HomerSimpson: The wife and I stayed up to watch it and weren't too impressed. It's not the worst show I've ever seen, but I was disappointed.
I was hoping for a little more originality from it. There are scenes where it's obvious that Darabont basically ripped off certain movies. The effects were okay, the dialogue was average, and the action was a little lacking. Just my opinion, of course. But I won't be watching any further episodes.
The scenes aren't ripped off from the movies (28 days later in particular); in an interview there was stated that the start of the comics with the main character coming out of a coma was done before the movie got out but the book was published after that even though that scene was already done.
As for the show I liked it and am eagerly looking forward to the rest of the season. I was afraid it was going to be schlocky (I'm not familiar with the source material), but was pleasantly surprised when it basically turned out to be a film-quality TV pilot about the aftermath of the zombie apocalypse :D
I don't know how they'll sustain it as a show. I suspect they'll have to give it a definitive end date like HBO has done with some of their series. I'm excited for this first season, at least.
Couple of things that stuck out me during the premiere:
* Great way to start the show. Blow the little zombie girl's head off so people know what they're getting with this series. I loved it!
* I wasn't initially a huge fan of the main actor (he seemed like he'd be better suited playing the slightly-lecherous and stupid guy who gets eaten by zombies part way through than the Main Zombie Killer™), but he grew on me.
* Speaking of comas, I was a little surprised that they took the same approach to the main character's introduction to life-after-zombies as the movie 28 Days Later. Then again, that's really the best way to jump right into it without having to show the shit actually hitting the fan, I guess.
* I'm not an expert...but do many cops these days (even small-town sheriff's deputies) carry large-frame 6" or 8" revolvers as their service weapons? Maybe it's just a character thing done to give him some pizazz as the Main Zombie Killer™, which I'm okay with I guess. It was just something weird that I noticed.
* Glad to see the dude who played Hawkins in Jericho getting some roles. I hope we see him and his kid again.
* I loved the stop-off at the sheriff's office for a hot shower and weapons resupply. I half expected them to try and fortify there, but then Hawkins (or whatever his name actually is in this show) talked about Atlanta so I knew they'd try to get there.
* So you have to be careful about making a lot of noise because it draws the attention of the Walkers, but the sheriff's going to go on a zombie mercy-killing spree and the dad is going to try and exorcise his emotional demons by offing his now-zombified wife? Understandable from a character development standpoint, but major zombie survival violations :p