice change of setting, and something not a lot of people consider for the zombie apocalypse. I like the way the story is going this season, last season had a lot of dialogue and drama and not enough zombie killing.

On that note, there was also a lot I didn't like. First off, they skipped ahead at least 6 months. They ended the season in the Fall, with everyone stuck on the side of the road worrying about another zombie attack, personally I think that is still an awesome place to leave off for the current season. But no. They skip the rest of Fall and the Winter and now it's Spring. Maybe I'm the only one bothered by the fact that everyone looks different, they have new equipment, and Laurie's belly is bulging out, but that's just me. I was also bothered by the ending of it. At the end Hershel gets bit in the leg by a zombie. There first reaction is to start hacking at his leg with an axe. My first thought: OK guys, anyone else gets bit, and your first reaction is to shoot them in the head, but obviously Hershel is an exception. I love Hershel just as much as anyone else (actually I don't think many people like him but I think he's a nice guy and a decent actor), but if he survives the next episode I might just throw my TV out of my dorm window.

Creating Suspense: Zombie Style

After Breaking Bad ended and before Dexter starts in a couple weeks I decided that I needed a new show to watch. Naturally I turned to my Netflix account to see what I could find. My housemate Pat, a self proclaimed TV buff, recommended that I check out The Walking Dead. This is a show on AMC that only has two seasons so I figured it would be easy to catch up and add to my collection of TV series that I follow. One thing that caught my eye about Walking Dead is the fact that it was created and developed by the critically acclaimed Frank Darabont. I wrote about Darabont before and his work on Shawshank (one of my favorite films).  This seemed like a no-brainer.

The pilot episode starts in a run down town in what appears to be hit by a Zombie Apocalypse. The main character of the show that was in a coma during this Apocalypse leaves the hospital hurt and stunned that no one is tending him in the hospital. From the start of the episode it is obvious that the director is trying to create suspense in the episode. The first scene was brilliant in not only creating suspense but also sustaining this suspense throughout the first couple of scenes.

The camera work was exceptional. Each shot created a mood that something was seriously wrong with this world and bad things were to come. One of the first shots was of the main character walking on to the streets alone. The camera was at the characters feet. The camera was focused only on the characters feet for about 10 steps. This was a great way to create suspense. By only showing part of his body raises questions about where this character is, where he is going, and what exactly is around him. As the scene continues it is obvious that this town has been deserted. There are various shots of run down houses and empty cars parked on the street. One of my favorite parts of this scene was the patience the director showed. It felt like 10 minutes until another character was in the scene. Obviously there was going to be Zombies at some point, but by showing how alone the main character was at this point, really developed the plot and suspense without any dialogue.

Not only did the camera work create suspense in the opening scene but the audio also played a major factor. The scene really focused on natural sound and no music. Hearing the footsteps of the main character created a more fitting mood than any music of sound effects could have. The audio selection made it feel as if you were the character.  By not using music suspense is created. The audience is waiting for something to happen. The relative silence in the scene creates a scary environment, which is exactly what the director wants.

Darabont’s work is usually visually stunning and the pilot episode of The Walking Dead did not disappoint. In a series about Zombies, creating suspense is essential and the directors and producers did this in a unique way. By using natural sounds and multitude of camera angles this show had me on the edge of my seat for the first 20 minutes. Especially for a pilot, getting the viewers attention is crucial. I am going to continue to watch this show and I will report back more thoughts in the future.

-Michael Vulcano

The Walking Dead

One of my favorite television shows is The Walking Dead, a post-apocalyptic zombie show on AMC. This show is based off of the popular comic book and has millions of viewers every week. With a compelling story and tons of different conflicts all going on at once, it's hard not to get into such a dramatic show. It's one of those shows where you are never comfortable with what's going on, as the setting is constantly changing, characters are always dying, and literally anything can happen at any moment. The survivors, led by a man named Rick Grimes, not only have to worry about daily survival and zombies, but also other humans who want what they have or are just out to watch the world burn.

The beginning of the series starts with Rick looking for his wife because he wakes up in the hospital from a gunshot wound when the infection began to spread. Even after a few episodes into the first season when he finally finds his wife there are still a lot of conflicts to be resolved. For example, you find out that she thought Rick was dead so she was with another man the whole time. And just when you get used to the setting and get comfortable with it, they get invaded by zombies forcing them to leave that setting and constantly move.

During the second season they do the same thing to the viewers. Most of it is set around a farm with a huge barn and home. The trouble with the farm however is the people who live on it refuse to kill zombies because they are religious. And the survivors don't know that inside of the barn is a lot of the dead family members of the farm. So they force everyone to capture the zombies and place them inside of the barn, where they have several zombies that they keep. The survivors are at a constant struggle with the owners of the farm because of the zombies in the barn, how they can't kill zombies, and that the owners of the farm want them to leave. At the end of the season one survivor breaks the barn open, causing all of the zombies to come out. The survivors are forced to kill them all, and because of the gunshots and loud noise, hundreds of other zombies start to approach the farm. A lot of the owners of the farm died during this because they refused to leave their home, and a couple survivors died during the fight. 

This is a very unique show that is constantly changing and keeping the viewers on their toes. You can never be comfortable with who will still be alive in the next episode, where they will be, and what might happen next. 

Hell on Wheels

     Many networks are trying to build up the amount of original content they broadcast, this is an attempt to pull in viewers.  AMC is one of these networks.  They have just recently created a show "Hell on Wheels."  This show is a period piece which takes place just after the civil war, while the transcontinental railroad is being built.  It chronicles the story of one mans journey to avenge the death of his wife.  There have only been three episodes, but even in just that short amount of time it is clear that this show is going to be awesome.  The characters are extremely well developed, and the drama between them, and the situations in which they are placed are believable and realistic.  I am a Civil War reenactor so I like to think that I know something about how the 19th century looked, and the sets and costumes are beautifully done and even the language is  appropriate.  My issue with the show is that the writing cheats sometimes.  There have been several times where a character will go on a huge monologue about something, and at times they are not even talking to anyone. I feel that this is a cheating way to get information out to the viewer and perhaps it is just because we are in the first few episodes, hopefully it will stop.  The show is very graphic and gritty, a definite draw for some people.  My big question now is whether or not the show will last.  It is very similar to "The Walking Dead" and has the same feel, this could pull some people in.  On the same hand it could drive people away, as they already have a show which fills that gritty show need.  Only time will tell, I hope it makes it.

Network Styles

     It is a well known fact that networks play shows that are similar, specifically original series.  In todays world, with thousands of channels, they must work hard to get an audience, to do this they focus on niche markets that are interested in only a few story lines.  What I find most interesting however, is that it is not only the type of show, such as crime or comedy but the entire look and feel of the programming.  The color pallets are the same as is the over arching concepts and editing styles.  USA for example has  many original shows.  They all have the same concept of a main character who is good at what they do even though they are not accepted in the professional world.  A detective who must pretend to be Psychic, a lawyer without a degree, a doctor without a hospital. On top of that these shows all have the same colors, witting, and quick edits around witty comments.





Somewhat new to the mix of original series AMC has "The Walking Dead" "Hell on Wheels" and "Breaking Bad" all of which share the down and dirty feel with people on the brink of disaster just trying to hold on, again the same colors and cinematography.





FX does the same with shows like "Wilfred" and "Always Sunny in Philadelphia." I find it interesting that they don't necessarily stick to a topic, but a feel.  USA is witty whether it is a medical show or a cop show. AMC is dark and cinematic with a dying father or a world overrun by zombies.  This tells us that we don't really care what kind of show we watch, as long as it plays the same emotional tune.