There are some excellent characters on The Walking Dead. Rick, obviously, is one of the strongest. They’ve focused on him quite a lot both in conception and in screen time. Glenn has stepped up to become pretty interesting and dynamic too and Daryl might be the most intriguing and rich characters the show has been able to manage.
But then there are the show’s much-maligned characters, most notably Lori. Goddamned Lori. In a period where there’s been a wave of terrific females on TV like Carrie Mathison, Amy Jellicoe, Leslie Knope, women who aren’t overwhelmingly likable but are still compelling and redeemable, this show has really fallen behind the times. Lori is presented as a one-dimensional nag.
Whether this is the fault of the show’s creators or whether their abilities are shackled by the performance of Sarah Wayne Callies I can’t say. The same applies to Andrea, who was a character with potential but was forced into a fulfilling a role that has not worked. Then there’s Carl. Kids are tricky because it often comes down to the quality of the direction, but Carl’s growing role as a capable defender of the camp has felt entirely false. These are only three misfires, among prominent leads. The handling of supporting characters is another story.
Continue reading on the next page…
