10 TV Characters Nobody Expected To Survive
8. Carol Peletier - The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead's Carol (Melissa McBride) is an especially interesting case given that her comic book equivalent dies relatively early on in the story, yet due to the unexpected popularity of Melissa McBride's performance and her chemistry with Daryl (Norman Reedus), the showrunners kept her alive.
For the series' first few seasons, many fans dismissed Carol as a relatively unremarkable member of the ensemble who could certainly be killed off if the time occasioned it.
But as Carol became a more self-actualised character, her popularity rose, though during the show's 11th and final season, speculation nevertheless rose that she might be the final major character to die, to close the show out with a serious emotional jolt.
Yet it never happened - the last time we saw Carol, she was safe and sound and saying farewell to Daryl as he left to search for survivors out in the world.
Carol came so far from her characterisation in season one, and her survival was very much earned as a result.