Android App Launched Today

Android announced a free app for its tablets and smart phones. The app is a test to see how well you would survive in the event of a zombie apocalypse. For those of us without an Android, an online version is available here:

http://www.amctv.com/originals/The-Walking-Dead/survival-test

John Byrne

Head for the Hills!!!

Researchers at Children's hospital are recruiting for a study that involves injecting cancerous cells with a genetically engineered virus. Don't they know that's what triggers the zombie apocalypse!!??? An outbreak of a genetically engineered supervirus!!??? If you live anywhere near the University area, you are in imminent danger! Evacuate immediately!!!

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20101122/NEWS01/11220303/

John Byrne

The Artwork of "The Walking Dead" By Lindsay Bays

Here are various cover art, pages and other stills of the Walking Dead comic book series:

What do the fans think?

Reception of The Walking Dead has been nothing but phenomenal. Metacritic.com compile various critic reviews and averages out the scores. The Walking Dead has been rated an 85 out of 100, which metacritic.com classifies as "universal acclaim." It received five ratings of a perfect 100, most notably from The Wall Street Journal, TV Guide, and People magazine. Metacritic.com also compiles user reviews, in which Walking Dead receives a 9 out of 10. Most of the poor reviews are from people who are not interested in zombies or the horror genre, and those who are upset that the show hasn't followed the comic word for word. User reviews must be taken with a grain of salt. A viewer is more likely to review a show based on how they feel rather than speaking (or typing) objectively. Also, people generally don't write a review unless they have a strong opinion either way. Overall, the opinion of The Walking Dead is high, and the fact that it was renewed for a second season after only two episodes speaks for itself!

John Byrne

Special on AMC tonight!!!

Tonight AMC will encore the first two episodes of The Walking Dead at eight o'clock with limited commercial interruption before premiering a brand new episode at its normal time, ten o'clock. AMC is betting that while a lot of people have heard a lot of good things, many of them may have missed one or both of the first two episodes. Tonight they will be able to reach new viewers who may have been on the fence about the show at first, but are now interested. Here is a preview of tonight's episode direct from amctv.com:

http://www.amctv.com/originals/The-Walking-Dead/video?bcpid=86227333001&bclid=88963904001&bctid=661735619001

John Byrne

"The Walking Dead" Approved for Second Season By Lindsay Bays

AMC announced on November 8th that the Walking Dead has been approved for a second season.  Season one will consist of six episodes.  I am not surprised that the show will be continuing because of its immediate popularity.  Also the pace of the show so far is still telling the story in the first comic in the series.  Thus far they have done a very good job in keeping close to the original story line.  If they are still planning on sticking close to the comics I could see several seasons of this show in the future.  


It’s the most watched show for adults ranging from 18 to 49 in the history of cable TV.  It has also broken viewer records in over 120 countries.  This show is a big deal in television history.  I am personally surprised at the amount of people interested in a violent, zombie series.  I remember telling people I like zombies and I'd get the "that's gross!" reaction.  I think there is a large, closeted audience that apparently enjoys watching people eat other people.  With the historical success of the show I'm wondering if there will be more shows on television that are based around zombies, it certainly wouldn't surprise me.  


I'm eager to see how the show will effect what is shown on cable television in the future.

Could Zombies be more than folklore?

American soldiers in the early 20^th century told stories of voodoo potions and living-dead zombies upon returning from war in Haiti.  Their stories were published and turned into early horror films.  Perhaps the beginning of Zombie folklore is not folkloric at all.

Author and Ethnobotanist Wade Davis may have uncovered the secret of the Haitian Zombie.  After befriending several Haitian Sorcerers, Davis discovered the ancient recipe.

A deadly concoction of poisonous plants administered in the exactly correct dosage is able to produce a paralysis that is capable of mimicking death.  The zombie potion is believed to have [several times] even fooled medically trained doctors.

The poison tetrodotoxin is a product
 derived from a pufferfish.

One main ingredient in the Zombie potion is tetrodotoxin.  This comes mainly from the puffer fish.  If you thought cyanide was deadly, then you have another thing coming.  Tetrodotoxinis estimated to be 100 times more deadly!

Despite its toxicity, tetrodotoxin, when precisely administered, can create a living death.  This in and of itself is strikingly similar to the tale of Romeo and Juliette.  Juliette takes a potion to fake her death so that she can ultimately run away with Romeo.  She is taken to the threshold of death, but is able to recover.  Unfortunately in her case, just in enough time to see Romeo end himself.

The administering of tetrodotoxin is not all that Haitian Sorcerers use to create their zombies.  What is unique is the subsequent administration of datura stramonium.  This is a mind-controlling drug that erases memory and leaves a patient in a delirious state.

In the Haitian culture there have been several documented cases of ‘dead’ people returning to their home towns years later fully alive and claiming zombification. 

Documented evidence of drugs powerful enough to replicate this type of death like state have been reported as early as 1937.


Lori Hardin

Social Networking

The Walking Dead launched a massive viral campaign, the Spread the Dead contest. When you register, you receive a unique url. Share the url through Facebook, Twitter, etc. The people with the most clicks on their link win prizes. The Walking Dead communicates to its fans through Facebook, Twitter, and an email newsletter. Also available on their site is a message board, a blog, and a room where people can watch the show and chat live on line.

Social networking has taken on an important role in the decisions we make when we choose our media, whether it be TV, movies, music, or anything else. Viral marketing campaigns spread information through the Internet, like advertisements, promos, and even contests. People can easily interact with others through online social networking. We don't even have to wait for the episode to be over before people start talking about it on the Internet. Word of mouth communication has become a powerful tool over the last few years, and AMC has used it well in promoting The Walking Dead.

John Byrne

AMC's Original Programming

Since the premier of Mad Men in 2007, AMC has produced nothing but highly acclaimed TV shows, Breaking Bad, last Summer's Rubicon, and the new Walking Dead. But did you know AMC has been producing original programming since 1996? Remember WENN ran from 1996 until 1998, until it was canceled due to new management despite the fact that it was highly successful and slated for a fifth season. The Lot ran from 1999 to 2001, but was not received well by fans or critics. In 2002, AMC changed its format and began playing a broader variety of movies and adding commercial breaks. The slogan changed to "story matters here." It is interesting to note that both shows were canceled just before the station changed its format. With the addition of corporate advertising sponsorship, AMC has been able to produce high quality original programming in the last few years.

AMC has also had a few flops other than The Lot. In 2004, they premiered a reality show called Film Makers, dubbed "the meanest show on television." Out of work actors were made to believe that they were about to start the role that would be their big break. At the end of the week, they were told that there was no movie and the whole thing was just a bad joke. Understandably, it fell right off the air. A 2009 miniseries called The Prisoner was based off a series from the 60s by the same name. It received a 46/100 from Metacritic. Rober Lloyd of the LA Times said that "why anyone, on either side of the screen, should be particularly interested in his fate, is never made clear nor compelling." However, a 2006 miniseries Broken Trail won five Primetime Emmy Awards

In the long run AMC has produced quite a bit of high quality original programming. From the looks of things, they may just have another hit with The Walking Dead.

John Byrne

Episode One of "The Walking Dead" by Lindsay Bays

Last night on Halloween at 10 pm, episode one aired of "The Walking Dead." About 5.3 million people tuned into watch the new AMC series.  It was the biggest audience ever for an original series from AMC.  It beat out its competitor's finale episode, Dead Set, on IFC that aired from 9:45 to 10:15 pm.

The first episode followed the first part of the first comic very closely.  I was glad to see that it stuck to the original story so well.  It was great to see it in live action.  The intro of the show was not in the beginning of the comic however;  but it was a great start for the episode because TV is obviously a lot different than reading a comic.  It really got the show going;  it gave a great preview to what the zombies will look like.  In the entire episode the zombie make up was great!  That made the show worth watching;  it was gory and realistic.  I feel like the quality of the show is really good.  It is rare to see any sort of made for TV zombie show or movie that was made with that high of quality.  I highly suggest this show to anyone that likes horror.