Days Gone Bye
Encyclopedia
"Days Gone Bye" is the first episode of the post-apocalyptic
horror
television series The Walking Dead
. It originally aired on AMC in the United States on October 31, 2010. The episode was written and directed by Frank Darabont
, the creator of the series. In this episode, Rick Grimes
, a sheriff's deputy of a small town in Georgia
, wakes up in an abandoned hospital from a coma after being severely wounded. Realizing that the world has been riddled with zombies, Grimes ventures out to locate his home where his wife and son are. After finding out that both Lori and his son are missing, he later encounters some other survivors, holed up in a neighbors house, who reveal that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
has set up a quarantine zone in Atlanta, Georgia
. Grimes travels to the city in the hopes of finding his family.
Robert Kirkman
, the creator of the series of comic books of the same name
, initially considered the idea of creating a television show based on the comic series. However, such ideas were never pursued by Kirkman. Frank Darabont later expressed interest of developing the series for television. In January 2010, AMC formally announced that it had ordered a pilot for a possible series adapted from The Walking Dead comic book series. In the announcement, the executives of the network stated that Darabont would serve as a writer, director, and an executive producer for the show alongside with Gale Anne Hurd
.
"Days Gone Bye" was well received by television critics, who expressed that the episode contained cinematic qualities. Several critics noted comparisons to the episode with those of Lost
. In the United States, the series premiere achieved a viewership of 5.35 million, making it the most-watched series premiere in its network's history. The episode garnered a Nielsen rating of 2.7 in the 18–49 demographic, translating to 3.6 million viewers.
(Andrew Lincoln
) and partner Shane Walsh (Jon Bernthal
) are called to a high speed pursuit
, where they face two armed men. The two men are shot, after which a third emerges from the vehicle and shoots Rick in the chest, leaving him severely wounded. After remaining in a coma for an undisclosed amount of time, Rick regains consciousness in an abandoned hospital
. He investigates the building and encounters his first undead—a group of zombies barred into a locked room—as well as rows of bodies in body bags. In a nearby park he encounters a severely deteriorated zombie with nothing left of her lower body but trailing bones and organs. Shaken, he returns to his home to look for his family. Unable to find any sign of them, he sits outside and is suddenly hit in the head with a shovel by a young man—Duane Jones (Adrian Kali Turner)—who initially mistakes him for a zombie.
Rick later wakes up tied to a bed. The young man's father, Morgan (Lennie James
), checks Rick for zombie bites or fever, either of which could indicate he is turning into a zombie himself. After deciding Rick is not a threat, Morgan frees him and shares what information he has regarding the zombie apocalypse. The following day, Rick tells Morgan that his family are missing and that they are most likely alive (based on family photos that had been taken from the house). Morgan and Duane tell Rick that they might have set off to Atlanta
, where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
has set up a quarantine zone. Rick takes Morgan and his son to his former Sheriff's headquarters, where the trio use the emergency generator to power up the station. They take hot showers and clean out the armory. As they depart, with Rick heading off to Atlanta while Morgan and Dwayne stay behind, Rick gives Morgan a rifle and a walkie-talkie
and says he will broadcast every morning. Before he leaves Rick finds fellow police officer Leon Basset (Linds Edwards)—now a zombie—and dispatches him. Morgan goes to the top floor of his house, where he looks through old family photos before shooting several zombies. As he hoped, the noise attracts more walkers, including his dead wife, but Morgan is unable to shoot her and breaks down into tears. Rick returns to the park where he encountered the badly decayed zombie, apologizes to it, and shoots it in the head.
While on his way to Atlanta, Rick sends out a broadcast via his radio. The transmissions are received by a camp located just outside the city, but they are unable to send a response to warn him of the situation in the city. Among the survivors are Rick's partner Shane, his wife Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies
), and Carl (Chandler Riggs). Rick later runs out of gasoline
; he approaches an abandoned gas station, where he encounters (and shoots) a preadolescent female zombie. Unable to find any gas, he abandons his car on the highway and heads out on foot. He approaches a farmhouse, where the occupants are dead in an apparent murder-suicide
. Rick finds a horse nearby and rides it to Atlanta, carrying a sack of guns from the police armory.
Rick arrives in Atlanta and finds the city in an extreme state of devastation. He then searches the streets on horseback, finding an overrun military blockade. Rick hears a helicopter pass overhead and tries to follow it, but rides straight into a horde of walkers. The undead swarm Rick's horse, toppling Rick and making him drop the sack of guns. While many of the zombies swarm around the horse, tearing it apart and eating it, Rick scrambles underneath an abandoned tank. With zombies crawling after him on both sides, Rick shoots several of them, then places the gun to his temple. Looking up, he sees an open hatch underneath the tank and crawls inside. The walkers surround the tank as Rick seals himself inside. After firing his revolver into the head of an undead soldier, an Army Ranger from the 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army; therefore deafening him due to the confines of the M60 tank and then sealing the top hatch, Rick is safe—but trapped—in the tank. A voice comes over the radio sarcastically asking if he is cozy inside. The episode ends with a view of a mass of zombies swarming around the tank and the fallen horse.
, who created the comic book series
in 2003, says he had considered the idea of a Walking Dead television series, but never actively pursued it. When Frank Darabont became interested in adapting the comic books for television, Kirkman said it was "extremely flattering" and went on to say that "he definitely cares about the original source material, and you can tell that in the way he's adapting it." In his interview, Kirkman exclaimed that it was "an extreme validation of the work", and continued by expressing that "never in a million years could [he] have thought that if Walking Dead were to ever be adapted that everything would be going this well."
George A. Romero's
1968 film Night of the Living Dead
has prevalent influences on the television series. At the 2010 Comic-Con International in San Diego, California
, Darabont admitted to being a fan of the film since age fourteen. He stated that Night of the Living Dead has a "weird vibe", comparing it to that of pornography
. He continued: "It had this marvelously attractive, disreputable draw [...] I loved it immediately." Darabont recalls walking into a comic book store in Burbank, California
and seeing The Walking Dead on the shelf in 2005. He described the process of developing the series and getting it set up at a network as "four years of frustration", and credits executive producer Gale Anne Hurd
with finally getting the series on AMC.
Principal filming for "Days Gone Bye" first took place in Atlanta, Georgia
on May 15, 2010, after AMC had officially ordered the production of six episodes for the series. Filmography for the episode took place over a period of two months, ending in early July 2010. Filming locations were set up in various areas in and around the Atlanta area, particularly in the Fairlie-Poplar District. The season premiere was shot completely on 16 mm film
. David Tattersall
was the director of photography for the pilot episode, while the episode's production design was headed by Greg Melton and Alex Hajdu. The effects team included veteran special effects makeup designer Gregory Nicotero
, special effects coordinator Darrell Pritchett, and visual effects supervisors Sam Nicholson and Jason Sperling.
The show's official website released, just prior to the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International, a motion comic based on the first issue of the original comic and voiced by Phil LaMarr
. The site also posted a making-of documentary primarily about the first episode, as well as a number of other behind-the-scenes videos and interviews. In the documentary, comic series creator and show executive producer Robert Kirkman as well as artist Charlie Adlard
expressed that they were pleased with how faithful the show is to the comic and remark on the similarities between the actors and the comic's original character drawings.
The Walking Dead debuted during the same week in 120 countries. As part of an expansive campaign to advertise and heighten anticipation for the premiere, international broadcasting affiliates of AMC and Fox coordinated a worldwide zombie invasion event proceeding days prior to premiere of the episode in the United States. These events were hosted in places including the Brooklyn Bridge
in New York City
, the Lincoln Memorial
in Washington, D.C.
, the Palace of Westminster
in London
, and the Museo del Prado
in Madrid
. The campaign events commenced in Hong Kong
and Taipei
, and culminated in Los Angeles
.
as zombies. In an interview with MTV
, Greg Nicotero stated that while anyone was welcome to audition, the producers of the show were looking specifically for people who possessed exceptional height and thin features. Much of the casting auditions for the central characters took place during the filming of the first season of The Walking Dead. A promotional image revealing the cast was released by AMC shortly concluding production for the first season. In April 2010, Andrew Lincoln
was given the role of Rick Grimes, the central character of the series. Robert Kirkman
was ecstatic with Lincoln's acting, opining that he was an "amazing find". In his interview with Dread Central, Kirkman added that "writing Rick Grimes month after month in the comic series, I had no idea he was an actual living, breathing human being, and yet, here he is. I couldn't be more thrilled with how this show is coming together." Alongside with Lincoln, the main cast include Sarah Wayne Callies
, Jon Bernthal
, Steven Yeun
, Jeffrey DeMunn
, and Laurie Holden
.
Alongside the main cast, the season premiere featured guest appearances from numerous actors and actresses. Emma Bell
appeared on the episode as Amy, the younger sister of Andrea. Bell would later become part of the main cast as a recurring character. Lennie James
provided the role for Morgan, and Jim Coleman guest starred on the pilot episode as Lam Kendal.
on August 30, 2011. Two weeks prior to its official premiere in the United States, the contents of the episode leaked online. It premiered internationally on Fox International Channels
during the first week of November.
"Days Gone Bye" was originally broadcast on October 31, 2010 in the United States on AMC
. The episode was viewed by over 5.35 million viewers, making it the highest rated series premiere in the network's history. "Days Gone Bye" garnered a 2.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic, translating to 3.6 million viewers according to the Nielsen ratings
. It became the most-viewed episode of the week, as well as the third highest-rated program of the week issued October 31. It is the third most-watched episode of the series, only falling behind "TS-19
" and "What Lies Ahead
", which received total viewerships of 6 million and 7.3 million, respectively.
The series premiere had similar successes outside of the United States. In the United Kingdom, the pilot episode premiered on FX
on November 5, 2010, a week after it aired in the United States. It garnered 579,000 viewers, making it the most-watched FX program of the week. The terrestrial premiere (including Ireland and Scotland) aired on Channel 5 on April 10, 2011, garnering 1.5 million viewers. In Italy, it became the highest rated program of the night, with an estimated 360,000 viewers watching the episode upon its initial airing. In Spain, "Days Gone Bye" garnered 105,000 viewers, and received a 10.2% share of viewership in the market. As well as in Spain, the episode became the highest rated series premiere of the year in Korea, where it received a total viewership of 57,000. "Days Gone Bye" achieved high ratings in the 18-49 demographic in several countries, particularly amongst those in Latin America. Ratings in the respective demographic were highest in Argentina, Colombia, and Peru. In Colombia and Peru, the episode achieved 2.1 ratings in the 18-49 demographic, while it garnered a 3.5 rating in that respective group in Argentina.
writer Nancy deWolf Smith
felt that the "pilot episode [is] so good that it has hooked even a zombie hater like me." She expressed that the show felt real and looks cinematic. Steve West of Cinema Blend praised the episode, calling it "the best pilot since Lost
s introduction" and "a brilliant examination of what makes us human." Leonard Pierce of The A.V. Club
gave the episode an 'A-' grade, and described it as a "stunning debut".
Liz Kelly and Jen Chaney of The Washington Post
reacted positively to the series premiere, deeming it as a "chilling show", and exclaiming that it had a "very real sense that the world can go completely mad, and stay that way for good." Kris King of Starpulse said that it was "a welcome reprieve from the camp-laden world of zombie culture." Josh Jackson of Paste
gave the episode an 8.8 out of 10. Jackson praised the final moments of the episode, describing it as "epic". "Days Gone Bye" was praised by Eric Goldman of IGN
, who gave the season premiere a nine out of ten, signifying an "amazing" rating. Jeff Jensen of Entertainment Weekly
opined that the pilot episode was intense, and felt that it delivered above expectations. Jensen expressed satisfaction in regards to the beginning of the pilot episode, deeming it as an "instant classic". Fellow Entertainment Weekly writer Dan Snierson agreed with Jensen's opinion, complimenting the show for its unpredictability. James Poniewozik
of Time
reacted positively to the episode, exclaiming that it "paints a thoroughly convincing postapocalyptic world, both visually and emotionally."
, for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series and Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series, and won for Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Miniseries, Movie or a Special.
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction
Apocalyptic fiction is a sub-genre of science fiction that is concerned with the end of civilization due to a potentially existential catastrophe such as nuclear warfare, pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, impact event, cybernetic revolt, technological singularity, dysgenics, supernatural...
horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
television series The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead (TV series)
The Walking Dead is an American post-apocalyptic horror television series developed for television by Frank Darabont and based on the ongoing comic book series, The Walking Dead, by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard...
. It originally aired on AMC in the United States on October 31, 2010. The episode was written and directed by Frank Darabont
Frank Darabont
Frank Darabont is a Hungarian-American film director, screenwriter and producer who has been nominated for three Academy Awards and a Golden Globe. He has directed the films The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and The Mist, all based on stories by Stephen King...
, the creator of the series. In this episode, Rick Grimes
Rick Grimes
Rick Grimes is a fictional character in the ongoing black-and-white comic book series The Walking Dead and as well as its television series adaptation, The Walking Dead.-Comic book series:...
, a sheriff's deputy of a small town in Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, wakes up in an abandoned hospital from a coma after being severely wounded. Realizing that the world has been riddled with zombies, Grimes ventures out to locate his home where his wife and son are. After finding out that both Lori and his son are missing, he later encounters some other survivors, holed up in a neighbors house, who reveal that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta...
has set up a quarantine zone in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. Grimes travels to the city in the hopes of finding his family.
Robert Kirkman
Robert Kirkman
Robert Kirkman is an American comic book writer best known for his work on The Walking Dead and Invincible for Image Comics, and Ultimate X-Men and Marvel Zombies for Marvel Comics. He has also collaborated with Image Comics co-founder Todd McFarlane on the series Haunt...
, the creator of the series of comic books of the same name
The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead is a monthly black-and-white US comic book series published by Image Comics beginning in 2003. The comic was created by writer Robert Kirkman and artist Tony Moore, who was replaced by Charlie Adlard from issue #7 onward, although Moore continued to do the covers through issue...
, initially considered the idea of creating a television show based on the comic series. However, such ideas were never pursued by Kirkman. Frank Darabont later expressed interest of developing the series for television. In January 2010, AMC formally announced that it had ordered a pilot for a possible series adapted from The Walking Dead comic book series. In the announcement, the executives of the network stated that Darabont would serve as a writer, director, and an executive producer for the show alongside with Gale Anne Hurd
Gale Anne Hurd
Gale Anne Hurd is an American film producer and screenwriter.-Early life:Hurd was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Lolita and Frank E. Hurd, an investor. She grew up in Palm Springs, California and graduated from Stanford University with a B.A...
.
"Days Gone Bye" was well received by television critics, who expressed that the episode contained cinematic qualities. Several critics noted comparisons to the episode with those of Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
. In the United States, the series premiere achieved a viewership of 5.35 million, making it the most-watched series premiere in its network's history. The episode garnered a Nielsen rating of 2.7 in the 18–49 demographic, translating to 3.6 million viewers.
Plot
Sheriff's deputy Rick GrimesRick Grimes
Rick Grimes is a fictional character in the ongoing black-and-white comic book series The Walking Dead and as well as its television series adaptation, The Walking Dead.-Comic book series:...
(Andrew Lincoln
Andrew Lincoln
Andrew Lincoln is an English actor, known for his roles in the TV series This Life, Teachers and Afterlife, and the films Love Actually and Heartbreaker...
) and partner Shane Walsh (Jon Bernthal
Jon Bernthal
Jonathan E. "Jon" Bernthal is an American actor, best known for his role on the AMC television series The Walking Dead.-Early life:...
) are called to a high speed pursuit
Car chase
A car chase is the vehicular pursuit of a suspect by law enforcement officers. Car chases are often captured on film and broadcast due to the availability of video footage recorded by police cars and police and media helicopters participating in the chase...
, where they face two armed men. The two men are shot, after which a third emerges from the vehicle and shoots Rick in the chest, leaving him severely wounded. After remaining in a coma for an undisclosed amount of time, Rick regains consciousness in an abandoned hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
. He investigates the building and encounters his first undead—a group of zombies barred into a locked room—as well as rows of bodies in body bags. In a nearby park he encounters a severely deteriorated zombie with nothing left of her lower body but trailing bones and organs. Shaken, he returns to his home to look for his family. Unable to find any sign of them, he sits outside and is suddenly hit in the head with a shovel by a young man—Duane Jones (Adrian Kali Turner)—who initially mistakes him for a zombie.
Rick later wakes up tied to a bed. The young man's father, Morgan (Lennie James
Lennie James
Lennie James is an English actor and playwright.-Career:James attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 1988...
), checks Rick for zombie bites or fever, either of which could indicate he is turning into a zombie himself. After deciding Rick is not a threat, Morgan frees him and shares what information he has regarding the zombie apocalypse. The following day, Rick tells Morgan that his family are missing and that they are most likely alive (based on family photos that had been taken from the house). Morgan and Duane tell Rick that they might have set off to Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta...
has set up a quarantine zone. Rick takes Morgan and his son to his former Sheriff's headquarters, where the trio use the emergency generator to power up the station. They take hot showers and clean out the armory. As they depart, with Rick heading off to Atlanta while Morgan and Dwayne stay behind, Rick gives Morgan a rifle and a walkie-talkie
Walkie-talkie
A walkie-talkie is a hand-held, portable, two-way radio transceiver. Its development during the Second World War has been variously credited to Donald L. Hings, radio engineer Alfred J. Gross, and engineering teams at Motorola...
and says he will broadcast every morning. Before he leaves Rick finds fellow police officer Leon Basset (Linds Edwards)—now a zombie—and dispatches him. Morgan goes to the top floor of his house, where he looks through old family photos before shooting several zombies. As he hoped, the noise attracts more walkers, including his dead wife, but Morgan is unable to shoot her and breaks down into tears. Rick returns to the park where he encountered the badly decayed zombie, apologizes to it, and shoots it in the head.
While on his way to Atlanta, Rick sends out a broadcast via his radio. The transmissions are received by a camp located just outside the city, but they are unable to send a response to warn him of the situation in the city. Among the survivors are Rick's partner Shane, his wife Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies
Sarah Wayne Callies
Sarah Wayne Callies is an American actress who is best known for her role as Sara Tancredi in the American television series Prison Break. She now plays Lori Grimes in The Walking Dead.- Early life :...
), and Carl (Chandler Riggs). Rick later runs out of gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
; he approaches an abandoned gas station, where he encounters (and shoots) a preadolescent female zombie. Unable to find any gas, he abandons his car on the highway and heads out on foot. He approaches a farmhouse, where the occupants are dead in an apparent murder-suicide
Murder-suicide
A murder–suicide is an act in which an individual kills one or more other persons before or at the same time as killing himself or herself. The combination of murder and suicide can take various forms, including:...
. Rick finds a horse nearby and rides it to Atlanta, carrying a sack of guns from the police armory.
Rick arrives in Atlanta and finds the city in an extreme state of devastation. He then searches the streets on horseback, finding an overrun military blockade. Rick hears a helicopter pass overhead and tries to follow it, but rides straight into a horde of walkers. The undead swarm Rick's horse, toppling Rick and making him drop the sack of guns. While many of the zombies swarm around the horse, tearing it apart and eating it, Rick scrambles underneath an abandoned tank. With zombies crawling after him on both sides, Rick shoots several of them, then places the gun to his temple. Looking up, he sees an open hatch underneath the tank and crawls inside. The walkers surround the tank as Rick seals himself inside. After firing his revolver into the head of an undead soldier, an Army Ranger from the 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army; therefore deafening him due to the confines of the M60 tank and then sealing the top hatch, Rick is safe—but trapped—in the tank. A voice comes over the radio sarcastically asking if he is cozy inside. The episode ends with a view of a mass of zombies swarming around the tank and the fallen horse.
Conception
Robert KirkmanRobert Kirkman
Robert Kirkman is an American comic book writer best known for his work on The Walking Dead and Invincible for Image Comics, and Ultimate X-Men and Marvel Zombies for Marvel Comics. He has also collaborated with Image Comics co-founder Todd McFarlane on the series Haunt...
, who created the comic book series
The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead is a monthly black-and-white US comic book series published by Image Comics beginning in 2003. The comic was created by writer Robert Kirkman and artist Tony Moore, who was replaced by Charlie Adlard from issue #7 onward, although Moore continued to do the covers through issue...
in 2003, says he had considered the idea of a Walking Dead television series, but never actively pursued it. When Frank Darabont became interested in adapting the comic books for television, Kirkman said it was "extremely flattering" and went on to say that "he definitely cares about the original source material, and you can tell that in the way he's adapting it." In his interview, Kirkman exclaimed that it was "an extreme validation of the work", and continued by expressing that "never in a million years could [he] have thought that if Walking Dead were to ever be adapted that everything would be going this well."
George A. Romero's
George A. Romero
George Andrew Romero is a Canadian-American film director, screenwriter and editor, best known for his gruesome and satirical horror films about a hypothetical zombie apocalypse. He is nicknamed "Godfather of all Zombies." -Life and career:...
1968 film Night of the Living Dead
Night of the Living Dead
Night of the Living Dead is a 1968 American independent black-and-white zombie film and cult film directed by George A. Romero, starring Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea and Karl Hardman. It premiered on October 1, 1968, and was completed on a USD$114,000 budget. After decades of cinematic re-releases, it...
has prevalent influences on the television series. At the 2010 Comic-Con International in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, Darabont admitted to being a fan of the film since age fourteen. He stated that Night of the Living Dead has a "weird vibe", comparing it to that of pornography
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
. He continued: "It had this marvelously attractive, disreputable draw [...] I loved it immediately." Darabont recalls walking into a comic book store in Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
and seeing The Walking Dead on the shelf in 2005. He described the process of developing the series and getting it set up at a network as "four years of frustration", and credits executive producer Gale Anne Hurd
Gale Anne Hurd
Gale Anne Hurd is an American film producer and screenwriter.-Early life:Hurd was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Lolita and Frank E. Hurd, an investor. She grew up in Palm Springs, California and graduated from Stanford University with a B.A...
with finally getting the series on AMC.
Development
On January 20, 2010, AMC officially announced that it had ordered a pilot for a possible series adapted from The Walking Dead comic book series, with Darabont and Hurd acting as executive producers; the former wrote the script and directed the episode. The entire series was pre-ordered based just on the strength of the source material, the television scripts, and Darabont's involvement. In that same month, review of the pilot episode's script attracted further attention. Darabont wrote much of the script for the episode. His initial script for "Days Gone Bye" was split half and embellished, subsequently making it into an arc between two episodes. Darabont explained that he did this to "slow the narrative down and dig into the characters more deeply, so it's not just plot-driven, event-driven stuff." He resumed: "You really want to drag these characters into the equation."Principal filming for "Days Gone Bye" first took place in Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
on May 15, 2010, after AMC had officially ordered the production of six episodes for the series. Filmography for the episode took place over a period of two months, ending in early July 2010. Filming locations were set up in various areas in and around the Atlanta area, particularly in the Fairlie-Poplar District. The season premiere was shot completely on 16 mm film
16 mm film
16 mm film refers to a popular, economical gauge of film used for motion pictures and non-theatrical film making. 16 mm refers to the width of the film...
. David Tattersall
David Tattersall
David Tattersall BSC is a noted British cinematographer. He has worked on many big-budget films and has won an Emmy Award for his cinematography on the The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles television series...
was the director of photography for the pilot episode, while the episode's production design was headed by Greg Melton and Alex Hajdu. The effects team included veteran special effects makeup designer Gregory Nicotero
Gregory Nicotero
Gregory Nicotero is an American special effects creator and actor. In 1988, along with Robert Kurtzman and Howard Berger, he formed KNB Efx Group, a special effects studio which has gone on to work on over 400 film and television projects...
, special effects coordinator Darrell Pritchett, and visual effects supervisors Sam Nicholson and Jason Sperling.
The show's official website released, just prior to the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International, a motion comic based on the first issue of the original comic and voiced by Phil LaMarr
Phil LaMarr
Phillip "Phil" LaMarr is an American actor, comedian and voice actor. One of the original cast members on the sketch comedy series MADtv, he is also known for his small, but memorable role as Marvin in Pulp Fiction...
. The site also posted a making-of documentary primarily about the first episode, as well as a number of other behind-the-scenes videos and interviews. In the documentary, comic series creator and show executive producer Robert Kirkman as well as artist Charlie Adlard
Charlie Adlard
Charles "Charlie" Adlard is a British comic book artist and penciller.He is best known for providing art on The Walking Dead and Savage.-Biography:...
expressed that they were pleased with how faithful the show is to the comic and remark on the similarities between the actors and the comic's original character drawings.
The Walking Dead debuted during the same week in 120 countries. As part of an expansive campaign to advertise and heighten anticipation for the premiere, international broadcasting affiliates of AMC and Fox coordinated a worldwide zombie invasion event proceeding days prior to premiere of the episode in the United States. These events were hosted in places including the Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the Lincoln Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial is an American memorial built to honor the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The architect was Henry Bacon, the sculptor of the main statue was Daniel Chester French, and the painter of the interior...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, the Palace of Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and the Museo del Prado
Museo del Prado
The Museo del Prado is the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid. It features one of the world's finest collections of European art, from the 12th century to the early 19th century, based on the former Spanish Royal Collection, and unquestionably the best single collection of...
in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
. The campaign events commenced in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, and culminated in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Casting
Shortly after the initiation of filmography of the episode, there was a high demand for the usage of extrasExtra (actor)
A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
as zombies. In an interview with MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, Greg Nicotero stated that while anyone was welcome to audition, the producers of the show were looking specifically for people who possessed exceptional height and thin features. Much of the casting auditions for the central characters took place during the filming of the first season of The Walking Dead. A promotional image revealing the cast was released by AMC shortly concluding production for the first season. In April 2010, Andrew Lincoln
Andrew Lincoln
Andrew Lincoln is an English actor, known for his roles in the TV series This Life, Teachers and Afterlife, and the films Love Actually and Heartbreaker...
was given the role of Rick Grimes, the central character of the series. Robert Kirkman
Robert Kirkman
Robert Kirkman is an American comic book writer best known for his work on The Walking Dead and Invincible for Image Comics, and Ultimate X-Men and Marvel Zombies for Marvel Comics. He has also collaborated with Image Comics co-founder Todd McFarlane on the series Haunt...
was ecstatic with Lincoln's acting, opining that he was an "amazing find". In his interview with Dread Central, Kirkman added that "writing Rick Grimes month after month in the comic series, I had no idea he was an actual living, breathing human being, and yet, here he is. I couldn't be more thrilled with how this show is coming together." Alongside with Lincoln, the main cast include Sarah Wayne Callies
Sarah Wayne Callies
Sarah Wayne Callies is an American actress who is best known for her role as Sara Tancredi in the American television series Prison Break. She now plays Lori Grimes in The Walking Dead.- Early life :...
, Jon Bernthal
Jon Bernthal
Jonathan E. "Jon" Bernthal is an American actor, best known for his role on the AMC television series The Walking Dead.-Early life:...
, Steven Yeun
Steven Yeun
Steven Yeun is a Korean-born American actor. Yeun is currently starring in the role of Glenn in AMC's original series, The Walking Dead since 2010. Other than The Walking Dead, Yeun guest starred in the critically acclaimed American sit-com The Big Bang Theory as Sheldon's former room mate...
, Jeffrey DeMunn
Jeffrey DeMunn
Jeffrey DeMunn is an American theatre, film and television actor.-Life and career:DeMunn was born in Buffalo, New York, the son of Violet and James DeMunn. Stepson of noted actress Betty Lutes DeMunn...
, and Laurie Holden
Laurie Holden
Heather Laurie Holden is an American-Canadian actress and human rights activist. She is perhaps best known for her roles as Marita Covarrubias in The X-Files, Adele Stanton on The Majestic, Cybil Bennett in Silent Hill, Amanda Dumfries in The Mist, Olivia Murray in The Shield, and Andrea in The...
.
Alongside the main cast, the season premiere featured guest appearances from numerous actors and actresses. Emma Bell
Emma Bell
Emma Jean Bell is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Parker O'Neil, one of the main characters in the 2010 film Frozen, and as Amy in The Walking Dead. Bell played the female lead in the thriller-horror film Final Destination 5...
appeared on the episode as Amy, the younger sister of Andrea. Bell would later become part of the main cast as a recurring character. Lennie James
Lennie James
Lennie James is an English actor and playwright.-Career:James attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 1988...
provided the role for Morgan, and Jim Coleman guest starred on the pilot episode as Lam Kendal.
Ratings
Several scenes from "Days Gone Bye" were screened July 23, 2010 as part of the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International. "Days Gone Bye" premiered in Hong Kong on TVB PearlTVB Pearl
TVB Pearl is one of the two free television services in Hong Kong that mainly broadcast in the English language, the other being ATV World. It is owned and operated by Television Broadcasts Limited, and together with its sister Cantonese language station TVB Jade, is broadcast from TVB City at 77...
on August 30, 2011. Two weeks prior to its official premiere in the United States, the contents of the episode leaked online. It premiered internationally on Fox International Channels
Fox International Channels
Fox International Channels is a subsidiary of the Fox Entertainment Group, which is a part of Rupert Murdoch's global media conglomerate News Corporation...
during the first week of November.
"Days Gone Bye" was originally broadcast on October 31, 2010 in the United States on AMC
AMC (TV network)
AMC is a cable television specialty channel that primarily airs movies, along with a limited amount of original programming. The letters originally stood for American Movie Classics; however since 2002, the full name has been deemphasized as a result of a major shift in programming...
. The episode was viewed by over 5.35 million viewers, making it the highest rated series premiere in the network's history. "Days Gone Bye" garnered a 2.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic, translating to 3.6 million viewers according to the Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
. It became the most-viewed episode of the week, as well as the third highest-rated program of the week issued October 31. It is the third most-watched episode of the series, only falling behind "TS-19
TS-19
"TS-19" is the sixth episode and the first season finale of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead. It originally aired on AMC in the United States on December 5, 2010. The episode was written by Adam Fierro and Frank Darabont, the creator of the series...
" and "What Lies Ahead
What Lies Ahead
"What Lies Ahead" is the first episode of the second season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead. It originally aired on AMC in the United States on October 16, 2011. The episode was written by series developer Frank Darabont and series creator Robert Kirkman, and...
", which received total viewerships of 6 million and 7.3 million, respectively.
The series premiere had similar successes outside of the United States. In the United Kingdom, the pilot episode premiered on FX
FX (UK)
FX is a television channel in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, owned by Fox, launched in 12 January 2004. It was originally branded as FX289 in reference to its Sky EPG number. It was rebranded to FX in May 2005 as the channel moved in the Sky EPG.FX targets a demographic between 25...
on November 5, 2010, a week after it aired in the United States. It garnered 579,000 viewers, making it the most-watched FX program of the week. The terrestrial premiere (including Ireland and Scotland) aired on Channel 5 on April 10, 2011, garnering 1.5 million viewers. In Italy, it became the highest rated program of the night, with an estimated 360,000 viewers watching the episode upon its initial airing. In Spain, "Days Gone Bye" garnered 105,000 viewers, and received a 10.2% share of viewership in the market. As well as in Spain, the episode became the highest rated series premiere of the year in Korea, where it received a total viewership of 57,000. "Days Gone Bye" achieved high ratings in the 18-49 demographic in several countries, particularly amongst those in Latin America. Ratings in the respective demographic were highest in Argentina, Colombia, and Peru. In Colombia and Peru, the episode achieved 2.1 ratings in the 18-49 demographic, while it garnered a 3.5 rating in that respective group in Argentina.
Critical response
"Days Gone Bye" was met with universal acclaim from critics upon release. The Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
writer Nancy deWolf Smith
Nancy deWolf Smith
Nancy deWolf Smith is an editor and member of the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board since 1999.- Biography :Between 1995 and 1999, Smith was editorial page editor for the Asian Wall Street Journal. Previously she was senior editor for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and has worked at National...
felt that the "pilot episode [is] so good that it has hooked even a zombie hater like me." She expressed that the show felt real and looks cinematic. Steve West of Cinema Blend praised the episode, calling it "the best pilot since Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
s introduction" and "a brilliant examination of what makes us human." Leonard Pierce of The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
gave the episode an 'A-' grade, and described it as a "stunning debut".
Liz Kelly and Jen Chaney of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
reacted positively to the series premiere, deeming it as a "chilling show", and exclaiming that it had a "very real sense that the world can go completely mad, and stay that way for good." Kris King of Starpulse said that it was "a welcome reprieve from the camp-laden world of zombie culture." Josh Jackson of Paste
Paste (magazine)
Paste is a monthly music and entertainment digital magazine published in the United States by Wolfgang's Vault. Its tagline is "Signs of Life in Music, Film and Culture."-History:...
gave the episode an 8.8 out of 10. Jackson praised the final moments of the episode, describing it as "epic". "Days Gone Bye" was praised by Eric Goldman of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
, who gave the season premiere a nine out of ten, signifying an "amazing" rating. Jeff Jensen of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
opined that the pilot episode was intense, and felt that it delivered above expectations. Jensen expressed satisfaction in regards to the beginning of the pilot episode, deeming it as an "instant classic". Fellow Entertainment Weekly writer Dan Snierson agreed with Jensen's opinion, complimenting the show for its unpredictability. James Poniewozik
James Poniewozik
James Poniewozik is an American journalist and television critic. He writes Times Tuned In column and has a blog with the same name.Originally from Monroe, MI, Poniewozik attended the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, graduating with a BA in English. He subsequently attended the graduate program...
of Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
reacted positively to the episode, exclaiming that it "paints a thoroughly convincing postapocalyptic world, both visually and emotionally."
Accolades
The episode received three Creative Arts Emmy Award nominations for the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards63rd Primetime Emmy Awards
The 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, honoring the best in primetime television programming from June 1, 2010 until May 31, 2011, was held on September 18, 2011, at the Nokia Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles, California. Fox televised the ceremony within the United States. Actress Jane Lynch hosted...
, for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series and Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series, and won for Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Miniseries, Movie or a Special.
External links
- "Days Gone Bye" at AMC