Roundup 12.26.11 – THE WALKING DEAD
Need to get caught up on “The Walking Dead” before the mid-season return on February 12? Here’s a compilation of the latest news from around the Interwebz:
The Wrap has this interview with actor Jon Bernthal, who says the relationship between Rick and Shane is about to get “explosive”. Could this be a hint that Shane’s borrowed time might be coming to a close?
Bernthal and co-star Laurie Holden will make an appearance at the Emerald City Comicon March 30 – April 1.
Norman Reedus talked with Daemon’s TV about the mid-season finale, the emotional impact of finding Sophia in the barn, and what’s in store for the second half. (Hint: more action… and the show needs it!)
That may include some new characters. Spoiler TV has casting calls for episodes 9 and 10, and they include new, not-in-the-comic characters Dave, Tony and Randall, who may just end up as zombie fodder…
Culture Mob got a chance to sit down with “T-Dog” actor Irone Singleton about his time on the show and what’s coming up when the second half of the season starts up. In particular, Singleton says, “T-Dog is on a spiritual journey of self discovery. He wants to figure out how can he make it through this situation and keep his humanity, his dignity, intact?” Singleton also hints at some of the plot details for the rest of the season.
Before it was confirmed that Merle was coming back, actor Michael Rooker spoke with the Los Angeles Times Hero Complex blog about returning to the show and how much of a surprise it was for Merle to become so popular after sawing his own hand off and disappearing in season one.
For those of you interested in the goings-on behind the scenes of the show, Geeks of Doom has a review of The Walking Dead Chronicles: The Official Companion Book. The book looks at the creation of the original comic book by Robert Kirkman, and details the development into a hit TV show by Frank Darabont for TNT.
Speaking of goings-on off-screen, the ACLU recently cried “foul” on the episode in which Lori downed a handful of morning-after pills in an attempt to induce a miscarriage. The group, usually on the side of abortion rights, actually was complaining about the medically inaccurate use of the pills, which are used to prevent pregnancy, not to end one. [More at Ace Showbiz]
Actress Sarah Wayne Callies (Lori) spoke with TV Guide about the tension between Shane and Rick, now that the pregnancy is out there, and what could be coming up in season 2.5 for the characters. (Dare we call it a love triangle?)
Robert Kirkman spoke with the Boston Globe about what it’s like to be dead, what it could be like to be a zombie, and what it’s like to be part of a hit television show. He talks about making sure the zombies in his world followed a certain set of rules.
Kirkman also talked to TV Guide about the differences in the show brought on by the survival of Shane, who died early in the comic book.
“I certainly don’t feel like he’s worn out his welcome just yet. The thought of seeing Shane interact with a possible future prison storyline and interacting with other things that happened in the comic book is absolutely super appealing for me.”
Fear Net spoke with Kirkman about the rumor that a major character would die in the back half, to which he replied: “You know, it’s The Walking Dead. I’m not guarantee it, but I’m gonna say that it’s safe to… People are gonna die. Whether they’re gonna be main characters I can’t really say. I don’t know what people consider to be a main character, but there are human characters on the show that will be not surviving. [More at Fear Net]
And the comic book (or graphic novel, depending on how you want to look at it) has topped the New York Times best-seller list for graphic novels, both in hard-cover and soft-cover categories. [More at The Hollywood Reporter]
Bloody Disgusting has a video preview of 2.5 here.
The show returns to TNT on February 12.
