It's perfect timing that AMC decided to launch its new miniseries "The Walking Dead" on Halloween.
The new series, based upon the graphic novel by the same name, airs Sunday night at 10 p.m.
Given that it's airing on AMC and written and directed by Academy Award winner Frank Darabont, there are a lot of high expectations for this series.
It centers around a lawman (Andrew Lincoln) who is wounded. He wakes up in a hospital to find himself all alone, while the world has been overrun by zombies. Over the next six episodes, he tries to find his family and make it to Atlanta.
Zombies have been popular ever since George Romero created "Night of the Living Dead" in the 1960s and pop up all the time in various horror-related movies and TV shows.
The trend likely hit its peak in "Zombieland," the comedy starring Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin as four survivors of a zombie wasteland.
Some people have argued that zombies have kind of run their course; after all, they're slow, plodding monsters when compared with vampires and werewolves.
But as "Community" showed last night, zombies are always good for a laugh.
I don't expect many, if any, laughs in "The Walking Dead," but I do expect bloody good fun.
R.I.P. JAMES MACARTHUR: The original Danno Williams from "Hawaii Five 0" died Thursday at age 72. I never realized it, but MacArthur was the adopted son of actress Helen Hayes.
WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: Some people are saying that this season is "Smallville's" (CW, 8 p.m.) best, and last week's ending in which Clark finally reveals all to Lois certainly gives credence to that. So I guess that means that when Lois finds herself in danger tonight, Clark can't slack off anymore. It's followed by "Supernatural," (CW, 9 p.m.) which is always good to watch even when it's not Halloween.
"The Good Guys" (Fox, 9 p.m.) is new, as is the CBS lineup of "Medium," "CSI: NY" and "Blue Bloods." Note to Danny (Donnie Wahlberg) -- if it comes to a choice between shooting the crazy terrorist woman in the face and not shooting her in the face, shoot her in the face.
On cable, "Law & Order: UK" (BBC America, 9 p.m.) is new, as is SyFy's "Sanctuary" at 10 p.m.
On Saturday, the world stops for the Georgia-Florida game (CBS, 3:30 p.m.) Also sports-wise is Game 3 of the World Series (Fox, 6:30 p.m.) You may also want to check out "Mad Men's" Jon Hamm as host of "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, 11:30 p.m.)
Also on Saturday, there's the Rally to Restore Sanity/Fear, broadcast live for most of the day. It's the event organized by Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. Scan the crowd; you may see someone you know.
On Sunday, I dug the first episode of "Sherlock" (PBS, 9 p.m.), and having seen the remaining two, I can tell you it maintains a pretty good pace.
Fox has Game 4 of the World Series beginning at 8 p.m., while CBS is all-new with "The Amazing Race," "Undercover Boss" and "CSI: Miami." ABC airs new "Desperate Housewives" and "Brothers & Sisters" from 9-11 p.m.
Part 3 of "Luther" airs on BBC America at 10 p.m.
"Dexter" (Showtime, 9 p.m.) seems to be pretty appropriate for Halloween, while HBO counters with "Boardwalk Empire," "Bored To Death" and "Eastbound and Down."
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