Summary
- The Walking Dead spawned several spinoffs, and some of their episodes eclipsed the original show.
- Episodes like "The Grove" and "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be" stood out for big shifts in storytelling and strong acting.
- Spinoffs that took place after The Walking Dead often brought satisfying resolution to long-running storylines.
The Walking Dead franchise has plenty of great episodes, but some rise above the rest. The original show ran for 11 seasons and spawned six spinoffs: Fear The Walking Dead, Tales of the Walking Dead, Daryl Dixon, Dead City, The Ones Who Live, and World Beyond. While some of the spinoffs have been more successful than others, all have produced episodes that stand out among the best in the franchise.
Some of the episodes feature the sort of cutthroat storytelling The Walking Dead shows are known for, killing off beloved characters without a second thought. Others highlight the franchise's ability to bring years-in-the-making storylines to a satisfying conclusion. Additionally, nearly all the episodes include stellar acting and the sinister tension viewers expect from The Walking Dead and its spinoffs.
The Walking Dead Series Finale Ending Explained (In Detail)
The Walking Dead series finale is packed with twists, turns and tragedies, plus a few familiar faces. Here's The Walking Dead's ending explained.
15 The Walking Dead Season 6, Episode 9: "No Way Out"
Carl Grimes' brush with death changed Rick Grimes
Every The Walking Dead midseason premiere felt like a special event, but Rick's desperation to save Carl as walkers took over Alexandria took this episode up a notch. Danger lurked around every corner, heightening the tension and making viewers feel a sense of dread. Stunning cinematography and showstopping performances elevated "No Way Out" to one of the series' best episodes.
The emotionally charged hour featured a steady stream of bloodshed, marking Alexandra Breckenridge's final appearance as Jessie. Her final scenes set the stage for plenty of destruction. However, the episode's brilliance was in how it wrapped up many storylines to clean the canvas before the introduction of Negan, one of The Walking Dead's most dangerous characters.
14 The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Season 1, Episode 5: "Deux Amours"
Backstory elevated Daryl Dixon's Parisian detour
Going into Daryl Dixon, there were a lot of questions about how and why Daryl washed up in France. "Deux Amours" provided a masterclass in exposition, unraveling the show's biggest mysteries at just the right time. Putting one episode of a six-episode season aside to fill in the blanks was a risky move by the writers, but it paid off.
Additionally, the hour set up the season finale and prepared viewers for Carol's return. All told, "Deux Amours" honored what came before it and expanded the world of the show to delve further into the Paris-set story. It's no surprise it's ranked #1 on IMDb over all of Daryl Dixon's episodes so far.