Our favorite moments from season 1 of The Walking Dead

We’re All Infected

Season 1 episode 10: “TS-19”

Tim says:

Season 1 of The Walking Dead has so many defining moments, but the one that sticks with me all these years later is Dr. Edwin Jenner whispering in Rick’s ear.

Not only does what Jenner tell Rick set up the show’s biggest twist – that anyone who dies becomes a walker, unless killed by head trauma – but it’s a twist we don’t even see in full until the finale of season two (of course, comic-book readers knew about this beforehand).

The show did tease this masterfully with Randall’s death by Shane’s hand and his turn, all of which happened in season two, but once Rick tells the whole group, you flashback to season one and Jenner’s quiet chat with Rick.

That’s one reason I love this moment. It seems so insignificant at the time, and even those who filed it away for future reference likely forgot since it was a full season before what Jenner said was revealed. The moment gets sort of lost in the craziness of the episode which involves a discussion about how the infection works, Shane’s attempt to rape Lori, the group’s first taste of civilization in a while, and the debate about whether to try to live on the road or to give up and die as the CDC explodes.

Yet, this moment sets up a huge plot point that carries through the rest of the show. Imagine if you only turned when you were bitten. Imagine how different the show would be. Sasha’s plan to attack Negan would be a non-starter. So would Rick’s plan to avoid shooting Negan’s troops in the head, in the hopes they’d bleed out and turn and attack Negan’s group.

The flu plotline from season 4 would also be less important – we’d still be worried about our heroes dying, but we’d be less worried about turned flu victims attacking the prison from the inside, and the losses sustained would’ve likely been fewer. And who can forget how the Governor used Milton to attack Andrea?

Those are just the examples I can think of off the top of my head. Anyway, sometimes the shows biggest moments are small at the time.