Don't get bit

1. Theodore “T-Dog” Douglas

FINAL APPEARANCE: Season 3, Episode 4 “Killer Within”

Though “the Walking Dead” has always been a show where no main character is safe, the death of T-Dog shook us to the core. After two seasons as one of Rick’s right-hand men, T-Dog sacrificed himself to save Carol as the prison was overrun by walkers. T-Dog was one of the group’s most loyal and likable members. After all, it was T-Dog who attempted to rescue Merle, a hardened racist who was chained to the roof of an Atlanta building in the first season. You’ll always be sorely missed, T.

2. Hershel Green

FINAL APPEARANCE: Season 4, Episode 8 “Too Far Gone”

Providing Rick and company shelter on his farm during the second season, Hershel was a former veterinarian who always provided medical assistance and wisdom in the face of a zombie apocalypse. Always a voice of reason who lived to protect his daughters and to see everyone get along, Hershel lost his life in the standoff between the Governor and Rick last fall. Imploring that both the Governor’s army and Rick’s group could coexist in the prison’s walls was wishful thinking, but it took Hershel’s optimism to keep the group afloat.

3. The Governor

FINAL APPEARANCE: Season 4, Episode 8 “Too Far Gone”

Yes, we know, we know. Why would a sadistic murderer be one of the characters we’ll miss on “the Walking Dead”? Simple. He was an amazing villain and a formidable human foe much more dangerous and menacing than any horde of hungry zombies. We always wanted to see him meet a grisly end, especially by the sword of a revengeful Michonne, but we’re still sad to see him go. The show will really have to work to terrify us like the Governor did.

4. Andrea

FINAL APPEARANCE: Season 3, Episode 16 “Welcome to the Tombs”

Andrea was a really, really great character. Then, once she was separated from the group after Hershel’s farm was overrun by walkers, Andrea got really boring. Sure, she had Michonne by her side, but Andrea herself just fell flat. Then she got all cozy with the Governor, and we were really over her. She tried to redeem herself and help Rick take down the Governor, but she was captured and left to be killed by a zombie. We give props to the show runners for surprising viewers and killing off one of the characters still alive in the comic book series.

5. Dale Horvath

FINAL APPEARANCE: Season 2, Episode 11 “Jury, Judge, Executioner”

Always putting others before himself, Dale was one of the group’s few members to never lose his humanity. Taking characters such as Andrea under his arm, we were beyond touched when Dale convinced her to keep living in the first season finale. Unfortunately, characters as pure as Dale don’t seem to last long on “the Walking Dead.” We can’t say we were surprised he bit it so early in the show’s existence.

6. Shane Walsh

FINAL APPEARANCE: Season 2, Episode 12 “Better Angels”

He may have been Rick’s best friend and police partner before zombies overran the world, but that’s about the only nice thing we have to say about Shane. We realize they thought Rick was gone, but Shane didn’t waste any time moving in on Rick’s wife, Lori, and his son, Carl. Shane became the show’s antagonist during the second season, starting numerous fights and tearing the group apart on Hershel’s farm. We can’t say we were sorry to see him go when Rick killed him in self-defense, and when Carl put a bullet in him once he reanimated as a zombie.  

7. Lori Grimes

FINAL APPEARANCE: Season 3, Episode 4 “Killer Within”

Not that we think everyone should be hunky-dory and likable in the wake of a zombie apocalypse, but Lori really wore us out. We can forgive her for hooking up with Shane when she thought Rick was dead, but we can’t forgive her for everything else. This is a character who complained constantly, proclaimed the woman’s place was not out fighting the zombies and never kept track of her son. Lori then convinced her husband to kill his best friend, only to treat him like a monster afterward. We’ll admit Lori had the most unnerving and horrendous death of the whole series. We’ll never live down the birth sequence of her daughter, followed by her young son having to shoot her before she became a zombie.

8. Merle Dixon

FINAL APPEARANCE: Season 3, Episode 15 “The Sorrowful Life”

Though his brother, Daryl, is one of the best characters on “the Walking Dead,” Merle was always by far the worst. A racist and misogynist, it came as no surprise when we found Merle alive and well in the Governor’s camp. Even though he eventually attempts to redeem himself by killing some of the Governor’s men before they can attack Rick’s group at the prison, Merle had already caused too much harm. We just wanted to console Daryl after he had to kill his brother in zombie form.