When you're on the air for 11 seasons, people are going to feel some kind of way about your show. There's no clearer example of that than The Walking Dead. AMC's legendary series based on Robert Kirkman's eponymous graphic novel series gripped audiences throughout its decade-long run, making them love, hate, cry, laugh, revolt, and appreciate everything that went down in the post-apocalyptic world. But nothing made them feel more than the characters.
The characters are the lifeblood of The Walking Dead and its many, many spinoffs. Whether it's a noble hero who just wants to do everything they can do ensure that their loved ones survive, or a heinous villain hellbent on exact the most callous kind of revenge, the personalities that popped up throughout the TWD Universe were capable of making us feel all of the feels.
That's still incredibly clear in the TWD Universe spinoffs of today, as Daryl Dixon, Dead City and miniseries The Ones Who Live prioritize their characters, allowing even more time for growth and spotlight that just wasn't possible in the original show given its ensemble nature. And with that in mind, let’s take this opportunity to look at the very best and worst characters in the whole TWD Universe and discuss why some succeeded, and some did not.
Hershel Greene
There are a lot of disagreements over which characters in The Walking Dead are the best, and which are the worst, but if there is one place that most will find common ground, it’s with Hershel Greene. Audiences loved Hershel, with the committed family man and Greene patriarch becoming an instant fan-favorite when he debuted in the second season.
Offering up his farm as a place of refuge to Rick and his allies, Hershel wasn’t thrilled about the company but he knew it was the right thing to do. He was a man of faith, who hoped for a better tomorrow no matter how bleak the world around him became, and as a result, he became a paragon of hope for the show, with many characters (Rick in particular) seeing him as a voice of reason in the group.
His shining moment when he helped nurse the sick back to health after the virus outbreak in the prison was a real reminder of how just good he was, and it made his death all the more heartbreaking. But as Hershel was a man who lived his life spreading hope and faith, we could all take solace in the fact that he made such a profound and hopeful impact on everyone he crossed paths with.
We’re all better off for knowing Hershel, and we’re so thankful to the late great Scott Wilson for his beautiful work.
Verdict: BEST