“The Walking Dead” must improve to keep zombie infection going

From zombie video games to zombie-themed Oakland bar crawls, it’s clear that the zombie genre has infected our culture in a manner that would make actual undead flesh-eaters jealous. “The Walking Dead”

AMC

Sundays, 9 p.m.

Grade: B+

From zombie video games to zombie-themed Oakland bar crawls, it’s clear that the zombie genre has infected our culture in a manner that would make actual undead flesh-eaters jealous.

And as we head into the second season of the AMC drama “The Walking Dead,” we’ll find out whether America will develop an immunity.

“The Walking Dead” season two premiere attracted 7.3 million viewers, according to the AMC network. This is a staggering figure in comparison to AMC’s two other crown jewels, “Breaking Bad” and “Mad Men,” whose most recent premieres only pulled 2.58 and 2.92 million viewers, respectively.

Based on the 2003 graphic novel series written by Robert Kirkman and illustrated by Tony Moore, “The Walking Dead” centers around a group of survivors outside Atlanta struggling to exist in a zombie-controlled, lawless world.

The first season ended by dramatically revealing humanity’s bleak situation, while leaving the group scrambling for new survival options. As the second season opens, the group’s leader, Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), reflects on his decision to go to the Centers for Disease Control and the “slim chances” his group now faces.

The second season’s first two episodes continue to display many of the strengths seen in the first season.

Cinematically, the series’ southern zombie-apocalyptic setting is as visually stunning as ever. Even with the departure of season one creator Frank Darabont (“The Shawshank Redemption”), the quality remains that of a big-screen Hollywood blockbuster — not a basic cable television show.

And suspense and terror still grip the audience. Viewers are treated to an instant “welcome back” as the survivors must duck, weave and hide from a pack of hungry zombies on a graveyard of a highway — all before the first commercial break.

The show’s positive aspects have continued in the new season, but so, too, have its negative ones.

Although the show attempts to blend character development with zombie action, the proportions within each episode are uneven and leave the audience with a poorly paced hour of television. As enjoyable as the conversations between Dale (Jeffrey DeMunn) and “T-Dog” (IronE Singleton) were, it added nothing but a halt to the momentum of an otherwise stellar second episode.

Character development can greatly aid even the most hectic of series. As the most recent season of AMC’s “Breaking Bad” proves, television shows can fully develop a multitude of characters without sacrificing a moment of suspense or alienating the action-junkie contingent of their fanbase.

Unfortunately, the forced characterization doesn’t add to the audience’s compassion for the characters. Outside of Rick and Shane, it’s hard to name the group — unless “Lady with the Daughter” or “Redneck with the Crossbow” are the actual names of the characters. To make the show work, new producer Glen Mazzara (“The Shield”) must provide greater depth and dimensions to the survivors.

Fortunately, the show has time to improve on an already very sturdy foundation. AMC renewed the series for a third season on Tuesday following the second season’s monstrous viewer ratings.

Let’s just hope this show achieves the consistency of its AMC sibling shows.