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What did TS-19 mean in The Walking Dead season 1?

By Renee Hansen

(L-R) Shane Walsh (Jon Bernthal), Dale (Jeffrey DeMunn), Lori Grimes (Sarah Wayne Callies), Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), T-Dog (Robert 'IronE' Singleton), Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs), Andrea (Laurie Holden), Glenn (Steven Yeun), Sophia (Madison Lintz), Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus), Carol (Melissa Suzanne McBride), Jacqui (Jeryl Prescott) and Dr. Edwin Jenner (Noah Emmerich)
(L-R) Shane Walsh (Jon Bernthal), Dale (Jeffrey DeMunn), Lori Grimes (Sarah Wayne Callies), Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), T-Dog (Robert 'IronE' Singleton), Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs), Andrea (Laurie Holden), Glenn (Steven Yeun), Sophia (Madison Lintz), Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus), Carol (Melissa Suzanne McBride), Jacqui (Jeryl Prescott) and Dr. Edwin Jenner (Noah Emmerich) /
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The sixth and final episode of season 1 of The Walking Dead, "TS-19," was a brilliant episode. Not only did everyone experience a great night with hot showers and good food, but Dr. Edwin Jenner (Noah Emmerich) of the CDC opened their eyes to significant information regarding the scientific side of the outbreak and the undead.

TS-19 refers to Test Subject 19, one of many tests conducted on people who were infected by the virus and monitored as the scientists at the CDC and elsewhere frantically tried to discover a cure or a way to stop the spread of the virus.

Below, Dr. Jenner shows Rick's group video of TS-19, who would later be revealed to be his wife, a brilliant scientific mind who, after being bitten, volunteered her transformation from dead to undead to be recorded and studied.

Watching this scene separate from the rest of the story and after so much time and events have passed reminds us of the powerful first season of this series and why it drew so many people to it. The characters' reactions are so impactful and real, and Jenner's information is the first the group receives on what is going on with the dead rising. It isn't often that a story revolving around the undead gives this much detail to how the dead become undead.

This brings to mind a quote that will be voiced in season 2: “Christ promised a resurrection of the dead, but I always thought He had something different in mind.” - Herschel Green

It is interesting to note that Dr. Edwin Jenner was modeled after the English physician Edward Jenner, a pioneer in the eradication of smallpox.

Another throwback to the first episode of the series is that the grenade Carol (Melissa McBride) hands to Rick is the one he found in the tank.

The Walking Dead "TS-19" originally aired on AMC on December 5, 2010, and was written by Adam Fierro & Frank Darabont and directed by Guy Ferland. The song that plays at the end of the episode is "Tomorrow Is a Long Time" by Bob Dylan.

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