Matt Roush: You're welcome, and thanks for reading. I know there is some worry that they're fixing what isn't broke by making staff changes behind the scenes. But this initial six-episode mini-season established a pretty terrific foundation, and it's going to be a whole new challenge to tackle a second season that's twice as long. I see nothing to suggest they're not up to the task.
Question: Thanks for the heads-up regarding The Walking Dead. I've been a zombie movie aficionado ever since I sneaked into a theater showing the original Dawn of the Dead at far too young an age more than 30 years ago, and it's great to see post-apocalyptic clichés turned on their heads, such as how the Hispanic gang in Atlanta turns out to be the people who stayed at the nursing home to take care of their elderly relatives when the staff took off, and how the time-worn "escape through the sewers" is abandoned before it even begins. It's also good to see things I haven't seen before, such as Rick's surprisingly emotional speech/apology to the anonymous torso zombie in the park, the "gutsy" plan to walk right past a crowd of walkers, zombies feeding on meals of opportunity like horses, deer and rats when preferred selections aren't available, and the idea that sometimes a zombie will sit and rest until dinner comes along instead of just being a perpetual wandering machine. If The Prisoner was an ugly strikeout and Rubicon was at best a bloop single, all other AMC original dramas have been resounding home runs. Broadcast is the proverbial wasteland hiding a few jewels here and there, so I know the answer for them, but has any other cable channel had this kind of batting average? — Mike
Matt Roush: I like how fans keep bringing up that moment from the season premiere when Rick stood over the crawling half-zombie, delivering a poignant eulogy before dispatching the creature. Moments like that, quietly mournful and haunting, are what distinguish The Walking Dead from any horror series I've ever seen. Regarding AMC's success rate (blemished by Rubicon, but nonetheless impressive): This channel's surge in originals, led by Mad Men, is impressive because of the acclaim and the awards they've managed to reap, but only The Walking Dead has been a true ratings breakthrough. Although it's easy to take them for granted because their aim is more mainstream, you have to give kudos as well to cable powerhouses like USA Network in particular (which I think of as the CBS of cable — it knows its audience and rarely falters) and TNT. And for all that we gush about AMC shows these days, I'm betting that if it weren't for the envelope-pushing sensations on FX (starting with The Shield, through Nip/Tuck and Rescue Me), AMC may never have been inspired to take this giant creative leap.
