Unoriginal Soundtracks #53: The Walking Dead

Every other Wednesday, I share a playlist of songs tangentially related to a single game or series. Songs about alien sex for Mass Effect, world leaders for Civilization, and so on. Searching for relevant terms on Spotify is a great way to discover new music and uncover hidden gems. Make requests to @USPodcast on Twitter.

Since April, The Walking Dead game has provided five phenomenal events for video games. Who would have thought that one of the most harrowing, emotional journeys so far in video games would be a licensed spin-off featuring zombies?

The adventure game provides themes of death, parenthood, and RVs to inspire this rootsy playlist of folk, soul, and blues.

Sometimes I Wish AMC's The Walking Dead Had the Balls to tell a Completely New Story

I don't mention specifics, but I do mention things that are spoilers of Season 2 and the comics if you know the context at all.

During the first season of AMC's The Walking Dead, fans of the original comic on which the show is based were throwing hissy fits. "This didn't happen in the comics! Gaaaaaaaaaay!" seemed to be their rallying cry, and they wanted to be heard. With Season 2 AMC apparently listened, and that's really my only gripe with the show.

Don't get me wrong, as someone who has read through the seventh trade paperback of Robert Kirkman's comic, I'm extremely excited to watch how the prison stuff plays out in Season 3, and how Michonne's awesomeness translates to the television screen, but I'd also like to see something completely new. It's a constant back-and-forth going on in my head as I watch the show, and sometimes I wish they'd just choose one or the other, complete faithfulness to the source, or a brand new direction.

How Louie and Other Excellent Shows Hint at a Bright Future for Television

We've gotten pretty used to television networks not taking risks. I mean, that's pretty much their whole M.O., right? Why gamble on something you aren't sure about when Two and a Half Men and its ridiculously cliché jokes and entire format is still one of the highest rated shows ever. But those days may be over.

Louis C.K. is a pretty big name, but mainly amongst comedy nerds and other comedians. If I mentioned him to my mother she would likely have no idea who he was. Of course, she might not even recognize a name like Jerry Seinfeld, but that's besides the point. The point being that FX definitely didn't have a sure bet when they gave him total creative control to spend their money however he wanted. But it didn't matter.

Jon's Top 5 TV Shows of 2010

2010 has been a big year for television. With many shows continuing excellent runs, running into their final seasons, and coming to unexpected ends, the landscape for what to expect from this mainstream media has been constantly changing. Despite ever-flowing tidal forces in the industry, some shows have handily floated to the top. Without further ado, here are my top five television shows that have personally led to my most active watching schedule in recent years.

A Look Back at the Comics of 2010

2010 has been an incredible year for comics. We’ve seen history-changing, epic comic events, old favorites dying off, and some favorites making their return. From film adaptations to cable television series, comics have had a major impact on pop culture in 2010.

For someone like me who really started paying attention to comics just last year, 2010 has made it incredibly exciting and fun to read comics. What follows are some of my favorite highlights in comics from the past year.