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Days Gone Bye (The Walking Dead)

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"Days Gone Bye (The Walking Dead)"

"Days Gone Bye" is the first episode of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead. It originally aired on AMC in the United States on October 31, 2010. The episode was written and directed by Frank Darabont, the creator of the series. In this episode, Rick Grimes, a sheriff's deputy of a small town in Georgia, wakes up in an abandoned hospital from a coma after being severely wounded. Realizing that the world has been riddled with zombies, Grimes ventures out to locate his home where his wife and son are. After finding out that both Lori and his son are missing, he later encounters some neighbors who reveal that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has set up a quarantine zone in Atlanta, Georgia. Grimes travels to the city in the hopes of finding his family.

Robert Kirkman, the creator of the series of comic books of the same name, initially considered the idea of creating a television show based off the comic series. However, such ideas were never pursued by Kirkman. Frank Darabont later expressed interest of developing the series for television. In January 2010, AMC formally announced that it had ordered a pilot for a possible series adapted from The Walking Dead comic book series. In the announcement, the executives of the network stated that Darabout would serve as a writer, director, and an executive producer for the show alongside with Gale Anne Hurd.

"Days Gone Bye" was well received by television critics, whom expressed that the episode felt cinematic. Several critics noted comparisons to the episode with those of Lost. In the United States, the series premiere achieved a viewership of 5.35 million, making it the most-watched series premiere in its network's history. The episode garnered a 2.7 rating in the 18–49 demographic, translating to 3.6 million viewers according to the Nielsen ratings.

Plot

Sheriff's deputy Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and partner Shane Walsh (Jon Bernthal) are called to a high speed pursuit, to which they are faced with two armed suspects. Grimes, unaware that there is a third suspect, is shot in the chest. He is severely wounded and is in a coma. After an undisclosed amount of time, Rick Grimes regains consciousness in an abandoned hospital. He investigates the building and shortly leaves the scene. Grimes returns to his home, only to find the door being open. His wife and child are no where to be seen. As he frantically searches for any signs of his family a young boy and his father approach the scene. Grimes is suddenly assaulted with a shovel, and he loses consciousness in the process.

Rick later awakes tied to a bed. The father, Morgan (Lennie James), makes amends with Grimes. The following day, Rick tells Morgan that his family are missing and that they are most likely alive. He and his son, Duane (Adrian Kali Turner), explain that they have set off to Atlanta, where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has set up a quarantine zone. Grimes takes Morgan and his son to his former Sheriff's headquarters, where the trio used the emergency generator to power up the station. They take hot showers, and clean out the armory. As they depart, with Grimes heading off to Atlanta and Morgan to another rumored safe zone, Grimes gives Morgan a walkie-talkie and says he will broadcast every morning. Morgan then warns Grimes of additional dangers of the zombies. Before he leaves Rick finds fellow police officer Leon Basset (Linds Edwards) who has been turned into a zombie. Rick shoots Basset in the head and puts him out of his misery. Morgan goes to the top floor of his house and kills a few zombie's before his wife who had become a zombie comes up. Morgan is unable to shoot her and breaks down into tears. At the same time Rick kills another zombie he had encountered from before. He says to the zombie that he is "sorry this happened to you". He then leaves.

While on his way to Atlanta, Rick Grimes sends out a broadcast via his radio. The transmissions are received by a camp located just outside the city. Among the survivors are Shane, Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies), and Carl (Chandler Riggs). Rick later runs out of gasoline, and abandons his car on the highway and heads out on foot. He approaches a farmhouse where he makes the grisly discovery that a man has shot his wife and committed suicide. Grimes finds a horse nearby and uses it as his mode of transportation for the rest of the mileage to Atlanta.

When at arrival of their destination, Grimes find the city to be in an extreme state of despair and devastation. He then searches the streets on horseback, finding an overrun military blockade. Rick hears a helicopter pass overhead and tries to follow it, but rides straight into a horde of zombies. The undead swarm Rick's horse, toppling him. Rick scrambles underneath an abandoned tank, but walkers grab at him from both ends. Rick shoots several of them, then places the gun to his temple. Looking up, he sees an open hatch underneath the tank and crawls inside. The zombies surround the tank as Rick seals himself inside. After dispatching the zombified soldier, Rick is safe in the tank. A voice comes over the radio sarcastically asking if he's cozy inside and the episode ends.

Production

Conception

Rick Grimes, the central character of the series, is depicted by Andrew Lincoln.

Robert Kirkman, who created the comic book series in 2003, says he had considered the idea of a Walking Dead television series, but never actively pursued it. "I certainly wanted it to happen, just because I knew it would be good for the book... I'm certainly not against adaptations like some creators..."[1] When Frank Darabont became interested in adapting the comic books for television, Kirkman said it was "extremely flattering" and went on to say that, "He definitely cares about the original source material, and you can tell that in the way he's adapting it. It's an extreme validation of the work... Never in a million years could I have thought that if Walking Dead were to ever be adapted that everything would be going this well. I think that that's all because of Frank."[1]

At the 2010 Comic-Con International in San Diego, California, Darabont himself had been a fan of the zombie genre since seeing George A. Romero's 1968 film Night of the Living Dead when he was fourteen-years-old. He stated that Night of the Living Dead has a "weird vibe", comparing it to that of pornography.[2] He continued: "It had this marvelously attractive, disreputable draw [...] I loved it immediately."[2] Darabont recalls walking into a comic book store in Burbank, California and seeing The Walking Dead on the shelf in 2005. "Being that I've always had "the love of zombies gene," I of course grabbed it, took it home and read it, and immediately started pursuing the rights to it. I thought it would make a great TV show... I loved the idea of an extended, ongoing, serialized dramatic presentation set in the zombie apocalypse."[2] He described the process of developing the series and getting it set up at a network as "four years of frustration," and credits executive producer Gale Anne Hurd with finally getting the series on AMC. "I can't remember what the hell prompted her to read it [the script], but she said, "Wow, I really love this pilot you wrote. What are you doing with it?" I said I'd been trying to set it up forever... She said "I think AMC might be the place to take this." She did, and then bam! They were immediately interested. I had to credit Gale, her insight into marrying the material and the buyer."[2]

Writing

On January 20, 2010, AMC officially announced that it had ordered a pilot for a possible series adapted from The Walking Dead comic book series, with Frank Darabont and Gale Anne Hurd acting as executive producers and Darabont writing and directing.[3] The entire series was pre-ordered based just on the strength of the source material, the television scripts, and Darabont's involvement.[4] In January 2010 a review of the pilot episode's script attracted further attention.[5]

On July 17, 2010, Darabont revealed who would be writing and directing the six episodes of the first season. Darabont wrote/co-wrote the first three episodes and directed the premiere episode. Michelle MacLaren directed the second episode. Darabont's original pilot script was split in half and embellished, making the first two episodes instead of one, "...just to slow the narrative down and dig into the characters more deeply, so it's not just plot-driven, event-driven stuff. You really want to drag these characters into the equation."[2] To write the remaining episodes of the season, Darabont recruited Charles H. Eglee, Adam Fierro and Glen Mazzara, all of whom he had worked with while directing an episode of The Shield. Jack LoGiudice also joined the writing team, along with Robert Kirkman, also an executive producer. "I have the best of both worlds," says Kirkman. "It was a lot of fun writing Episode 104, and I'm hoping if it continues into Season 2, I'll be able to write more episodes."[1]

Filming

The pilot began filming in Atlanta, Georgia on May 15, 2010,[6] after AMC had officially ordered a six episode first season.[7] Filming locations were set up in various locations in the city, particularly in the Fairlie-Poplar District.[8] The series is completely shot on 16 mm film.[9] David Tattersall was the director of photography for the pilot episode with David Boyd as the director of photography on the remainder of the episodes. Production design is done by Greg Melton and Alex Hajdu. The effects team includes veteran special effects makeup designer Gregory Nicotero, special effects coordinator Darrell Pritchett, and visual effects supervisors Sam Nicholson and Jason Sperling.[10]

Marketing

The Walking Dead debuted during the same week in 120 countries. As part of an expansive campaign to advertise and heighten anticipation for the premiere, AMC and FOX International Channels coordinated a worldwide zombie invasion event on October 26, 2010. The stunt involved invading 26 major cities, starting with Taipei and Hong Kong, and ending in Los Angeles for the U.S. premiere, within a 24 hour period.[11]

The show's official website released, just prior to the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International, a motion comic based on Issue #1 of the original comic and voiced by Phil LaMarr.[12] The site also posted a making-of documentary primarily about the first episode, as well as a number of other behind-the-scenes videos and interviews. In the documentary, comic series creator and show executive producer Robert Kirkman as well as artist Charlie Adlard say they are pleased with how faithful the show is to the comic and remark on the similarities between the actors and the comic's original character drawings.[13]

Reception

Ratings

"Days Gone Bye" was originally broadcast on October 31, 2010 in the United States on AMC. Upon airing, the episode was viewed by over 5.35 million viewers, making it the highest rated series premiere in the network's history.[14][15] "Days Gone Bye" garnered a 2.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic,[14] translating to 3.6 million viewers according to the Nielsen ratings.[15] It is the second most-watched episode of the series, only falling behind the season one finale, "TS-19", which received over 6 million viewers.[16] In the United Kingdom, the pilot episode premiered on FX on November 5, 2010, a week after it aired in the United States.[17] It garnering 579,000 viewers,[17] making it the most-watched FX program of the week.[17] The terrestrial premiere (including Ireland and Scotland) aired on Channel 5 on April 10, 2011, garnering 1.5 million viewers in the process.[18]

Critical response

"No one who sees it will forget the part when [...] Grimes suits up in a clean uniform and sets out to find his family. Eventually, his cruiser's gas runs out and when we last see him on the road to Atlanta, he's clip-clopping down the abandoned freeway on a horse. On his cowboy-style deputy's hat, a gold badge is gleaming in the sun, as are the golden tassels of the hat band that rest smartly on its brim. These last vestiges of civilization, both old and new, will be gone soon. [...] But there's an irresistible urge now to go along for the ride."

—Nancy deWolf Smith, on the pilot episode of The Walking Dead[19]

"Days Gone Bye" was met with universal acclaim from critics upon release. The Wall Street Journal writer Nancy deWolf Smith felt that the "pilot episode [is] so good that it has hooked even a zombie hater like me."[19] She expressed that the show felt real and looks cinematic.[19] Several critics noted comparisons of the pilot episode to that of Lost.[20][21] Steve West of Cinema Blend praised the episode, comparing it to the pilot episode of Lost.[21] He opined: "While George Romero has had trouble returning his own undead tales into relevant social commentary, Frank Darabont has no such issues with The Walking Dead. AMC’s latest series takes on the zombie genre with a plodding and intense look at humanity. We may be watching survivors of a zombie apocalypse, but we’re witnessing a brilliant examination of what makes us human."[21] Liz Kelly and Jen Chaney of The Washington Post reacted positively to the series premiere, deeming it as a "chilling show", and exclaiming that it had a "very real sense that the world can go completely mad, and stay that way for good."[20] Kris King of Starpulse said that it was "a welcome reprieve from the camp-laden world of zombie culture."[22] Josh Jackson of Paste gave the episode an 8.8 out of 10.[23] He praised the final moments of the episode, describing it as "epic".[23] "Days Gone By" was praised by Eric Goldman of IGN, who gave the season premiere a nine out of ten, signifying an "amazing" rating.[24] Goldman went on to praise the sequence, expressing that it was "a wonderful and incredibly poignant sequence."[24]

Jeff Jensen of Entertainment Weekly opined that the pilot episode was intense, and felt that it delivered above expectations.[25] Jensen expressed satisfaction in regards to the beginning of the pilot episode, deeming it as an "instant classic".[25] Fellow Entertainment Weekly writer Dan Snierson agreed with Jensen's opinion, complimenting the show for its unpredictability.[25] James Poniewozik of Time reacted positively to the episode, exclaiming that it "paints a thoroughly convincing postapocalyptic world, both visually and emotionally."[26]

The episode is currently nominated for three Creative Arts Emmy Awards for the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards, in the Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Miniseries, Movie or a Special, Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series and Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series categories.[27]

References

  1. ^ a b c Jones, Bill (July 21, 2010). "Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead) [Interview]". Pads & Panels. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e Sepinwall, Alan (July 22, 2010). "Comic-Con interview: Frank Darabont on AMC's 'The Walking Dead'". HitFix. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  3. ^ Otto, Jeff (July 6, 2010). "'The Walking Dead' Set Visit Preview: The Bloodiest Show Ever!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  4. ^ Goldman, Eric (January 20, 2010). "AMC Orders Walking Dead Pilot". TV IGN. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  5. ^ Sauriol, Patrick (July 24, 2011). "Exclusive: A review of the pilot script for The Walking Dead TV series". Corona Coming Attractions.
  6. ^ "TV: 'The Walking Dead' Pilot to Begin Lensing in May". Bloody Disgusting. February 10, 2010. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  7. ^ Seidman, Robert (March 29, 2010). ""The Walking Dead Lives on AMC;" Network Greenlights Series Based On Comic Books". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  8. ^ "AMC's 'Walking Dead' first filming locations revealed, zombies wanted". On Location Vacations. May 27, 2011. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  9. ^ "Exclusive: The Walking Dead Set Visit Preview: Oh Yes, There Will Be Blood!". Dread Central. July 5, 2010. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  10. ^ "The Walking Dead - About the Show". AMCtv.com. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  11. ^ Hibberd, James (October 25, 2010). "'Walking Dead' plans global zombie invasion stunt". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  12. ^ Neuman, Clayton (July 20, 2010). "The Walking Dead Motion Comic Arrives Online". AMCtv.com. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  13. ^ Neuman, Clayton (October 11, 2010). "The Making of The Walking Dead Documentary". AMCtv.com. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  14. ^ a b Seidman, Robert (November 2, 2010). "Sunday Cable Ratings: The Walking Dead Kills; Boardwalk Empire Steady; + Swamp People, Dexter, Ghost Hunters Live & Much More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  15. ^ a b "AMC Original Series "The Walking Dead" Garners Highest 18–49 Delivery for Any Cable Series Premiere for 2010" (Press release). AMC. November 1, 2010. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  16. ^ ""Walking Dead" Finale Draws 6 Million Viewers, 3.0 Adults 18-49 Rating" (Press release). AMC. December 6, 2010. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  17. ^ a b c "Weekly Top 10 Programmes" (Press release). barb.co.uk. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  18. ^ Laughlin, Andrew (April 11, 2011). "'The Walking Dead' scares up 1.5m on C5". Digital Spy. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  19. ^ a b c deWolf Smith, Nancy (October 22, 2010). "Everything Old Is New Again". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  20. ^ a b Chaney, Kelly, Jen, Liz (November 1, 2010). "AMC's 'Walking Dead': Have we found our next 'Lost'?". The Washington Post. The Washington Post Company. Retrieved July 24, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  21. ^ a b c "The Walking Dead Review: Series Premiere". Cinema Blend. October 13, 2010. Retrieved July 24, 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |First= ignored (|first= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Last= ignored (|last= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ King, Kris (October 22, 2010). "31 Days Of Horror: 'The Walking Dead' (2010)". Starpulse.com. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  23. ^ a b "The Walking Dead Review". Paste. Wolfgang's Vault. October 31, 2010. Retrieved July 24, 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |First= ignored (|first= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Last= ignored (|last= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ a b Goldman, Eric (October 31, 2010). "The Walking Dead: "Days Gone Bye" Review". IGN. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  25. ^ a b c Jensen, Jeff (October 31, 2010). "'The Walking Dead' season premiere recap: Boyz in the Zombiehood". Entertainment Weekly. Time, Inc. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  26. ^ Poniewozik, James (2010-10-31). "The Walking Dead Review: Exquisite Corpses". Time. Time Inc. Retrieved 2011-07-24.
  27. ^ "Emmy Nominations 2011: Full List". The Hollywood Reporter. July 14, 2011. Retrieved July 14, 2011.

External links

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