"1-1: Days Gone Bye" and How TWD Bagged Me a Husband

I began watching TWD on my then-boyfriend's couch.  He had Netflix, and I did not, so I connived my way into watching the entire first season at his apartment.  I like to think that this initial time commitment bonded us together, ultimately leading to our state of nuptial bliss.  He will tell you that he finds the show "unwatchable," and merely indulged me out of politesse.

Anyway.  Let me think back upon that episode and glean the gold from its inky sediment!

The initial set-up was nothing we haven't seen before.  Guy wakes up in hospital from coma, end of world, stumbles around in confusion, etc.  I do wonder which came first - 28 Days Later, or TWD in comic book form?

Cue the flashback, in a normal world.  Our protagonist Rick Grimes was a copper, in the great state of Georgia.  His BFF is also his partner, Shane.  Shane is a slice of man-cake which I'd happily devour.  Rick Grimes is that guy from the adorable Christmas movie Love, Actually, and so watching him here confuses me.  Is he American or British?  My boyfriend-now-husband is from Georgia, and claims this is a dead-on hick accent.  It took about two years for us to muster the interest and determine his nationality (British).

Anyway.  It's a shooting that landed Rick in the hospital, so let's get back to his shitty present.

There is no point in drawing out, verbally, what you can plainly see if you watch the show.  The world has ended, very violently, and he stumbles around in a nicely convincing state of shock.  He heads home, where he is clocked in the head by a shovel wielded by some kid.

The kid belongs to Morgan, who has survived the Apocalypse and who gives our hero a helping hand, by coaching him into the reality of this New Reality.  Don't get bit, aim for the head, they're not people anymore, etc.

Rick stops by the old casa, only to find that the family photo albums are gone.  This is a clue - maybe his beloved wife and child, Lori and Carl, are still out there!  Probably in Atlanta, where the CCD is located.  After suiting up at the police station, Rick bids Morgan goodbye and hits the road.

Fortunately for Rick, his family did indeed survive.  In fact, they are camping with Shane, and a bunch of other refugees!  Shane and Lori smooch.  I am jealous of Lori, and applaud her decision to ease her grief with him.

By the way, I am vaguely aware that there was much fan-based anger towards Lori for this love affair, and accusations of betrayal, sluttery, etc.  Um... she thought her husband was dead, fan-boys.  It's not cheating if your husband is dead, morons!

Rick makes it to Atlanta on horse, which looks fun.  But the city sure isn't promising - it looks pretty desolate.  For a moment, our hopes rise as a helicopter passes overhead - the troops are coming! - but this is negated by the fact that Rick runs directly into a horde of zombies. 

He winds up hiding in a tank, hopelessly trapped and ready to pull the trigger.  When he hears something like this crackle out of the tank's radio (highly paraphrased):

"Hey, dumb-bag.  Whatcha doing?"

Suicide averted!  Epic show launched!  I clap my hands in delight, and my boyfriend-now-husband politely agrees that it was fine television, and asks if I want more pizza.