The first season of AMC's The Walking Dead was a six-part introduction to the story originally created for the comic by Robert Kirkman. The series would be fortunate to have Kirkman onboard as executive producer and writer, lending his expertise. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter from 2014, Kirkman expresses his disappointment in one specific episode from the first season, but after a rewatch, I completely disagree.
On Dec. 5, 2010, AMC premiered ep. 106, "TS-19," which was written by Adam Fierro & Frank Darabont and directed by Guy Ferland. This episode picked up where things ended in the previous one with Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and the gang arriving at the CDC in Atlanta.
They were met by Dr. Edwin Jenner (Noah Emmerich), who was reluctant to allow them entrance into the facitlity. The group hoped to find answers at the CDC but would soon be disappointed to learn that Jenner was the only remaining scientist.
Kirkman believed that "TS-19" gave away too much information too soon. Telling Rick that everyone was infected is a considerable reveal he would have preferred to unveil later in the series. He also wishes that France had never been mentioned. He stated that he was careful in the comics not to comment on what was happening in other parts of the world. Kirkman has always made it clear that TWD was never about finding a cure, and I can agree with that; there is no show if there is a cure.
After a recent rewatch, I have to disagree with Kirkman. The Walking Dead world knows nothing of zombie lore as we know it. The dead reanimating, headshots, and the like are common knowledge in the lore of real life, but in TWD, the characters know nothing of this. They had to learn on the job and figure out how to kill the undead. Jenner reveals there is no cure, and the outbreak is worldwide.
This is one of my favorite episodes as, despite everything featured, it is a great episode to end the first season. We see our survivors having a moment of fun where they are eating, drinking, and forgetting the horrors that lie outside the protection of the CDC facility.
Jenner revealing to Rick that everyone is infected is a turning point for the story, information that wouldn't actually be revealed to the storyline in the season 2 finale. Rick was hesitant to relay this information to the group until he saw it with his own eyes when Shane (Jon Bernthal) came back after not being bit.
Most viewers understand Kirkman's regret but still believe "TS-19" to be one of the best episodes of The Walking Dead.
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