Huffington Magazine Issue 18 | Page 100

Exit TV We talk about everyone’s demise to the chagrin of all of the actors. There will be major character deaths throughout Season 3.” I wanted the show to stay very far ahead of the audience so that they have no idea what’s coming next.” In the Season 3 premiere, Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and his fellow zombie apocalypse survivors find a prison and decide to call it home (“This prison is ours,” Rick declares). The prison arc, which originated in the comic book, will occupy a good portion of the plot. “Our group has worked hard to find this prison, and that’s not something they’re going to give up any time soon,” Mazzara said. “As writers and producers, we love that prison. I wanted [the characters] to be stumbling through a desolate world where a prison seems like a reasonable place to hide.” The show — based on the comic series of the same name from Robert Kirman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard — is not a straight adaptation of the books, with liberties taken to make it a world of its own. However, the prison saga is a significantly darker entry in the comic series, and The Walking Dead is expected to reflect that mood this year. Dead prisoners are the least of their troubles as new (living) characters come into the mix, who may pose more dangers. Just glance at the tagline (“Fight the dead. Fear the living.”) for hints. Most rewarding for readers of the comic book will be the arrival of a new villain, The Governor (David Morrissey), and Michonne (Danai Gurira), a fan-favorite character who favors a katana over a gun. “She’s a warrior and sees right into the heart of people,” Mazzara said of Michonne. “I think people will be excited to follow her because she, in some ways, becomes one of the hearts of the show.” Meanwhile, other characters who have enjoyed prominent play on the show will see their storylines cut short. TV Line reported in August that a series regular will become “zombie kibble” this season, and Mazzara assures us there will be more deaths to look forward to. “We talk about everyone’s demise to the chagrin of all of the actors,” Mazzara said. “There will be major character deaths throughout Season 3 — I can’t possibly say who or where, but I guarantee all of them will be surprising.” FUN FACTS 76 The total number of walkers (zombies) Rick killed in seasons one and two combined. 160 The largest number of walker extras used in one day to-date from all seasons. 14 The largest number of days to complete an episode (season one’s two-hour pilot, “Days Gone By”). 218 The total number of walker extras used in the season three premiere episode, “Seed.” SOURCE: AMC