By [ad_1]
It’s been a long, treacherous road for The Walking Dead’s survivors. With the show now in its 11th and final season, it’s the perfect time for fans to look to the past and admire all the important elements of AMC’s series that have endured over the last decade.
The Walking Dead remains a hugely popular and successful TV piece. Though it didn’t stay on top without making a few changes, the zombie series found a perfect formula early on and largely stuck with it, gifting walker fans with some of the most thrilling, exciting, and iconic scenes ever featured on the small screen in the process.
10 The Walking Dead Took All The Right Cues From Robert Kirkman’s Comic
All TV shows start on the page, yet when that page is an award-winning comic created by Robert Kirkman, creating a hugely successful television series becomes all that much easier. AMC’s The Walking Dead has kept close ties with Kirkman’s comic for all 11 seasons, bringing many of the comic’s most thrilling moments to life on-screen in ways that shocked and delighted even the most die-hard fans of Kirkman’s work.
The formula has indeed proven a winning one, and the changes made to the original storylines have offered something new and fresh whilst staying faithful to the incredible source material.
9 It Continues To Combine Its Own Fresh & Original Ideas With The Comic’s
As undeniably important as the comics are, not all of its pages are fully fit for translation to the small screen. From the very beginning, AMC opted for multiple changes including character deaths, relationships, and even the characters themselves.
Had the show’s creators not boldly added original personas there would be no Daryl Dixon, and Norman Reedus’ crossbow king is arguably The Walking Dead’s most beloved survivor. Carol’s fascinating journey from timid to tenacious is also unique to the show, and by continuing this technique, the undead adventure has managed to maintain exceptional quality whilst standing on its own two feet proudly beside Kirkman’s classic comic.
8 The Scares Remain Spine-Chillingly Terrifying
The sheer terror often brought on by The Walking Dead may have taken a backseat for Seasons 7 and 8, but Season 9 brought the horror back with a bang by introducing what is arguably the show’s most frightful villains in The Whisperers.
The first half of Season 11 has really doubled down when it comes to horror as Connie’s cabin chaos in the episode “On the Inside” made a hair-raising case for being the scariest episode in the entire Walking Dead catalog.
7 Bear McCreary’s Genre Defining Score Has Never Faltered
From the iconic chilling tones of The Walking Dead’s instantly recognizable opening theme to the uplifting and emotional piano of “The Day Has Come,” Bear McCreary has consistently delivered exceptional music to accompany and enhance AMC’s smash hit series throughout all of its 11 seasons.
The music is a huge part of the show’s success, and with specific character pieces, namely The Governor’s and Negan’s tunes, McCreary managed to inject an unbridled sense of dread into every viewer with nothing more than sound. The Walking Dead’s score remains its most underrated asset.
6 The Series Has Continued To Hit Home Runs With Its Unforgettable Villains
They are as vital as the show’s heroes, and with each season, The Walking Dead has gifted fans new and exciting villains for them to hate to their heart’s content. The at-times lovable rogue Shane, the downright dastardly Philip Blake, and the unstable and insane Alpha are all fantastic examples of the big bads in this post-apocalyptic adventure.
Some of the antagonists have even switched sides, giving audiences some of the most captivating and surprising character arcs in all of TV. Season 11 has already used this trick once again to perfection, and fans will be hoping for more of the same before The Walking Dead comes to an end.
5 Though Some Have Dropped Off, The Core Fan Favorite Characters Are Still Going Strong
Though big names were hardly a draw in The Walking Dead’s first season, being that few of the cast held any weight in terms of star power, and Andrew Lincoln was essentially unknown to anyone outside of his native United Kingdom, the actors within the show have since become household names.
The likes of Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride have enhanced their reputations to the point where their presence alone is reason to tune in each week. Though not all the original actors have stuck around until the end, arguably the majority of the most important ones remain present in the war against the dead.
4 In The Walking Dead’s Final Season, The Action Is As Breathtaking As Ever
Any show that features the undead roaming the planet is likely to be packed with action, yet some of The Walking Dead’s most exciting, high-octane set pieces feature people fighting people. From The Governor’s assault on the prison to Daryl’s jaw-tightening brawl with Beta, the zombie show routinely gives fans reasons to watch from the edge of their seats.
Season 11’s mid-season finale treated viewers to yet another sensational showdown between survivors, and you can bet your last protein bar that The Walking Dead is far from finished when it comes to captivating clashes between the living.
3 The Unique & Memorable Locations Have Always Made For Brilliant Backdrops
Some of The Walking Dead’s locations have been so fully realized that an audience member can be forgiven for grieving over their fall just as they would a character’s.
The unforgettable backdrops of the prison, the sanctuary, and the once peaceful and prosperous Alexandria have all been the setting for the show’s thrills and chills, and with the addition of The Reaper’s compound and the mesmerizing Commonwealth, The Walking Dead is set to end in locales just as iconic as the many that came before.
2 The Romances Provide The Emotional Weight That Keeps The Walking Dead Grounded
Love in the time of the zombies may seem a bizarre concept, surviving the onslaught of the undead is infinitely more important than finding a partner, yet many of The Walking Dead’s characters would certainly argue that if you have no one to fight for, then there’s no sense in fighting.
The first season’s driving force was Rick’s love for Lori, and romantic relationships have paved the way for some exceptional stories and heartbreaking character moments ever since. The undead adventure boasts a long list of love affairs, and almost all of them added greatly to the show’s lore.
1 The Walking Dead Has Always Been About Survival
In the beginning, The Walking Dead was all about survival. A close-knit group of people from different walks of life giving their all just to see the next day, and though there have been periods of comfort for Rick, Daryl, and friends over the years, Season 11 sees the survivors starving, separated, and desperate for the most basic necessities.
The end of the world was never going to be easy on humanity and AMC’s show regularly reminds viewers of this fact. Even a decade after the outbreak, many people are still living day to day, doing anything they can to avoid becoming walker feed.
About The Author
[ad_2]
