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

The Walking Dead season 5

This was the peak of The Walking Dead. When season 5 aired it was the biggest show on television, the ratings were through the roof, and all was well. Look no further than the Rotten Tomatoes ratings, which has season 5 down as the best.

A lot happened in this season. There was the Terminus storyline about a community that promised to be a safe zone for everyone…and then the members turned out to be cannibals who ate their guests. This plot was amazing, although I have one huge caveat: it was over way too fast. Regardless, Bob’s “tainted meat” line will forever be iconic.

I can’t talk about this season without mentioning Beth’s death. Watching Beth get accidentally shot took everyone by surprise. We thought she was safe. When Daryl carried her dead body out to our group, all of our hearts broke. Seeing her sister Maggie break down was incredibly hard to watch. Tyreese’s death was similarly devastating.

The plot moved in season 5, as well. This is where we meet Aaron and Eric, who take our group to Alexandria, where they stay for the rest of the series.

The Walking Dead season 3

Season 3 finds out group holing up in one of the show’s most iconic locations: the prison. With big walls, a big outside space for growing crops, and plenty of indoor room, it’s the perfect place to hunker down during a zombie apocalypse. However, while objectively better than Hershel’s farm, it comes with a whole bunch of issues.

Firstly, there are hundreds of zombies still inside, so it needs clearing out. And secondly, the better the place is, the more desirable it becomes. That attracts the attention of Philip Blake, the Governor of Woodbury, who is determed to seize the prison from our group.

This is the first season where we see two established communities — the prison group and Woodbury — fight each other. This formula would get overused as the seasons went on.

This season introduced us to Michonne (Danai Gurira), who goes on to become one of the most beloved characters in the entire franchise. It also sees the return of Daryl’s brother Merle (Michael Rooker).

The season ends before the story wraps up. Things really get heated in season 4. That said, it has some amazing moments. Andrea’s death scene is very sad, as is Merle’s. And I’ll never forget when Michonne kills Penny.

Despite all of that, for me, the most notable moment will always be when Lori passes away after giving birth to Judith. That moment changed the course of the show. Rick had to raise his daughter without her mother. Such a cruel world.

Special shoutout to the “Coral” meme.