A Few Words About A few words about...™ The Walking Dead Season 3 -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

I've been a huge fan of The Walking Dead since it arrived on the scene in 2010.  Not being able to help myself, I did watch a few episodes as broadcast early in Season 3, and then decided to wait for the Blu-ray.

My wait, as it had in the past, paid off.

The difference between broadcast and Blu-ray is significant.  And while everyone may not have the ability to wait, a second viewing on Blu seals the deal.

Photographed on S16 (apparently some efx shots are 35), Walking Dead looks like film.  For the time being 16mm is still being supported by both Kodak, as well as a small number of processing labs.  How much longer?  Can't say.  But I'll miss it.

16 is perfect for this series, as shooting HD would yield far too much detail. 

Color is superb.  Black levels and shadow detail, likewise.  The grain structure protects what it should, but is never intrusive.  Great decision to shoot this way.

Now the interesting part.

Somewhere along the way, wires have probably been crossed, as what I received was the upcoming Special Edition, complete with a rather creepy and exacting copy of the fish tanks with floating heads as kept by the Governor.

My initial reaction was to use this is a centerpiece for the dining room table for the holidays.

But that seems to be a no go.  Something about "taste."

Bottom line.

Extraordinary series, with Season 3 carrying it along beautifully.  Magnificent Blu-ray presentation.

And those fish tanks...

Apparently rather limited, and expected to become a real collectible within weeks of release.  Can't imagine what these will be going for on that auction site come September.

I can't advise whether to go for just the Blu-ray set or the elegant tank centerpiece, but the quality has gone in, long before the logo was set in place.

As an aside, one more thing you're not getting in broadcast.

Dolby True HD 7.1, with pinpoint aural placement.

Recommended.

RAH

 

[Timothy E]

I hope they send me the Special Edition as well for review.

I am happy to hear that Season 3 is up to the same high standards as the previous season releases.

 

[Robert Harris]

I hope they send me the Special Edition as well for review.

I am happy to hear that Season 3 is up to the same high standards as the previous season releases.

Don't be so certain.

Reminds me of an old joke. A boy goes to the pet store, and purchases some tropical fish for his aquarium. The normal practice was that the fish were placed in the small waxed paper take-out containers used by Chinese restaurants.

Apparently, the proprietor was having take-out, for when the the boy got home, and carefully emptied the container into his tank, his father walked into his room.

Just in time to see noodles and other artifacts moving about in the tank.

The boy, aghast, and embarrassed looked to his father for a reaction.

The father took a quick look, and while turning away, told the boy. "That's all well and good, but remember. You have to feed them."

Do you want to have to feed those?

RAH

 

[Sgt Pepper]

I really love this series and have only watched the broadcasts so a Blu Ray upgrade looks likely. I just hope they don't cancel this one for some reason and we get a conclusion at some point.

 

[JoshZ]

I really love this series and have only watched the broadcasts so a Blu Ray upgrade looks likely. I just hope they don't cancel this one for some reason and we get a conclusion at some point.

The show is hugely popular, by far the biggest thing on the AMC network right now (if not cable as a whole). If anything, I'd expect the network to keep milking this for years and years, far past the point where it should naturally end, until it finally just peters out on a whimper, like The X-Files or Heroes.

 

[Tino]

Ya know I still watch the series, and buy the bluray season sets, but I gotta say I feel as though the show has jumped the shark. I pretty much hate all the regulars and hope they would all get bitten and turn. As soon as they hit that farm last season......meh.But.......I still have hope it will turn around and get better. I pretty much tune in cause I just love zombies...who are the most interesting characters on the show. Hope hope hope

 

[bgart13]

I've kept watching it, but honesty don't know why. I'm stuck. I've invested a lot of time, I keep hoping it gets good, but I feel stupid at the end of each episode. Except for the one last season when Merle is listening to Motörhead and the bald airport zombie from DAWN OF THE DEAD makes a cameo.

 

[Sgt Pepper]

The show is hugely popular, by far the biggest thing on the AMC network right now (if not cable as a whole). If anything, I'd expect the network to keep milking this for years and years, far past the point where it should naturally end, until it finally just peters out on a whimper, like The X-Files or Heroes.

I hope that doesn't happen, and we don't get a crap ending like LOST.

 

[cineMANIAC]

I also gave up watching the show on TV and just decided to wait for the Blu-ray releases beginning with Season 2 - turns out it was the right decision as I enjoyed the show much, much more on home video. This series needs to be viewed back-to-back and w/o interruptions. I remember the PQ was somewhat poor during the airing of the first season - I thought it looked a bit drab even though I was watching the supposed "HD" version on AMC. Glad to know that by Season 3 the quality has improved.

I ordered the fish tank because I'm a sucker for special packaging but I really have no idea where to put it, lol.

 

[Scott Burke]

I love this show, and actually liked the group interactions that took place on the farm on season 2. I thought season 3 really ratcheted up the turmoil of the groups, and was shocked to see who they oft. I have always thought that the zombies were the secondary characters, and the "true" walking dead were the groups that we follow.

It reminds me of Dead Man Walking at the end when they say "dead man walking." That's what the governors and rick's group are, "dead men walking." The living are "already dead, they just don't know it yet."

 

[FoxyMulder]

I just finished watching season 3 last month, great show but absolutely terrible last episode.

 

[Richard V]

I love this show, and actually liked the group interactions that took place on the farm on season 2. I thought season 3 really ratcheted up the turmoil of the groups, and was shocked to see who they oft. I have always thought that the zombies were the secondary characters, and the "true" walking dead were the groups that we follow.

It reminds me of Dead Man Walking at the end when they say "dead man walking." That's what the governors and rick's group are, "dead men walking." The living are "already dead, they just don't know it yet."

I'm guessing that the original creators of the comic were going for that interpretation.

 

[TravisR]

I'm guessing that the original creators of the comic were going for that interpretation.

Yeah, there's even a line somewhere in the first 20 or 30 issues of the comic book where Rick exclaims that "We [the survivors] are the walking dead!"