Maia McFarland

One of my favourite shows ever! From the first season you meet and immediately grow attached to brilliantly written and intriguing characters with detailed backstories as well beautiful character development as the show progresses. The first season and second season has a wonderful summer/golden feeling thanks to Frank Darabont which is so gorgeous and it's such a great introduction to the show. Throughout the entire show there is a perfect balance of gore/death, human conflict and family relationships which is refreshing and stops most boredom or dullness. In the third and fourth season the threat goes from surviving the post-apocalyptic world and the infected to conflict between the surviving people. We're introduced to the Governor who I feel is a strong antagonist but maybe doesn't match the brilliant performances from the later villains. As well as the war between his group and Rick's group at the Prison, we deal with nature, the lack of medicine and the spread of viruses and disease which is incredibly realistic and amazingly written in the script. Season 5 and 6 dwell on how other groups have adapted to the new world. We see Terminus, a home to people who have turned to cannibalism to survive and we deal with the harsh truth about the mentality you need to adopt to survive in the world. As expected, no show can stay at its peak at all times and there are some plot points that are weaker then others, quite understandably. In Season 7 and 8 we meet Negan and the Saviors who are a rival group who intimidate and overpower Rick's group, forcing them to work and supply for their community. This shows the reality of human behaviour and how we will do whatever we need to survive harsh environments, even if that means taking on brutal mindsets and engaging in monstrous activities. Negan is intimidating, chilling and also comedic which means whatever scene he is in is enthralling and exciting to watch. However cruel and brutal, the baseball bat scene with the major characters kneeling in a circle surrounded by Saviors is brilliantly shot and written, keeping us at the edge of our seat, begging not to see our favourite characters killed, who we have become attached too due to the complex traits/personalities given to them and the superb performances from the actors involved. Seasons 9,10 and 11 focus on the new world and the future. The characters aren't just looking at how to survive at that moment but how they and future generations will survive in years to come. We see communities and infrastructure built, democracy and law put in place and human relationships tested and strengthened. The Whisperers led by truly terrifying antagonist Alpha are a group of survivors who have blended in with nature and live among the dead. Every scene that Alpha is in has a tense atmosphere which really multiplies the fear felt throughout the show. Though we see our favourite characters die over the many seasons there remains a feeling of family with all the group as they grow and adapt together. The show relates to us as the audience and has us wondering, what would I do? It's gory and scary but it's also an emotional journey where you become attached to characters and learn with them. Truly one of the best shows ever made and is an awesome experience throughout! I give it 5 stars for the script, production, plot, acting and directing which are all excellent. I would recommend to any fans of apocalypse themed shows and books but also people interested in human behaviour as it's also a family show about us and how we live in society and how we can evolve and adapt.