GOING ZOMBIE WITH 'THE WALKING DEAD' SEASON THREE

Black death rising for old and new friends and foes in THE WALKING DEAD Season Three. Images: AMC/COMIC CON 2012.

Having only just survived the Zombie apocalypse that hit them on old man Hershel Green's farm in the previous two stunning finale episodes of Season Two of the hit AMC series THE WALKING DEAD (returning back to the UK exclusively on the FX channel presumably October-time), weary but determined Sheriff Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and his gang of intense wanderers are almost at breaking point, with one of their members, Andrea (Laurie Holden), still unaccounted for, as the new Season Three, once more ably helmed by producers Glen Mazzara, Robert Kirkman and Gale Anne Hurd, goes into even darker drama/horror territory whilst looking set to continue their quality audience winning streak. And, if any of the pics above and below are an indication, this new year looks set to be the best yet, possibly even finally erasing the haunting spectre of Frank Darabont's earlier controversial loss, which creatively hampered the show for a short period the previous season.

Back in action, Sheriff Rick (Andrew Lincoln).

New villain on the block: The Governor (David Morrissey).

Enemy and ally? The mysterious Michonne (Danai Gurira).

That head-case Meryl (Michael Rooker) is back!

Newly arrived into the prison facility territory of Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charles Adlard's created classic comic series character of the heavy handed and violent The Governor (finally played in the flesh by Brit Thesp David Morrissey, who really has to shine in my book to live up to the fans heavy expectations), our heroes, already at bitter odds with each other over the previous traumas and violence they've encountered, soon find themselves entwined into more heightened aggression and confrontation with their new foe and his clan, not just over ideologies but possibly also to stop his gradual power play beyond Woodbury, Georgia, for control of Zombie-fied America.

Prison battle! Maggie (Lauren Cohan) wields the machete!

The fight continues within the prison boundaries...

Chuck in a few more new characters, like the mysterious and mentally unstable sword wielding Michonne (played by Danai Gurira), lots of new locations (including filming at a small town in Senoia which will become a safe haven for humanity, as well as the aforementioned prison that will house several epic action sequences promised for an early episode) and gruesome new Zombie creations from producer Greg Nictoero and his dedicated make-up crew, plus the return of old favourites (including Michael Rooker's popular red-neck racist, Meryl, last officially seen in Season One (not counting his dream appearance to brother Daryl (Norman Reedus) in Season Two), chained to a pipe at the top of a skyscraper and presumably having sawed his own hand off to escape becoming a happy meal for the Walking Dead, and now fully out for revenge on Rick's posse, as well as the likely return of HUMAN TARGET's Lennie James from the first series opener, once again as Morgan, who, with his son, hopefully received Rick's radio warnings to stay away from the carnage of Atlanta and move on, the road to Zombie-ville is looking its brightest red...

The Walking Dead Season 3 Behind the Scenes #1 - YouTube

So, the ante is upped. Let the action, and the undead masses, begin anew...

Seasons One and Two of THE WALKING DEAD are available on Blu-ray and DVD.


UPDATE 14/7/2012: Check out the stellar new trailer for Season Three shown at the US COMIC CON event: The Walking Dead Season 3 Comic-Con Trailer - YouTube