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Ferret Board Meeting

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A quick sketch of DD's Crossbow to signal the beginning of my Walking Dead withdrawal symptoms. Next week I start eating people and refusing haircuts.

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Today, Security camera clips that make the news usually show bad things, but here, Coke decided to “look at the world a little differently” in this heartwarming viral video. People stealing kisses, harmless soldiers, music addicts, honest pickpockets and potato chip dealers. Love, Attacks of friendship, friendly gangs and kindness. Unexpected firemen, rebels with a cause and peaceful warriors. A lot of crazy people, and a few heroes. 

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Walker Bait Since 1994

(Here's an article i finished recently for my writing project, it's basically an overview of The Walking Dead story so far. I structured it like a typical piece from the Den of Geek Website)

Why you should be watching The Walking Dead As Rick Grimes & Co take up arms against the next wave of Walkers in season four James takes a look at how far the show has come since our hero first holstered the Python. (Article contains spoilers for seasons 1, 2 & 3 of The Walking Dead)

The modern movie world is one well versed in the zombie apocalypse. Almost every aspect of a flesh feasting metropolis of reincarnated folk has been dramatized or humorized with some entertaining results. Whether it stalks the Box Office high rise or shuffles through internet cultism almost every zombie flick has found its own audience and successfully kept them riveted to their seats as the inevitable last band of survivors run, slash and gun their way through the undead. It is quite curious then why for so long no one was brave enough to adapt this template to a television series. That was until Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption) stumbled upon Robert Kirkman’s acclaimed & much loved ‘The Walking Dead’ comic book. Two Showrunners, a plethora of cast members and 3 seasons later The Walking Dead has amassed an impressive horde of dedicated viewers who have invested in the shows fascinating and opinion splicing characters.

So why has this ensemble, headed by England’s Andrew Lincoln, been so successful in their re-telling of the living dead epic, an area that no TV exec had yet plundered. To answer this question we must look at the Genesis of The Walking Dead; ‘Days Gone By’ to ‘TS-19’, the pulsating 1st Season established the production as a beautifully shot, character driven, innovative show that would forge new ground in both the Horror & Drama genre. Darabont’s contribution to this initial success cannot be understated, amongst his gorgeous expansive shots of the desolate landscape and the close quarters frenetic gunplay, he captured a number of shots precisely imitating some of the most iconic images from the comics. However, as much as the writers were respectful to the original works they frequently flexed their own literary muscles.

Nowhere is this more prominent than in episode six, as for the first time we explore one of the long running themes that are integral to The Waking Dead universe, the threat of the living in this apocalyptic world. We explore these depths with the appropriately named Dr Edwin Jenner at the CDC (Centre for Disease Control). With Kirkman’s approval and insistence the show’s own exceptional writing and production team take vast detours from the original tale. The story of Test Subject-19 is a harrowing one which contains an impressive and explosive set piece as well as a new perspective on the initial outbreak, referred to as “Wildfire”, but for me it is the subtle, more subdued scenes that carry more emotional weight especially when delivered by actors who fully understand their characters. For example, as the group pleads with Jenner to let them go there is a moment of silence, a tool that the show uses exquisitely well, after the doctor has just convincingly rebuffed another plea and Rick takes this moment to look around his fellow survivors and see’s perhaps for the first time that they are all looking to him as their leader, as he says to Guillermo in episode four “Because they can”. It’s a great piece of opportunism from Darabont and it foreshadows so much of what’s to come in Seasons two & three.

Perhaps, their most successful addition to the original graphic novel comes in the form of the Dixon brothers. With a whole section of the web devoted simply to his arms, Daryl is a signature character that has really resonated with fans, watching Norman Reedus ride through Georgia on a motorcycle donned with Angel Wings leather jacket ready to dispatch any number of Zombies with his trusty crossbow it’s easy to imagine his character becoming just an all action merchandise selling behemoth. Fortunately the role receives a great performance from Reedus and some exceptional depth and conflict from the writers.

At the other end of the scale we have Merle, a character almost universally hated for the majority of his screen time. They both play a major role in season three as a gloriously adaptable link between Woodbury and the prison group as they decide on which side of the fence they belong. During season three I read something that really surprised me, the midway finale ‘Made to Suffer’ was actually the first time that the brothers, played by Michael Rooker & Norman Reedus had shared the same scene (I’m not including Daryl’s dream sequence in season two), despite this lack of physical conformation and dialogue not once did I doubt the validity and strength of that brotherly bond or the shift in the group dynamic when that link was severed.

Greg Nicotero, makeup artist extraordinaire (Kill Bill, Breaking Bad & many more) has managed to create some of the most disturbing and terrifying gore sequences ever seen on TV and his work on the show as Special Effects Creator/Director/Occasional Zombie is integral to sustaining and embellishing the Walker threat. Whenever a show tries to partner intensely emotional drama with a large-scale threat or deterrent that significantly impacts the characters lives it’s important that neither aspect overshadows the other, it’s when the drama and the terror are linked and influence one another that the show is at its most enthralling. When a television drama is centred on a threat or danger to the characters far too often does said danger dissipate once the story is in place. This then is the aspect I most admire about the Darabont/Mazzara production, the accurately named Walkers or Biters are a constant threat to the survivors and not one member of the cast is safe.

It’s fair to say that season two received a reasonable slice of criticism from fans; the nucleus of such criticism seemed to be the lack of Walkers & therefore the lack of action. Which is a fair point but I believe the structure and flow of the season was intended to explore a certain theme. The first season was about introducing us to the characters, the new world and asking if any semblance of society was still alive. The second season asked the question is there anywhere safe, isolated from the walkers and begins to test the moralities of the group. Season three raises the question how far would the survivors go to protect the group, what happened when they got good at killing and can they accept others into the group. Also as the pace slowed the characters were able to grow and develop which allowed symmetry between seasons that in most other aspects are inherently different from one another. As Glenn was re-introduced with everyone’s favourite amputee (except for Herschel) Merle Dixon in episode 307 ‘When the Dead Come Knocking’ I was reminded of Randall’s treatment in season two as he was beaten into next week by the other half of team Dixon, Daryl. Were the two events so very different or is it an intentional signpost that to survive in this world you need a little bit of the devil in you. It’s clear the writers enjoy linking back to past events, which will rewards those who’ve been watching from the beginning. In the very first episode, which features the fantastically talented Lennie James as Morgan, Rick puts an end to the suffering of a walker now detached from most of its body; he does so by putting a bullet through its brain after saying the line “I’m sorry this happened to you”. This very line is repeated in episode 312 ‘Clear’, an excellent episode which see’s Rick reunited with Morgan. As the former Sheriff utters these words we see the misery and madness that now encompasses Morgan’s life and Rick see’s what he could become. In this way Morgan has saved Rick again, by showing him a glimpse into his potential future he has effectively steered him towards salvation, if it comes at the cost of his own life we will have to wait and see.

The Walking Dead, both in comic book and TV form takes an unusual vantage point on the zombie apocalypse story, choosing to focus on characters and their emotional and psychological turmoil in this dark dangerous world, often putting action, horror & gore on the back seat while we get to know these characters and care whether they live or die. It’s a daring technique, to have a rolling cast on the show and vital to its success is whether you connect with the characters and care if they get bit. Add to this the constantly changing scenery as Rick and the group attempt to find a safe haven and essentially you have a series that needs to re-invent itself each times it comes on air.

The season four Premiere attracted a formidable 16.1 million viewers on Sunday 13th October and as the story evolves so does The Walking Dead franchise, everything from podcasts and webisodes to action figures and it’s very own walker themed obstacle course are available today. This latest chapter lays in the capable hands of Scott M Gimple, whose previous accomplishments on the show leave me confident in the change of Showrunner despite last season’s success. The third season was expertly crafted by then Showrunner Glen Mazzara whose fast action, story splintering and grotesque gore was the perfect combination to bring back any season two doubters. However, I hope now that we can revisit some aspects of the first series and have that same level of character depth with the likes of Michonne and Tyreese, also I think it’s important that they re-capture some of the levity and togetherness that accompanied the first season, the survivors will always be heading down a dark path but it wouldn’t ruin the illusion to have the odd detour into brighter, happier pastures if for nothing else than to remind the group what they’re fighting for.     

Beyond that I trust Kirkman, Gimple, Nicotero and Co. to drive the story forward in new directions full of powerful emotional moments and pulsating action sequences. 

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Whenever I make the drinks at work I've got into the habit of talking to the beverages. I've even given them little characters. Mr Tea and Coffee Anan. I think i may be having a breakdown

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Love This. 5 is utter magic

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well this just about made my day

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I actually cannot stop laughing

CARLLLLLLLLL

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Just a little something to demonstrate my slightly obsessive love of TV series 'The Walking Dead'. I would recommend it to anyone especially as i didn't expect to like it but am now watching series 3 and loving it.

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This is a site i finished around 6 months ago that my boss promptly forgot to publish. The design is my own but actually more reflects my bosses taste which i'm not so keen on. Either way though glad it's finally live. Getting a lot more design work in general now, the last one was a poster for a Summer Fayre/Teddy Bear Hunt and me & my boss each sent a design. They chose mine. Evidently my smug face needs more practice  

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Favourite random pause 3: Jessie J delighted about tiny electric coat hanger

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fauvorite random pause of the week 2: Olivia Colman sneezes on a pretend corpse

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I'm really not a trekky but i absolutely have to see this

Movie Poster Porn Monday: Star Trek Into Darkness