The Walking Dead: Ranking All 9 Seasons From Worst To Best

Back in 2011, no one would've imagined that the six-episode first season of the show would've blossomed into the juggernaut that it became, but here we are. In retrospect, however, it's really no surprise, as the show tapped into something that felt fresh at the time, sucking people in with intriguing characters, great production value, and the mere fact that nothing like it existed on television.

"Days Gone Bye," the show's debut episode, still stands as one of the series' best entries to date, and what Frank Darabont and everyone involved with bringing it to the small screen accomplished deserves to be praised for years to come. Revisiting the episode almost a decade later - even knowing where the show would end up - remains a rewarding experience for its ambition.

Simply due to its brevity, it's hard to consider the first season as the show's best, as it hadn't come into its own just yet - though many, understandably and rightfully, will disagree with that notion - but that's not to say it's not good. It's a fantastic debut season, the foundation upon which the show's biggest highs would be built, and the fact that characters like Rick, Shane, Glenn, Lori, Carl, Carol, Daryl, Merle, Dale, and so on became easily recognizable fixtures in the show's pop culture legacy only goes to show how strong The Walking Dead was right out of the gate.