The fascinating morality of "The Walking Dead":
"The soul of man is a dark forest," wrote D.H. Lawrence in "Studies in Classic American Literature." In civilized life, that forest stays mostly hidden, thank goodness; that's why they call it "polite" society, quote marks optional. Stories let us explore the wooded interior -- especially horror, science fiction and fantasy, pop culture's version of ancient folk tales. AMC's horror series "The Walking Dead," based on Robert Kirkman's comic book series, is one of the better folk tales out there. As horror and as drama, it's workmanlike, sometimes more than that. It's slow and drab, its performances range from B-movie sturdy to wooden, and the non-American actors' accents slip with distressing regularity. But as a case study in situational ethics, it's terrific.