Ranking Every Season Of The Walking Dead (So Far)

Season Nine was breath of fresh air after Seasons Seven and Eight. New showrunner Angela Kang came in and gave the series a facelift, for which many long term fans are grateful. Sporting a crafty time jump and some major character departures, Season Nine is also the show's biggest risk taker.

Daryl Dixon gets to take centre stage this season, and it's long overdue. Norman Reedus plays the bowman with greater intensity and passion than ever, and watching him move from loner to leader is fantastic stuff. Also, lets not forget his epic fight with Beta, where he puts brain against brawn and shows us why he's such a fan favourite.

Rick's departure, meanwhile, gives fans one of the show's best episodes with Episode Five's "What Comes After", an hour full of call backs, cameos (including from the late, great Scott Wilson) and some serious emotional weight. The only fault is Maggie's sudden and mostly unmentioned departure, which feels odd and out of place.

All in all, Season Nine is the best The Walking Dead has been in years, and the Whisperers, led by Samantha Morton's completely insane Alpha, push the season further into horror territory than ever before. And, man, is it good.