‘The Walking Dead’ Retro Recap: ‘Days Gone Bye’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

It is no secret, that I am a huge fan of zombies. There’s just something about those rotten and shambling corpses that sends shivers down my spine and it is my love/hate affair with these disgusting creatures that makes The Walking Dead one of my favorite shows to watch. Because this juggernaut of a series, is quite literally a dream come true since its popularity has driven the living dead to new heights in pop culture and there’s something supremely magical in knowing that so many people in America are tuning in week after week to see monsters that were once relegated to low budget B movies and VHS only releases back in my day. 
 
Yet, my love affair with these monsters and this show extends beyond the popularity of the series, there’s a personal aspect that comes with it as well. Because George A. Romero’s Dead series is a big reason why I got into creative writing and the fact that I am able to write about this show weekly on Nerds That Geek, is akin to being a walker, since I’m able to have my proverbial liver and eat it too. But, as season nine of the series quickly approaches its air date, two hard truths are suddenly sinking into my mind. First and foremost, holy cow, this really is the end for Rick Grimes and oddly enough, since I started writing about the series on NTG at the end of season two, I never got the opportunity to geek out about the beginning of this incredible saga.
 
So, it seemed like a wise idea, to take the next few days before the season nine premiere to look back at where Rick’s adventure began before he exits the series by reflecting upon the titular and revolutionary first season of this show and this little trip down memory lane has me pretty jazzed to say the least because season one still has a fond place in my heart because it took the world by storm. But the wonder of ‘Days Gone Bye’ goes beyond the revolutionary makeup effects from KNB Studios (though they certainly didn’t hurt the experience or the success of this episode), because the true magic of this tale, is that it features a powerful and moving story, all while giving hardcore zombie fans a few gifts along the way.
 
But before we get into said gifts, I want to talk about that story in depth because it really is something special, for so many reasons. For starters, it really did give viewers who were unfamiliar with the comic book, a fresh take on the zombiepocalypse. Because often times in these stories, we see the genesis of the end of the world, and the steady rise of the dead as they overtake humanity. But here, we were plunged into this nightmarish world without any understanding of the rules or how exactly shambling corpses found a way to end all of humanity and that adds a real sense of terror to the story, since danger is in essence around every single corner and that makes the opening and the ending of this series premiere a tense and heart pounding affair and yet, that terrifying setup allows for the real wonder of this story to shine since it isn’t long before the beauty of humanity is put on display.

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​All of that of course comes by way of the introduction of Morgan and Duane, and the kindness they show Rick in a true time of crisis speaks volumes to where the show is eventually going to go and its spinoff as well, making it all the more poignant the second time around and well, this episode features a thematic concept that is rarely tackled in zombie related stories…man’s emotional struggle when it comes to killing these abominations. Because other stories, Romero’s work included, eventually allows for the characters to figure out it’s either the dead or them. But here, the dead’s echo of humanity disturbs Morgan to the point where he cannot put down his reanimated wife and Rick even struggles with putting down the Bicycle Girl, and his apology to a being that doesn’t understand sympathy adds a gravity to this pilot that hangs heavy over it after all these years.
 
But, this is a zombie story, and let’s be honest, the hardcore zombie fans all tuned in to get their walking corpse fix and the treats that this episode sends our way are nothing short of spectacular. Because this was the big budget apocalypse we’ve all been waiting for, and seeing a major American city, devoid of any life outside of walking death was downright chilling to say the least, and I will never forget the terrifying reveal of how many zombies were roaming downtown Atlanta, and how that wall of death managed to sink my stomach when Rick realized that the odds were against him and the ensuing escape/chase to the tank was equally as harrowing and a hint of just how intense this show was going to be in the days to come.
 
However, none of this works without top notch special effects and this is where we do need to take a moment and praise the wonder of Greg Nicotero’s work. Because he in essence took his work on Land of the Dead to a whole new level, and his use of practical effects and CGI made the impossible come to life on the small screen. In fact, Bicycle Girl still gives me nightmares to this day and those bad dreams are only further enhanced by the flawlessly realistic corpses he designed to appear in this story and regardless of how many times I’ve watched this pilot, every single head shot, and every single drop of blood when the dead feed leaves me unsettled and nauseous because the work that KNB put into this was just that precise and downright good.
 
If anything, this sucker played out like a big budget zombie film in prime time and it’s still a powerhouse treat that holds up well eight years later which speaks volumes to the quality work that everyone behind the scenes put into this one. Because let’s be honest, pilot episodes never tend to age well, but outside of a baby-faced Andrew Lincoln, this feels thematically, no different than the later seasons of the show and who knew that this level of quality and eeriness would serve as a harbinger for things to come. Either way, watching this particular episode always brings me joy, but this time around, there was a hint of melancholy hanging over it. Because going back and seeing where Rick’s journey began hammered home the fact that soon we will be saying goodbye to this strong and dynamic character and while that leaves me a touch sad, I also understand that nothing lasts forever, which means that it is important that I savor every single moment of Rick’s early adventures through the land of the dead, one more time.   

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