Walking Dead

The Walking Dead is an American television series that first began airing in October of 2010. The series was produced by Frank Darabont and based on The Walking Dead comic book series by Robert Kirkman, published by Image Comics. The Walking Dead follows the journey of Georgia police officer Rick Grimes as he awakens to a world that has been overrun by zombies. Traveling across the state of Georgia, Rick finds other survivors of the zombie plague and together they struggle to survive in a world that no longer makes any sense to them.

Notes & Trivia

 * First mainstream television series that focuses primarily on zombies.


 * Special effects for The Walking Dead was provided by Stargate Studios.


 * The first episode of the series, "Days Gone Bye" ran 1½ hours. The regular episodes from the series ran 1 hour each.


 * The Walking Dead was the cover feature article on the December 3rd, 2010 edition of Entertainment Weekly.


 * Shortly before the broadcast of the season one finale, "TS-19", rumors began to circulate that series developer Frank Darabont had fired the entire writing staff. Executive producer Gale Anne Hurd provided an interview to Entertainment Weekly, correcting the oversight and confirming that none of the staff writers had been fired. "It's completely inaccurate," she told EW exclusively. "[In] the writers' room, there are people that have set up other projects that will be their first priority if their own series is picked up as a pilot or if it’s a series. I think [Eglee] just decided that he wants to run his own show."


 * Classically trained British actor Andrew Lincoln, who plays the lead role of Rick Grimes in the series, was completely unprepared for the sort of visceral entertainment he would be providing. When describing the scene in episode two, "Guts" where Lincoln and young co-star Steven Yeun were required to smear zombie intestines across their body to mask their scent, Lincoln expressed great discomfort saying, "Please! This is not what I signed up for!"


 * Actor Jon Bernthal, who plays the role of Shane Walsh found that not all of the show's viewers appreciated his character's exploits, in particular, his mother. "She texted me," Bernthal stated, "How dare you be in the woods with another man's wife!"


 * The primary setting of the first season of the show was Atlanta, Georgia, birth place of series co-star Robert "IronE" Singleton.


 * Actress Melissa McBride also works as a casting director in Atlanta, Georgia which is where the majority of season one takes place.


 * On March 8th, 2011, series creator Robert Kirkman offered an open invitation to controversal sitcom star Charlie Sheen to come join the cast of the show for season 2. Kirkman is quoted as saying, "Charlie call us, we will totally make that happen. We'll do whatever you want."


 * Director Frank Darabont, makeup artist Greg Nicotero and cast members Andrew Lincoln, Sarah Wayne Callies, Jon Bernthal, Laurie Holden and Emma Bell all attended the "Walking Dead" panel at the San Diego Comic-Con in 2010.


 * Actor Chandler Riggs, who plays Carl Grimes, was born in Atlanta, Georgia which is where season one of The Walking Dead takes place.


 * Actor Norman Reedus, who plays Daryl Dixon, was voted one of three breakout TV stars to watch in 2011 by Entertainment Weekly readers' choice, owing largely to his performance in season two of The Walking Dead.


 * Laurie Holden, Jeffrey DeMunn and Melissa McBride all appeared in The Mist which was directed by Frank Darabont.


 * The Walking Dead Season One was released on DVD and Blu-ray by AMC and Anchor Bay Entertainment on March 8th, 2011.


 * The Walking Dead won the 2011 Saturn Award for the category of Best Television Presentation.


 * Actor Andrew Lincoln was nominated for the category of Best Actor on Television at the 2011 Saturn Awards for his role on The Walking Dead. He lost to Stephen Moyer of True Blood however.


 * Glen Mazzara replaced series co-creator Frank Darabont as showrunner for The Walking Dead with season two. Darabont was still credited as executive producer on the episodes however.


 * Greg Nicotero became an executive producer on the series beginning with season two.


 * Paul Gadd, Scott M. Gimple and Evan Reilly joined the show as producers on season two.


 * Season one actor Michael Rooker returned in the role of Merle Dixon for season three and became a regular cast member with episode 3x3, "Walk With Me".


 * David Morrissey was brought on board for season three as the primary human antagonist, known only as the Governor. He was introduced in "Walk With Me".


 * Actor Lew Temple is added to the supporting cast of the show on season three as the prisoner Axel.


 * News of a spin-off series, Cobalt, began circulating as early as 2013. Production on the show began in early 2015, at which time the title of the show was changed to Fear the Walking Dead. The series premiered in July, 2015.

Home video

 * Walking Dead: Season One/DVD
 * Walking Dead: Season One/Blu-ray
 * Walking Dead: The Complete First Season/DVD
 * Walking Dead: The Complete First Season/Blu-ray
 * Walking Dead: The Complete Fourth Season/DVD
 * Walking Dead: The Complete Fourth Season/Blu-ray