What makes WA unique?

[2bgood]

There are lots of Zombie books, movies, games, comics and even a TV show or two out there. So what makes the WA story unique? What is original about it?

Other than the format (Radio drama) I can't really put my finger on what is new about the story, yet it feels 'fresh'.

Thoughts?

[Loyal Retainer]

I don't think it's exactly unique so much as an excellent amalgamation of different zombie stories. The things that come to mind are the myriad of different types of zombies (Resident Evil), the diary style flashbacks (Day by Day Armageddon series), and the introduction of "smart" zombies (Land of the Dead). This is by no means a slam towards the writers, seeing how the storyline is expertly crafted. With so many different stories about zombies out right now it is almost impossible not to have some kind of overlap with some of them. Unlike a lot of zombie fiction WA has some excellent writers and voice actors that add a lot to the story. The continuity of the story and attention to detail are top notch.

[2bgood]

I don't think it's exactly unique so much as an excellent amalgamation of different zombie stories. The things that come to mind are the myriad of different types of zombies (Resident Evil), the diary style flashbacks (Day by Day Armageddon series), and the introduction of "smart" zombies (Land of the Dead). This is by no means a slam towards the writers, seeing how the storyline is expertly crafted. With so many different stories about zombies out right now it is almost impossible not to have some kind of overlap with some of them. Unlike a lot of zombie fiction WA has some excellent writers and voice actors that add a lot to the story. The continuity of the story and attention to detail are top notch.

To be clear, I am not trying to slam to the writer at all. In fact one of the great things about WA and some of the more recent additions to the zombie genre is that the writing is very good, the characters are well developed. It is not a story about 'zombies', it is a story about people who live in world with some challenges (zombies).

[Kram]

I can't compare WA to other zombie stories, as I haven't really watched/read any others. I think the audio format is attractive to some fans, like me, who are somewhat squeamish and generally avoid gory movies/TV. WA does stand out from many other audio drama podcasts, for the high quality of its acting, recording, and production. It sounds cinematic -- comparable to Bradbury 13, or a BBC radio show.

The writing is also special. I like stories that surprise me and keep me in suspense. It's rare that I find a writer that can do that as regularly as Kc. It's difficult to stay engaged by a predictable storyline, but with WA, I never know what to expect.

[riskbreaker23]

To be clear no slam to the writer at all. In fact once of the great things about WA and some of the more recent additions to the zombie genre is that the writing is very good, the characters are well developed. It not a story about 'zombies', it is a story about people who live in world with some challenges (zombies).

THIS. Before WA, I'd say the earlier RE's, and Walking Dead the Zombie genre was full of rock music, gore, and cheap thrills. It wasn't about crafting a fine tale, it was about creating a movie for gore freaks. Now WA and the Walking Dead are creating stories with characters we care about, stories that move beyond simply killing zombies like a Dead Rising game. In fact, one of the justifications of why the zombie genre is popular is the unapologetic violence on humans. If none of those humans were infected or "zombified" the senseless violence happening on screen would be condemned. But it's okay... they're monsters. It allows that dark violent side of ourselves to be explored. I just hate when it's turned into ONLY that. Then it really does become Dead Rising and it's about the most unique ways to kill a zombie.

The biggest plot twist zombie movies could do before WA and WD were to hesitate on shooting a "zombified" loved one. Then that person gets eaten. Without fail you could bet on it that at some point in the movie a person would hesitate when their loved one becomes a zombie. Sure, I admit, it's something we might all do. If my son became a zombie I might hesitate on shooting him. But when that's the only trick you can pull off people tend to get bored easily. OR... a person got bit and they hang onto their humanity by not killing or abandoning said person. Then said person comes back and kills AT LEAST one other person. It gets re-used over and over again. WA has challenged that. So far we haven't seen any of the typical repetitive devices found in the zombie genre. And even if Kc decides to use some, it's okay because he's been so unique that no one would fault him.

I love the zombie genre for the survival-in-a-crazy-world aspect. Not for senseless violence. WA and the Walking dead are probably the only two things in the zombie genre right now that is challenging that.

And just to be clear, I'm not condemning all senseless violence in the zombie genre. Heck, there are plenty of scenes in WA where zombies are dying left and right. What I am saying is most zombie films don't also contain the great plot and characters that WA has created. When I finally got my wife to listen to WA she came home one day and asked me, nearly in tears, "Does Saul and Lizzy find eachother?" It's now not about the cause of the zombies, or if there's a cure, etc... it's about if two characters in love find eachother in a messed up world.

[Sammy D]

A critical point separates We're Alive from other Zombie works. It has all of the things you expect, zombies, violence, destruction, moral ambiguity, so on and so forth.

I think the thing that makes it special is the optimism of the human spirit. In every other zombie story essentially we watch the last of society. Every last vestige of human morality is chipped away over the course of the story. In We're Alive despite everything we still see signs that the characters believe that they can win. Right down to the final line of season 3. We still have clear heroes and villains and not just because of different groupings but based on actions. Michael will not be cutting off Tardust's finger if he is ever captured (I hope).
.
Zombie stories have always been about our paranoia about the end (I am thinking of Night of the Living Dead for this one) or a warning about some aspect of our culture like materialism (Dawn of the Dead respectively). We're alive is as the subtitle says a story of survival. Despite the odds being firmly against them I have to believe a remnant can and will survive. It is the optimism, humor, and hope that makes it different from everything else.

[Osiris]

A critical point separates We're Alive from other Zombie works. It has all of the things you expect, zombies, violence, destruction, moral ambiguity, so on and so forth.

I think the thing that makes it special is the optimism of the human spirit. In every other zombie story essentially we watch the last of society. Every last vestige of human morality is chipped away over the course of the story. In We're Alive despite everything we still see signs that the characters believe that they can win. Right down to the final line of season 3. We still have clear heroes and villains and not just because of different groupings but based on actions. Michael will not be cutting off Tardust's finger if he is ever captured (I hope).
.
Zombie stories have always been about our paranoia about the end (I am thinking of Night of the Living Dead for this one) or a warning about some aspect of our culture like materialism (Dawn of the Dead respectively). We're alive is as the subtitle says a story of survival. Despite the odds being firmly against them I have to believe a remnant can and will survive. It is the optimism, humor, and hope that makes it different from everything else.

I've got to admit, I'd never connected Dawn of the Dead to materialism. For me the zombie represents fear, the drudgery of the day to day, loss of identity, herd mentality, the inevitability and inability to avoid death. All of which, for me, have been represented in this story, as well as every other. I think the thing that sets it apart from the rest is simply the medium. There have been times when it's like listening to an audio version of The Walking Dead. What makes it the most unique would be the quality of the presentation. It sounds better than 90% of the podcasts currently available.

[Sammy D]

I've got to admit, I'd never connected Dawn of the Dead to materialism. For me the zombie represents fear, the drudgery of the day to day, loss of identity, herd mentality, the inevitability and inability to avoid death. All of which, for me, have been represented in this story, as well as every other. I think the thing that sets it apart from the rest is simply the medium. There have been times when it's like listening to an audio version of The Walking Dead. What makes it the most unique would be the quality of the presentation. It sounds better than 90% of the podcasts currently available.

Osiris, I can definitely agree with that. I think the only thing I regret is I don't know of any other podcast shows of this quality. And of course those additional themes are critical.

[LiamKerrington]

Besides the high quality of the drama - cast-wise and technology-wise?
Besides the complex and coherent story being told?
Besides the well balanced mixture of calm events and full-throttle action and gore combined with plenty of personal tragedy?

The fan-community - i.e. first and foremost this forum and w/ a second breath, yet w/o any doubt the podcast about a podcast "We're Not Dead".
<amendment>I sincerely enjoy listening to the show a lot. But for me it became quite important to share thoughts with you, with the very (a)live(ly) community - either for the purposes for clarifications on things I simply did not understand, and for analyzing what's going on on the show, for the sake of tossing theories and crackpot-theories around, and finally to dive into the spirit of this multi-faced fan-horde.
</amendment>

[Osiris]

Besides the high quality of the drama - cast-wise and technology-wise?
Besides the complex and coherent story being told?
Besides the well balanced mixture of calm events and full-throttle action and gore combined with plenty of personal tragedy?

The fan-community - i.e. first and foremost this forum and w/ a second breath, yet w/o any doubt the podcast about a podcast "We're Not Dead".
<amendment>I sincerely enjoy listening to the show a lot. But for me it became quite important to share thoughts with you, with the very (a)live(ly) community - either for the purposes for clarifications on things I simply did not understand, and for analyzing what's going on on the show, for the sake of tossing theories and crackpot-theories around, and finally to dive into the spirit of this multi-faced fan-horde.
</amendment>

That's pretty much the definition of horde.

I agree with 99% of all of this.

[wh33t]

For me, what really sets We're Alive apart from anything else is KC's style and manipulation of audio. I have hammered him with questions regarding his uncanny ability to create a rich environment just through sound and not surprisingly KC has a lot to say on the subject. From the very special recording equipment he uses, to the places where he records, to the mixture of studio recording and live environment recording, and his very own "floating" technique where he has the environmental ambiance and background playing back at the right volume and frequencies that our ears are expecting to hear all make up We're Alive's uniqueness and enjoyment to me.

Of course it's got an interesting story, with complex characters who are never safe, a great blend of action, suspense, humour, downtime, struggle and mystery and Mr. Whiskers. I also must add that all of the main voice actors are truly incredible especially Burt, Michael and Saul.

[OldtypeM87]

There are lots of Zombie books, movies, games, comics and even a TV show or two out there. So what makes the WA story unique? What is original about it?

Other than the format (Radio drama) I can't really put my finger on what is new about the story, yet it feels 'fresh'.

Thoughts?

I feel it has certain aspects to it that we have seen in other zombie media but it does an excellent job of tieing/mixing them together efficiently along with the unique fact that it is in audio form (one of the more original forms of zombie media). I have seen similarities with left for dead, 28 days/weeks later, walking dead, Romero films, and world world z with the variety/actions of zombies present, the conflict and struggles of the living against the dead and other living, and the basis of the journal and the recollection of the story (as I assumed from Michael's narration in ep.1 part 1) reminds me of how world world z is written with recollections of stories and events.

But as I said, I find it unique due to being in audio form (a rarity these days) and how it seems to pieces others aspects found in most other zombie media outlets and utilise them to piece in the flow of the story well. KC does a very good job of adding a unique perspective and form to zombie media that we may or may have seen before or will see again.