The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

Posted: 21 Oct 2011 12:21 AM PDT

The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman says season two of the zombie TV series will be darker.

VAMPIRES are all the rage on the big and small screens these days, with viewers flocking to the likes of the celluloid Twilight Saga and TV series True Blood, which has been renewed for a fifth season. But comic writer Robert Kirkman, 32 – creator of the acclaimed comic and TV series The Walking Dead – sounds more than a little dismissive about emo vampires.

The Walking Dead, about a group of survivors in a world ravaged by a zombie virus, he says "is much more about survival and protecting your loved ones ... than it is worrying about someone driving a stake into your heart or dying to marry a pretty girl or whatever it is they do in vampire stories these days."

He adds: "Zombies are an unrelenting force that you have to have human characters dealing with, so by design, doing a zombie story makes you tell human stories."

Focusing on the other kind of undead creature has certainly paid off handsomely for Kirkman.

The first season of The Walking Dead was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Television Series and the show is returning for a second season. Ratings for the season one finale in the United States peaked at six million viewers. The second season premiered in the United States last Sunday.

In a conference call from Los Angeles recently, he enthused about how he has been given "an unprecedented level of control" over the show as executive producer. He notes that whenever source material such as a comic or novel is adapted to celluloid, the creator usually has minimal involvment. But he is in a somewhat unique situation.

"I'm in the writer's room full-time, so I'm coming up with storylines with the writers. I'm also approving casting and I'm in the editing room a lot of the time looking over different cuts and edits."

However, he is quick to add: "But that said, if there's anything you don't like in the show, it's got nothing to do with me."

Just like the comic, the TV series has more than its share of intense, gut-wrenching moments. For example, the last season saw a character executing her sister who had turned into a zombie. And it is only going to get darker, he promises. "As we move forward, it's really just kind of going deeper and deeper into that world and watching society crumble all that much more. We'll be going to some pretty dark places. We're not pulling any punches, is what I'm trying to get at."

While three new characters will join the mix this season, the existing cast will certainly not make it to the end of the season unscathed, he says: "There's danger around every corner and, to be realistic, you kind of have to allow some characters to die off every now and then."

Nevertheless, he adds that the producers are mindful of keeping "some spark of hope" and not letting the show become "unrelentingly dark and depressing" for fear of the audience changing the channel.

"We're always going to be keeping that little spark of life and little light-hearted moments from time to time, just to lighten the mood and also play them against the darker moments, to make the darker moments that much more impactful."

He also has high hopes that the show will echo the longevity of the ongoing monthly comic series. Started in 2003, the comic will hit its 100th issue next year.

"I like to joke with Andrew Lincoln (the TV lead) that it's gonna go for 20 seasons just because I know that he would not want that to happen because that would pretty much eat up his entire life but I'd like to see it go on for years and years." – The Straits Times, Singapore/Asia News Network

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Here they go again

Posted: 21 Oct 2011 12:25 AM PDT

TUNE in to the most romantic show on air and catch more than just your favourite love songs as you could pick up something special for you and a loved one on Red FM's Late Night Love Songs with Mynn.

All next week, you could win a pair of tickets to the Whitesnake World Tour 2011 on Oct 30 at Putra Indoor Stadium, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur. Just send Mynn your three favourite love songs, along with a dedication for someone special, when Red FM's Threesome comes on.

Be sure to include a song from the band in your selection and if your choice of songs is chosen, you get to catch Whitesnake's powerful live show.

Formed by David Coverdale (pic), the former vocalist of Deep Purple, Whitesnake has produced numerous hit songs and albums. Among them are their self titled album Whitesnake, Slide It In and Slip Of The Tongue. Their 11th album, Forevermore, is a cohesive effort which retains all the flavours of the band's classic rock stylings yet contains the elements of love and romance.

With Red FM's Threesome, a message to a loved one could see you taking him or her to watch Whitesnake performing their hits. For more ticketing inquiries, check out airasiaredtix.com.

In the meantime, if you want to treat more loved ones to a fun night out, you can do so by winning passes to Red FM's Remix Scream Party on Oct 29. This Halloween-themed dance party will be held at @LOFT Asian Heritage Row located in Kuala Lumpur.

DJ Razz and guest DVJ G-Mix will hook you up with the top club songs, electronic dance tracks and dance anthem remixes. You can win four passes on Red FM's Eleven 2 Three with Linora (Monday to Friday, 11.00am to 3.00pm) and Red FM's Evenings with Arnold (Monday to Friday, 7.00pm to 10.00pm). Come party in your most awesome Halloween costume as there's a grand prize awaiting the best dressed.

Check out the Red FM Malaysia Facebook fan page (facebook.com/redfm.my) and follow us on Twitter (@iloveredfm) for the latest updates of all contests. Red FM is owned and operated by The Star.

> Red FM's station frequencies: Taiping, Kedah, Perlis and Pulau Langkawi: 98.1 FM; George Town and Seberang Prai: 107.6 FM; Ipoh: 106.4 FM; Klang Valley, Negri Sembilan and Tapah: 104.9 FM; Kuantan: 91.6 FM; Batu Pahat and Malacca: 98.9 FM; Johor Baru and Singapore: 92.8 FM.

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Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Khamis, 20 Oktober 2011