8 Episodes From The Walking Dead That Are Considered Masterpieces

Over the course of its eleven seasons, The Walking Dead delivered some truly outstanding episodes of television. Based on the comic book series of the same name, The Walking Dead took the world by storm with its premiere in 2010, making zombies more mainstream than they had ever been before. The Walking Dead follows a large ensemble cast, but centers on Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) as he becomes the de facto leader of a group of survivors.

As Rick and his group fight for survival, they encounter human horrors far worse than the zombies that have overrun the world. The Walking Dead falls squarely within the horror genre, but its vibrant cast of characters, shocking reveals, and intense drama gave the show mass appeal. At its peak, The Walking Dead was a ratings juggernaut, receiving rave reviews from critics and fans alike. While The Walking Dead's 11 seasons had their highs and lows, several episodes were genuine masterpieces that firmly cemented the show as an all-time great.

8"The Day Will Come When You Won't Be"

Season 7, Episode 1

After making his highly anticipated debut in the season 6 finale, Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) returns to finish off two beloved characters in one of the show's most brutal scenes. The Walking Dead season 6 ended on a controversial cliffhanger that established that Negan brutally killed somebody without revealing the identity of the doomed (former) survivor.

After months of speculation, Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) and Glenn (Steven Yeun) both meet their deaths at the end of Negan's beloved bat, Lucille, in one of the most emotionally draining hours of television I've ever seen. "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be" may go too far with its violence, but it shakes up the series in a big way. The Walking Dead would have been impossible to watch if every episode were this bleak, but it sets up the interesting storyline of how Rick and his friends will recover from this.

7"No Way Out"

Season 6, Episode 9

In The Walking Dead season 6, episode 8, "Start to Finish," the previously safe haven of Alexandria is overrun by walkers, and "No Way Out" picks up right where this midseason cliffhanger left off. Rick, Carl (Chandler Riggs), and several survivors cover themselves in walker guts and slowly make their way through the herd of walkers. Jessie (Alexandra Breckenridge) and her two sons are killed when one of the boys cries out during the attempted escape.

Before he's taken out by Michonne (Danai Gurira), one of Jessie's sons inadvertently shoots Carl's eye out. The rest of the survivors come together to fight off the walkers, with some help from Daryl, Sasha, and Abraham, who arrive just in time to lure some of the walkers away. With multiple major deaths, explosions, and plenty of gory zombie action, "No Way Out" is an incredibly entertaining hour of television that doesn't let up until the very end.

6"A"

Season 4, Episode 16

In the season 4 finale, Rick encounters a group of men called the Claimers, who have been tracking him down for killing one of their own. Daryl had been traveling with the Claimers, unaware that they were hunting Rick, and he urges them not to hurt Rick, Michonne, or Carl. When the leader of the Claimers threatens to sexually assault Michonne and Carl, Rick attacks Joe, ripping out the Claimer's throat with his teeth.

This shocking moment remains one of The Walking Dead's most memorable scenes and illustrates how far Rick will go to protect the people he cares about. Rick, Daryl, and Michonne take out the Claimers, Rick calls Daryl his brother, and they all make their way to Terminus. The season ends with most of the survivors locked in a train car, as Rick rallies them to fight back. It's a solid ending to a strong season and a great moment along Rick's character journey.

5"Too Far Gone"

Season 4, Episode 8

After being forced to abandon Hershel's farm, Rick and his surviving group members settled in a (mostly) abandoned prison, where they remained throughout The Walking Dead's third season. After Rick's group triumphed over the Governor (David Morrissey) and his army from Woodbury, things seemed to be going pretty well at the prison. The Governor eventually returns, however, seeking revenge. When the Governor kills Hershel (Scott Wilson), a battle breaks out that ultimately forces Rick and his friends to scatter, abandoning the now-overrun prison.

As the prison story arc comes to an explosive end, Michonne deals the Governor a fatal blow, bringing his story to an abrupt conclusion as well. As Hershel often served as the conscience of the group, his devastating death marks a shift in the way Rick and his group handle problems moving forward. Most of The Walking Dead's main characters get moments to shine in "Too Far Gone," and the episode delivers an action-packed and heartbreaking finale to one of its most memorable story arcs.

4"Pretty Much Dead Already"

Season 2, Episode 7

Little zombiefied Sophia (Madison Lintz), the daughter of Carol (Melissa McBride), emerging from the barn on Hershel's farm remains one of The Walking Dead's most shocking and heartbreaking moments. After the revelation in the previous episode that Hershel's barn is full of walkers, Rick and Shane (Jon Bernthal) argue over how to handle the situation. Hershel believes the walkers are people, and Rick tries to work with him, but Shane soon takes matters into his own hands.

After Shane forces the barn open, he and the others kill the walkers as they emerge. Sophia is the last zombie to exit the barn, much to Carol's horror, and Rick shoots her. "Pretty Much Dead Already" is a solid episode of television on its own, but it's even more important for the future stories it sets up. The episode shows Shane growing increasingly unstable, and it also marks a tragic yet vital part of Carol's character journey, as well as Daryl's.

3"Days Gone By"

Season 1, Episode 1

The Walking Dead's series premiere remains one of the best television pilots of the modern era. "Days Gone By" expertly introduces the world to Rick Grimes and the horrific zombie apocalypse he now finds himself in. Rick wakes up from a coma in an abandoned hospital, surrounded by dead bodies. When he returns to his empty house, he encounters a fellow survivor named Morgan (Lennie James), who brings Rick up to speed on the zombie apocalypse.

Rick then makes his way to Atlanta, where he finds a city overrun by walkers. The episode ends as Rick desperately takes refuge in a tank, only for Glenn to reach out on the radio, offering hope. With unforgettable visuals and genuine scares, "Days Gone By" serves as a perfect introduction to the world of The Walking Dead. Andrew Lincoln is captivating as Rick, and while "Days Gone By" contains plenty of zombie gore, it emphasizes the show's focus on its characters.

2"The Grove"

Season 4, Episode 14

After the prison fell in "Too Far Gone," the remaining survivors were separated, and many of them found signs pointing to a supposed safe haven called Terminus. Carol ends up traveling with Tyrese (Chad Coleman), as well as young sisters, Lizzie (Brighton Sharbino) and Mika (Kyla Kenedy). Carol and Tyrese worry that Lizzie and Mika won't survive long in this world of the dead, and Lizzie in particular develops a dangerous fascination with walkers.

While Carol and Tyrese are out looking for food one day, Lizzie kills Mika, believing that her sister will be okay when she turns into a walker. Carol and Tyrese determine that Lizzie's delusions have made her too dangerous to be around others, and Carol makes the gut-wrenching decision to kill young Lizzie. "The Grove" is a truly horrific and heartbreaking episode of television that wrestles with impossible questions.

1"No Sanctuary"

Season 5, Episode 1

The Walking Dead's fifth season remains one of the show's best, and it gets off to a phenomenal start with "No Sanctuary." After season 4 ended with Rick and his friends locked in a train car by the cannibalistic residents of Terminus, season 5 picks up right where this cliffhanger left off. From the outside of Terminus, Carol single-handedly causes an explosion that sends the residents into chaos, allowing Rick and the others to escape.

From intense action to walker gore to big emotional payoffs, "No Sanctuary" has everything that makes The Walking Dead great. The episode cements Carol as a true apocalypse warrior and one of the show's best characters. "No Sanctuary" also gives Rick and his group a big win after they have suffered so many losses throughout the past four seasons. It's a great episode for Rick and Carol in particular, but The Walking Dead was truly firing on all cylinders here.