Be Excellent To Each Other

Magic. It's a zombie series, instead of a zombie film. Drenched in tropes but no less watchable for that, the acting is sound and dialogue minimal. Darabont is all over it and Tatersall is a superb Dp for this, even if it's the only episode he's touching, no matter - David Boyd is doing the rest.

Only criticism is that Egg is occasionally too Egg and my bubble bursts but no Americans would know.

9.83 lumbering husks out of ten.

Aye, been looking forwards to this. Preparing to watch it on the telly totally legitimately right now.

Hmmm, first I've heard of this. Maybe I'll set the computer to remind me when it is on.

Warning: the 90 minute first episode is about 66 mins long once the ads have been purged from it.

I simply can't imagine watching anything with ads in it now. The Inbetweeners was the first thing for ages with ads I watched and even on 4od I'd find myself wandering off when they came along and doing something else, then coming back and realising I'd have to sit through the ads again to see it, or I could just grab an evaluation copy.

I'm totally justified in doing so though because even on a 720p .mkv download from tpb or wherever you still get embedded and pop-up ads for the channel, the current show, what's on 'after' and what''s coming up in the week. So, y'know, seems fair enough to me.

This has started? Legitimately, I mean....I was under the impression it start on the 5th or something? On FX, yes? (FX HD, natch).

I need to add this to my sky planner. I don't watch tv regularly enough to feel the need to 'legitimately' source stuff earlier than it comes on sky and we've just got one of the 1tb boxes so I can store loads in there now! I haven't watched TV for about 10 days, I only watch the shows I record or films but usually I rely on Anytime to cherry pick the ones worth watching.....

I thought there was a big deal about the first episode being run in the US (and the UK) with no ad breaks.

I'm pretty sure there were ad breaks edited out of what I saw.

Maybe it's just the UK, and the woman on the radio got it wrong.

I illegally downloaded the inbetweeners because it was available as a tv rip before it was available on 4od.

I don't get ads on 4od though. Is that because of ad block maybe?

I'll be watching on Friday, cba torrenting when there's HD goodness being sent straight to my house.

Downloaded in eleven minutes - it appears to be popular.

Definitely.

The show is fantastic, by the way.

Sometimes 4od doesn't insert breaks. I don't know the logic behind it; possibly demand and/or how recently the programme was (re-)broadcast.

Queued for dlz, thanks for the heads-up!

I was worried I'd missed it starting when I saw this thread. Will need to remember to set the sky+ when I get home. Anyone know what time it's on? I already record the event on a Friday night, hope nothing else clashes!

10pm I think.

I can text you some handy spoilers each week if you like.

Like this you mean?

Yes, in America. You can assume when i speak of America series that it was broadcast, downloaded by me then watched all within 24-48 hours, as opposed to me paying Rupert Murdoch to watch it a fortnight later full of adverts once I know the plot anyway from spoilers on forums, website headlines and twitter.

I let myself get three or four eps behind in Supernatural recently and made the mistake of going on tumblr.

Heh, well that's not really a problem for me and I'm happy to wait until these things are broadcast in the UK, it'd be more of an issue if we were 9+ months behind like we always used to be with everything. The downside of course, is that now we have to endure the schedule break of 10wks or whatever it is.

So, Friday at 10pm then on FX HD, grand :-)

We are only five days behind the US, and I already knew the plot because I've read the books, and whilst the UK release has adverts it's not much bother to fast forward them if you record it with a PVR, and if you get Virgin you can have FX without paying Murdoch any money (it's not a Sky channel). Not too bad.

Not the first episode!

My mate Sickybeard seems to have taped it for me anyway.

We've set one of the repeats to record over here so I'm looking forward to seeing it in the next few days. Hope it's got the same spine-chilling realism that The Mist had! Go Darabont, go!

Stop watching TV, and go take more pictures of America and then write about them. I don't care if it's dark or raining, get to it!

I liked this, especially the bit with the zombies.

Although having seen the extended trailer, it felt like I had basically already seen the entire first episode.

Yep, there wasn't much of note that came as a surprise, but it was all very nicely done and from this point on it's all going to be new.
Shame it's only going to be six episodes, but it's looking very good for a longer second season.

OMG SPOILZ!

I don't know if FX was one of them, but Virgin sold all their channels to Sky; it's why Virgin 1 is now Channel One.

Lying bastards said nothing else would change, but Chuck is now on Living and fuck knows where Unbeatable Banzuke and Ninja Warrior have disappeared to. So! Well done Murdoch, not only am I even more vehemently anti-Sky, I now watch less (none) of one of the channels you just bought.

Can someone tell me the best place to legitimately watch this?

On the tv in your lounge, whilst wearing your finest lambs wool cardigan.

Starts on FX on Friday I think.

Done.

Sorry guys, but this wasn't very good. Yes it has pedigree in its producers and writers and there is obviously money being spent. However, am I alone in finding it really plodding, patronising in the way all events are telegraphed ten minutes before they happen, and all the characters are so two dimensional and thick. Writing the main character as a non communicative individual and then using that as a reason for him to ask NO questions at all.
Yes, there was tension, but you could see it coming a mile off as the principal character is a moron.

You are asking for a thorough spanking, you cheeky person.

Lambswool! Alpaca, thanks.

Fuck me that was a good slice of telly.

Started off a little bit weakly with characters who didn't immediately click, and the initial zombie explanation wasn't wholly convincing either, (28 Days Later but not as well done, maybe all the 'Dead London' shots in 28 Days meant a USA version wasn't going to compare), but thereafter, it stepped up a gear and remained superb right to the closing credits.

What I particularly liked was there was no 'I'M GOING TO DO SOMETHING REALLY STUPID BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE YOU AND TRIGGER A NEEDLESS ACTION SEQUENCE' - there was just the dull resignation of the characters and watching their humanity suffer in front of you, the essence of a compelling zombie tale. (Romero got this right in the fucking 60s, it's so good to see it done properly again.)

It's already got Darabont's mark all over it, which couldn't be better as this is the man who put out The Mist with its proper ending against serious audience and studio pressure to make it all Hollywood and stupid instead.

I suspect he'll really find his place with this series, he's got the time and the freedom to make this story work, and he also appears to have the money, the writers, the actors, and the production values to not have to cut any corners either.

Some very striking shots and compositions,

It's even got a half-decent explanation of the transformation and why there are dead, 'alive' dead, and normal humans, too.

Most definitely looking forward to the second episode, excellent stuff all round.

I reckon to deviate from the standard, nay only zombie narrative there's ever been you have to start where everyone else has and make changes from there. I can see how you came to your conclusions and they aren't unfair but I hope in a couple of episodes they might be. Are you going to keep watching for a few more?

Of course. I usually but not always, allow something three episodes to bed in. I was just disappointed s'all. I understand it's possible to rationalise all of the things I found wrong in the episode but I'm wary of making excuses — ultimately in an ideal world it shouldn't need them and pacing aside, I will stop watching if Andrew Lincoln's character doesn't become more than a cypher. I think that's the problem I had more than anything is that all of the characters felt like they were all out of central casting and were there simply to service the predictable plot points.

DB -- there's an awful lot of character development to come, the comics cover 3+ years of story time. The tradeoff is, it paces itself (and it'll suck if it gets cancelled). Personally, I like that fact that it subverts or avoids some common zombie tropes like a) the world falling apart (we enter the story after most zombie films have already finished) and b) "oh my god I can't believe this is happening to me" (which I've heard enough of).

I don't reckon there's a chance it'll get cancelled any time soon. I'm just surprised there hasn't been a proper zombie series sooner.

I think it's taken the comic book to prove that the concept can work as an ongoing series.

Of course, the comic book isn't about zombies at all, it's about the dynamics between the characters and how they survive in a world of constant danger where taking an eye off the ball for even a second can result in dire circumstances.

Haven't actually seen Ep. 1 of this yet. I did acquire a copy off of the Download-O-Tron, but I've also got the whole series lined up to be recorded on my telly box anyway, so I may just watch it 'legit'. As for the comic, I've read every single issue up to 77 - can't get enough of it. Finest comic series I've ever read by quite some margin. And I've even met Charlie Adlard and had him sign a load of my Walking Dead stuff!

Ah, so the zombies are just a setting? Got it

I understand all of this, but I don't have any investment in this, I haven't read any of the comics. And that opening episode was weak in far too many places other than art direction for anyone not to be disappointed with it unless they've read the comics and know/hope it's going to get better. I'm just pointing this out. I've been informed by someone who has seen the second episode that it does improve, you'll be relieved to hear.

Heh. But, actually, I'd agree in this case.

Watched it, and twas awesome.

I also noticed...

Oh man, I heard the same, buy my Xbox was on whilst I was watching it, and thought it was just someone coming online or whatever.

There was definitely talk of a Romero-connected zombie series a few years ago, I think it may even have been British-produced, or would've been if it'd actually got greenlit. It didn't, however.

I'm loving this so far. Aye, a lot of the first ep was a bit zombs-by-numbers, but it looks likely to get interesting pretty sharpish. The production design and direction are something else too. I just wish it'd already run and I'd somehow missed it, so I could watch the series as one long, intense siege, proper like.

Oh! I just watched this.

Blambo* lives! It was quite good, and I look forward to the next episode. When is this?


*Black Rambo, from Jericho. That man kicks ass.