It may be some kind of comment on our society but I have never spent much time pondering that. To me the zombies simply represent the ultimate boogies. Their numbers are massive, they are totally relentless, and there is no negotiation, truce, or surrender with honor. Like ER says it is a matter of exterminating them, and since all the living are infected, we must learn to deal with our dead and dying in a new way.

As the story unfolds, it becomes obvious that the massive numbers of slow moving and decaying zombies are not the main problem. It is the living that present the greatest threat. We can wipe out the zombies eventually, but not if we have to fight our own kind on a second front.

I am generally intrigued by any apocalyptic or dystopian fiction. In TWD the zombies are a nice side show but the story would be similar if they were living in a world of plague survivors without zombies.

I am also equally intrigued by scifi that projects an epic future for humanity, where we populate the galaxy and become godlike through our technology. I suppose the apocalypse is a natural counterpoint to my visions of a great human future.

Jody, you should also watch the new "Fear The Walking Dead". It is of course by the same producers but it takes place in Los Angeles and it starts early in the crisis and provides a better overview of the collapse, in a larger context than rural Georgia. I don't know how it will shake out but the pilot was very entertaining.

As I am sure you know, TWD is based on a graphic novel, (er...comic book), of the same name. My interest was sufficient to order the books and I kind of know where the TV show is heading. They don't follow the comic exactly, (Rick lost his right hand in the comic), and have a few different characters, but the new villains have always been true to the comic and they usually kill off the same major characters eventually. The point being if you don't like spoilers, stay away from the comics. :)