The Obama era is the era of the zombie. It is a strange irony that the politician of “hope and change” has presided over a pop-culture world dominated by shuffling, moaning, undead cannibals who mindlessly rule a post-government apocalyptic landscape. In theaters, we’ve seen zombie blockbusters, zombie comedies, and even sweet zombie romances. But the zombie colossus, the rotting king of this macabre world, is AMC’s The Walking Dead franchise.
The Walking Dead (TWD to fans) is rewriting the rules of television. Shows aren’t supposed to keep getting more popular every year, year after year. TWD does. Basic cable isn’t supposed to beat broadcast channels in the ratings. TWD rules the ratings in the key demographics. And in the era of targeted television, where the universally loved “water-cooler show” — the one that everyone talks about at work — was thought to be a thing of the past, TWD is appointment viewing for young and old, Left and Right. Its characters have reached first-name status with the American people.
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