Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Mmmm. Brains.

So my sweetie-pie and I just watched the premiere of The Walking Dead, a new zombie/apocalypse show on AMC. We'd both give it a thumbs up if we weren't afraid of getting them bitten off. Whether we watch more of the season or not depends pretty much on whether or not I have nightmares. Generally, I prefer my zombies funny. Think Zombieland and Shaun of the Dead. These zombies? Not so funny.

I'm also really drawn to the apocalypse, or near apocalypse, story, though as people struggle with how to get along with each other and rebuild a world at the same time. My kids and I really enjoyed the first season of Jericho (and interestingly enough, Lennie James appears in both) where the people were figuring out how to survive. It sort of lost us in the second season when it turned into a big conspiracy theory thing.

We also liked Battlestar Galactica, another post-apocalypse type show where people were figuring out how to put a society back together.

Now, I'm pretty sure I'd be one of the first to die in any kind of apocalyptic event. I base this one my stunning deer-in-the-headlights reactions to most situations. By the time I thought to get the shovel out of the garage and take off a zombie's head, he'd be munching on my intestines. So I wouldn't be one of the people rebuilding society. I still sort of like to imagine that I'd manage to be one of them, though, and that I'd be one of the Good Guys.

So. . . how do you feel about these kinds of stories? Which ones do you like? Which ones fell short of the mark for you?


10 comments:

Molly O'Keefe said...

I got nightmares just from the trailer! That's one of the freakiest trailers for a tv show I've seen in a long time. I'm with you - I want funny zombies. Or at least if I'm going to have xombies I want Woody Harrelson by my side cracking jokes. Shuan of the Dead is one of my favorite movies. And it would probably be a toss up between who, between you and I would get it first - you go deer in headlights - I start crying.

But - I do think we're going to watch this show because I'm totally fascinated to see what they do with this in a serial format.

Maureen McGowan said...

I've been watching The Walking Dead, too... And some of the goriness seems to be for goriness sake so far.

Something this week made me laugh, but I wasn't sure if it was supposed to.

My only issue is how come all the people we've met so far are related to each other? But it's not that big a beef. If they get me sucked in, then I will stop looking for holes in the plausibility.

But that's not answering your question. :)

I do like stories like this, sometimes. It's funny, but I hadn't thought of Battlestar as post apocalyptic before, but you're so right. But when I think about it in terms of a what people do to survive after all the structure gone context, I can't help but think of that horrible black market episode. One of their only misteps. I think that show worked for me because they quickly turned it from survival into a quest. And of course the fabulous characters and all the layers and mystery...

Stephanie Doyle said...

I love the apocolyptic stuff. Zombies - I'm not sure about. Although someone did tell me to watch Walking Dead.

I'm convinced I'm one of your survivor - let's all build a new world - people. I love nothing better to organize, control and direct. So as soon as the sh** hits the fan I'm your go to girl.

I say bring on the aliens who want to take over, show me the commet ready to take out 1/2 the planet. 2012 doomsday...

I'm ready for the next evolution.

Of course - I have no clue how I would really react in such a situation - I might end up running for cover under my bed with my cats.

Eileen said...

Great. I think we're getting our roles assigned. Molly and I will be weeping and freezing in the corner while Steph makes sure we have food to eat and shelter to eat it in.

Maureen, interesting about BSG. I was much less enamored of the quest stuff than I was with the societal stuff. The episode where Starbuck (or whatever her name was) tortures a Ceylon and has to deal with what that does to her soul? Loved it. All the decisions about what kind of society they wanted to be? Fascinating to me. No wonder it was such a great show. Look at how it satisfied both of us even though we were looking for such different things form this.

Interesting point about everyone being related so far in TWD. Maybe they'll introduce other pockets of survivors?

Stephanie Doyle said...

I am 99.9% convinced I can make fire. I mean geez I've watched like a million episodes of Survivor. How hard can it be?

Maureen McGowan said...

Eileen... I loved that kind of stuff, too. I think when I made that comment I was being too narrow in terms of post-apocalyptic survival.

The few episodes of that show that I didn't love (like the black market one) felt to me as if the writers had asked themselves, "I wonder how the economy is working now the whole world is these xxx ships?" For me, while it's the kind of question I could see myself asking... it wasn't enough on the topic of fighting the cylons and finding earth for me to care...

Also, really, the main problem was that they took the characters off in strange tangents on that episode. Apollo has a hooker girlfriend we've never seen before?

But I can forgive them one bad episode out of such an awesome series.

Eileen said...

I have apparently blocked the black market episode from my brain. It must have traumatic. :-) Apollo had a hooker girlfriend? Seriously?

Okay, Steph, if you can get Molly and me through the first 48 hours or so, I should be able to macrame hammocks for everyone and crochet us clothing. :-)

Anonymous said...

oooh, I loved Battlestar, loved it so much that even the black market episode didn't bother me too much.
For me, the episode that stayed in my head was the Scar episode, loved it...
Am sort of watching the Walking dead, even though I'm suffering serious Zombie fatigue.

Not sure how I'd do post apocalyptic, I can't make fire, and I sure as hell can't cook over a camp fire. That leaves me as zombie killer...

someone has to do it, I guess.

Maureen McGowan said...

Ha! Maybe I'll help Sinead kill zombies. Although I'm sure I can start a fire, too. Also great at hiding and crying.

Simone said...

I watched episode 1 of TWD. It was pretty good, except for the people in tents. If you're in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, why are you in a TENT? I'd be pretty hopeless but I think I could do better than that.

Also, those zombies move slower than anything I've ever seen. I'm not sure how they wiped out the human race. You could just run away at a slow jog.

I'd be the one holed up an an army barracks, with every book ever written, and finally the time to read them all. lol.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...