Review: The Walking Dead

THE WALKING DEAD: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON



DIRECTORS: various




STARS: Andrew Lincoln, Steve Yuen, Chandler Riggs, Norman Reedus, David Morrissey, Danai Gurira



SYNOPSIS

Rick Grimes and his band of survivors find a prison to call home, and the town of Woodbury, home to what may be an idyllic life safe from the zombie apocalypse, under the leadership of 'The Governor'.Season Three of The Walking Dead is the 'prison' issue. It's a place, yes, but it's also a metaphor. The season looks into the elements of societal control that shape our lives, and what the payooff is between those who desire to lead, and those who allow themselves to be led.



Underneath it all, the pressure cooker of the forever-chomping walkers, out to get you and turn you into one of them. On top of it all, it's a soap opera, where characters who fail, die.



If you're not familiar with The Walking Dead, perhaps Season Three isn't the place to start. If you're thinking you're not a zombie fan, so why would you watch this shit?, well, you'd be making a mistake.



The key to the high quality of the show is that it isn't about the zombies. The zombies (or walkers, as they're known) are the jeopardy of the show, but not the be-all and end-all. It's how people react to one another in a post-Apocalyptic environment that's the key. When all our comforts, our habits and our institutions are wiped away, who are we as people? That's the fundamental question. What's interesting is how those who were 'something' become something else when they've gone through the cleansing blowtorch of a zombie holocaust. Go back to Season One, and get into it.



Season Three has 'the gang' rock up at a prison and set up shop. For fans of pure horror, the dark labyrinth of the prison has some great shocks in store. What looks to be a safe environment (after a while, after a fashion) becomes problematic when Woodbury is discovered, a Stepford-y haven filled with happy survivors, safe behind tall walls and underneath the watchful eye of 'The Governor'--a seemingly benevolent dictatorwho has a few problems. A few, awesomely dysfunctional problems, as it turns out.



Samurai-sword wielding Michonne, who's become a bit of a The Walking Dead icon, makes her first appearance in Season 3, and Merle Dixon (Michael Rooker) returns in a fascinating story arc that takes in ideas of redemption, family, and trust.



Ultimately though, the story of Season 3 is the story of Woodbury and how the remaining prison-dwelling survivors deal with The Governor and his uncompromising methods. If you're looking for classic WTF moments, you won't be disappointed--the US TV finale racked up 12.4 million viewers. A record for the show.



If you're a fan of the show, and loved Season 3 and just want something cool, the 'Head Tank' packaging is something to look out for, too.



THE WALKING DEAD: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON IS RELEASED IN AUSTRALIA THROUGH HOPSCOTCH HOME ENTERTAINMENT ON SEPTEMBER 30.
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