Man, I remember exactly where I was when I first saw that rotting walker rising from the grass in the pilot episode. My buddy Dave had been nagging me for weeks: "You gotta see this new zombie show!" Honestly? I ignored him until season 2 was already airing. Big mistake. Once I binged those first episodes over a rainy weekend, I was hooked. But let's rewind - when did The Walking Dead start exactly? That's what most folks typing that phrase into Google really want to know, right?
The Groundbreaking Premiere: October 31, 2010
Halloween night. 2010. While kids were stuffing candy into pillowcases, AMC dropped a bombshell at 10 PM EST. The pilot episode "Days Gone Bye" directed by Frank Darabont? Man, that thing rewrote TV horror rules overnight. Shot on 16mm film to give it that gritty look, with a budget rumored around $3.5 million per episode - insane money for basic cable back then.
Funny story: I almost missed the premiere because my sister insisted our Halloween party needed a "zombie dance-off." Thank god for DVR. That opening scene with Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) waking up alone in the hospital? Chills. Actual chills.
Key Details About That First Episode
| Episode Title | Air Date | Viewers (millions) | Runtime | Notable Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Days Gone Bye" | October 31, 2010 | 5.35 | 67 minutes | Rick's horse (RIP) |
Fun fact: Those 5.35 million viewers? They doubled AMC's expectations. By season 3, they'd hit 15 million. Insane growth. Still makes me wonder - did anyone expect this comic adaptation to blow up like it did?
Why People Still Ask "When Did Walking Dead Start?"
Let's be real - with 11 seasons, spin-offs like Fear the Walking Dead (2015), and those movies stuck in development hell? The timeline gets messy. I've seen fans argue in comic shops about whether season 4 started in 2013 or 2014. (It was October 2013, for the record).
Here's what people actually want when they search "when did walking dead start":
- The exact premiere date (October 31, 2010)
- Where to stream early seasons (AMC+ currently has exclusive rights)
- How it compares to Robert Kirkman's comics (first issue: 2003)
- Whether it's worth starting now (yes, but stop after season 9 - just my opinion)
Kinda funny how such a simple question has layers, right? Like that time I tried explaining to my mom why Rick's sheriff uniform stayed so clean. Some mysteries remain unsolved.
The Complete Season Timeline
Look, I made this table after getting frustrated during a trivia night. Lost $50 because I confused season 6 and 7 dates. Never again.
| Season | Start Date | End Date | Episodes | Major Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oct 31, 2010 | Dec 5, 2010 | 6 | Shane (kinda), Amy |
| 2 | Oct 16, 2011 | Mar 18, 2012 | 13 | Shane (for real), Dale, Sophia |
| 3 | Oct 14, 2012 | Mar 31, 2013 | 16 | Lori, Merle, Andrea |
| 4 | Oct 13, 2013 | Mar 30, 2014 | 16 | Hershel, The Governor |
| 5 | Oct 12, 2014 | Mar 29, 2015 | 16 | Beth, Tyreese, Bob |
| 6 | Oct 11, 2015 | Apr 3, 2016 | 16 | Denise, Jessie |
| 7 | Oct 23, 2016 | Apr 2, 2017 | 16 | Glenn, Abraham, Sasha |
| 8 | Oct 22, 2017 | Apr 15, 2018 | 16 | Carl, Morales |
| 9 | Oct 7, 2018 | Mar 31, 2019 | 16 | Jesus, Henry |
| 10 | Oct 6, 2019 | Apr 4, 2021 | 22 | Beta, Gamma |
| 11 | Aug 22, 2021 | Nov 20, 2022 | 24 | Maggie's hope (kidding... mostly) |
Notice how season 10 got stretched? Yeah, COVID messed everything up. Watched those late episodes in lockdown eating cereal for dinner. Dark times.
What Made That 2010 Premiere Special?
You had to be there. Supernatural had ghosts, True Blood had vampires... but zombies? On mainstream TV? Seemed risky. Frank Darabont fought hard for practical effects over CGI. Thank god - those walkers still hold up better than some Netflix shows today.
- The Casting Magic: Andrew Lincoln (British dude playing Georgia sheriff?) shouldn't have worked. Jon Bernthal as Shane? Perfect. Sarah Wayne Callies as Lori? Controversial but memorable.
- That Opening Sequence: Abandoned gas station with "Don't Open Dead Inside" scrawled everywhere? Iconic.
- The Bicycle Girl Zombie: Still haunts my dreams. Fun fact: She was played by makeup artist Greg Nicotero's assistant.
Personal gripe: They never topped season 1's atmosphere. That scene with deserted Atlanta? Chilling. Later seasons felt like... just people arguing in forests. With occasional zombies.
Where to Watch From the Beginning
Streaming rights are a maze worse than Terminus. Here's the current breakdown (as of late 2023):
| Platform | All Seasons? | Cost | Free Trial | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMC+ | Yes + spin-offs | $8.99/month | 7 days | Hardcore fans |
| Netflix (US) | Seasons 1-10 only | Included in plan | N/A | Casual viewers |
| Hulu | Only recent seasons | $7.99+ | Yes | Catching current eps |
| Blu-ray | Complete box set | $150+ | N/A | Collectors |
Protip: If you're asking "when did walking dead start" because you want to revisit season 1? AMC+ has the unedited versions. Netflix cuts some gore. And trust me - the gore matters.
Frequently Asked Questions (From Real Humans)
Working at a comic store for three years taught me what new fans actually ask. Not that "cultural impact" crap professors talk about. Real questions:
Was there a pilot before October 2010?
Nope. But there's a cool story - Darabont shot test footage with different actors in 2009. Frankly, it looked cheap. Thank heavens AMC greenlit the real thing. Could've been another failed zombie project.
Why Sunday nights?
AMC's genius scheduling: Put it after Mad Men and Breaking Bad. My Dad discovered it because he forgot to change the channel after Don Draper. Still thanks me for explaining the zombies.
How does the comic timeline compare?
Robert Kirkman's comics launched way back in October 2003. Fun detail: The show actually starts mid-comic story. Rick's hospital wake-up? That's Issue #1, page 1. But Shane dies way faster in the comics (Issue #6 vs Season 2).
Biggest differences between 2010 and now?
Besides Daryl not existing in the comics? Early seasons focused on survival dread. Later seasons became... well, zombie-themed soap operas. Don't @ me.
- Season 1-3: "How do we survive?"
- Season 4-6: "How do we rebuild?"
- Season 7+: "How many groups can fight over supplies?"
Why This Show Still Matters
Even after that messy final season (c'mon, you know it dragged), that 2010 premiere changed TV. It proved horror could be prestige television. Without TWD, we don't get Stranger Things or Yellowjackets. Say what you want about later seasons - that first episode is textbook perfect horror filmmaking.
Think about it: How many shows make you care about a guy and his horse in 20 minutes? Before zombies even show? That's craftsmanship.
Last thought: Next time someone asks "when did walking dead start" - tell them Halloween 2010. But also tell them to watch just seasons 1-5. Then pretend it got cancelled. Works for me.
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