These days, it’s difficult to come by a portrayal of monsters in pop culture that doesn’t cast them as sparkling fairies or use them as a gimmick for a quick snuff film with lots of nudity.

However, AMC has recently launched a new television series titled “The Walking Dead,” a depiction of not only what horror culture should be known for but an insightful look at the true human moral code and the effects of dehumanization.

“The Walking Dead” follows the story of Rick Grimes, a police officer from a small town in Kentucky. Rick is shot in a gun battle with a group of escaped convicts and wakes up 20 days later in the hospital to find that his entire world has changed and the dead have risen to feast upon the flesh of the living.

Based on the award-winning monthly comic book by writer Robert Kirkman and artists Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard, “The Walking Dead” will not disappoint. Directed by Frank Darabont (“The Shawshank Redemption” and “The Green Mile”), “The Walking Dead” stars Andrew Lincoln, a forthcoming actor cast perfectly for his role, Norman Reedus (“The Boondock Saints”) and Michael Rooker (Cliffhanger).

The series is filmed in such a way that it creates an engrossing image of what the world would be in a zombie apocalypse: a drab, deserted, and morose scene of chaos. The story stays as true to the comics as it can for a TV series and holds the same feeling of tension that the graphic novels do.

There is a constant fear of what could happen and how bad things could be, which leads each character to understand what humans need to survive – nourishment, water and shelter, of course – but also what is required of the human psyche when the world goes to hell.

For an excellent night of zombie mayhem, impressive acting and staggering filmography, tune to AMC at 9 p.m. on Sunday nights. It will leave you hungry for more.