My problems with "The Walking Dead"

This Monday, I’d like to talk about another show I'm watching...the popular new AMC zombie hit, The Walking Dead.  I watched Season 1 (along with a few million other people) but I’m not really feeling like watching Season 2.  Maybe I’m in the minority on this, but I just felt something lacking with the characters, like I have no sense of who these people are.  Maybe this isn’t a problem if you’ve read the graphic novels, but I haven't.

Granted, we’ve only gotten 6 episodes, but as of now, I couldn't tell you much about these people other than their races, genders, and an identifying aspect like: “that guy is the racist” “that guy slept with that guy’s wife,” and “that guy wears a hat.”  While there are other cool things about the show like the action and awesome make up effects, I just didn’t get invested in these people.  Why should I care if they all get munched by a bunch of zombies…er, walkers? 

I think Lost did “a bunch of people get thrown together in a terrible situation” way better.  By using flashbacks in each episode, Lost was able to give backstory on their characters and show their lives leading up to this point where they had to fight to survive.  By episode 6 I felt invested in several characters (especially those who got flashbacks like Jack, Kate, Charlie, Locke, and Sun).  I especially remember Locke’s GREAT episode “Walkabout” … that was only the 4^th episode of the series!  Likewise, I wanted to keep watching because I was curious to see more cool and juicy flashbacks about characters who hadn't gotten flashbacks yet (like Sawyer, Sayid,  and Hurley).  The flashbacks made me care about who these people were before the island, so I started to care what they did on the island, and if they would get off the island.

Along those same lines, I think having a big fat goal from day 1, like “gotta get off the island,” or “gotta find Earth,” (Battlestar Galactica) is really important to maintaining a serialized genre "event" show.  I’m not saying every episode has to be about that goal.  Getting sidetracked or having to deal with other problems like “gotta find food” and “gotta keep jumping away from the cylons” are great, but the big goal is gonna root your series and keep it from getting old, and give you a point to work towards.  Right now, I’m not sure what that goal is for The Walking Dead (if there IS a goal).  Is it: "gotta find a cure,"  "gotta kill all the walkers,"  "gotta rescue all survivors," or simply, “gotta survive?” If it’s “gotta survive,” I think that might be too vague since everyone is already surviving.  Survival is just the status quo...I want to see these people GO somewhere DO something or NEED something more.

So yeah, The Walking Dead, I think you have potential (you certainly offer something people want) and I want to like your characters, I really do.  You don't have to copy Lost or do flashbacks, but please find ways to give character backstory, and perhaps a bigger goal so I will continue watching (not that you care about little old Z, what with your high ratings, but I just thought I’d ask).

You Must Watch..."Friday Night Lights"

My significant other suggested I create a blog schedule to help keep me organized (like a TV schedule, with certain types of posts on certain days).  So, here it is: Must See Monday.  Each Monday I’ll talk about something I’m watching, reading, etc.

To start, I can't resist mentioning one of my favorites on TV, Friday Night Lights.  Now, this show isn't new (in fact, it's final season is airing right now) and I know lots of baby writers who also love this show (because the writing is so darn good) but I only started watching recently.  I actually had read (and enjoyed) excerpts of the nonfiction book of the same name on which the Peter Berg movie was based.  But, I missed seeing that movie so I guess when the show came out, I also let it pass me by (and then it moved from NBC to DirecTV).  On the bright side, I now get to devour all the seasons at once instead of having to wait.

What’s so great about Friday Night Lights?

Well, for starters, I think it has an awesome pilot.  Seriously, if you can watch it without laughing, getting pumped, cheering, biting your nails, tearing up, or some combination of all of these, I’m not certain you’re human. 

The show also has an amazing cast of characters you can’t help but love (even with their flaws).  All the characters (even the small ones) are complex.  What do I mean by complex?  Well, sometimes they do the right and totally awesome thing and sometimes they do the wrong and totally terrible thing, but they’re never dumb robots or chess pieces.  I hate watching “complex” characters who you’re supposed to believe are “flawed” but are actually just doing whatever dumb (and usually unbelievable) thing their writer has made them do to move their plot forward.  I always believe Friday Night Lights.  Even when characters do bad things, dumb things, or hurt one another (which they do often) I understand from their point of view why they do those things (even if I don’t agree with them).

Furthermore, the backdrop of having to win weekly football games and what winning those games means to each character (maybe their job, or their future, or their self respect) provides great tension from episode to episode.  The stakes are always high, even if it is JUST a high school football game, it doesn't feel that way.  You become invested in the team like they’re your home team and you can’t help but root for them to win.  

Finally, in the spirit of today's holiday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I thought it was worth mentioning that the show has been nominated over the past few years for four NAACP Image Awards (and two of those were for writing).  Likewise, the show has not been afraid to tackle difficult issues like racism in multiple episodes (and in ways that are not cliched).

So go on, check it out if you haven't yet.  Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose!