The Walking Dead has become a staple show in the world of television. It won several awards throughout its years on air. It is a timeless show, loved by people across multiple generations.
Once you become a fan, you can't help but rewatch it. It's one of the most comforting zombie shows that brings fans a great sense of nostalgia every time they watch it. The story is what makes the show the hit it is, but without some of the major characters, this show would be nothing. The cast and characters are what make this story really rich and fulfilling. However, there are also some characters that made the show worse to watch.
Characters that made the show great
1. Rick Grimes
Rick Grimes was the best protagonist a show could ever ask for. We got to navigate the world of The Walking Dead with him and witness him grow into the best apocalyptic survivor. He's someone that everyone can connect with. Rick starts off as a man striving to do what is right to protect his family. However, he quickly turns into this leader who continues to put others above himself. His transition into the new world was something intriguing to fans. It made fans question what they themselves would do if they ever ended up in his position.
Rick was just a man who had a way with leadership that made everyone want to rely on him. Whoever met him quickly realized that he was a strong and capable individual that they could trust. Even after his disappearance from the show, Rick remained a key part of what made the show great. Characters continued to talk about him, and the writers still used his character to shape the theme of the show. Michonne's character even left the show to find him. There aren't as many characters that can shape a show like Rick Grimes did.
2. Daryl Dixon
Daryl Dixon was never supposed to be a main character in the show. However, when Norman Reedus auditioned for the show, the writers and producers loved his acting so much that they made a new character just for him to play. Without that decision I don't know where The Walking Dead would be today.
Daryl's character became everyone's favorite character throughout the years. His character started off as a rough outdoorsman who's original plan was to rob the main group with his brother, Merle Dixon. However, when Merle got left behind, that all started to change.
At the beginning of the show, Daryl followed in his brother's footsteps, but when he no longer had him around as an influence, he started doing what he thought was right. He started caring for those in the group and became someone the group could heavily rely on. Like Rick, Daryl began to risk his life for others.
Fans love watching his journey throughout the show and how he fights for those he loves. It almost seems like no obstacle is too big for Daryl to overcome. He made the show a hit, and fans continue to watch him shape the apocalypse in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.
3. Carol Peletier
Carol Peletier has probably had the best character development that anyone has ever seen. She started her time on the show as a quiet and scared woman, taking on abuse from her husband, Ed. However, once Ed passed away, she was able to be free. This transformation didn't come quickly.
The trauma of finding her missing daughter dead kept her trapped for a while. We even see the death of her daughter continue to haunt her years later in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. However, in season 4 of The Walking Dead, Carol's character takes a turn, and she becomes a character that will stop at nothing to make sure those she loves are safe.
Season 4, episode 2, titled "Infected," starts the turning point for Carol's journey. After that she became a hero to the group, always coming to people's aid. She always comes up with the best ideas to get out of dangerous situations and works smart to find out what she can from others while being perceived as the innocent older woman. She made her mark on this show in a drastic way and continues to do so on The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.
Characters that made the show worse
1. Negan Smith
When Negan makes his entrance onto the show during the season 6 finale, he kills off two of the most beloved characters. After that many fans stopped watching, and The Walking Dead hit its lowest viewer count in years. Most fans would agree that the best seasons of the show are those from season 1 to season 5. During Negan's reign, many major characters are killed off, and the story starts to get a bit repetitive.
Negan is a brutal character who changes a lot throughout his time on the show. One of the things that has bothered fans is his relationship with Maggie Rhee. Negan and she can never get along because he was the cause of her husband's death.
The two characters go back and forth between hating and helping each other. You never know how they will get along from one day to the next. This carries on in The Walking Dead: Dead City. Negan becomes remorseful for his actions but always seems to continue making the wrong choices.
2. Maggie Rhee
Maggie's character starts off as the tough farm girl who falls in love with the character Glenn Rhee. The two of them developed a strong and beautiful love that sadly ends in season 7, episode 1, "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be," when Glenn is killed. Maggie's character goes through a lot of grief in a short amount of time. Their group continues to fight with Negan while she is still pregnant with Glenn's baby. Her character grows into one of the toughest characters on the show. However, after the war with Negan, her character begins to shift.
The vengeance she carries for Negan becomes overwhelmingly apparent. It becomes something she always worries about. She wants nothing more than to get rid of the man that killed her husband.
As time goes on she begins to realize that killing him won't do anything for her, but she is always one step away from doing so if he makes the slightest mistake. Her character becomes consumed with this rage, and it becomes all she is. Her son, Hershel, even has a conversation with her about her obsession with Negan in The Walking Dead: Dead City. This trait of Maggie's began to drag the show down and ultimately made it worse.
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