As we prepare for tomorrow’s episode of AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” episode four, ‘Killer Within’, still haunts us – what was perhaps the most powerful episode of the serie (so far) also proved that this is all about survival; no one is safe, not even a main character.

Viewers were treated to both high-intensity battle at the prison as well as conspiracy at the hands of the Governor in Woodbury.

But it was the death of Lori which really defined episode four of “The Walking Dead”s third season.

In an AMC interview with Sarah Wayne Callies, the 35-year-old actress behind Lori Grimes, Rick’s guilt-ridden wife, talked about her character’s emotional departure. “I was nervous because I was expecting it to hurt, but I was so proud of Chandler [Riggs] and proud to say I was a part of helping to build that show. I think Lori’s death did justice to that; she was a remarkable and powerful woman and she was given a remarkable and powerful death.”

She also revealed that the cast has a ritual for the departing cast members; “We started having death dinners for everyone who got killed off the show beginning in Season 1. After some one’s last episode, all the actors would go out to dinner together and raise a glass to them. Those dinners became a big tradition.”

The other, admittedly less important, demise, was the death of T-Dog, a character who splits opinions because of his passive involvement and zero character development. While some saw him as a token black man, others as their quiet favorite, people who know the comic have sporadically assumed that T-Dog is the watered down version of the character Tyrese. This assumption was partly negated in March when producer Glen Mazzara told MTV Slash Page that he thinks “the Tyrese character is someone we are interested in introducing at some point,” but why T-Dog, who is original to the series, was ever there in the first place if not to fill the diversity quota, is anyone’s guess.

In any case, as sad and heroic as T-Dog’s death was, it was expected. KevyB commented on TVline.com’s recap that “T-Dog never got any lines, so they clearly had no clue what to do with him, so he was going to die.” Meanwhile, the reviewer for TV.com who was saddened by T-Dog’s exit, albeit not surprised, wrote “At least the man who lasted inexplicably longer than we thought he would went out a warrior, sacrificing his life for Carol.”

Speaking of which, the jury is still out on whether or not Carol got away safely.

And then everyone else

Fans who shared my personal dislike of Lori were probably just as happy to see her character redeem herself in her final moments. Her speech to Carl was a real tear jerker and every message board in the past week has been overflown with testimonials from fans, talking about their emotions towards her death. It is also impossible to overlook Andrew Lincoln’s heartbreaking performance when Rick realises that his wife has passed away; a scene likely to go down in television history.

It was a great, yet troubling detail that Lori and Rick never fully reconciled. In the moments up until the surprise invasion of walkers, a look was exchanged between Rick and Lori that made us hopeful. Not knowing what was in store, it was comforting so see, as the walkers were closing in, how Rick ran to his estranged wife. It could have been the turning point of their relationship.

Instead, when she said “goodnight love,” it was as if she was talking to Rick. It was a turning point alright, but definitely not what I had in mind.

Although we got a little from both stories last week, the events at the prison clearly dominated the episode’s overall storyline. Andrea and Michonne are preparing to leave the Governor’s oasis, but Andrea is so bedazzled by Woodbury and the attractive Governor that she doubts Michonne’s instincts. Bad move blondie.

Andrea also tempts Merle with a possibility to track down his long-lost brother. As unattractive as this degenerate may seem, he grows on you. When he asks Andrea, “How come we never hooked up?” my heart grew two sizes for him.

Unlike the prison, danger is far from obvious at Woodbury — yet equally deadly. Having the insight we do as viewers, it is hard to watch Andrea become so taken by Woodbury which, after a rocky start, is becoming quite taken with her in return. Especially the Governor – or should we say, Philip.

Still, Michonne got the right idea when she says she would rather take her chances out on the road than stay in Woodbury.

For tomorrow night, the questions will be: How does Carl and Rick deal with the loss of Lori (not to mention, the baby), can Michonne suppress her bad feeling towards the Governor much longer, and where is Carol?

Tune in tomorrow night for ‘Say the Word’, episode five of “The Walking Dead.”

The article Before Sunday: “The Walking Dead” Took Shocking Turn Last Week appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

On Sunday, October 28, 2012, Andrea was the focus in the popular post-zombie-apocalypse saga. Curiosity regarding her story drew 10.509 million viewers  - a 10% increased from last week, according to Tvbythenumbers.com.

With “The Walking Dead” now back for Dish Network subscribers too, no wonder.

We were once again reminded of the unfortunate separation of Andrea from the Atlanta group when the farm was overrun – and her fateful meeting with the mysterious lone warrior, Michonne. This episode, ‘Walk with Me’, also had the distinction of solving one of the big question marks still lingering from Season 1: Whatever happened to Merle?

What is very interesting about Season 3 so far, is that the concept of “other” survivors is much more prevalent than in the earlier seasons. “The Walking Dead” has so far been a very closed storyline, where the conflicts that arise in one group. The fact that ‘Walk with Me’ starts off from a stranger’s perspective, with the helicopter, is new but does not seem like a recurring one. Judging by the eventual development from the helicopter crash and onwards, I suspect this is a one-time thing.

Last week’s teaser pushed an Andrea-centric storyline, introducing the split screen format of Season 3 – a split which I predict will attempt to unite the two teams in either collaboration or deadly showdown. We entered the story where it left us in the season premiere – Andrea is sick but the duo is on the road. When they witness the helicopter crash, they investigate but are interrupted by a mysterious gang of  well-organized men who seem familiar with the helicopter and possibly its crew, having come for survivors. Michonne must sacrifice her walker footmen to avoid detection and it seemed to work, until a familiar voice emerges from behind.

If I had met Merle like that, I would probably also have passed out.

You don’t want to be blonde in “The Walking Dead”

Let’s start off with Andrea. Surprisingly, she has not changed much in the last 8 months, despite a complete situational change-up. She still yearns to prove herself, is still attracted to dangerous men and continues to be a poor judge of character. Like Beth, she seems out of touch with her surroundings and responds in odd ways when facing certain situations. Despite being (nearly) the only known character in this storyline, she is the least interesting.

What fans really should relish is the introduction and expected development of three other key characters.

Starting from the top, fans of the comic were thrilled to have the character of Michonne finally introduced. On paper, Michonne is fearless, strong and considered a multi-layered warrior, bound to push on the story arc through sheer fierceness. Next to Andrea, Michonne has shown caution, intelligence, raw power, compassion and loyalty. She is portrayed as overly moody, barely speaking and obviously uneasy about the perceived comfort and safety of Woodbury.

In contrast to Andrea’s chronic willingness to follow the strong unquestionably, Michonne is evasive of the Governor’s outstretched hand and, we learn, even holding back towards Andrea despite their mutual trust.

Fans of the show were probably equally thrilled to find out what Merle have been up to since the fatal roof scene in Atlanta of Season 1. Saved by the Governor and rising to the position of second in command, Merle is in many ways no longer the racist redneck he used to be. Then again, he is still pretty rough and though he has become much more civilized in the thralls of Woodbury, he has the distinct air of psychopath over him.

That label is the last one you would initially give the Governor, a sherif-type authority figure, who sounds like James Cromwell. Calm, composed, compassionate and eloquent, the Governor seems to be a source of admiration – that is, until he bashes the head in on a soldier in an ambush. The Governor is by far the most intriguing character, exhibiting obvious sociopathic qualities alongside a tragic-hero complex and desire for control and power. He is a source of both relief and concern towards our duo, introducing them the virus that Rick got from the scientist and offering help, while making fans around the world very uneasy with the whole, ‘heads in fish tanks’. It is yet to be determined if Woodbury is heaven or hell.

Big questions for next time we meet Andrea and Michonne: Who is the Governor exactly? Why the heads in fish tanks? What is Michonne’s story? And what is in that tea?

Tune in this Sunday for the next episode ‘The Killer Within’, on AMC’s “The Walking Dead.”

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Fans of the hit AMC show “The Walking Dead” faithfully watched the premiere of the new Season 3 last Sunday and followed up on October 21 with episode 2, ‘Sick’. Even though viewer numbers dropped from the successful opening night, 9.5 million people tuned in which is still impressive numbers, according to TVbytheNumbers.com.

“The Walking Dead” also seems sure to remain the number one program for adults this fall, pending the development of the storyline for our favorite survivors of the zombie apocalypse.

It was indeed an adrenalin kick of a first episode, which ended rather unexpectedly as the senior member of the crew, Hershel, was bitten. Rick’s quick resolve resulted in a stomach-churning amputation and the discovery that the group is not alone in the haunted prison.

Come ‘Sick’, and we are introduced to a motley band of nameless prisoners who have been isolated from the mayhem that swept through the prison and survived nearly a year in the cafeteria. Their role in the overall narrative is intriguing; both in the way they act towards Rick and his men and the way Rick reacts to their ‘intrusion’.

There is an obvious power imbalance between the two groups – they’ve been locked up, blissfully unaware of the dire situation of the world around them while Rick’s group are experts on survival. The only thing that equalizes them is that some of these men are purebred killers; The Atlanta group has learned to kill.

Rick’s hardening is painfully evident as he strikes a deal with the supposed leader of the prisoners; while his original group’s encounter with Hershel and his people at the farm was a dance that eventually married the two, Rick draws a strict line between his group and these men. There will be no cooperation – he has learned to trust no one.

You gotta love ‘New Carol’

The Atlanta group works very well as a team under pressure this season, after spending Lori’s pregnancy on the road together. They know their roles, their strengths and each others limits (sort of).

Carol is by far the most creative character these days and she continues to surprise, having grown so much from her catatonic state for the most of Season 1 and 2. We’re told that Hershel taught her a few things for the birth so when he is hurt, medical responsibilities are passed on to Carol. And it suits her. Deciding to find a walker to practice a c-section on shows resolve, and in a world where creative solutions are key to survival, ‘New Carol’ is an asset for both the group and “The Walking Dead” as a show.

Maggie, on the other hand, let us down in this episode by stepping completely out of character and giving up on her father without a fight. Her lack of confidence in his survival is a strange detour from her powerful performance in the season premiere. It was hard to believe that she, rather than Beth, would abandon hope so soon, practically begging Hershel to let go of life.

Speaking of which, while many fans found Carl and Lori insufferable throughout Season 2, Carl has so far abandoned most of his mindlessness and Lori is so subdued by guilt and pregnancy that she barely makes a noise. So who is now “most recommended for zombie feed”? After Sunday’s episode, Beth gets my nomination.

Besides fulfilling duties like ‘singing at bonfire’ and ‘being the only girl remotely close to Carl’s age he can play footsie with’, all Beth does is stand around sobbing. Her positive attitude towards Hershel’s amputation is suspiciously out of character.

Finally, while Rick and Lori’s relationship is distracted by the newcomers and the effort to save Hershel, we still get a few glimpses into their dynamic as husband and wife. After discussing their options towards the inmates, Lori seems eager to support a decision to end the other group. A retort is quickly delivered from a visibly irritated Rick, reminding us that Lori disowned him after he revealed killing Shane in self defense. Lori then admits to being a ‘shitty wife’. All I’m thinking is “will someone just say ‘I love you’!”

Lori’s heroic save of Hershel’s life seemed to soften Rick’s emotional barrier towards her, but he is still struggling to come to terms with the pain he feels in her company. All she (we) got was a hand on the shoulder.

Questions for next week: Who is that person spying on Carol from the bushes? Tune in for next episode of “The Walking Dead” this Sunday, October 28 on AMC.

The article This Prison Is Ours: Ep 2, Season 3 of “The Walking Dead” Shows Character appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Fans from around the world tuned in as the new season of AMC’s “The Walking Dead” premiered this Sunday, October 14. TVByTheNumbers.com could report that Rick and his band of survivors beat other cable hits such as “Modern Family,” “The Big Bang Theory,” and “The Voice” and is pretty sure to become the biggest show this fall among television viewers, 18-49.

With 10.3 million people watching, the season premiere showed a 50% increase from Season Two and no wonder; the final episode ‘Beside the Dying Fire’ left a handful of tantalizing cliffhangers that one by one were opened up when the news episode ‘Seed’ rolled over our screens.

Right off the bat, we’re introduced to a jump in time; Carl is taller and has learned to shoot, Hershel looks particularly more ‘wild’ than at the farm and Lori is seriously pregnant. The visibly strained group has been looking for a place to camp out for some time, as it is evident that Lori is nearing the end of her term, so when Daryl and Rick find a prison in the middle of nowhere, Rick makes up his mind; that prison is theirs.

There has been some exciting character developments since we left off on a rather beastly note in Season Two. Rick declaring himself the dictator after sharing with Lori that he, in fact, killed Shane and sharing with the rest of the group the little detail that the scientist left him with at the end of Season One; some pretty harsh ground rules were set for the new season. It brought on a couple of crucial questions. Will the group accept Rick’s terms and more importantly, how much is left of Rick’s humanity?

The first of the characters to show progress is Carol. Despite obvious signs of distrust of Rick’s supremacy at the end of Season Two, her new, albeit shaky, skills as a marksman shows great empowerment from the fragile mother-in-mourning throughout Season Two. When the group has cleared out the yard area of the prison, she is the first to inquire Lori for her well-being and to confidently walk into the body-littered area, expressing her contentment. She is also boldly flirtatious towards Daryl which is a clear sign that a new, less inhibited Carol is breaking out of her shell.

Rick and Lori’s relationship seems to have taken a turn for the worse since Shane was killed; whether Lori is afraid of Rick or Rick has become scornful towards Lori, somehow the impending birth of the baby which may or may not be the spawn of Shane is the root of icy, almost hostile relations between the two. This is a noticeable comedown from Season Two’s “First Lady”-feel, where Lori was adamant to stand by her man and Rick willing to sacrifice everything for her.

Maggie also grew a pair in the elapsed time; from being a wall of tough girl attitude, to an emotional, near-hysterical sob princess, to triumphantly stabbing an armed zombified guard, Maggie finally brought her feisty persona and powerful machete-wielding together to fight as an equal against the walking plague. She has taken the spot from Andrea, just without the exhausting defiance and irritating “lone ranger” tendencies. Still, as Glenn checks her for scratches, we are reminded that there is a deep emotional bond between them, a huge indicator that their love story will become the dominant source of “feel good” this season.

Daryl seems to have adopted Shane’s job as right-hand-man to Rick, offering back-up and practical support in defense and attack. It is an interesting development as Rick notoriously chained Daryl’s brother Merle to the roof of the department store in Season One, from where he mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind a hand as proof of a possibly violent end. As a major fan favorite, Daryl has been kept more or less the same apart from the growing trust between him and Rick.

The last thing that simply has to be addressed from “The Walking Dead”‘s season premiere is the mysterious black lady who showed up at the nick of time and saved Andrea when she had been separated from the group. It was an impressive entrance, the mysterious woman donning the screen like a warrior goddess with two debilitated walkers on a leash. Who was she and does she mean good or bad news for Andrea?

We don’t have a name yet but we learn that her and Andrea have been roaming the land as a team, and a bond has been forged, meaning that the samurai sword-wielding warrior refuses to leave a sickened Andrea behind in a walker-infested area.

A very interesting thesis is presented as part of Lori’s impending childbirth. Given that they now know the virus is already in them, what happens if her child dies before being delivered? Or she dies during childbirth? Lori is clearly distressed at the thought of a zombie baby ripping through her insides, but Hershel attempts to dispel any negative emotions about the baby. Lori confides in him her feelings regarding Rick and Carl and admits to thinking that Rick hates her for what she put him through. Hershel confirms that the whole group has felt the weight of this emotional burden. The question remains if Rick will in fact come around.

Fans lucky enough to attend the 2012 New York Comic Con were treated to a more exclusive “Walking Dead” season premiere as the two events collided and the Con-goers could warm up for Sunday’s premiere with a panel of cast members and main writers, not to mention a special booth dedicated to fandom at the heart of the showroom floor. “It worked out really well when the show premiered,” said exhibitor David Andry to International Business Times. “It’s really nice that people come out and are excited about the show and the graphic novels.”

Sunday’s episode ended on a bloody note fit for the expectations and fans have been very positive towards the direction of the show. On Metacritic.com, user iFyzikal wrote: “Rick Grimes is way above his badass status as before and rises to a whole new monster.”

Another user, Booger-T writes, “The show is reinvented, the prison is absolutely perfect and a paradox in itself as its a enclosing institution that actually frees them.”

Finally, kudos have been given to the choice of advancing the time elapsed for character development, as Kkirbz1281 notes: “The jump in time has added a whole new dimension to the characters, keeping us on our toes even more than before. If this premiere is any indication, this is going to be the best season yet.”

The article The Walking Dead, Season Premiere Kicks Off with “Bite” appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Indie Royale debuts its Oktoberfest Bundle filled with six great indie games, which includes point and click title Hector: Badge of Carnage (all 3 episodes) and puzzle platformer Adventures of Shuggy.

The first game in the bundle is about a beer loving and delightfully crass British detective in the  Hector: Badge of Carnage Trilogy from The Walking Dead developer Telltale Games and co-creator Straandlooper, available for Windows and Mac on Steam, Desura and DRM-Free (includes all 3 episodes). This adult-themed point and click adventure offers brain-teasing puzzles with a twist: the solution often requires getting inside Hector’s warped mind.

A grungier version of The Curse of Monkey Island, Hector offers stylized art and a twisted sense of humor. Adventure Gamers says of Hector, it’s “just what the doctor ordered, even if that doctor is almost certainly facing a malpractice suit for sending us into such a germ-ridden locale.”

Also included is musical puzzle game Chime published by Doublesix Digital Publishing and developed by Zoe Mode, available for Windows on Steam.Chime offers an experience about more than just scoring points – it’s about creating something musically beautiful while placing shapes on a geometric grid. This hypnotic game is polished in its presentation and includes fantastic yet mellow songs from luminaries like Philip Glass, Moby, and Paul Hartnoll (Orbital), as well as a special PC exclusive, ‘Still Alive’ from Valve’s  Portal. Destructoid calls Chime an “utterly compelling, aesthetically minimalistic puzzle game that rides the cusp of being entirely fantastic.”

Another highlight of this bundle is a game that celebrates puzzle platformers with a googly-eyed vampire, Smudged Cat Games’ Adventures of Shuggy, available for Windows on Steam, Desura and DRM-Free. A critically acclaimed XBLA title now available on PC, Adventures of Shuggy offers a clever rotation/time-shift mechanic, 36 co-op levels, and over 150 single-player levels. Gamezebo applauds Adventures of Shuggy for its ” top-notch presentation and a real attention to detail with things like great music and comic-book-style.”

Also included is a critically acclaimed puzzle-adventure game with a twist from Mousechief, Dangerous High School Girls In Trouble, available for Windows and Mac on Steam, Desura and DRM-Free. Set in, Brigiton, a fictional small town in the U.S. during the 1920s, one plays a high-school girl who has set out to investigate mysterious crimes by navigating through a game board-like world and engaging in mini battles of social warfare.

Offering irreverent dialogue, multiple endings, unique game style, an enthralling story, and at least 15 hours of gameplay, Dangerous High School Girls In Trouble is worth checking out. GamesRadar recognizes this game for being “clever, original and genuinely pleasing to play.”

The second title from Mousechief is bonus game/visual novel  The Witch’s Yarn available for Windows and Mac on Desura and DRM-Free.  The Witch’s Yarn exists in a genre of its own; it’s best described as a story-driven interactive drama. GameBoomers calls the genre “Graphical Interactive Fiction,” as the player assumes a role similar to that of a director of a play and decides how the scenes will unfold. The game offers a fully interactive story with colorful and playful graphics about a modern-day, middle-aged widow who also happens to be a witch, as she opens a yarn shop and navigates familial challenges.

Last is conceptual retro style shooter from AquaFox The Network, available for Windows on Desura and DRM-Free. It offers classic arena top-down shooting with a twist; the player never directly fires a bullet. Offering immersive play, 20+ levels, a unique art style, and an engrossing story line, DualShockers raves that The Network ”succeeds as a complement to surreal films like ‘The Matrix’ that make you second-guess trusting your computer.”

And for those who pay $8 USD or their currency equivalent during the Oktoberfest Bundle will get two music albums from Savestates (Matt Wilson), who is known for creating standout chiptune music. The first album, Calm Your Nerves, offers 10 tracks that the artist created “for stress; the manufacture, the prevention, and the acceleration thereof.” Also included is Chip unDeath based on Savestates’ first acclaimed album ‘Chip Death’ but with 7 reworked tracks and a brand new track.

For more information on the Oktoberfest Bundle, including real-time statistics and its current price, visit our official website or our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Check out the trailer below:

The article Oktoberfest Bundle Features Six Great Games appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The last weeks of summer are fast approaching. As these penultimate days play-through, many face a difficult decision. Spend this fleeting time enjoying the verdant earth in all its lazy summer glory, or catch up on all the best TV shows before the Fall season comes around? This list is for those who choose the latter (better) option.

The best are:

Supernatural

After 149 episodes, the CW’s “Supernatural” has no right to still be this good. Seven years in and the classic, Patrick Swayze popularized, combination of paranormal activities and glistening abs has yet to lose its well-lubricated sheen. But to reduce its brilliance to a pair of favorably-positioned nipples is to do the series a great wrong. Ghoul hunters, Sam and Dean, have been to hell and back during the course of the show. Literally. The journey that the brothers have undertaken has been rife with drama, intrigue, action and wry wit.

Some of the narrative arcs during the middle seasons lagged; the fight for Sam’s soul became the fight for Dean’s soul, which became the fight for Sam’s soul, which became a long period of watching “Friends” re-runs instead. But, recently, “Supernatural” has returned to the ‘joie-de-vivre’ of its charismatic youth and season 8 ushers in the the fresh voice of new show-runner, Jeremy Carver (Being Human).

At its very best, “Supernatural” delivers breathtaking plot-twists that will hit the viewer like a souped up Chevy Impala barreling down a long, dark road. At its worst, “Supernatural” is still the show that has the guts to include God, THE God, as a primary character, and in “Supernatural”‘s worldview, God is no Yoda-meets-Santa Clause figure in a white robe and Birkenstocks.

So, come this fall season, “who you gonna call?”

Boardwalk Empire

The 1st and 2nd seasons of HBO’s prohibition gangster drama “Boardwalk Empire” have received a lot of somewhat counter-intuitive flack from the critics. Some suggest that many of the key elements of the show may constitute factors that could be described, unfavourably, as Emmy/Oscar-bait– expansive and involved plot, painstakingly reproduced sets, carefully maintained historical context, big name actors, and a pilot episode directed by Martin Scorcese.

But my gosh what a show! — expansive and involved plot, painstakingly reproduced sets, carefully maintained historical context, big name actors and a pilot episode directed by Martin Scorsese! In addition, taking a leaf out of “Game of Thrones’” gilded tome, “Boardwalk Empire” is not afraid to make the necessary sacrifices in the name of good TV. Some compare “Boardwalk Empire” to “Mad Men.” If this comparison is supposed to be a veiled insult, it’s very well hidden indeed; “Mad Men” is great, and so is this show.

Gossip Girl

Many people would approach with skepticism any reviewer who recommends the CW’s adolescent soapie, “Gossip Girl”, as appropriate viewing material for the thinking mind. But, this much dismissed show has been the medium for some of the greatest TV plot-twists of the past 5 years. Yes, a lot of the “Gossip Girl’s” screen-time is taken up by frequent scenes of attractive hairless people making out next to superbly maintained indoor pools, but one can forgive the writers their indulgent moments if one takes into consideration two truths:

1. “Gossip Girl” approaches satire in its level of keenly absurdist self-awareness. Everything about “Gossip Girl” is done to deliberate excess– it’s a thing of laconic, one-liner stuffed, beauty.
2. “Gossip Girl” caters to the wishes of its audience like no other. If you’ve blogged about it, internet world, it might well make an appearance. In some respects, “Gossip Girl” is like a serial version of ‘Snakes on a Plane’… in Louboutins.

The combination of these two basic principles has been enough to attract some incredible guest stars not only amongst actors, but also amongst the Manhattan gliterati.

The last season was not good, it’s true. However, nobody, nowhere, nohow does a finale like “Gossip Girl” does. And, as this 7th season is slated to be the show’s last, one can expect the UESiders to go out not with a whimper, but a bang (no pun intended.)

Community

Though Zooey Deschanel cavorts around in broad-rimmed glasses being all adorkable on Fox’s “New Girl,” the real home of weird is most certainly NBC’s “Community.” Having been on the verge of cancellation, the show has undergone some changes– namely, Dan Harmon has recently been ejected from his position as showrunner.

Nonetheless, the thing that keeps “Community” consistently hysterical is an unshakably strong ensemble cast whose comedic chemistry is infectious; “Community” is “Friends” meets “Big Bang Theory” meets a whole planet of crazy. Everything on the show is done with complete and utter commitment and the ever revolving chain of guest writers has made for 3 seasons in which every episode has been totally unique. Changtastic.

The Walking Dead

AMC’s “The Walking Dead” has been breaking records (and fictional skulls) everywhere during its first two seasons on air. The success of the show is unsurprising considering the fact that its list of screenwriters includes names that would make Shakespeare blush in professional shame. Oh, and there are zombies too!

“The Walking Dead” is shot so convincingly that one might be forgiven for feeling like one was actually watching footage of the Zombie Apocalypse– it’s gray, it’s bleak and it’s gory. However, before the world at large grabs a 9 gauge in one hand and a ‘Queen’ record in the other, one should remember that this is only a show–  albeit a very good one.

Honorable Mentions:

Parks and Recreation

Leslie Knope and the colorful inhabitants of Pawnee– the US’s most dysfunctionally happy city–transform middle America from a cautionary Green Day music video into the epitome of rustic charm. Miraculously consistent, “Parks and Rec” is poised for another great season driven by its 2 most compelling, and always hilarious, isms: optimism and Swansonism.

Raising Hope

Has political correctness gone mad? Not really, because somebody somewhere continues to endorse the televising of “Raising Hope.” Unsurprisingly, that somebody is a TV executive at Fox. But, where Fox regular Seth MacFarlane is crude, brash and in-your-face, “Raising Hope” approaches its subjects with subtlety. Indeed, for a show whose titular character is the illegitimate toddler of a convicted serial killer and a ‘special’ checkout clerk who lives with his white-trash parents, “Raising Hope” has managed to lend a surprising degree of intelligent, quirky restraint to both its 1st and 2nd season.

Modern Family

The beauty of this show is that, in a world of seat-squirmingly bleak “Louie,” “Peep Show” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Modern Family” gives its audience a chance to laugh with, not at, it. In the last season, particularly, many of the most hilarious moments were tempered with genuine sentiment, edging away from the didacticism of the voice-over with some raw, very human, emotion. “Modern Family” is apple-pie and ice cream and a Christmas sweater. It is also very funny.

The article Five Shows to Catch Up on before the Fall Season Starts appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

San Diego, U.S.A. - “The Walking Dead” Escape: San Diego announced its partnership with KNB EFX Group and its founder Greg Nicotero, the force behind Special Effects Make-up for TV shows and movies such as AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” ‘Kill Bill’, ‘Predators’, ‘Transformers 1-3′, ‘Pulp Fiction’, ‘Dances with Wolves’, ‘Land of the Dead’, ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’, just to name a few.

In conjunction with the release of Robert Kirkman’s Eisner Award-winning “The Walking Dead” Issue #100 at San Diego Comic-Con, “The Walking Dead” Escape: San Diego takes place July 12 -14 at Petco Park, centrally located near the San Diego Convention Center. Registration is now open at www.TheWalkingDeadEscape.com.

There are three ways to participate in this epic adventure. Participants can be a Survivor and race through the zombie infested evacuation zone; a Walker who becomes one of the undead, embracing the inevitable; or a Spectator who watches the apocalypse from sidelines at the Escape Party. Greg Nicotero and his team at KNB EFX will transform those who sign up to be Walkers into the most terrifying zombies to grace San Diego.

With their work on AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” Greg Nicotero and his KNB EFX team have deep experience creating some of the most incredible zombies in the industry. Founded in 1988, they have become one of the most prolific Special Make-up Effects Studios in Hollywood. One look at Nicotero’s creations for the undead and “The Walking Dead” Escape: San Diego participants will know they are in for a zombie experience like no other.

“We couldn’t be more pleased to have Greg and his KNB EFX team on board for “The Walking Dead” Escape: San Diego,” said event producer Liam Brenner. “People who sign up to be Walkers will have the opportunity to be completely transformed into zombies by the leader in the Special Make-up Effects industry. It’s really a chance of a lifetime!”

Skybound.com’s “The Walking Dead” Escape: San Diego is unlike any obstacle course event in the U.S., expanding on the best-selling “The Walking Dead” comic book series and graphic novel story lines, allowing Survivors and Walkers to explore the initial days of the apocalypse.

Survivors will climb, crawl and slide in an effort to avoid confrontation by hordes of Walkers, while achieving the ultimate adventure on The Walking Dead-themed obstacle course. “The Walking Dead” Escape is not a race, and Survivors are not timed, but the end is near, and they must move swiftly. If they’re lucky, Survivors will reach the decontamination zone at the end where it will be determined if they have been infected.

Image Courtesy of  The Walking Dead

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AMC’s smash hit zombie thriller ‘The Walking Dead’ will conclude its second season this Sunday with a dramatic episode set to deal with the fallout from last week’s cliffhanger.

In the most recent episode, “Better Angels”, Shane (Jon Bernthal) was killed off before immediately reanimating as a zombie without coming into contact with one – which the series had previously intimated was the sole way of transforming into one. This has led fans to ponder if all of the surviving characters are already infected with the deadly condition that has being driving the series’ main storylines since its very first episode, and an answer is expected to be given in this Sunday’s episode.

As for the other cliffhanger from the March 11 episode, the last scene showed dozens of zombies making their way toward the farm where the characters have been staying for the majority of this season, setting up a probable confrontation and potential character deaths in the much-hyed season ender.

Jon Bernthal’s exit from the series last week, when his character Shane was killed during a confrontation with Rick (played by Andrew Lincoln) came as little surprise to fans of the comic book series on which the television is based, as Shane was originally killed off much earlier in the story.

For fans of the television series who were unaware of the narrative timeline in the comic books, Shane’s death also came as a relatively minor shock, following the announcement in January that Bernthal was set to join the cast of ‘L.A. Noir’, a new series from Frank Darabont, who was in fact ‘The Walking Dead”s original show-runner until disagreements with the network led to his departure from the series last summer.

As for the remaining actors on the series, there have been no announcements about any of them joining new television projects, leaving the fates of their characters in this week’s finale unknown. However, the death of Bernthal’s character came just one episode after the death of fellow original cast member Jeffrey DeMunn’s character Dale, leading fans to speculate that the season finale could mark the most severe loss of life yet.

‘The Walking Dead’ already centred its mid-season finale around the revelation that the series’ youngest survivor from the pilot – Sophia, played by Madison Lintz – had died and transformed into a zombie, forcing group leader Rick to execute her in front of her mother Carol.

The relatively high number of on-screen deaths in recent week has been welcomed by some fans, after the first half of the season was criticised for being too slow-paced and lacking any particularly gripping storylines.

In spite of these criticisms, ‘The Walking Dead’ has continued to perform well in the ratings, maintaining its status as AMC’s number one program. Season-to-date, ‘The Walking Dead’ has averaged 6.7 million viewers per week over its 12 airings, up more than 20% compared to the 5.2 million average it received for its 6-episode first season. AMC has has given the series a vote of confidence by renewing it for a 16-episode third season.

This increased episode order makes ‘The Walking Dead’ one of only two series on AMC, the other being ‘Breaking Bad’, to go beyond the network’s standard 13-episode order, a standard still in place for ‘The Killing’ and its Emmy-favourite veteran ‘Mad Men’, which will take over ‘The Walking Dead”s time-slot when it returns for its fifth season on March 25.

As for whether ‘The Walking Dead’ will end its season on a cliffhanger or hint at what the characters will face in the future, fans have only a few more days left to wait and see.

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