11 TV Characters Killed Off Far Too Soon

Shane Walsh, for all his psychotic tendencies and seriously dangerous flaws, was a revelation to watch in the first two seasons of The Walking Dead. Arguably the best part of the show, Jon Bernthal filled the screen with explosive acting, perfectly delivered speeches and truly terrifying moments.

All told, though, he only appears in the show's first 19 episodes before Rick decides he's had enough and plunges a knife into his chest. It's an iconic and wildly intense scene, and gives birth to the next era of the show, which comes complete with The Governor, Michonne, and the return of the show's other resident psycho, Merle Dixon.

Unfortunately, other than showing audiences how far Rick has come since he awoke from his coma, and despite the staggering performances in the scene itself, Shane's death almost instantly feels a bit hollow. Sure, they were more or less following the comics, but the show's veered wildly from the source material before and since Shane's demise.

It would have been nice to see him stick around. Bernthal (outside of Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride) was the best actor on the show up to this point, and his character the most complex and compelling. He could have been kept alive to wander with another group or get into trouble elsewhere in the state, only to have him return to Rick a more developed person.

Unfortunately, this isn't what happened, and though TWD remains a thrilling show, Shane's presence is still missed.