If you are a fan of the AMC television program The Walking Dead then you know that season two of the show left off on a bit of cliff hanger.
After a major and influential character was killed off (twice, since they reanimated as a zombie and was killed again), a swarm of flesh-eating walkers evade the seemly “safe” location of Rick Grimes and his group.
Forced to run for their lives Rick and his group have been nomadic throughout the winter and are now looking for a new location to find the supplies necessary for their survival.
The first episode of the new season begins on this note; the searches of new places to find the resources that have become sparse in their area of coverage. The premiere displayed many new methods that correlated with both the new setting and the characters themselves. This can be seen in the many uses of natural light, which creates the cold atmosphere of the new location. Additionally, the filming included the use of narrow spaces as personification of imprisonment.
These examples along with several others are important features in the new season.
Despite the changes, the show maintained many of the aspects that have become a staple of the show itself. A prime example of this is the use of long shots and depth of field. These techniques are seen very often in the establishing shots of the episodes.
According to a New York Times blog called Media Decoder- Behind the Screen, Between the Lines written by Bill Carter, the 9 p.m. season three premiere pulled in approximately 10.9 million views, second only to Sunday Night Football. This makes the hit AMC show one of the biggest hits of the fall season, beating all other entertainment programs on broadcast networks.
The 10 p.m. and midnight showing brought in another 3.5 million and 85 thousand viewers, a total of 15.2 million viewers on Sun. night.
The Walking Dead also pulled in 7.3 million views form ages 18-49.
The Sun. night ratings ranked above all other shows non sport television this fall. This includes other hit shows such as Modern Family and The Big Bang Theory.
While the location has changed as well as some of the characters, one must remember in a world overrun by zombies, some things, including characters and habits, are bound to be altered. The show is still made with the formula of excellent writing, amazing cinematography, and a great concept.
Season three of The Walking Dead will contain a total of 16 episodes. The second episode of season three will premiere next Sun. Oct. 21 at 9 p.m. on AMC. For more information please visit amctv.com or imdb.com.