In 2010, AMC’s hit show walked its way into the hearts of fans everywhere with its exciting new take on the living dead. Boosted by expert direction, awe-inspiring makeup, and a wealth of source material from the comics it was based on, The Walking Dead became one of the most popular shows on TV.
This wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible performances from its cast. Hollywood talent, up and comers, and TV veterans all lent their skills to the show, and most did an excellent job bringing the comic to life. Not all were so fortunate though, as more than a few failed to resonate with audiences, and left some viewers, and comic book fans feeling frustrated.
10Nailed it: Shane Still Stands As One Of The Show’s Very Best Characters Thanks To Jon Bernthal
The Walking Dead took the world by storm when it first aired, and a huge part of the show’s early success was the dynamic between Andrew Lincoln’s Rick Grimes, and Jon Bernthal’s unhinged rogue Shane.
Bernthal stole the spotlight from almost everyone he shared the screen with, he made Shane detestable, yet electric to the point audiences were kept on the edge of their seat awaiting every unpredictable move. Shane was deeply flawed, overwhelmed by jealously, but at times his outrageous actions were surprisingly human in their motivation.
9Fell Short: Laurie Holden failed to gift Andrea any real redeeming qualities
The blame for Andrea’s downfall in the eyes of fans largely rests with The Walking Dead’s writers. Her actions often bordered on pure nonsense, and her selfishness made her difficult to stomach even alongside hateable villains like The Governor.
Andrea is one of the comic’s most iconic characters, but the show’s version of the character didn’t work out as well. Laurie Holden, though an accomplished actress in her own right, failed to give Andrea any real redeeming qualities, leaving Andrea more annoying than enticing, and leaving some fans counting down the episodes until her death.
8Nailed it: Norman Reedus Rode Off With Every Fan’s Heart As Daryl Dixon
There’s really only one character that appears to have garnered unconditional love from fans throughout The Walking Dead’s first 10 seasons, and with good reason too. Daryl Dixon has been absolutely fascinating to watch since he first appeared in Season 1.
Though the show’s writers played their part in creating the darkly complex badass that is Daryl, most of the credit has to go to Norman Reedus. The actor made Daryl the irresistibly cool lone wolf that fans love, but he also gave the character its tragically tortured soul. Daryl Dixon is the very best of the living in The Walking Dead.
7Fell Short: Tyreese Never Lived Up To The Comics Despite Chad Coleman’s Efforts
In Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead comic series, Rick Grimes had one hell of a right-hand man in Tyreese. But by the time the character debuted in the show, that Robin to Rick’s Batman role was firmly in the crossbow-wielding hands of Norman Reedus’ Daryl.
Chad Coleman gave a solid performance as Tyreese but failed to capture the magnificence of his comic book counterpart. Sadly, the televised character is more forgettable than his comic book counterpart.
6Nailed it: Michael Rooker Hooked Audiences In With His Portrayal Of Merle
A Hollywood-caliber talent, Michael Rooker is no stranger to excellent acting performances, and with his role as Merle Dixon in The Walking Dead, he gave fans a tragic villain they could truly love to hate. The rogueish redneck remains one of the most compelling, and ultimately saddest character stories in the show’s history.
Merle’s story took audiences on a roller coaster of sorts, but no matter how you felt about the bigoted Dixon brother at the time, the show was arguably never better than when he was bashing walker brains in with his bayonet arm.
5Fell Short: Major Dodson Made Sam More Irritating Than Interesting
Sometimes a combination of poor writing and flat performance can result in audiences simply wanting to change the channel whenever a character is on-screen. Many Walking Dead fans felt this way about Sam Anderson, portrayed by young actor Major Dodson.
It may feel harsh to criticize such a young actor, but Dodson’s work falls flat when compared to the likes of Cailey Fleming as Judith Grimes. Hardcore fans of any show can be unforgiving when it comes to the performances of what should be favorite characters.
4Nailed it: Jeffrey Dean Morgan Hit It Out Of The Park As Negan
To say Negan’s arrival in The Walking Dead was anticipated would be a huge understatement. Negan and his beloved bat Lucille were two of the most popular elements of the comics that the show was based on, so whoever was cast as Rick’s nemesis had a monumental task on their hands.
Luckily, Jeffrey Dean Morgan was perfectly cast. He somehow exceeded expectations and gave audiences one of TV’s all-time great villains. Negan’s charisma is off the charts, with or without his darling Lucille.
3Fell Short: Seth Gilliam Never Seemed To Truly Believe In Father Gabriel
When rumors of Seth Gilliam’s involvement in The Walking Dead got out, fans were excited. The actor is an exceptional talent and was a welcome addition to the show’s cast. Yet despite a whirlwind of changes hitting the character since his debut, Seth Gilliam’s Father Gabriel has failed to resonate with fans time and time again.
It could be yet another case of expectations being too high for one of the more popular comic book personalities, but fans certainly hoped for more from such a prolific TV actor.
2Nailed it: Melissa McBride Made Carol Queen Of The Walking Dead
Arguably no character has had a greater arc in The Walking Dead than Carol. Melissa McBride masterfully brought the timid abuse victim to life in the first couple of seasons, then helped transform her into one of the boldest, bravest, and most dangerous characters on the show.
Even after all her kills, McBride ensured Carol remained a loving motherly figure. As a result, Carol stands firm as one of the show’s greatest successes. Even The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman himself stated that Carol was the one character they simply couldn’t kill off.
1Fell Short: Despite Sarah Wayne Callies’ Efforts, Lori Ended Up Being One Of The Show’s Most Hated
Sarah Wayne Callies is an undoubtedly talented actress, but she has to take some blame for her part in creating what many consider The Walking Dead’s most hated character. Lori Grimes never really felt like much more than a plot device to come between Shane and Rick, and after a couple of seasons of Lori’s antics, her whining became the equivalent of nails on a chalkboard to many fans.
It certainly didn’t help that she treated the show’s hero Rick so poorly either, but perhaps Sarah Wayne Callies didn’t have a great deal to work with from the show’s onset.
