Our favorite moments from season 1 of The Walking Dead

Glenn Saves Rick

Season 1 episode 1: “Days Gone Bye”

Joe says:

Simply put, without Glenn’s heroics in the beginning episodes of The Walking Dead, Rick would not have survived.

After Rick is stranded in a tank in the middle of the city with a horde of walkers surrounding him, he has no idea what to do. With only a few rounds left and nowhere to run, he is only saved by Glenn guiding him through the radio in the tank.

From a narrative perspective, the importance of this scene can not be overstated. Not only did the scene introduce an important character in Glenn, but it also served as the catalyst for Rick finding his way back to Carl and Lori. The story of the Grimes family would have been cut remarkably short had Glenn not selflessly saved Rick at the beginning of the series.

Glenn’s first line, “Hey you. Dumbass,” became iconic almost as soon as audiences heard it. He quickly became a fan-favorite character and was a staple on the show for a long time. This sequence helps establish Glenn as the moral compass for the group – a role he would serve until his tragic end.

Without Glenn, The Walking Dead would not be what it is today. In a show that could easily be bogged down by the dark and dreary nature of a zombie apocalypse, Glenn provided some much-needed optimism, humor, and levity to The Walking Dead. His introduction perfectly encapsulated what the character was all about: selflessness, hope, and a willingness to help others.