'The Walking Dead': Increasing violence sparks discussion
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Molly Driscoll Staff Writer
As the AMC drama 鈥�The Walking Dead鈥� prospers in the ratings, critics have praised the show's writing, though some reviewers have blanched at the amount of violence depicted in the show.聽
鈥淲alking,鈥� which is currently airing its fifth season, set a new record for itself when it debuted on Oct. 12, drawing 17.3 million viewers total, according to . According to , the installment was the show's highest-rated episode ever. For its second episode on Oct. 20, dropped slightly, with 15.1 tuning in to watch. By comparison, 鈥淪unday Night Football鈥� on NBC brought in 17.4 million viewers, according to 聽at the time of reporting.
The AMC show, which follows people trying to survive in a world populated by zombies, has drawn praise from some critics for its plot so far this season. David Sims of called previous seasons of the show 鈥渦nwieldy鈥� but wrote that 鈥渢he show鈥檚 fifth season seems much more propulsive, setting up new plots and then moving through them with surprising haste,鈥� though he noted that 鈥淚 have started many a season of this show with eager anticipation for its new direction,鈥� and that he was afraid of 鈥渞egression.鈥�
Kate Kulzick of was also pleased with the show's quick plotting, writing, 鈥淭his quick-burn approach to plot is a welcome change for the series and one that will hopefully continue, at least for a while,鈥� and Neely Tucker of noted that the show 鈥渁in鈥檛 playin鈥� no more.鈥澛�
However, some other reviewers noted the continuing and escalating amount of violence on the show. In an article titled 鈥淎re we all numb to the atrocities of 鈥榃alking Dead鈥�?,鈥� writer Jeff Labrecque wrote, 鈥淏y definition, it鈥檚 a gruesome show that doesn鈥檛 flinch from grotesque violence, and always has been鈥� But is it too far? And is聽The Walking Dead聽getting a free pass because its explicit depictions of violence are framed within a zombiefied landscape?... The Walking Dead聽boasts some of the most compelling, most complex characters on television, but for a show that relies more and more on shock value, the scariest thing to me is the knowledge that we鈥檙e nowhere near the end 鈥� or the bottom."聽
Meanwhile, Melissa Leon of called a section of the premiere the show鈥檚 鈥渕ost gruesome scene yet鈥� Sunday鈥檚 episode of聽The Walking Dead聽concluded with a scene now permanently etched into millions of traumatized brains.鈥�
And Bear McCreary, the show鈥檚 composer, wanted to make sure younger viewers weren鈥檛 tuning into the show, tweeting,
An unnamed spokesperson for McCreary told the , 鈥淥ver the years Bear has signed a lot of Walking Dead autographs for kids that are 10 and under who regularly watch the show. And as a new father he is very worried 鈥� particularly because season five is scarier and much more hard-core than in years past. He wants parents to be aware that it's getting rough and to not let young kids watch it.鈥�
