These TWD Characters Weren’t Allowed To Truly Shine
Over its eleven season run, The Walking Dead quickly became one of the biggest and longest running shows in television history. With dozens of memorable and iconic characters like Daryl Dixon, Rick Grimes, and the katana wielding Michonne, the show isn’t short of any badass and compelling personas. However, there were many characters who didn’t get the spotlight they deserved or left too soon – some fan favorites and others that needed an opportunity to become one. These are ten of The Walking Dead’s most underrated characters.
10. Rosita Espinosa
Rosita was first introduced as part of a trio with fellow survivors Abraham and Eugene back in season four, mostly serving as the romantic interest of Abraham and the object of desire to Eugene. She was mostly underutilized until the last couple of seasons of the show, where she gave birth to her daughter Coco and then became a soldier alongside Daryl in the Commonwealth. It seemed like the writers never knew what to do with her character and mostly used her to prop up others. However, she proved herself to her friends numerous times and took matters into her own hands, like when she tried to shoot Negan in season seven. For a character that didn’t have much screen time she was given one of the biggest sendouts in the show in the finale episode of the series, prompting many fans to question why so much of the final episode was dedicated to her when she was never given her proper dues before then.
9. Abraham Ford
The entire trio that started in season four was underrated, but perhaps Abraham Ford was most of all. He contributed to some of the most iconic quotes in the show’s history, particularly up against Negan, and was one of the stronger characters and was in the center of a compelling love triangle with Rosita and Sasha. We also can’t forget the meaningful friendship between Abraham and Eugene, which should have been explored more. When the show decided to follow the comics and kill him off during Negan’s horrifying lineup one can’t help but wonder how he would’ve impacted future storylines, especially through his relationship with Sasha and how he would react to Alpha and her Whisperers. Not to mention his entire death was overshadowed by Glen’s when he went out like an absolute champ.
8. Aaron
Introduced back in season five and making a major impact with the introduction of the community Alexandria, Aaron made it through to the end and was a vital part of the team, but he was often discarded. After the death of his husband Eric, many fans wanted to see him start a relationship with Jesus, and try to find happiness again. And while their relationship was hinted at, the show never gave fans what they were yearning for. Aaron did end up becoming a father to the orphaned Savior baby Gracie, but besides trying to be a parent and finding his voice as a leader, his character wasn’t given much to do besides being a guiding voice to the group. Even a new weaponized arm wasn’t enough to get people to realize how underrated he was to the community and the show.
7. Siddiq
Similarly to Aaron, Siddiq played a major role in the community and greatly impacted characters like Rosita with their child Coco, Carl in his final arc, and how Rick decided to deal with Negan and the Saviors. After leading to the death of Carl and changing the dynamic between the heroes and the Saviors, it felt like killing him off was a waste of his character and his role as a doctor, not to mention it felt like Carl’s sacrifice was somewhat in vain. He was finally becoming his own character and a father to Coco when the show decided to kill him off, ruining his potential to stand on his own two feet.
6. Tyreese Williams
Tyreese was a character genuinely liked by most viewers, but he was never given a true opportunity to shine and didn’t last long enough to become a fan favorite. As the older brother of Sasha, he first appeared in season three during the prison storyline. He had a quick relationship with fellow survivor Karen, but she was killed by Carol after an unknown disease overtook the prison. Outside of his relationship, his main storyline came when the prison fell and he saved baby Judith and watched over Lizzie and Mika with Carol, which ended in tragedy for the two sisters. When he was bitten and had his arm amputated in season five, it seemed like another character was wasted and taken too soon. Without Tyreese, Judith would probably never have survived past season four and the show would have looked entirely different.
5. Bob Stookey
Bob was one of the many characters that were killed off in season five and was another major loss for Sasha, who also lost her brother Tyreese and then later on lost her new love interest, Abraham. His storyline was short, but he holds some of the most iconic moments in the show’s history. No one can forget his final moments in the Terminus arc, where Gareth and his followers start to eat one of his legs and Bob starts laughing and shouting out “Tainted meat!” after he was bitten by a walker. He was an interesting character that explored the themes of addiction and overcoming fear, but he wasn’t around long enough to have much of a lasting impression on the show that he could have made, particularly with Sasha.
4. Dale Horvath
There were many characters from the early seasons that were underrated or were gone too soon, and one of the more memorable was Dale Horvath. Dale could have been a Hershel-type character if he was allowed more time on the show, but he was killed off in season two when it seems like the show didn’t know where to go next with his character. He was one of the first leaders of the group and tried to be the moral compass, especially through his relationship with Andrea and her sister Amy. His RV was the center of the group and he would often rescue and protect fellow members. He was one of the more relatable characters in the show and was gone too soon at Daryl’s hand.
3. T-Dog
T-Dog was another character lost to the prison arc who was severely underrated. He was one of the lost loyal friends and memorable members of the group, often putting others’ safety before his own. His character was beloved by fans who wanted to see more of him and his hilarious one-liners, but the show decided to kill him off instead of Carol in season three. T-Dog certainly had plenty of unused potential, but killing off Carol would’ve been unforgivable to viewers, especially seeing how her character evolved over the years and she ended up surviving to the end. Also, the actor behind T-Dog supposedly didn’t get along with production. In the end, his main purpose in the end was to impact Carol’s journey, but fans would’ve loved seeing what the show could’ve done next with his character.
2. Gareth
The Walking Dead has brought to life some of the most chilling and legendary villains on screen, but a few of these iconic villains don’t get the same praise. Gareth from Terminus was one of those villains that were severely underrated. As the leader of the cannibalistic community Terminus, he transformed from a benevolent leader to a sadistic one left traumatized by his past. Terminus was one of the most brutal and haunting communities on the show and Gareth’s actions were sometimes more despicable than even the most iconic villains like the Governor or Negan. His death was also one of the most shocking on the show, showing that Rick wasn’t such a pure protagonist, even in the name of protecting his friends and family.
1. Jadis (Anne)
Introduced in season seven, Jadis was one of the more peculiar and fascinating characters to appear on the show. Her and her people, the Scavengers, received mixed reception from viewers, but there’s no denying the impact Jadis left on The Walking Dead. While she was definitely one of the stranger characters, she often straddled the line between good and evil during the war between our heroes and the Saviors which caused fans to keep a lookout on what her next move would be. After the war and losing her people, she tried to seek redemption by joining Rick and the group and even started a relationship with Father Gabriel. She became even more intriguing when she saved Rick’s life and started communicating with someone traveling by helicopter, exiting the show and continuing her storyline in The Walking Dead: World Beyond spinoff. Her actions not only saved the show’s main protagonist, but her actions will lead into a new storyline explored in the upcoming Rick & Michonne series.
The Walking Dead (2010) Official AMC Trailer
You Might Also Be Interested In:
Source: Dead Talk Live
Contact Information:
Email: news@deadtalknews.com
Phone: +1 (646) 397-2874
Dead Talk Live is simultaneously streamed to: YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitch, Twitter, Vimeo, and LinkedIn
Shop official Dead Talk Live Merchandise at our Online Store
Author
| Emily Bonifacio is a writer, screenwriter, and playwright based in her hometown of Savannah, GA. She graduated from SCAD with a BFA in Dramatic Writing in 2022. |
