OK, so apparently in a recent article, legendary filmmaker George A. Romero "dissed" "The Walking Dead", saying, “Basically it’s just a soap opera with a zombie occasionally. I always used the zombie as a character for satire or a political criticism, and I find that missing in what’s happening now.” For the full article, you can click HERE.
Now, Mister Romero is certainly entitled to his opinion, as are we all. In fact, in large part, I don't necessarily disagree with him! My point, is, so what if it is a "soap opera"?
People have been bitching about "The Walking Dead" since it premiered. "There's too much drama," "There's too much dialogue," "There's not enough action." The litany of complaints goes on, and on, and on. SHUT UP!!!! It seems that the people who complain the most are also the ones that can't seem to stop watching the show! If you dislike it so much, then why do you bother tuning it? Wait, I know, it's so you can have something to complain about! After all, isn't the Internet just a forum for people to sit behind their computers and complain about things? (Yes, yes, I know what you're saying right now. "But Horror Nerd, you complain about things all the time!!) Yes I do! But usually it's about things that I cannot control, like the asshole who cut me off on the highway today or people who can't make a right hand turn without coming to a complete stop, but I digress......
Now, Mister Romero is certainly entitled to his opinion, as are we all. In fact, in large part, I don't necessarily disagree with him! My point, is, so what if it is a "soap opera"?
People have been bitching about "The Walking Dead" since it premiered. "There's too much drama," "There's too much dialogue," "There's not enough action." The litany of complaints goes on, and on, and on. SHUT UP!!!! It seems that the people who complain the most are also the ones that can't seem to stop watching the show! If you dislike it so much, then why do you bother tuning it? Wait, I know, it's so you can have something to complain about! After all, isn't the Internet just a forum for people to sit behind their computers and complain about things? (Yes, yes, I know what you're saying right now. "But Horror Nerd, you complain about things all the time!!) Yes I do! But usually it's about things that I cannot control, like the asshole who cut me off on the highway today or people who can't make a right hand turn without coming to a complete stop, but I digress......
I can only speak for myself, of course, but what frustrates me the most is that many people don't seem to understand that "The Walking Dead" is NOT a "zombie show". It's a human drama, that happens to talk place under horrific circumstances, where a terrible, zombie munching death can occur at any moment, and where the people who are still alive are usually a lot more frightening that the zombies.
What I take away from the show is that, once people decide that they are going to try and fight for survival, all of the familiar human "stuff" is going to come out. People are going to fight, argue, have sex, fall in love, have children, etc...... Why would anyone think that these things wouldn't occur?
Also, what's wrong with character development? Have our attention spans really gotten so short that if it's not all action all the time, we can't deal with it? This isn't a two-hour movie boys and girls. It's a show based on a comic book series with more than 100 volumes, with dozens of major characters and many plot lines. If you can't handle that, then you're watching the wrong show, and you should just go shoot some zombies in a video game.
I'm sorry if this comes across as harsh, but I am really getting tired of all the bitching about the show. There's such a lack of good television these days. We live in an ocean of shitty "reality" shows, and then, when a good drama comes along, that doesn't hold back on the violence and gore when it's necessary to the story, all people can think to do is complain about it.
What I take away from the show is that, once people decide that they are going to try and fight for survival, all of the familiar human "stuff" is going to come out. People are going to fight, argue, have sex, fall in love, have children, etc...... Why would anyone think that these things wouldn't occur?
Also, what's wrong with character development? Have our attention spans really gotten so short that if it's not all action all the time, we can't deal with it? This isn't a two-hour movie boys and girls. It's a show based on a comic book series with more than 100 volumes, with dozens of major characters and many plot lines. If you can't handle that, then you're watching the wrong show, and you should just go shoot some zombies in a video game.
I'm sorry if this comes across as harsh, but I am really getting tired of all the bitching about the show. There's such a lack of good television these days. We live in an ocean of shitty "reality" shows, and then, when a good drama comes along, that doesn't hold back on the violence and gore when it's necessary to the story, all people can think to do is complain about it.
Gratuitous zombie violence
I can assure you that if it WERE all zombie action all the time, people would complain that there is not enough character development and that the plots are too thin.
As far as I am concerned, "The Walking Dead" is a gift that I will enjoy for as long as it's on. Does it have it's flaws? Of course it does. I defy anyone to point me to a TV show or movie that doesn't.
Oh, and one more comment about George Romero. Yes, he is a legend and we owe him a lot. However, I, for one, do not worship at his altar the way some people do. After all, this is the person who gave us "Survival of the Dead". He is absolutely entitled to his opinion, but in this case, I think he is missing the point.
As far as I am concerned, "The Walking Dead" is a gift that I will enjoy for as long as it's on. Does it have it's flaws? Of course it does. I defy anyone to point me to a TV show or movie that doesn't.
Oh, and one more comment about George Romero. Yes, he is a legend and we owe him a lot. However, I, for one, do not worship at his altar the way some people do. After all, this is the person who gave us "Survival of the Dead". He is absolutely entitled to his opinion, but in this case, I think he is missing the point.
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