Posted November 23, 2014
MaGo72: "Being the father of zombies how do you feel about that?
It feels like I don’t have a horse in the race. They asked me to do a couple of episodes of The Walking Dead but I didn’t want to be a part of it. Basically it’s just a soap opera with a zombie occasionally. I always used the zombie as a character for satire or a political criticism and I find that missing in what’s happening now."
Romero is a marvelous character, and a deep thinker with a politically-alive intellect. I never heard Gene Roddenberry speak, I've only heard others talk about him, but I suspect that he and Romero would have a lot in common. It was a time with a living culture, and it grew certain kinds of artists on the edges. Catch him if you ever have a chance, he is a delightful speaker: funny, challenging, and full of stories. It feels like I don’t have a horse in the race. They asked me to do a couple of episodes of The Walking Dead but I didn’t want to be a part of it. Basically it’s just a soap opera with a zombie occasionally. I always used the zombie as a character for satire or a political criticism and I find that missing in what’s happening now."
I think Romero underestimates Walking Dead, though I can see why he would. At its worst it is mindless zombie mash, but it has real glimmers of insight from time to time, and its long (and quiet) discussion on the nature of morality is worthy and interesting.