The Walking Dead episode Robert Kirkman regrets made an impact

News has been circulating within The Walking Dead fandom about Robert Kirkman’s comment in a 2014 interview with THR. He stated that he regretted the season finale episode “T-19” from season one. He felt it may have given too much away.

The episode “T-19” has come back into the limelight due to the post-credit scene from the spin-off The Walking Dead World Beyond’s series finale. In that scene, we see videos of Dr. Edwin Jenner (Noah Emmerich) back at the CDC location talking about the research he and his wife, the “other” Dr. Jenner’s were working on.

This scene has brought up some fascinating information regarding the creation of a variant walker by the French. Many have speculated that the virus may have originated there.

Robert Kirkman’s Walking Dead regret

Although Kirkman regrets that episode, the information Rick and the group get in this episode is vital. They learn that everyone is infected, which is a massive game-changer as now they fear the living and the dead. And that the CDC hasn’t found a cure, and the only ones who have been remotely close are the French, who are thousands of miles and an ocean away.

By learning that everyone carries the virus, Rick and the group now have to watch out for anyone who dies, even from natural causes. This revelation makes sense to Rick as he sees Shane reanimate after stabbing him.

This made the series much more interesting. In my opinion, it made it scarier to know that anyone can turn into a walker after they die.

As far as learning about the French, Kirkman’s biggest hang-up with this episode, this information doesn’t alter Rick’s story. We learn the French thought they were close to a solution, but even if they did come up with a cure, it would be quite some time before that could be shared with anyone in the US.

Now that this episode has resurfaced due to the post-credit scene, many have rewatched and analyzed the information from season one and the new information from the new scene. Many feel this is an indicator that the virus started in France. There has been no official word on what this scene will tie to, perhaps a spin-off that shows what has been going on in other parts of the world.

The Walking Dead returns to AMC on February 20, 2022, with part 2 of season 11.