3. There's Real Human Tension
A big part of the zombie phenomenon comes from the societal change they bring about and the questions they make us ask ourselves. When faced with this unstoppable force, what would we do? Are we the kind of individual who, when given the chance, would we harm our fellow man to protect ourselves? How far would we go to survive? Undoubtedly, this is an interesting question. Its just a shame that TWD completely fluffs the answer. If TWD is to be believed, wed all become petty bureaucrats. Whilst this might possibly be true, it doesnt half make for dreary viewing- after all, theres only so many times we can watch Rick negotiate with Hershel over fence-fixing before the inevitable boredom sets in. This served to underline the main problem- the lack of any real animosity between the two groups. Whilst Ricks group often found themselves at odds with the residents of the Greene Family Farm, you could always tell that these disagreements would never get beyond words. Despite Shane's best efforts nobody was psychotic enough to just open up a can of whoop-ass over disagreements, and with that lack of killer spark we quickly got bogged down in farming bureaucracy. But around the time of the ninth episode, things began to change. The group had to consider the presence of another altogether more murderous posse out there, and how they would respond to this very human threat. Much of the drama of the season was created by this conundrum, embodied in the character of Randall. Dale objected to his execution, a choice that indirectly led to his death. Similarly, Shane objected to his continued living, feeling so strongly about it that it finally gave him the balls to turn on his best friend. Just the shadow of these people turned our heroes into moral basket cases- and now were going to meet them in the flesh. In fact, theyve already created memorable scenes- remember when Rick gunned down those threatening men in that bar? Remember how awesome that entire scene was, with the slow-burning tension, increasing malevolence and violently badass climax? Now imagine that, but stretched over an entire season. Couple this ominous pragmatism with the moral expediency of the Governor- the first true antagonist the series has had- and youve created a gripping spectacle, showcasing a darkness of human behaviour yet to be properly explored by the series.