All 11 seasons of The Walking Dead, ranked worst to best

9. The Walking Dead season 9

With the all-out-war storyline behind it, the show introduced its next overarching villains: the Whisperers. Taken straight out of the comics, these silent, zombie-skin-wearing villains lived out in the open, masquerading as the dead. Their stoic leader Alpha (Samantha Morton) announced her arrival by building a border out of the severed heads of some of our group members.

I really loved the Whisperers. They were unique villains. Alpha was an unhinged mother who completely lost herself in the post-apocalyptic world. Then there was Beta (Ryan Hurst), easily one of the toughest people to ever feature on the show. I liked his backstory too; he was a famous musician before the zombies took over. Jesus’ death in “Evolution” shocking; it had the tone of a classic horror movie, expertly directed by Michael Satrazemis.

However, I think the most memorable episode of this season is Rick Grimes’ final episode, “What Comes After.” It was every bit the emotional sendoff he deserved. Don’t lie, everyone shed a tear. The show has made some dodgy decisions over the years, but they really gave Rick his due while also keeping the door open for a future return. And indeed he will return for a spinoff in 2023 alongside Michonne, who left the show the following season.

8. The Walking Dead season 2

This season found our group set out to find somewhere to hold up long-term while the zombies multiplied and ravaged the countryside. They found sanctuary in the Greene Family Farm, owned by Hershel, a lovely, caring man with a big heart. Contrary to a lot of people our group came across throughout the show, Hershel and his family were genuine, nice people. Here we meet Maggie (Lauren Cohan), one of the most important characters in the entire show, and Beth (Emily Kinney), the picture of innocence.

The looming storyline of season 2 was the disappearance of Carol’s daughter Sophia. Almost everything the group did involved trying to track down Sophia. Viewers were left wondering what became of her until the midseason finale, when it was finally revealed that Sophia had been trapped inside Hershel’s barn as a zombie all along. Watching Carol burst into tears when she saw her daughter was utterly heartbreaking.

There were plenty of other memorable moments, such as Carl being shot in the premiere, Shane’s death at the hands of Rick, and Maggie and Glenn’s blossoming relationship.