AMC’s “The Walking Dead†started out as a show that was incredibly faithful to the comic book series it was based on, but over the last five episodes, has turned into something completely different.
While it’s an entertaining show that has become a hit, with millions watching every Sunday, questions remain as to why the writers and creative team behind it have deviated so much from the source material.
Comic book fans that enjoy the written version of “The Walking Dead†will see so many differences that they’ll find it hard to recognize some of their favorite characters.
As a matter of fact, it’s suggested that if you really want to enjoy this show, don’t read the comic.
For one, Andrea’s actions in the last episode are the complete opposite of the character in the comic. Andrea [Laurie Holden] is supposed to be the tough, yet cute chick, the one that keeps it together, who isn’t scared to speak her mind. She’s also an excellent shot. On the show, she’s shown an inability to make decisions and is a novice with guns [take the safety off please]. While she wasn’t always a good marksman, she picks it up quickly. Again, on the show, she’s this scared woman, who is far from the leader the group needs her to be.
It’s also strange why Carol [Melissa Suzanne McBride] was made to be so much older. While her personality is a close match, it’s going to be strange once she begins to interact with the other characters more. The best thing about the last two episodes of the season was that many of the extra characters that weren’t in the comic left the show. Because of that, maybe characters like Carol will begin to get more attention.
The biggest wonder however is why Shane Walsh [Jon Bernthal] is still alive. By the end of the first trade paperback, Walsh meets his demise in one of the most controversial endings to a comic in the history of the medium. While the show has plenty of gore and a nice amount of drama, that level of edge and grit hasn’t been present since the first episode of the season. Again, that’s probably because the first episode was the one closest to the source material.
Regardless, you know a show is good when in spite of your hatred of some of the decisions made by the creative team, you can’t wait for Sunday night to come. It’s a different type of adventure granted and it may not be as cool as the comic it’s based on, but it’s still a great show.
Andrew Lincoln and Steven Yeun’s portrayals of Rick Grimes and Aaron are proof that the creative team, while taking some license with the story, wanted to get a big part of the show right. Lincoln is a great fit for Grimes in the fact that we can see him starting to change the same way the character does in the comic. With undeniable skill as an actor, Lincoln has the ability to grow in this role and make the most out of the character. The same thing goes for Yeun, who nails the young delivery boy/car thief to a T. Just like the comic we see Aaron learning more about himself in the face of apocalypse than he ever did in normality.
It is because of these two actors, and the solid supporting roles of Sarah Wayne Callies and Jeffrey DeMunn as Laurie Grimes and Dale that “The Walking Dead†is a hit show and not because of any magical writing by the creative team. While keeping with many of the motifs that made the comic series a huge hit, they are treading in deep water once season two begins. In spite of excellent production values and even better acting, the writing of this show will be under the microscope even more.
The jury is out if they are up to the task or not.
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