The Walking Dead season 1

Did You Know?

• The first season was released on DVD and Blu-ray in region 1 on March 8, 2011.
• A three-disc special edition of the first season was released on October 4, 2011, including a black and white version of the pilot.
• The pilot episode received 5.35 million viewers, and the finale garnered six million viewers.

Production

Robert Kirkman, creator of the comic book series, had considered a television adaptation but never actively pursued it. When Frank Darabont became interested, Kirkman found it extremely flattering and noted Darabont's care for the original source material. Darabont had been a fan of the zombie genre since seeing George A. Romero's 1968 film Night of the Living Dead at age fourteen. He recalled walking into a comic book store in Burbank, California in 2005, seeing The Walking Dead on the shelf, and immediately pursuing the rights, thinking it would make a great TV show. He described the development process as four years of frustration. Executive producer Gale Anne Hurd helped get the series on AMC after reading Darabont's pilot script and suggesting the network. Darabont credited her insight into marrying the material and the buyer.

Cast

Seven actors received opening credits billing in the first season. Andrew Lincoln played Rick Grimes, a former sheriff's deputy who awakens from a coma into the apocalypse and sets out to find his wife and son. Jon Bernthal portrayed Shane Walsh, Rick's best friend and former colleague who led the Atlanta camp and began a relationship with Rick's wife, Lori, believing Rick dead. Sarah Wayne Callies played Lori Grimes, Rick's wife and mother of Carl, who started a relationship with Shane out of grief.

Laurie Holden played Andrea, a former civil rights attorney with a close bond to her sister Amy and to Dale. Jeffrey DeMunn played Dale Horvath, an elderly survivor who owns the RV around which the camp forms. Steven Yeun played Glenn Rhee, a former pizza delivery boy who knows Atlanta and goes on supply runs. Chandler Riggs played Carl Grimes, Rick and Lori's son.

Emma Bell played Amy, Andrea's younger sister. Norman Reedus played Daryl Dixon, the younger brother of Merle and a hunter.

Promotion

The show's official website released a motion comic based on the first issue of the original comic, voiced by Phil LaMarr, along with a making-of documentary and other behind-the-scenes videos. Scenes from the pilot were screened July 23, 2010 at San Diego Comic-Con. Hurd stated they were doing six one-hour movies, and Darabont insisted the series would closely reflect the comics' development while taking interesting detours. The Walking Dead debuted during the same week in 120 countries. Two weeks before its US premiere, the episode leaked online. International affiliates coordinated a worldwide zombie invasion event in twenty six cities, including the Brooklyn Bridge, Lincoln Memorial, Palace of Westminster, Bosphorus Bridge, Acropolis of Athens, and Museo del Prado. The campaign events began in Hong Kong and Taipei and ended in Los Angeles.

Reception

The first season received mostly positive reviews. On Metacritic, it scored 82 out of 100, indicating universal acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, it held an 87% rating with an average of 7.35 out of 10; the critical consensus called it blood-spattered, emotionally resonant, and white-knuckle intense. TV Guide's Matt Roush called the pilot a stark and harrowing survival parable.

Simon Abrams of Slant Magazine awarded the show three and a half stars, praising Darabont's fully realized alternate reality. James Poniewozik of TIME gave a glowing review, citing urgency and bravery. Josh Jackson of Paste praised the characters despite occasional stilted monologues. Kofi Outlaw of Screen Rant offered mixed criticism, saying the show had not defined itself beyond a vague survival story.

Sean McKenna of TV Fanatic noted ups and downs and suggested the second season focus on a more specific story arc. Logan Hill of New York was more critical, citing atrocious dialogue and contrived plot machinery, though he saw flashes of promise in the fifth episode.