AMC has done an excellent job bringing more stories to The Walking Dead universe in the form of spinoff series, but nothing will ever compare to the genius of the main series. The Walking Dead is not only held dear by TWD fandom but has spearheaded the undead genre to become mainstream entertainment. Recently, TWD director and SFX master, Greg Nicotero, commemorated an iconic moment in Walking Dead history.
Nicotero posted a throwback photo (below) of himself and the Teddy Bear walker, played by Addy Miller, from the pilot episode, "Days Gone Bye." His caption reminded us that on June 1, 2010, our favorite series began filming.
Nicotero's caption reads: 15 years ago today we began filming a little show called THE WALKING DEAD! Here’s to those trailblazers on season 1 that contributed to one of the greatest hours of television !!! DAYS GONE BYE written and directed by THE Frank Darabont!
It is incredible to look back at the humble beginnings of the series based on the comics created by Robert Kirkman with artists Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard. The comic, published by Image Comics, debuted on October 8, 2003, with the release of Volume 1: Days Gone Bye.
In January 2010, AMC Networks made the official announcement that a pilot had been ordered for a series adaptation of Kirkman's comic. Frank Darabont (The Mist, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, The Blob, and The Fly II) was announced as showrunner, writer, and director, and would executive produce with Gale Anne Hurd (The Terminator, Aliens, The Abyss, Armageddon, Mankiller).
The first six-episode season was greenlit ahead of the filming of the pilot, and by June 2010, the remaining episodes began filming. Before the October 31 premiere date of season 1, Darabont announced the series had been picked up for a 13-part second season. The pilot episode garnered 5.35 million viewers, marking it as the most-watched series premiere in AMC's history.
"Days Gone Bye" has been highly praised by critics especially for Darabont's direction and the performance by Love Actually actor Andrew Lincoln in his portrayal of Rick Grimes.
The Walking Dead legacy
The Walking Dead TV universe consists of the main series and six spinoffs, with more in the works.
- The Walking Dead - 11 seasons, 2010-2022
- Fear the Walking Dead - 8 seasons, 2015-2023
- The Walking Dead: World Beyond - 2 season limited series, 2020-2021
- Tales of the Walking Dead - 1 season anthology series, 2022
- The Walking Dead: Dead City - 2 seasons, 2023-present
- The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon - 3 seasons, 2023-present
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live - 1 season limited series, 2024
In addition to the spinoffs, there are several webisodes that tie to stories and characters from the main series and its spinoffs. Check out the complete list of TWD webisodes here.
The Walking Dead is a series that has had a profound impact on a massive number of people over the years. TWD Family isn't just a fan classification, it is a tight-knit group that formed over the shared love of the series that grew into something much more significant.
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