The Walking Dead's Creepiest Scenes According To Fans
Most regard "The Walking Dead" as a drama first and foremost, and it's easy to see why. The bulk of its plot is dedicated to exploring how the remnants of humanity have handled the collapse of society. Although, seeing as that societal collapse was brought on by a zombie outbreak, one wouldn't be incorrect in calling it a horror series through and through. Sure, it may not always lean into this aspect of its narrative, but when it wants to give viewers a good scare, it's more than capable of doing so.
"Walking Dead" fans on Reddit came together in March 2023 in a thread by u/lnfinition, where they pointed out some of the AMC hit's creepiest scenes. u/shortylongcat, among several others, recalled when Morgan Jones' (Lennie James) zombified wife, Jenny (Keisha Tillis), tried to enter her former home in Season 1. Others point to Connie's (Lauren Ridloff) silent and terrifying experience in a house occupied by feral humans, the introduction of the Whisperers, and Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) waking from his coma in an abandoned hospital as especially harrowing.
Still, even though these and other terrifying "Walking Dead" moments have stuck in the minds of fans, not everyone is impressed with the show's use of zombies, horror, and gore. One of the show's most notable detractors? Horror legend John Carpenter.
Carpenter isn't impressed by The Walking Dead nor its frights
John Carpenter truly needs no introduction, but in case you're unfamiliar with his work, here are a few examples of the films he's directed: "Halloween," "The Thing," "The Fog," and "Christine," among others. To say he knows a thing or two about horror would be a tremendous understatement, so getting words of encouragement from him on a horror production would be a major feather in one's cap. No such thing happened for the "Walking Dead" team. In fact, he outright stated that he's not a fan of the series.
Ahead of the release of Season 7, Carpenter told listeners of the "WTF Podcast with Marc Maron," "['The Walking Dead'] was a movie that George Romero made back in 1968. And they have milked that, and they are still milking it." This quote references 1968's "Night of the Living Dead" from the late George A. Romero, who many credit as the godfather of zombie media through his work on that feature and its sequels. It seems that in Carpenter's mind, "The Walking Dead" is just another attempt to cash in on the ideas and tropes presented in Romero's revolutionary horror film.
Despite John Carpenter's feelings about it, "The Walking Dead" enjoyed a solid television run and has laid the groundwork for a sprawling shared media universe. Therefore, one can expect many more frights to come from the world of "The Walking Dead."