The Walking Dead The Best and Worst Walking Dead Guest Stars

[Rowsdower!]

I thought it would be a good idea to have a thread devoted to one-off characters who appeared on only a few episodes, as TWD has had some great ones (and a few not-so-good ones). Who are some characters you would have liked to have seen survive a little longer? Which ones couldn't die fast enough?

THE GOOD

Paula (Alicia Witt): I love Alicia Witt in damn near anything, and she was brilliant as the cold, calculating, pragmatic Paula. I wish she would have stuck around a little longer, but her death was fitting.

Dr. Edwin Jenner (Toby Emmerich): Emmerich is great in just about everything, and it's a shame his character didn't stick around a little longer because the whole CDC sequences was one of the few times we got actual insights into the creation of the zombies. But of course, he tried to kill everybody so... yeah, he had to go.

THE BAD

Eastman (John Caroll Lynch): Nothing against Lynch, but I hated his character. He was a good guy and all that, sure, but man, this episode just felt like filler that we could have spent 10 minutes on rather than an hour and a half or however long it was. I also don't know how a vegetarian who practices martial arts regularly and lives off of scraps can be as big as Lynch, but whatever. This was pretty much the point where Morgan started to REALLY get on my nerves.

THE UGLY

Steelers legend Hines Ward makes one scary looking walker, lol.

 

[Elevator Man]

Strongly disagree about Eastman. He was an inspiring and compelling character who I was disappointed to see die. Lynch is one of the best actors to appear on the show. And gave one of the strongest performances of any character on the show. I'd argue most of the main cast members couldn't measure up to his performance in "Here's Not Here".

 

[Rowsdower!]

Yeah, I disagree with all of that, except the part about Lynch being a good actor (he is, obviously). I feel like some of you guys really sell the main cast of this show short. Most of them couldn't measure up to his performance in that episode? Seriously?

But I didn't find his character compelling, even though they REALLY wanted me to. To be fair though, I think I might have liked him better if the whole episode didn't feel like just another attempt to stall the main story. It's episodes like that one that make me think maybe this show should go back to shorter seasons so that they don't drag things out so much. It's been a lot better since the winter break, but the first part of the season felt like they were just adding fluff to draw everything out.

 

[Teelie]

I was surprised Alicia Witt only lasted an episode. She seems like her character could've hung around a little longer before getting killed off. Felt wasted.

 

[Kane52630]

Eastman was great.

 

[BestGirl]

Paula and Molly have got to be somewhere near the top.

 

[Drizzle]

I thought Alicia Witt and John Carroll Lynch were great this season. I have to admit that one thing this series has been lacking are notable guest stars. Does Gareth from season five count? He was a pretty good antagonist but he was only in like three episodes.

 

[Schlosser85]

Paula was good. Cold, smart, no nonsense. A different kind of antagonist from the psychos like Terminus or The Wolves.

 

[Elevator Man]

Yeah, I disagree with all of that, except the part about Lynch being a good actor (he is, obviously). I feel like some of you guys really sell the main cast of this show short. Most of them couldn't measure up to his performance in that episode? Seriously?

But I didn't find his character compelling, even though they REALLY wanted me to. To be fair though, I think I might have liked him better if the whole episode didn't feel like just another attempt to stall the main story. It's episodes like that one that make me think maybe this show should go back to shorter seasons so that they don't drag things out so much. It's been a lot better since the winter break, but the first part of the season felt like they were just adding fluff to draw everything out.

What I really meant was that his performance rivaled some of the main cast’s best on the show. And I still stand by that.

Eastman was one of the few characters on TWD, who I was invested in after one episode. Unlike most of the main characters he didn’t have the luxury of multiple episodes or seasons of character development or growth. He only had one whole episode to be fleshed out . That to me is a testament to Lynch’s performance and the writers. He was actually more developed than some of the current living characters who’ve been in more episodes/seasons such as Abraham, Rosita, Eugene, Tara, etc. imo. His character also brought a nice contrast to the typical strangers that Rick and co. have came across, which were either psychotic, naïve, or callous people. Eastman was an intelligent, friendly, lucid, and optimistic person. His conversations with Morgan felt natural b/c he talked like real human being. His chilling back story on Creighton Dallas Wilton was more gripping than Paula’s whole monologue about “eggs , coffee beans, carrots or whatever“.

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Lynch had to deliver some heavy dialogue in an episode that was basically a two man show between him and Lennie James. So yeah I was heartbroken to see him and Tabitha go. I think Eastman is one of the most human and believable characters who appeared on the show. If you didn’t care for the episode (which I believe is underrated) then you’re not going to care for Eastman or his back story and that is your loss.

 

[Rowsdower!]

I thought Alicia Witt and John Carroll Lynch were great this season. I have to admit that one thing this series has been lacking are notable guest stars. Does Gareth from season five count? He was a pretty good antagonist but he was only in like three episodes.

Forgot about Gareth. Yeah, he counts. He was on a handful of episodes but not enough to call him a regular, IMO. I was a big fan of his performance. So far, Gareth and the Termites have been the most despicable villains on the show, IMO.

 

[Golgo-13]

John Carroll Lynch.

 

[CJ]

Strongly disagree about Eastman. He was an inspiring and compelling character who I was disappointed to see die. Lynch is one of the best actors to appear on the show. And gave one of the strongest performances of any character on the show. I'd argue most of the main cast members couldn't measure up to his performance in "Here's Not Here".

Agreed. Great episode.