Zombies. It’s all about the zombies.
I’m not one of those people who are ‘on trend‘ with TV shows.
When everyone was watching Game of Thrones, I was mostly watching reruns of Sex and the City and nodding along enthusiastically when co-workers discussed the latest episode where all the characters celebrated at a delightful red wedding.
But even I can’t hide from zombies right now. The premiere of Fear The Walking Dead was watched by over 10.13 million people in the U.S on Tuesday, becoming the most watched cable TV pilot ever, according to cable and satellite TV channel AMC.
Here’s the trailer:
Brilliant, right?
But I’m still confused as to why this show is such a big deal. Why should I give up quoting every line in A Woman’s Right to Shoes from my beloved TV sitcom and commit myself to an emotional zombie-filled roller-coaster?
In an attempt to explain The Walking Dead’s success, Variety emphasised that this Zombie show was not like a ‘regular’ Zombie show. This was a cool Zombie show.
“To simply chalk up the success of ‘Walking’ to the viability of the horror genre is to misunderstand the show.”
When Time tried to explain the success of the original Zombie series, they wrote that the most obvious reason was because “there isn’t anything else like The Walking Dead around right now.”
This now seems a redundant explanation as the producers have created a separate prequel based on an identical premise.
So when it comes to an answer as to why the Fear The Walking Dead pilot was so successful, it seems that most of these explanations fall short.
But as our search for answers is never satiated, I would like to suggest that these shows are so successful because the zombie apocalypse CLEARLY reflects our own real lives. Clearly.
Just read the synopsis and TRY and not identify with it:
Living in the same universe as The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead is a gritty drama that explores the onset of the undead apocalypse through the lens of a fractured family. Set in a city where people come to escape, shield secrets, and bury their pasts, a mysterious outbreak threatens to disrupt what little stability high school guidance counselor Madison Clark and English teacher Travis Manawa have managed to assemble. The everyday pressure of blending two families while dealing with resentful, escapist, and strung out children takes a back seat when society begins to break down. A forced evolution, a necessary survival of the fittest takes hold, and our dysfunctional family must either reinvent themselves or embrace their darker histories.
Fractured families? Difficult children? Dark histories?
It’s like it’s describing me.
In light of all these very important revelations, I may just be an ‘on trend’ Zombie convert.
Riiiight after I watch A Woman’s Right to Shoes just one more time.
Fear The Walking Dead airs on FX on Foxtel this Saturday 29th at 9:30pm.
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Top Comments
The Walking Dead, both comics and tv show, are a drama/soap opera with zombie action. I enjoy both, but would totally recommend the comics over the show. It is easy to identify with characters and it's fun to think about what you would do.
I haven't seen Fear the Walking Dead, but will check it out over the weekend.