Advance Review:

It's no secret this hasn't exactly been the most exciting fall for new TV series, with most new network shows feeling decidedly weak and pedestrian. This makes it all the more gratifying to have much-anticipated The Walking Dead finally arrive on AMC and get off to such a strong start – even though it's tempered by the knowledge that the first (but hopefully not only) season is comprised of just six episodes.

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Check out the first installment of IGN TV's Talking Dead weekly discussion on The Walking Dead:

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Based on Robert Kirkman's comic book about a world overrun by zombies, the TV series has quite a pedigree, coming from executive producers Gale Anne Hurd (The Terminator, Aliens) and Frank Darabont , with the latter -- the acclaimed filmmaker behind The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile -- the main creative force here, writing and directing the first episode, " Days Gone Bye ."Full disclosure on my Walking Dead background, as I'm sure it will come up sometimes while reviewing the series: I'm a huge fan of the comic book. I'm not quite all caught up, but have read the first 10 trade paperbacks (which go through issue 60), and am very curious to see how this show might pull off some of the storylines to come down the line…The first episode jumps us right in with a scary sequence involving our protagonist, police officer Rick Grimes Andrew Lincoln ), and one of the zombie "walkers," which quickly lessens any fears one may have about this series holding back in terms of the violence and unsettling content of the comics. In the 90 minutes of the extended-length first episode, there are plenty of other gory, no holds barred moments that prove once again that AMC (who have had some pretty messed up visuals on Breaking Bad, don't forget) are not shy about getting visceral when a story calls for it. And Greg Nicotero's makeup for the zombies is terrific, evoking the comic books visuals in all the right, creepy ways.Yes, the sequence where Rick wakes up in a hospital (that aforementioned opening scene is a flashforward, to use some now-familiar terminology) to discover that while he was in a coma, the zombie apocalypse began, was reminiscent of 28 Days Later in the comic book and is certainly also reminiscent of it here. But for those harping on that fact, get over it! It's just one scene and the stories go in their own direction immediately afterwards. And Darabont quickly establishes his own compelling, eerie tone, as Rick sees some of the shocking and surreal aftermath of the carnage that he missed, as he wanders from the hospital, to begin his search for his family.The pilot is fairly close to the events of the first couple of issues of the comic book, though there are some slight deviations – hints at the bigger changes and additions Darabont has planned for the series. British actor Lincoln, best known stateside for Love Actually, is very good as Rick. For much of the pilot, he's on his own and exudes a lot of believable, shocked emotion, as Rick tries to process what he is seeing. We also get some quick glimpses at some of the supporting cast who will grow more important in the future, with Jon Bernthal given the most to do in the pilot as Rick's partner Shane , who we see – in the pre-zombie reality – was a crass but friendly guy to Rick, a combination that Bernthal captures well.Lending his usual strong presence is Lennie James (Jericho, The Prisoner) in a guest role as Morgan, a fellow survivor Rick encounters, who is trying to protect his young son. It's a bit amusing to see fellow Brits Lincoln and James playing off each other as southern American residents here, but the two are great together.Yes, there have been a ton of zombie movies before, but it's worth noting that there hasn't been much in the way of ongoing zombie TV series, and as the comic book has proven, The Walking Dead has a lot to explore by following these characters through the years in a way a movie cannot. Zombie stories remain compelling because they so often shine a light on humanity and how we might react in such a crisis. Darabont shows he has a lot on his mind in this regard, with a wonderful and incredibly poignant sequence, intercutting Rick and Morgan (the latter in a scene not in the comic book) both in the midst of some very dramatic and yet very much zombie-filled moments, where they make decisions involving committing violent acts that are for very different reasons than we could comprehend in our everyday life.What we're seeing here is truly sad to behold and promises that there is plenty of pathos to be found in The Walking Dead, among the more straight up (and satisfying) horror sequences that also go with this zombie story.The Walking Dead premieres Sunday, October 31st (Halloween!) at 10:00pm ET/PT on AMC.