Twd - S01e01 - Rick Wakes Up

Rick wakes up alone in in King County, Georgia. He had been in a coma for an estimated 46 to 59 days following a gunshot wound sustained in the line of duty.

: He finds an abandoned military site with sandbags and an idle helicopter before making his way back to his neighborhood on a bicycle. TWD S01E01 - Rick Wakes Up

: Outside the hospital exit, hundreds of decayed bodies wrapped in sheets are neatly arranged in rows, indicating a failed military or medical containment effort. Rick wakes up alone in in King County, Georgia

: At his home, which is empty and ransacked, Rick meets survivors Morgan and Duane Jones . They explain the "rules" of this new world: the "walkers" are attracted to sound and smell, and a bite causes a fatal fever that leads to reanimation. Significance and Realism : Outside the hospital exit, hundreds of decayed

Critics and fans often highlight this scene as one of the best openings in television history for its atmosphere of isolation and dread. While medically unrealistic—as Rick likely would not have survived months without water or medical care—the show's web series The Oath suggests a doctor stayed behind to maintain the hospital as long as possible. RECAP: The Walking Dead – S01E01 – Days Gone By