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The Walking Dead is all about blood, gore – and gun control The Walking Dead is all about blood, gore – and gun control
(6 months later)
The Walking Dead finished its third season in a flourish of gunfire and guts, sticking to the pillars of its ratings dominance. While nobody's much surprised by the extreme bloodiness of a show that merges two violent genres – post-apocalyptic horror and the classic western, – what is surprising is that The Walking Dead actually reflects moderate, popular US views on gun control.The Walking Dead finished its third season in a flourish of gunfire and guts, sticking to the pillars of its ratings dominance. While nobody's much surprised by the extreme bloodiness of a show that merges two violent genres – post-apocalyptic horror and the classic western, – what is surprising is that The Walking Dead actually reflects moderate, popular US views on gun control.
That might seem like a ridiculous statement for a show this steeped in gore, but if we trace its use of guns, it becomes clear that the show emphasizes an odd, very American mix of conservative pragmatism and liberal concern about restraints and leadership. (No major spoilers follow.)That might seem like a ridiculous statement for a show this steeped in gore, but if we trace its use of guns, it becomes clear that the show emphasizes an odd, very American mix of conservative pragmatism and liberal concern about restraints and leadership. (No major spoilers follow.)
The first season of The Walking Dead is almost purely survival thriller. The stragglers, led by a sheriff named Rick, only care about guns as a matter of self-defense. They use plenty of them, but also whatever's at hand. In fact, after two and a half seasons, guns only account for slightly more than half of the show's violence. Characters have killed zombies with a car door, an internet cable, a sword and a chair leg, not to mention the crossbow preferred by the show's most popular character. What's to learn from all this? A clear and present need for self-defense justifies violence, and you can use just about anything to kill a zombie.The first season of The Walking Dead is almost purely survival thriller. The stragglers, led by a sheriff named Rick, only care about guns as a matter of self-defense. They use plenty of them, but also whatever's at hand. In fact, after two and a half seasons, guns only account for slightly more than half of the show's violence. Characters have killed zombies with a car door, an internet cable, a sword and a chair leg, not to mention the crossbow preferred by the show's most popular character. What's to learn from all this? A clear and present need for self-defense justifies violence, and you can use just about anything to kill a zombie.
Season two slows things down. Amid a lot of hand wringing and hammy conversations, the characters sort out how to live when survival isn't a constant concern. In this season, two characters – including a little boy – are accidentally shot, and characters argue about who can keep a gun. Those that do are trained. Everybody learns, once and for all, that the zombies retain none of their past humanity, which gives a reassuring nod to the audience – in case the makeup didn't convince you – that this is fantasy, and killing zombies should never be confused with killing people.Season two slows things down. Amid a lot of hand wringing and hammy conversations, the characters sort out how to live when survival isn't a constant concern. In this season, two characters – including a little boy – are accidentally shot, and characters argue about who can keep a gun. Those that do are trained. Everybody learns, once and for all, that the zombies retain none of their past humanity, which gives a reassuring nod to the audience – in case the makeup didn't convince you – that this is fantasy, and killing zombies should never be confused with killing people.
And karmic retribution is quick and unforgiving for those who don't play nice. One major, trigger-happy character dies shortly after he finally embraces his ruthless instincts. Rick, in contrast, is forced to shoot two threatening outsiders in a tense, memorable scene, and it clearly affects him. Season two's lessons are murkier than those of the first: gun users have to be competent; unstable people should not own firearms; people who pose a threat have to be dealt with according to both self-defense and the long-term survival of the group; and finally, an act of violence, justified or not, takes its toll on the perpetrator's humanity.And karmic retribution is quick and unforgiving for those who don't play nice. One major, trigger-happy character dies shortly after he finally embraces his ruthless instincts. Rick, in contrast, is forced to shoot two threatening outsiders in a tense, memorable scene, and it clearly affects him. Season two's lessons are murkier than those of the first: gun users have to be competent; unstable people should not own firearms; people who pose a threat have to be dealt with according to both self-defense and the long-term survival of the group; and finally, an act of violence, justified or not, takes its toll on the perpetrator's humanity.
The third season pursues the idea that "guns don't kill, people do", as a new drama, between Rick's survivors and a seemingly idyllic town led by "the Governor", takes center stage. The Governor turns out to be a tyrant, and his policy on guns is one of total control; only he and his thugs are allowed weapons, in the name of protection. Unsurprisingly, he kills a lot of people, with all manner of assault weapons. Rick, on the other hand, lets his highly competent, trusted friends keep their own guns. Gun rights advocates should appreciate this discrepancy.The third season pursues the idea that "guns don't kill, people do", as a new drama, between Rick's survivors and a seemingly idyllic town led by "the Governor", takes center stage. The Governor turns out to be a tyrant, and his policy on guns is one of total control; only he and his thugs are allowed weapons, in the name of protection. Unsurprisingly, he kills a lot of people, with all manner of assault weapons. Rick, on the other hand, lets his highly competent, trusted friends keep their own guns. Gun rights advocates should appreciate this discrepancy.
But this season puts particular emphasis on how violence destroys a person, gnawing at them until they become monsters themselves, viz "the walking dead". As he grows more ruthless, Rick's sanity starts to falter. The Governor, meanwhile, collects human heads in aquarium tanks, a hobby that relays plenty about his mental health. Another character has a town full of booby traps and enough guns to constitute his own army. He, too, has gone completely insane.But this season puts particular emphasis on how violence destroys a person, gnawing at them until they become monsters themselves, viz "the walking dead". As he grows more ruthless, Rick's sanity starts to falter. The Governor, meanwhile, collects human heads in aquarium tanks, a hobby that relays plenty about his mental health. Another character has a town full of booby traps and enough guns to constitute his own army. He, too, has gone completely insane.
Most tellingly, Rick's young son Carl can be chillingly cold-blooded, as a result of growing up in a violent world. With surprising efficiency, he ambushes and shoots the crazed booby-trap man, for instance. The man survives, and Carl, still a moral kid, apologizes. He's told: "Never be sorry." If the most doomsday-prepped man in Georgia has gone this far off the rails, the The Walking Dead isn't portraying his lifestyle as a positive one for the audience or Carl.Most tellingly, Rick's young son Carl can be chillingly cold-blooded, as a result of growing up in a violent world. With surprising efficiency, he ambushes and shoots the crazed booby-trap man, for instance. The man survives, and Carl, still a moral kid, apologizes. He's told: "Never be sorry." If the most doomsday-prepped man in Georgia has gone this far off the rails, the The Walking Dead isn't portraying his lifestyle as a positive one for the audience or Carl.
Finally, it should be noted that Rick's gang chooses their friends with extreme caution, putting newcomers on probation. Until they earn the group's approval, a new entry doesn't have the right to a bunk, much less a gun. They subject strangers to the post-apocalyptic world's version of a background check, more or less.Finally, it should be noted that Rick's gang chooses their friends with extreme caution, putting newcomers on probation. Until they earn the group's approval, a new entry doesn't have the right to a bunk, much less a gun. They subject strangers to the post-apocalyptic world's version of a background check, more or less.
Perhaps this awkward mix of ideas is why nobody can quite agree on the show's politics, despite all its thick dialogue about just that. Some call it libertarian, others liberal, and others conservative, citing how it forces people to: "grapple with the tragic reality in front of you, rather than make believe that the world, and human nature, are things that they are not."Perhaps this awkward mix of ideas is why nobody can quite agree on the show's politics, despite all its thick dialogue about just that. Some call it libertarian, others liberal, and others conservative, citing how it forces people to: "grapple with the tragic reality in front of you, rather than make believe that the world, and human nature, are things that they are not."
It might do that, but the show ranks among conservatives' least favorite shows. America's gun culture has appropriated the zombie fad, too, but the show mostly seems to peeve them for its inaccuracies and gives cause to debate "the ideal zombie gun".It might do that, but the show ranks among conservatives' least favorite shows. America's gun culture has appropriated the zombie fad, too, but the show mostly seems to peeve them for its inaccuracies and gives cause to debate "the ideal zombie gun".
To the extent that it has any, The Walking Dead's politics reflect those of moderate Americans: a deep respect for civil rights, coupled with anxieties about keeping the wrong guns off the market, and out of the wrong hands. As much as this show delights in creative gore, the entire third season focuses on the danger of losing yourself in violence under the pretext of self-defense. Its proposed safeguard against this risk is almost as messy as a zombie's dining etiquette: democracy and compromise. They only survive with a tenuous balance of a leader's decisiveness, contentious debate, and wary eyes on their world's monsters, dead or alive. The show treats guns like most Americans do – an important, dangerous and inevitable part of that tricky balance.To the extent that it has any, The Walking Dead's politics reflect those of moderate Americans: a deep respect for civil rights, coupled with anxieties about keeping the wrong guns off the market, and out of the wrong hands. As much as this show delights in creative gore, the entire third season focuses on the danger of losing yourself in violence under the pretext of self-defense. Its proposed safeguard against this risk is almost as messy as a zombie's dining etiquette: democracy and compromise. They only survive with a tenuous balance of a leader's decisiveness, contentious debate, and wary eyes on their world's monsters, dead or alive. The show treats guns like most Americans do – an important, dangerous and inevitable part of that tricky balance.
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