The Walking Dead (season 1)
Encyclopedia
The first season of AMC's television series The Walking Dead
premiered on October 31, 2010 and concluded on December 5, 2010. The series is based on the series of graphic novels of the same name
by Robert Kirkman
, Tony Moore
and Charlie Adlard
; it was developed for television by Frank Darabont
, who wrote or co-wrote four of the season's six episodes and directed the pilot.
The first season was met with almost universal acclaim and gained 5.35 million viewers on its premiere. The finale garnered six million viewers and among adults ages 18–49 it became the most viewed basic cable drama series of all time.
, who was gunned down and put into a coma for an indeterminate amount of time, after which he awakens into a post-apocalyptic world overrun with the walking dead. He discovers that his wife and son are missing and, after arming himself, sets off on a perilous journey for Atlanta, Georgia
, where the CDC
is rumored to have set up a quarantined safe-zone in the city and his family may be hiding. However, he soon discovers that the city has been overrun with "walkers" and it is no longer safe.
A few miles outside the city, Rick's wife Lori and his son Carl have been hiding away from the walkers with Shane Walsh, Rick's former colleague and best friend. They have established a camp with a small group of other survivors from around the country. After being rescued from Atlanta by members of the group and being reunited with Lori and Carl, Rick assumes a command position with Shane and must take responsibility not only for his wife and son, but also for the survival of the group. Part of the group goes back into Atlanta to recover weapons, but on their return find that the camp has been nearly overrun by walkers. In hopes of finding medical treatment for an injured member, some of the group decides to return to Atlanta and seek aid from the CDC.
In the CDC, all but one staff member (Dr. Edwin Jenner) have fled or killed themselves. Dr. Jenner explains his research into the cause of the "zombie apocalypse
". But the CDC building is not the safe haven the group believed. The following day, lack of fuel for the generators causes certain safety protocols to be initiated, which will result in the destruction of the CDC. Dr. Jenner explains that the French may have found a cure, as they were the only nation whose scientists stayed in their labs. Dr. Jenner elects to stay in the CDC despite the impending explosion. Before the group leaves the building, Dr. Jenner whispers something unknown into Rick's ear. Andrea and Jacqui decide to stay with Jenner as there is no hope anymore. Dale refuses to leave Andrea behind and elects to stay as well; Andrea changes her mind. The two escape just as Jenner and Jacqui are killed by the building's self-destruct sequence.
portrays series protagonist Rick Grimes
, a former sheriff's deputy from King County, Georgia
, who awakens from a coma. Jon Bernthal
portrays Shane Walsh, Rick's former colleague and friend who helped Rick's family escape the apocalypse. Sarah Wayne Callies
plays Lori Grimes, Rick's wife and mother of Carl. Laurie Holden
plays Andrea, a successful civil rights attorney and sister of Amy. Jeffrey DeMunn
portrays Dale Horvath, an old man who owns the RV the survivors have formed a community upon. Steven Yeun
portrays Glenn, a former pizza delivery boy who is often sent into dangerous missions. Chandler Riggs plays Carl Grimes, Rick and Lori's son.
portrays Amy, Andrea's younger sister. Jeryl Prescott Sales
portrays Jacqui, a member of the group who is the only survivor of her family. IronE Singleton plays T-Dog, another member of the group. Melissa McBride
plays Carol Peletier, the friendly yet soft-spoken wife of Ed and mother of Sophia. Norman Reedus
portrays Daryl Dixon, a Southern redneck
and hunter. Madison Lintz portrays Sophia Peletier, Carol and Ed's daughter. Andrew Rothenberg
plays Jim, a mechanic and a mysterious member of the group. Juan Pareja
plays Morales, another member of the group who knows the city's infrastructure. Adam Minarovich
portrays Ed Peletier, Carol's abusive husband and Sophia's father. Maddie Lomax portrays Eliza Morales, the daughter of the aforementioned Morales. Michael Rooker
plays Merle Dixon, Daryl's older brother, who is also a redneck and hunter. Lennie James
and Adrian Kali Turner play Morgan and Duane Jones, a father and son whom Rick encounters. Neil Brown, Jr. and Noel Gugliemi
portray Guillermo and Felipe, two members of a Vatos group in Atlanta. Noah Emmerich
plays Dr. Edwin Jenner, a pathologist in the Atlanta CDC
.
The series features several actors Walking Dead developer Frank Darabont has worked with previously, including Laurie Holden, Jeffrey DeMunn and Melissa McBride. All three appeared in his 2007 film The Mist
, along with Thomas Jane
, who originally was set to star in the series when it was pitched to HBO. He's also in talks with Darabont to possibly guest star on the series. Laurie Holden also appeared in the 2001 film The Majestic (she played Adele Stanton, Jim Carrey
's love interest), which Darabont directed. DeMunn has also appeared in several of Darabont's films, in addition to The Mist and The Majestic, he also appeared in The Shawshank Redemption
(1994) and The Green Mile
(1999).
, who created the comic book series
in 2003, says he had considered the idea of a Walking Dead television series, but never actively pursued it. "I certainly wanted it to happen, just because I knew it would be good for the book... I'm certainly not against adaptations like some creators..." When Frank Darabont
became interested in adapting the comic books for television, Kirkman said it was "extremely flattering" and went on to say that, "He definitely cares about the original source material, and you can tell that in the way he's adapting it. It's an extreme validation of the work... Never in a million years could I have thought that if Walking Dead were to ever be adapted that everything would be going this well. I think that that's all because of Frank."
Darabont himself had been a fan of the zombie genre since seeing George A. Romero's
1968 film Night of the Living Dead
when he was fourteen-years-old. ""Night of the Living Dead" had this weird vibe that was almost - it was like pornography... It had this marvelously attractive, disreputable draw... I loved it immediately." Darabont recalls walking into a comic book store in Burbank, California
and seeing The Walking Dead on the shelf in 2005. "Being that I've always had "the love of zombies gene," I of course grabbed it, took it home and read it, and immediately started pursuing the rights to it. I thought it would make a great TV show... I loved the idea of an extended, ongoing, serialized dramatic presentation set in the zombie apocalypse." He described the process of developing the series and getting it set up at a network as "four years of frustration," and credits executive producer Gale Anne Hurd
with finally getting the series on AMC. "I can't remember what the hell prompted her to read it [the script], but she said, "Wow, I really love this pilot you wrote. What are you doing with it?" I said I'd been trying to set it up forever... She said "I think AMC might be the place to take this." She did, and then bam! They were immediately interested. I had to credit Gale, her insight into marrying the material and the buyer."
, Adam Fierro
and Glen Mazzara
, all of whom he had worked with while directing an episode of The Shield
. Jack LoGiudice
also joined the writing team, along with Robert Kirkman, also an executive producer. "I have the best of both worlds," says Kirkman. "It was a lot of fun writing Episode 104, and I'm hoping if it continues into Season 2, I'll be able to write more episodes."
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, which constitutes "universal acclaim." TV Guide's
Matt Roush called the show "a stark and harrowing survival parable... visually stunning and daring in its artful use of silence." Simon Abrams from Slant Magazine
awarded the season three and a half stars out of a possible four; "To say that Darabont has kicked his series off with a bang would be a serious understatement... [he] has fashioned a fully realized alternate reality and it's a thrilling thing to experience." Heather Havrilesky of Salon
gave the series a grade of A, saying "A film-quality drama series about zombies? Somebody pinch me!"
s. It was nominated for Best Television Series Drama at the 68th Golden Globe Awards
. It was also named during the American Film Institute Awards 2010
as one of the top 10 television programs of 2010. For the 2011 Saturn Award
s, the series received six nominations—for Best Television Presentation, Andrew Lincoln
for Best Actor in Television, Sarah Wayne Callies
for Best Actress on Television, Steven Yeun
for Best Supporting Actor in Television, Laurie Holden
for Best Supporting Actress in Television, and Noah Emmerich
for Best Guest Starring Role in Television. The series was nominated for Best Drama Series at the 1st Critics' Choice Television Awards
. The pilot episode "Days Gone Bye" received three nominations for the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards
—it was nominated for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series and Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series and won for Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Miniseries, Movie or a Special.
A three-disc special edition of the first season was released on DVD and Blu-ray on October 4, 2011. The sets include all the previous special features, plus brand new extras. The new extras include audio commentary on all six episodes, the black and white version of the pilot, and six new featurettes—"We Are The Walking Dead", "Bring Out the Dead: KNB and the Art of Making Zombies", "Digital Decay: The VFX of The Walking Dead", "No More Room in Hell: The Walking Dead Phenomenon", "Adapting the Dead" and "Killer Conversations: Frank Darabont & Greg Nicotero". In addition to the DVD and Blu-ray release, a limited edition Blu-ray collector's tin contains an exclusive wearable zombie mask from the National Entertainment Collectibles Association
designed by the series own make-up artist, Greg Nicotero.
The Walking Dead (TV series)
The Walking Dead is an American post-apocalyptic horror television series developed for television by Frank Darabont and based on the ongoing comic book series, The Walking Dead, by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard...
premiered on October 31, 2010 and concluded on December 5, 2010. The series is based on the series of graphic novels of the same name
The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead is a monthly black-and-white US comic book series published by Image Comics beginning in 2003. The comic was created by writer Robert Kirkman and artist Tony Moore, who was replaced by Charlie Adlard from issue #7 onward, although Moore continued to do the covers through issue...
by Robert Kirkman
Robert Kirkman
Robert Kirkman is an American comic book writer best known for his work on The Walking Dead and Invincible for Image Comics, and Ultimate X-Men and Marvel Zombies for Marvel Comics. He has also collaborated with Image Comics co-founder Todd McFarlane on the series Haunt...
, Tony Moore
Tony Moore (artist)
Michael Anthony "Tony" Moore is an American comic book artist, whose work consists mainly of genre pieces, most notably in horror and science fiction, with titles such as The Walking Dead, Fear Agent and The Exterminators.-Career:...
and Charlie Adlard
Charlie Adlard
Charles "Charlie" Adlard is a British comic book artist and penciller.He is best known for providing art on The Walking Dead and Savage.-Biography:...
; it was developed for television by Frank Darabont
Frank Darabont
Frank Darabont is a Hungarian-American film director, screenwriter and producer who has been nominated for three Academy Awards and a Golden Globe. He has directed the films The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and The Mist, all based on stories by Stephen King...
, who wrote or co-wrote four of the season's six episodes and directed the pilot.
The first season was met with almost universal acclaim and gained 5.35 million viewers on its premiere. The finale garnered six million viewers and among adults ages 18–49 it became the most viewed basic cable drama series of all time.
Plot
The first season centers on Sheriff's Deputy Rick GrimesRick Grimes
Rick Grimes is a fictional character in the ongoing black-and-white comic book series The Walking Dead and as well as its television series adaptation, The Walking Dead.-Comic book series:...
, who was gunned down and put into a coma for an indeterminate amount of time, after which he awakens into a post-apocalyptic world overrun with the walking dead. He discovers that his wife and son are missing and, after arming himself, sets off on a perilous journey for Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, where the CDC
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta...
is rumored to have set up a quarantined safe-zone in the city and his family may be hiding. However, he soon discovers that the city has been overrun with "walkers" and it is no longer safe.
A few miles outside the city, Rick's wife Lori and his son Carl have been hiding away from the walkers with Shane Walsh, Rick's former colleague and best friend. They have established a camp with a small group of other survivors from around the country. After being rescued from Atlanta by members of the group and being reunited with Lori and Carl, Rick assumes a command position with Shane and must take responsibility not only for his wife and son, but also for the survival of the group. Part of the group goes back into Atlanta to recover weapons, but on their return find that the camp has been nearly overrun by walkers. In hopes of finding medical treatment for an injured member, some of the group decides to return to Atlanta and seek aid from the CDC.
In the CDC, all but one staff member (Dr. Edwin Jenner) have fled or killed themselves. Dr. Jenner explains his research into the cause of the "zombie apocalypse
Zombie apocalypse
A zombie apocalypse is a particular scenario of apocalyptic literature that customarily has a science fiction/horror rationale. In a zombie apocalypse, a widespread rise of zombies hostile to human life engages in a general assault on civilization....
". But the CDC building is not the safe haven the group believed. The following day, lack of fuel for the generators causes certain safety protocols to be initiated, which will result in the destruction of the CDC. Dr. Jenner explains that the French may have found a cure, as they were the only nation whose scientists stayed in their labs. Dr. Jenner elects to stay in the CDC despite the impending explosion. Before the group leaves the building, Dr. Jenner whispers something unknown into Rick's ear. Andrea and Jacqui decide to stay with Jenner as there is no hope anymore. Dale refuses to leave Andrea behind and elects to stay as well; Andrea changes her mind. The two escape just as Jenner and Jacqui are killed by the building's self-destruct sequence.
Main cast
The series' first season had seven major roles getting star billing. Andrew LincolnAndrew Lincoln
Andrew Lincoln is an English actor, known for his roles in the TV series This Life, Teachers and Afterlife, and the films Love Actually and Heartbreaker...
portrays series protagonist Rick Grimes
Rick Grimes
Rick Grimes is a fictional character in the ongoing black-and-white comic book series The Walking Dead and as well as its television series adaptation, The Walking Dead.-Comic book series:...
, a former sheriff's deputy from King County, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, who awakens from a coma. Jon Bernthal
Jon Bernthal
Jonathan E. "Jon" Bernthal is an American actor, best known for his role on the AMC television series The Walking Dead.-Early life:...
portrays Shane Walsh, Rick's former colleague and friend who helped Rick's family escape the apocalypse. Sarah Wayne Callies
Sarah Wayne Callies
Sarah Wayne Callies is an American actress who is best known for her role as Sara Tancredi in the American television series Prison Break. She now plays Lori Grimes in The Walking Dead.- Early life :...
plays Lori Grimes, Rick's wife and mother of Carl. Laurie Holden
Laurie Holden
Heather Laurie Holden is an American-Canadian actress and human rights activist. She is perhaps best known for her roles as Marita Covarrubias in The X-Files, Adele Stanton on The Majestic, Cybil Bennett in Silent Hill, Amanda Dumfries in The Mist, Olivia Murray in The Shield, and Andrea in The...
plays Andrea, a successful civil rights attorney and sister of Amy. Jeffrey DeMunn
Jeffrey DeMunn
Jeffrey DeMunn is an American theatre, film and television actor.-Life and career:DeMunn was born in Buffalo, New York, the son of Violet and James DeMunn. Stepson of noted actress Betty Lutes DeMunn...
portrays Dale Horvath, an old man who owns the RV the survivors have formed a community upon. Steven Yeun
Steven Yeun
Steven Yeun is a Korean-born American actor. Yeun is currently starring in the role of Glenn in AMC's original series, The Walking Dead since 2010. Other than The Walking Dead, Yeun guest starred in the critically acclaimed American sit-com The Big Bang Theory as Sheldon's former room mate...
portrays Glenn, a former pizza delivery boy who is often sent into dangerous missions. Chandler Riggs plays Carl Grimes, Rick and Lori's son.
Recurring cast
Aside from the aforementioned main cast, several recurring characters appear. Emma BellEmma Bell
Emma Jean Bell is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Parker O'Neil, one of the main characters in the 2010 film Frozen, and as Amy in The Walking Dead. Bell played the female lead in the thriller-horror film Final Destination 5...
portrays Amy, Andrea's younger sister. Jeryl Prescott Sales
Jeryl Prescott
Jeryl Prescott Sales is an American film and television actress. Prescott is best known for her recurring role as Jacqui in the television series, The Walking Dead, which premiered on AMC in 2010...
portrays Jacqui, a member of the group who is the only survivor of her family. IronE Singleton plays T-Dog, another member of the group. Melissa McBride
Melissa McBride
Melissa McBride is an American actress best known for her roles as Carol Peletier in the AMC-TV series The Walking Dead and as the "Woman With Kids at Home" in Frank Darabont's 2007 adaptation of Stephen King's "The Mist." She is also a casting director in Atlanta, Georgia.-Filmography:* Matlock...
plays Carol Peletier, the friendly yet soft-spoken wife of Ed and mother of Sophia. Norman Reedus
Norman Reedus
Norman Mark Reedus is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal as Murphy MacManus in the 1999 film The Boondock Saints as well as its 2009 sequel The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day and for the character of Daryl Dixon in the AMC television series The Walking Dead...
portrays Daryl Dixon, a Southern redneck
Redneck
Redneck is a historically derogatory slang term used in reference to poor, uneducated white farmers, especially from the southern United States...
and hunter. Madison Lintz portrays Sophia Peletier, Carol and Ed's daughter. Andrew Rothenberg
Andrew Rothenberg
Andrew Rothenberg is an American stage, television and film actor. Rothenberg is known for reoccurring roles in major television series, including as Agent Phil Schlatter on Weeds and his portrayal of Malcolm on the HBO vampire series, True Blood.Most recently, Rothenberg has been cast as Jim, a...
plays Jim, a mechanic and a mysterious member of the group. Juan Pareja
Juan Gabriel Pareja
Juan Gabriel Pareja is an American actor. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, to parents who immigrated from Colombia, Pareja is a graduate of the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University....
plays Morales, another member of the group who knows the city's infrastructure. Adam Minarovich
Adam Minarovich
Adam Minarovich is an American actor, screenwriter and film director. He is known for his recurring role as Ed in the American television series, The Walking Dead....
portrays Ed Peletier, Carol's abusive husband and Sophia's father. Maddie Lomax portrays Eliza Morales, the daughter of the aforementioned Morales. Michael Rooker
Michael Rooker
Michael Rooker is an American actor.-Early life:Rooker, who has eight brothers and sisters, was born in Jasper, Alabama and studied at the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago, where he moved with his mother and siblings at the age of thirteen, after his parents divorced.-Movie career:He made his...
plays Merle Dixon, Daryl's older brother, who is also a redneck and hunter. Lennie James
Lennie James
Lennie James is an English actor and playwright.-Career:James attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 1988...
and Adrian Kali Turner play Morgan and Duane Jones, a father and son whom Rick encounters. Neil Brown, Jr. and Noel Gugliemi
Noel Gugliemi
Noel Gugliemi is an American actor.He was born in Santa Monica, California, to an Italian-American father and a Mexican-American mother. Gugliemi voiced the character of Cortez in the video game 187 Ride or Die. He is most noted for portraying a stereotypical southern Californian Latino gang member...
portray Guillermo and Felipe, two members of a Vatos group in Atlanta. Noah Emmerich
Noah Emmerich
Noah Nicholas Emmerich is an American film actor who first broke out in the film Beautiful Girls. He was later seen in movies like The Truman Show, Cop Land, Frequency, Love & Sex, Windtalkers, Miracle, Super 8 and Little Children.-Early life:Emmerich was born in New York City to a Jewish family,...
plays Dr. Edwin Jenner, a pathologist in the Atlanta CDC
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta...
.
The series features several actors Walking Dead developer Frank Darabont has worked with previously, including Laurie Holden, Jeffrey DeMunn and Melissa McBride. All three appeared in his 2007 film The Mist
The Mist (film)
The Mist is a 2007 American science-fiction horror film based on the 1980 novella of the same name by Stephen King. The film is written and directed by Frank Darabont, who had previously adapted Stephen King's works The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile...
, along with Thomas Jane
Thomas Jane
Thomas Jane is an American actor known for his roles in the 1999 film Deep Blue Sea, the 2001 TV film 61*, the 2004 film The Punisher and the 2007 Stephen King adaptation The Mist...
, who originally was set to star in the series when it was pitched to HBO. He's also in talks with Darabont to possibly guest star on the series. Laurie Holden also appeared in the 2001 film The Majestic (she played Adele Stanton, Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey
James Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario...
's love interest), which Darabont directed. DeMunn has also appeared in several of Darabont's films, in addition to The Mist and The Majestic, he also appeared in The Shawshank Redemption
The Shawshank Redemption
The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 American drama film written and directed by Frank Darabont and starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman....
(1994) and The Green Mile
The Green Mile (film)
The Green Mile is a 1999 American drama film directed by Frank Darabont and adapted by him from the 1996 Stephen King novel of the same name...
(1999).
Conception
Robert KirkmanRobert Kirkman
Robert Kirkman is an American comic book writer best known for his work on The Walking Dead and Invincible for Image Comics, and Ultimate X-Men and Marvel Zombies for Marvel Comics. He has also collaborated with Image Comics co-founder Todd McFarlane on the series Haunt...
, who created the comic book series
The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead is a monthly black-and-white US comic book series published by Image Comics beginning in 2003. The comic was created by writer Robert Kirkman and artist Tony Moore, who was replaced by Charlie Adlard from issue #7 onward, although Moore continued to do the covers through issue...
in 2003, says he had considered the idea of a Walking Dead television series, but never actively pursued it. "I certainly wanted it to happen, just because I knew it would be good for the book... I'm certainly not against adaptations like some creators..." When Frank Darabont
Frank Darabont
Frank Darabont is a Hungarian-American film director, screenwriter and producer who has been nominated for three Academy Awards and a Golden Globe. He has directed the films The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and The Mist, all based on stories by Stephen King...
became interested in adapting the comic books for television, Kirkman said it was "extremely flattering" and went on to say that, "He definitely cares about the original source material, and you can tell that in the way he's adapting it. It's an extreme validation of the work... Never in a million years could I have thought that if Walking Dead were to ever be adapted that everything would be going this well. I think that that's all because of Frank."
Darabont himself had been a fan of the zombie genre since seeing George A. Romero's
George A. Romero
George Andrew Romero is a Canadian-American film director, screenwriter and editor, best known for his gruesome and satirical horror films about a hypothetical zombie apocalypse. He is nicknamed "Godfather of all Zombies." -Life and career:...
1968 film Night of the Living Dead
Night of the Living Dead
Night of the Living Dead is a 1968 American independent black-and-white zombie film and cult film directed by George A. Romero, starring Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea and Karl Hardman. It premiered on October 1, 1968, and was completed on a USD$114,000 budget. After decades of cinematic re-releases, it...
when he was fourteen-years-old. ""Night of the Living Dead" had this weird vibe that was almost - it was like pornography... It had this marvelously attractive, disreputable draw... I loved it immediately." Darabont recalls walking into a comic book store in Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
and seeing The Walking Dead on the shelf in 2005. "Being that I've always had "the love of zombies gene," I of course grabbed it, took it home and read it, and immediately started pursuing the rights to it. I thought it would make a great TV show... I loved the idea of an extended, ongoing, serialized dramatic presentation set in the zombie apocalypse." He described the process of developing the series and getting it set up at a network as "four years of frustration," and credits executive producer Gale Anne Hurd
Gale Anne Hurd
Gale Anne Hurd is an American film producer and screenwriter.-Early life:Hurd was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Lolita and Frank E. Hurd, an investor. She grew up in Palm Springs, California and graduated from Stanford University with a B.A...
with finally getting the series on AMC. "I can't remember what the hell prompted her to read it [the script], but she said, "Wow, I really love this pilot you wrote. What are you doing with it?" I said I'd been trying to set it up forever... She said "I think AMC might be the place to take this." She did, and then bam! They were immediately interested. I had to credit Gale, her insight into marrying the material and the buyer."
Writing
Darabont's original pilot script was split in half and embellished, making the first two episodes instead of one, "...just to slow the narrative down and dig into the characters more deeply, so it's not just plot-driven, event-driven stuff. You really want to drag these characters into the equation." To write the remaining episodes of the season, Darabont recruited Charles H. EgleeCharles H. Eglee
Charles H. Eglee is an Emmy Award winning American film and television writer and producer. He worked extensively for Steven Bochco productions throughout the 1990s. For Bochco productions he co-created Byrds of Paradise with frequent collaborator Channing Gibson and co-created Murder One with...
, Adam Fierro
Adam Fierro
-Biography:Fierro began his television career as a freelance writer. He wrote two scripts for the first season of Resurrection Blvd. in 2000. In 2002 he returned as a co-producer and writer for the third season and contributed a further three episodes....
and Glen Mazzara
Glen Mazzara
Glen Mazzara is an American television producer and writer.-Biography:Mazzara was born in Manhattan and grew up in Queens, New York. He attended NYU and earned a masters in English...
, all of whom he had worked with while directing an episode of The Shield
The Shield
The Shield is an American television drama series starring Michael Chiklis which premiered on March 12, 2002 on FX in the United States and concluded on November 25, 2008 after seven seasons...
. Jack LoGiudice
Jack LoGiudice
Jack LoGiudice is an American television writer and producer, best known for his work on the FX series Sons of Anarchy and most recently worked as a co-executive producer and writer on the critically acclaimed The Walking Dead on AMC.- Biography :...
also joined the writing team, along with Robert Kirkman, also an executive producer. "I have the best of both worlds," says Kirkman. "It was a lot of fun writing Episode 104, and I'm hoping if it continues into Season 2, I'll be able to write more episodes."
Filming
Principal photography for the pilot episode, "Days Gone Bye", began on May 15, 2010 with the subsequent five episodes beginning filming a few weeks later on June 2. The first season was filmed in and around Atlanta, Georgia where the episodes were primarily set.Episodes
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Critical reviews
The first season of The Walking Dead received overwhelming critical praise, garnering a score of 82 out of 100 on MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, which constitutes "universal acclaim." TV Guide's
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
Matt Roush called the show "a stark and harrowing survival parable... visually stunning and daring in its artful use of silence." Simon Abrams from Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
awarded the season three and a half stars out of a possible four; "To say that Darabont has kicked his series off with a bang would be a serious understatement... [he] has fashioned a fully realized alternate reality and it's a thrilling thing to experience." Heather Havrilesky of Salon
Salon.com
Salon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
gave the series a grade of A, saying "A film-quality drama series about zombies? Somebody pinch me!"
Awards and nominations
The Walking Dead was nominated for Best New Series for the 2011 Writers Guild of America AwardWriters Guild of America Award
The Writers Guild of America Award for outstanding achievements in film, television, and radio has been presented annually by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America, West since 1949...
s. It was nominated for Best Television Series Drama at the 68th Golden Globe Awards
68th Golden Globe Awards
The 68th Golden Globe Awards was broadcast live from the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California on January 16, 2011, by NBC. The host was Ricky Gervais....
. It was also named during the American Film Institute Awards 2010
American Film Institute Awards 2010
The American Film Institute Awards 2010 honored the best 10 Movies and 10 Television Programs of the year. This is one of the few years where almost all of the films are Best Picture nominees...
as one of the top 10 television programs of 2010. For the 2011 Saturn Award
Saturn Award
The Saturn Award is an award presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films to honor the top works in science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, television, and home video. The Saturn Awards were devised by Dr. Donald A. Reed in 1972, who felt that films within...
s, the series received six nominations—for Best Television Presentation, Andrew Lincoln
Andrew Lincoln
Andrew Lincoln is an English actor, known for his roles in the TV series This Life, Teachers and Afterlife, and the films Love Actually and Heartbreaker...
for Best Actor in Television, Sarah Wayne Callies
Sarah Wayne Callies
Sarah Wayne Callies is an American actress who is best known for her role as Sara Tancredi in the American television series Prison Break. She now plays Lori Grimes in The Walking Dead.- Early life :...
for Best Actress on Television, Steven Yeun
Steven Yeun
Steven Yeun is a Korean-born American actor. Yeun is currently starring in the role of Glenn in AMC's original series, The Walking Dead since 2010. Other than The Walking Dead, Yeun guest starred in the critically acclaimed American sit-com The Big Bang Theory as Sheldon's former room mate...
for Best Supporting Actor in Television, Laurie Holden
Laurie Holden
Heather Laurie Holden is an American-Canadian actress and human rights activist. She is perhaps best known for her roles as Marita Covarrubias in The X-Files, Adele Stanton on The Majestic, Cybil Bennett in Silent Hill, Amanda Dumfries in The Mist, Olivia Murray in The Shield, and Andrea in The...
for Best Supporting Actress in Television, and Noah Emmerich
Noah Emmerich
Noah Nicholas Emmerich is an American film actor who first broke out in the film Beautiful Girls. He was later seen in movies like The Truman Show, Cop Land, Frequency, Love & Sex, Windtalkers, Miracle, Super 8 and Little Children.-Early life:Emmerich was born in New York City to a Jewish family,...
for Best Guest Starring Role in Television. The series was nominated for Best Drama Series at the 1st Critics' Choice Television Awards
1st Critics' Choice Television Awards
The 1st Critics' Choice Television Awards, presented by the Broadcast Television Journalists Association , the best in primetime television programming from June 1, 2010 until May 31, 2011, and took place on June 20, 2011 at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles, California...
. The pilot episode "Days Gone Bye" received three nominations for the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards
63rd Primetime Emmy Awards
The 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, honoring the best in primetime television programming from June 1, 2010 until May 31, 2011, was held on September 18, 2011, at the Nokia Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles, California. Fox televised the ceremony within the United States. Actress Jane Lynch hosted...
—it was nominated for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series and Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series and won for Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Miniseries, Movie or a Special.
Home media releases
The first season was released on DVD and Blu-ray in region 1 on March 8, 2011 and in region 2 on May 16, 2011. Special features on the sets include six featurettes—"The Making of The Walking Dead", "Inside The Walking Dead: Episode 1–6", "A Sneak Peek with Robert Kirkman", "Behind the Scenes Zombie Make-Up Tips", "Convention Panel with Producers" and "The Walking Dead Trailer". Also included are other behind the scenes featurettes—"Zombie School", "Bicycle Girl", "On Set with Robert Kirkman", "Hanging with Steven Yeun", "Inside Dale's RV" and "On Set with Andrew Lincoln".A three-disc special edition of the first season was released on DVD and Blu-ray on October 4, 2011. The sets include all the previous special features, plus brand new extras. The new extras include audio commentary on all six episodes, the black and white version of the pilot, and six new featurettes—"We Are The Walking Dead", "Bring Out the Dead: KNB and the Art of Making Zombies", "Digital Decay: The VFX of The Walking Dead", "No More Room in Hell: The Walking Dead Phenomenon", "Adapting the Dead" and "Killer Conversations: Frank Darabont & Greg Nicotero". In addition to the DVD and Blu-ray release, a limited edition Blu-ray collector's tin contains an exclusive wearable zombie mask from the National Entertainment Collectibles Association
National Entertainment Collectibles Association
The National Entertainment Collectibles Association or NECA is an American manufacturer of collectibles typically licensed from films, video-games, sports, music, and television based in New Jersey...
designed by the series own make-up artist, Greg Nicotero.