Even though AMC's hit zombie series is still showing signs of life in 2021 with a fantastic first half of season 11, The Walking Dead has already done more than enough to cement itself as one of the all-time great television series. Since the undead adventure first aired in 2010, the adaptation of Robert Kirkman's comic has captured the hearts and adoration of fans across the globe, with its jaw-dropping twists, captivating characters, and immersive post-apocalyptic setting working wonders in making The Walking Dead a phenomenal success.
The highs and the lows of this smash-hit show are almost certain to linger in the minds of walker fans long after the zombie thriller is laid to rest, and there are plenty of chapters in this sensational story when it comes to singling out the very best and most memorable episodes.
10 Better Angels Saw The Walking Dead Say Goodbye To Shane
The dynamic between best friends Rick and Shane made for truly captivating TV during The Walking Dead's first two seasons, and the moment in which it all came to an end remains a hugely significant turning point in the post-apocalyptic adventure.
The ruthlessness that Rick Grimes would become famous for is first shown in full force in Better Angels. After figuring out Shane's plan to murder him, he retaliates by taking Shane's life. The Walking Dead would certainly miss Jon Bernthal's commanding presence, yet this moment set the show up for years of fearsome thrills and fascinating drama.
9 On the Inside May Just Be The Scariest Episode In The Walking Dead's Run
The first few episodes of season 11 took the show back to its horror roots, offering up dark, dingey locales and placing the main characters in frightful situations, but even with this fair warning, few fans could have predicted just how terrifying episode six would turn out to be.
By trapping Connie inside a house overrun by animalistic, hardly-human creatures hell-bent on killing her, The Walking Dead's creators offered up what is perhaps the scariest installment the series has ever seen - On The Inside.
8 The Grove Gives New Meaning To Looking At Flowers
Even from the inception of The Walking Dead comic, Robert Kirkman was always out to tell a story about humanity, and AMC's adaptation never lays stripped back human emotion on thicker than in the season four episode The Grove.
Remembered by fans as the one where Carol kills Lizzy, this chapter saw the heartbreaking deaths of two children, which was always going to get the tear ducts working. Yet, it's the way in which they die that causes the episode to stick in the minds of fans. Carol's plea to "look at the flowers" still rings in the ears of viewers today, and Melissa McBride's stunning performance here may well be her career-best.
7 Evolution Raised The Stakes And The Horror Within The Walking Dead
The suitably titled Evolution saw The Walking Dead itself evolve to new highs for the remainder of season nine. With Rick Grimes out of the picture, the show seemed to struggle slightly to find its footing, yet looking back it was more of a calm before the storm, and humans walking amongst the dead in frightful disguises was something of a tornado once it hit the zombie show.
The stunning reveal of The Whisperers was an expertly executed surprise for anyone unfamiliar with the comics, and for those that were, the first real appearance of the skin-wearing warriors certainly lived up to the hype.
6 No Sanctuary Has No Shortage Of Tremendous Action And Heroics
The episode which fully transformed Carol into one of the show's fiercest fighters, completing an incredible character arc in the process, No Sanctuary put Rick and co. in what was their most perilous situation yet. There was seemingly no escape for the group until the outcasted Carol emerged caked in dirt, toting guns, and looking more like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Predator than the timid housewife she started The Walking Dead as.
Melissa McBride's character had killed before and on more than one occasion but never had she done so with such bravado. This was rip-roaring revenge packed with thrills and plenty of blood spills. As a single episode, No Sanctuary is the undead adventure at its absolute best.
5 The Walking Dead Got Off To An Incredible Start With Days Gone Bye
Even after over a decade of The Walking Dead dominating TV, there's no denying that one of its finest hours remains its very first one. By focusing on a man that had spent the beginning of the outbreak in a coma, Days Gone Bye thrust viewers into the zombie apocalypse like few shows or movies had ever managed before.
Andrew Lincoln proved himself the perfect Rick Grimes from the get-go, and with one exceptional hour of television, The Walking Dead announced itself to the world and made a remarkable first impression.
4 Last Day On Earth Is Mostly Memorable For The Wrong Reasons
An unforgettable episode largely for the wrong reasons, the season 6 finale's cliffhanger would be the quitting point for many of The Walking Dead faithful. After Glenn's fakeout death had tested the patience of viewers earlier in the season, having the last episode end with Negan swinging his bat at an undisclosed victim was a step too far in many fans' eyes.
Negan's introduction was brilliant, as was the build-up to it, yet sadly Last Day on Earth remains a hugely contrasting slice of AMC's hit show. Many remember it as a cheap ratings grab at the expense of quality, others look back fondly on it as the first appearance of one of the series' greatest characters.
3 Pretty Much Dead Already Features One Of The Walking Dead's Biggest Shocks
Pretty Much Dead Already gave The Walking Dead one of its most jaw-dropping plot twists. After tensions surrounding the walker-filled barn between Shane, Hershel, and Rick came to a head, Shane erratically let the dead loose and the slaughter of zombies followed.
When the dust settled, hearts were already broken, but then one more walker stumbled out of the barn. Carol's missing daughter Sophia emerged as one of the dead, injecting a level of sorrow and hopelessness that the show has rarely managed to replicate since.
2 The Governor Went Too Far In Too Far Gone
For many fans, David Morrisey's Governor is still the most intimidating presence that the show's heroes have faced over the years. An unhinged, tyrannical maniac with little regard for the lives of others, Philip Blake committed his fair share of horrendous acts in season three, but season four's mid-season finale would see him leave those prior acts paling in comparison.
An all-out attack on the prison began with the hacking off of Hershel's head. The old man wasn't just any survivor, he was a fan favorite and one of the most neutrally good presences within The Walking Dead. Too Far Gone houses one of the most upsetting deaths in the series, and it's accompanied by some of its most exciting action as well.
1 Fans Will Never Forget The Horrors Of The Day Will Come When You Won't Be
Fans that didn't quit after the season six cliffhanger were treated with one of the most heartwrenching, brutal, and outright horrific episodes in The Walking Dead's history. Viewers finally got to see who Negan swung Lucille at and the result was in no way for the faint of heart.
Abraham's death, as gruesome as it was, was only the beginning. A couple of hits to Glenn's head later and fans were left with what is still the most graphically violent and disturbing image the show has ever produced. The pizza delivery boy's death was certainly tragic, yet no one can forget his final words and just how his mangled face looked moments before he died.