The final weeks of summer are upon us. It's time to bring out the sweaters and even order a regular latte instead of an oversized iced monstrosity. As the weather cools, the fervent bustle of fall trickles in. Vacation is over. It's time to look ahead. And although the future may look cold and grim, the return of television's best programs helps ease the pain.
AMC's "The Walking Dead" is making its return in October, and as most fans know, it will introduce a new threat, a new prison, and of course, new death. But that's not all. A new photo featuring a triumphant Michonne atop her new horse named Flame has got fans trembling in excitement for the series' return.
"One of the most compelling images is Michonne finding a new a possibly a lot more reliable type of transportation," said executive producer Gale Anne Hurd during an interview with Entertainment Weekly. "With a horse, you can go through the woods. You can get around obstacles. You can't do that in a vehicle. If a tree falls and blocks the road, you can't go through the forest. You're not going to make it through. It's actually much more of a useful choice. Not only that, but Michonne looks so badass on it."
"I'll tell you this - Danai can ride that horse," said showrunner Scott M. Gimple. "Initially I was a little afraid. I think she was a little confident about it, but I was pretty amazed."
The members of the production team aren't the only ones pleased with Michonne's new form of transportation. Actress Danai Gurira, who plays Michonne, also opened up about her new equestrian skills, admitting that the journey was not easy. She struggled with the task up until shooting, when everything finally clicked.
"It was just crunch time, and I was like, I've just got to do this. It's man over beast. I realize I've been given dominion over the animals and I'm going to take my dominion," Gurira said. "I took advice from so many different people. I took it all. I put it all in the pot and somehow the day before we were shooting I was galloping. And we got it there, and then I loved it. I really, really love it. I've always loved horses, and in the back of my mind I thought I knew how to ride, but I didn't. Then I really learned I didn't. And then now I really can. I love it. I love it now. And I totally get why Michonne would love it. It's such a freeing experience, it's you and this one creature and you don't have to talk. And it does what you say, but it's also this old being and it gets you where you need to go. It has this perfect function. It's just a fantastic animal. So, I so get why she would jump on it and feel free. It's like going into her man cave."
"The Walking Dead" will return to AMC October 13.