Not only did the second season pause with a strong episode 7 it pulled in insanely high ratings to the tune of over 6.6 million viewers. While this wasn't the season finale, the show will pick up right were it left off in February on 2012, the ending proved once again that while fans might not be treated to an all out zombie fest, the true story lies in great storytelling and the tugging of emotions as season 7 ends with one of the best climaxes I have seen on film and TV in a long time.
The show has no where to go but up in my opinion and while The Walking Dead may have its detractors, it's strong ratings prove that the masses, including non die-hard horror geeks such as myself, can be pulled in with great narrative and even greater displays of "walkers" being dispatched in droves.
With FX's American Horror Story doing equally as well the future for horror on the "boob tube" looks to be brighter than ever and gives hope that horror can finally strive while having lulls at theaters. No longer is horror something that needs to be centered around October or Halloween, now we can experience great storytelling and gripping horror at home where many of us enjoy it in gorgeous 1080P and surround sound systems that revival some of the multiplexes.
If you're not a fan of The Walking Dead this last episode may be enough to pull you in. Don't expect thousands of mindless zombies walking around, expect detailed storytelling and beautiful character development that literally puts you on the farm with Rick and the others as the world has literally gone to hell.
Frank Darabont may be gone but his legacy lives on in a television show that is breaking barriers and causing horror to become one of the top topics at the water-cooler. More horror is never a bad thing and with the television ratings on the rise it looks like the future is very bright even if we have to shoot a few "walkers" to get there.
