The Dead will walk again on March 8

The Dawn of the Dead is almost upon us!

*Pun intended*

On Tuesday, March 8, AMC will be releasing the first season of its new series The Walking Dead on DVD.

The show is based off of a comic/graphic novel of the same name that follows a group of people, led by police officer Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), on a journey through a world that has been infested with the living dead.

Three-time Oscar nominee Frank Darabont created the series. Darabont is known for writing and directing some of the most notable films of this generation. Films like: The Green Mile, The Shawshank Redemption and the 1988 version of The Blob (just to name a few).

This is a very unique show for many reasons. Not only does it provide the necessary blood and gore that goes hand in hand with zombie films, but this is the first of its kind.

There have been vampires and werewolves on  cable network TV before, but never the undead. There was, however, a series on E4 TV called “Dead Set” that was a “Big Brother” themed zombie mini-series; but this is the first full-length television series based on the undead. With that being said, the show is already working on pre-production for season number two and there couldn’t be any better news.

However, before I even think about seeing a second season, I have to see the first.

Personally, I am beyond excited for the DVD release of The Walking Dead because I have always had a soft spot for zombie movies and I am thankful that our generation is finally seeing the true genius that goes along with the genre.

It is because of recent movies like Zombieland and Planet Terror, and video games like Left 4 Dead and Resident Evil (which has also spawned a series of films) that people are becoming more and more obsessed with brain-craving, flesh-eating zombies. And while many can argue that mainstream popularity can kill a genre (like Twilightdid to vampires), it is a necessary evil for success if it is done right.

Without the mainstream exposure to the masses, fans of zombie flicks might never have seen The Walking Dead on their TV screens and the undead would have just remained in the “cult classic” category. And, knowing how popular the show is, we couldn’t have that happening, could we? 

Cult classics are fine, but this is a whole genre we’re talking about. Everything gets its spotlight sometime. It’s inevitable. I for one am glad that the living dead are finally getting the exposure they deserve.

Don’t forget, zombies need love too…

If you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing the show, check out the four and a half minute trailer below to see for yourself.