Everyone who knows me knows I absolutely love The Walking Dead. Per the request of some comments, I have decided to rank the seasons from my least favorite to my favorite. That being said, I love every season of this show. For the lower seasons, I will be focussing on why they are on the lower end, for the higher seasons, I will be focusing on the reasons why they are higher on the list. So let's get started!
11. Season 8
This season is my least favorite without question. It definitely has its moments that I really enjoy, but I just don't feel this was handled very well. For example, the first 4 episodes are essentially the same thing just happening at four different places: our characters versus the Saviors. Episode four is a highlight though, the final scenes with Shiva are heartbreaking. One of the easiest problems to point out this season is the Morales problem. Bringing back a living character from the first season, only to kill them off after two scenes is ridiculous. It really feels like they did it just so fans would stop asking what happened to him on social media. It was stupid to bring him back in this manner, but then to waste it after two scenes with such little care for the character is insane. So much of this season just feels like a waste. I was someone who was hopeful that we would get a full season of all out war, but then when we got it, I am not sure it was the best thing. I actually don't mind that Carl dies here, I think it actually works better for the show in the long run. That being said, the way it happens is just so sloppy and makes zero sense. For example, Carl is the first person to fire a shot in the season 7 finale. Then in the next episode, he is talking about how he wants the fighting to stop. It makes no sense. I also found it weird that so many of the characters seem so much angrier in this season when they weren't in the previous. For example, Tara seems to do a 180 for the majority of the season. For me the stand-outs this season were Khary Payton, Steven Ogg, Pollyanna McIntosh, Xander Berkeley, and Danai Gurira. As far as stand-out episodes go, I'd have to say "Some Guy", "The Lost and the Plunderers", and "The Key".
10. Season 7
I still absolutely love season 7. I feel it does get a bad wrap, that being said it definitely has its downsides. I find it to be one of the more difficult seasons to rewatch because it is all about breaking our characters down to their lowest points. The season premiere seems to be an episode that many cite as the reason they quit watching the show. However, that episode is one of the best episodes of the entire series. As heartbreaking as it is, the storytelling and acting is impeccable. Some of the more controversial points of the season are introducing King Ezekiel, Shiva, Jadis, and the Scavengers. However, I have always found all of those characters to be interesting and fascinating so it has never bothered me. Rosita is my favorite character of the series and this season gives her more to do than any of the others, so it is one of the reasons I find myself coming back to it. There are a lot of gems in this one and I encourage any haters to rewatch this one. Some of the stand-out episodes for me are "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be", "Hearts Still Beating", "Rock in the Road", "Bury Me Here", and "The First Day of the Rest of Your Life". I also want to give a shout-out to "Swear" which many call the worst episode of the series. I find that episode to be incredibly enjoyable and undeserving of the hate it gets.
9. Season 4
This season has some astronomical highs, but also some episodes that are on my lower rankings. I like the idea of the sickness arc, but I find those episodes in the first half to be some of the more difficult ones to rewatch. Episode 5 is great, but 2 through 4 are a little on the slower side for me. I also find the two episodes that center on The Governor a little out of place in the season. It kind of breaks down the pacing that the story had set up to that point. However, the mid-season finale is one of the best episodes of the series. I also find the road to Terminus arc to be a high point in the show. So, the first half of the season is why this one ranks down lower on the list. The stand-out episodes in this season for me are "Internment", "Too Far Gone", "Inmates", "The Grove", and "A".
8. Season 1
Season 1 is a great season, it ranks so low due to its short episode count. It is obviously where the live-action universe all started. I think it's phenomenal. The first time I watched the season, I watched every episode back to back. I have probably seen this batch of six episodes at least four or five times over the years and it never gets old. I always enjoy getting to see Jacqui, Amy, Jim, and Dr. Jenner when I rewatch this one. They are all interesting characters with some great actors portraying them. I don't have a whole lot else to say about this one. The stand-out episodes for me here are "Days Gone Bye", "Tell it to the Frogs", and "Vatos".
7. Season 3
One of the reasons this season stands out so well in fans minds is due to the locations of the Prison and Woodbury. Both of these are such iconic locations in the franchise. I have to be honest, this finds it place here in large part to those aspects. I also think there are some great episodes and character dynamics here. I feel like it does fall apart a little bit in the last few episodes. For those of you that don't know, T-Dog, Milton, Andrea, Axel, and Merle were all supposed to survive into season 4. I think these last minute changes hurt the build-up to these moments. A few of those deaths come out of nowhere and do not have the impact that they should. There are a few episodes I mention as some of my least favorites in the series such as "Prey" and "Welcome to the Tombs", but there are some gems here as well. The stand-out episodes this season for me are "Seed", "Killer Within", "Home", "Clear", "Arrow on the Doorpost", and "This Sorrowful Life".
6. Season 11
Again, it cannot be stated enough that I love each and every season of this show. Putting this one so low feels wrong, but it just goes to show how remarkable this show is. I still feel like there were a lot of things set up in this season, or alluded to, that we never got an ending for. It seems especially weird that so much of this season was dedicated to the Reapers, and it really did not go anywhere in the end. I also feel like the handling of Leah Shaw, especially in part 2 is incredibly sloppy. This is a character with so much potential, and I hated how it went. That being said, everyone delivers here. Once given the chance to shine, absolutely every character/actor delivers. I find the Commonwealth arc that occurs throughout the season to be one of the best in the series. Seeing that after all these years, the battles are going to the courtroom (at least for a part of the season) is incredibly refreshing. Special shout-out to Lauren Ridloff and Kevin Carroll for giving us one of the best episodes in the series, episode 6. I really wish we could have gotten some sort of conclusion with Virgil, another complaint with this season. The stand-out episodes for me are "Hunted", "On the Inside", "No Other Way", "New Haunts", "Faith", "Family", and "Rest in Peace".
5. Season 2
I find season 2 to be the most underrated season of the show. The character dynamics here are flawless. The increase in the episode count really allows us time to get to know who these people are, and for them to get to know each other. There are really some interesting ethical questions here that really get your mind thinking. How would you handle people like Randall and Shane. Dale was my first favorite character on the show, I think this season really shows you why. Everytime I rewatch this season, it still has me glued to the screen. A remarkable season. The stand-out episodes for me are "What Lies Ahead", "Pretty Much Dead Already", "18 Miles Out", "Judge, Jury, and Executioner", "Better Angels", and "Beside the Dying Fire".
4. Season 10
I must admit, Angela Kang is my favorite showrunner of this series. I find her season to just really capture the essence that started to disappear a bit around seasons 7 and 8. When this season aired, I found myself going right back to watch the episode again as soon as it finished, I enjoyed it that much. I appreciate that this season did not drag things out to give cliffhanger moments to a mid-season finale. It would have been easy for them to push Siddiq's death back an episode, or attempt to push Alpha's death back further. These happening in episodes 7 and 12 really make for some shocking moments when you aren't expecting them. Many say that 10c, often referred to as the "COVID episodes", drag this season down. I disagree. I find a few of those episodes to be among the best of the season. The stand-out episodes for me are "Lines We Cross", "The World Before", "Stalker", "Morning Star", "Walk with Us", "A Certain Doom", "Find Me", "One More", and "Here's Negan".
3. Season 9
Watching this season week to week was such a breath of fresh air. Once I saw the premiere that was action-packed, and ended with Gregory's death, I knew it would be something special. Angela Kang was tasked with writing out characters like Rick Grimes and Maggie Rhee as soon as she stepped into this job, and she handled it so well. This season handles so much, so well. It introduces so many characters that would go on to be fan-favorites. It delivers some of the best episodes in the show's run. I was skeptical how well adapting the Whisperers would work, but I must admit, it ended up being one of the best arcs in the series. The stand-out episodes for me are "A New Beginning", "What Comes After", "Chokepoint", "Scars", and "The Calm Before".
2. Season 5
I absolutely adore this season. The first three episodes set the town for how remarkable this season is going to be. We really get to see the relationships of these characters flourish in this entry. The first half allows them to face the darkest things yet, and the second half puts them in a rebuilt society with parties and politics. We get to see two opposite ends of the spectrum for our characters and it is just fascinating. The Alexandria love triangle between Rick, Jessie, and Pete really shows Rick embracing his inner Shane, and it makes for great storytelling. Carol's arc here is one of my favorites, it's the first time we saw her pull this trick and it was great. The stand-out episodes in this one for me are "No Sanctuary", "Four Walls and a Roof", "Self Help", "Them", "Spend", and "Conquer".
1. Season 6
By far and away, my favorite season of this show. It helps that is also has my favorite episode, "No Way Out". This is one of the most refreshing seasons in the show. Something happens in every single episode. The first half does a great job at getting back to the basics of the show. It's also probably one of the last times the walkers presented a real serious threat to our survivors. The second half introduces things that would change the show forever: the Hilltop, Negan, Dwight, Jesus, Richonne, the line-up cliffhanger. Many say the cliffhanger really hurts this season, and it does. That being said, the first time watching this episode, I have never experienced any viewing experience like it. So in the moment, it was remarkable. I have learned to live with the cliffhanger over the years. For those who are starting the show for the first time, they can go right into the next one, so it won't be much of an issue for them. I cannot say enough good things about this season. I am already looking forward to my next rewatch. Some of the stand-out episodes for this one are "First Time Again", "JSS", "Thank You", "No Way Out", "Not Tomorrow Yet", "The Same Boat", "Twice as Far", and "Last Day on Earth".
What is your ranking of the seasons of The Walking Dead? Let me know! Would you like to see me rank the seasons of Fear the Walking Dead?
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