I've mostly enjoyed the show so far, but I'm really a big fan of the comic. What I don't understand is why they've changed so much from the comic storyline? It seemed that there were enough characters and enough drama to make a great tv show.
I understand that television and books are two different media, and I'm usually not one to harp about differences between the two, but aside from the first episode the television series just doesn't seem to have anything in common with the comic at all (aside from a small number of characters).

Ahahaha. What website do you think you're ON?

There's a difference between showing no pity and going looking for things to pick at as far as I'm concerned. Though in fairness, they do go the other way into preposterous fawning of some shows as well.

Personally I'm still really enjoying the show (haven't read the comic yet), though I do miss Morgan, mainly because Lennie James is awesome.

But the writing is still solid (the supposed difference between supposedly awful writing and award winning writing is not nearly so great as it should be judging by the ridiculous praise some shows get with nothing special about their writing), I find Rick to be a well portrayed, decent character whose flaws are obvious without being overwhelming, and strangely enjoying Darryl as a character.

All in all, I'm finding it more entertaining than I would have expected for a TV show about zombies.
I'm sure they could and should have found another car to hotwire, though I don't see how they could have got one from the highway at least - they were end to end for miles, no way to move them out even if they got it to start.

Also, there are two black characters. There's the woman also.

I've had some issues with the writing being a bit obvious and melodramatic, but I was actually blaming that on Darabont, because you can find that sort of thing in his films, too. I really don't have much faith that this move is going to improve the show.

And using freelance writers sounds like a terrible idea. For one thing, it will probably make the show feel tonally uneven. For another, the WGA might not be too happy about Darabont firing his entire writing staff (and right before Christmas, too), which might make freelancers feel like they'd be shooting themselves in the foot to work with him.

I do agree about Darryl, though--he's my favorite because he's not really marred by the sentimentality and melodrama that are abundant elsewhere in the show.

Having issues with the writing this season and supporting Darabont's move are two separate things.

First off, if you've got problems with the writing, you have problems with Darabont more than you do the writers who just got canned. He's the showrunner. Everything runs through him. And, as noted, he's claiming the writing credit on half of the episodes. What makes you think a freelance/BBC-type process run by Darabont will be any better on these things than the process run by Darabont already?

Also, the process Darabont's talking about putting into place is virtually guaranteed to be a complete clusterfuck - meaning, it's going to be worse next season if this is how he's going to do it.

http://seriocity.blogspot.com/2010/12/walking-alone.html

At first the series started off quite well, but with each episode it is starting to make the story more and more ridiculous...hopefully some better writers are coming in to take care of the job!

I can't say I am sad about dumping the writers. I am a huge fan of the comic but am all for not doggedly being faithful to it, you have to adapt to what works for the new medium...however, they kind of threw the baby out with the bath water by veering so far from the comic. Kirkman didn't dwell on the Shane-Lori-Rick stuff (a love triangle is usually uber-lazy plot device) and the characters are all shades of gray and complex,and the show has gone in a far more generic (safe) direction that is a little boring. BUT I am cautiously optimistic that things will improve, some of the problems are probably Darabont's fault but I am hoping that this change means he has just decided to go in a new direction.

Kristen made some excellent observations that I also noted. Merle definitely seemed to cut his hand off to get away from the zombies about to eat him (not because he was psycho), and there's definitely two black characters. I sort of think this article was a hurried, angry rant, instead of a well thought out review. The show is great and rising in popularity. People like it. It's a shame all those writers were fired.

If the show didn't deviate from the comic then I would have very little reason to watch it. If I know exactly what's going to happen there is no excitement or suspense. As far as the whole Shane thing, Kirkman has already expressed that he wishes he had been able to extend the love triangle storyline. He was worried the book wouldn't last so he rushed things to get to other things. Rick reminds me of Jack from Lost. He's kind of forced in to being "sanctimonious" because people are looking to him for answers whether he wants them to or not. Every show has stereotypes, mostly because life has stereotypes, so I won't even get in to that one. Glen found a car, by chance, in the city and he was able to use it to go the wrong way on the interstate because the exit roads from Atlanta were filled with abandoned cars. The only thing I agree with is the fishing scene. I don't mind the talking scenes when used properly to establish relationships, but that one was forced hardcore. I think the show has been excellent so far and I'm hoping that it isn't ruined by Darabont's experiment. Time will tell though.

I have problems, but not the same problems as the author of this piece.

~ I am very glad that they are not following the comic. I hate being spoiled, and by going in a different direction, the future of the show is a big, clean slate.

~ I don't see the main character as sanctimonious at all. He's a leader when a leader is needed. That's a good thing.

~ My problem is that too much time is wasted. This author picks on the boat scene, but there are many scenes that seem to drag on. When the season only has six episodes, the time could be used much better. Build up the characters, sure, but give me some action while you're doing so. The season finale was a big let down to me, just because so much time was spent chit-chatting. I don't know about you, but during a zombie apocalypse, I'm not going to waste time talking over my feelings.

I'd have to disagree about the boat scene. What that scene was about was what was not said between the characters; about how each of them missed out on being a sister to the other. This gave Amy's death and Andrea's grief more impact than if it was a straight zombie story with arbitrary killing. For this show to have legs it has to be about character and loss. Scenes like that build that.

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