The Walking Dead's Pilot Episode Remains A Masterpiece 15 Years Later

During its peak, The Walking Dead was one of the greatest shows on TV and competed against both Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad, but one underrated episode remains a masterpiece 15 years later and has aged like fine wine. Although the franchise has faced countless setbacks over the past decade and a half, there is no denying TWD‘s quality.

It may have struggled with consistency and balancing numerous spinoffs alongside the main series as time went on, but those early years were truly something special. The likes of “Pretty Much Dead Already” and “No Sanctuary” aren’t just some of The Walking Dead‘s best episodes; they’re also all-time great pieces of TV that helped make the zombie universe so iconic.

However, one outing remains a standout when it comes to defining the franchise, the very first one, “Days Gone Bye”. The Walking Dead‘s pilot episode is Andrew Lincoln’s favorite and for good reason, as alongside establishing this cruel, post-apocalyptic world, it created an unbeatable atmosphere that has only gotten better 15 years after it premiered.

“Days Gone Bye” Is One Of The Greatest Pilot Episodes Of All Time

Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes walking through the hospital in The Walking Dead pilot

As first impressions go, “Days Gone Bye” couldn’t have really been any better, as it perfectly set the tone for what was to come. Rather than conveying how terrifying this new world is by showcasing zombies tearing through humans with ease, The Walking Dead chose a much more effective approach in its debut episode.

After establishing some slight backstory, “Days Gone Bye” focuses on Rick waking from a coma and navigating through an abandoned hospital, followed by his hometown, all while extremely groggy and vulnerable. Seeing the corpses, the blood, and the messages from survivors all add up to create a truly horrifying atmosphere without even using zombies right away.

Before learning about all the major Walking Dead events that took place during Rick’s coma, audiences are right there with the protagonist and worrying about his chances of survival, given the dire circumstances. The set design and acting performances are also incredible, which combine to create a one-of-a-kind horror experience that the franchise never quite replicated.

Even watching it all these years later, it still holds up and has aged better than most other episodes. There was clearly a very specific creative direction when it came to Rick discovering the collapse of society, and even without much dialogue, “Days Gone Bye” never stops being entertaining, cementing its status as a true masterpiece.

How The Walking Dead’s Pilot Improves Upon The Comic Book

Rick surrounded by zombies in The Walking Dead season 1, episode 1

AMC’s The Walking Dead universe faithfully adapted Rick’s story from the original comic to create a near-perfect opening episode, but although it was heavily inspired by the source material, season 1, episode 1 did make some significant improvements. Perhaps the most noticeable is the pacing, as the TV version is notably slower, which works to its advantage.

Taking the time to really sell how unsettling the rundown hospital is makes the show better, as it is much more compelling to see Rick hobble through the hallways compared to the comics, where he is outside the building in just a few pages. The TV series also emphasizes these visuals in detail, amplifying the horror of what’s going on.

The Walking Dead Volume 1: Days Gone Bye was first published in May 2004. AMC’s The Walking Dead pilot “Days Gone Bye” premiered in October 2010.

In comparison, Rick’s journey feels so much quicker in the comics, and he’s already with his family halfway through the volume. The protagonist also feels much more vulnerable in the show, moving more slowly and barely talking, whereas in the source material, he gets up quickly and is on his feet shortly after being tackled down some stairs by a walker.

Focusing on his shock and fear following the coma makes Rick’s survival in The Walking Dead‘s first episode feel like a true miracle, and while the comics still do a good job of making the character feel afraid and isolated, AMC’s pilot takes things to another level, hence why “Days Gone Bye” is so fondly remembered.

“Days Gone Bye” Establishes Rick As A Main Character Worth Rooting For

Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes in a hospital bed in The Walking Dead season 1

As great as “Days Gone Bye” is, the debut episode wouldn’t be nearly as good if audiences weren’t rooting for Rick Grimes. Even without knowing too much about him, viewers found it easy to sympathize with a man waking up from a coma in such a terrifying world, especially since he had no idea what was happening.

The decision to show how he ended up in a coma also helped highlight his likable personality and bravery, allowing fans to connect with him. Additionally, Andrew Lincoln provides one of his best Walking Dead performances in the first episode, making it even easier to cheer his character on.

Lincoln’s emotional performance perfectly captured Rick’s sensitivity alongside his determination to find his family in spite of everything that happened. Therefore, it’s hard to imagine anyone watching hoping for anything other than a peaceful outcome for the police officer.

15 years later, Rick has killed countless people and has come close to losing his humanity, yet fans still root for him, largely thanks to “Days Gone Bye”. The episode set Rick up as a true underdog fighting against the odds, something that has never changed even after all his sins, making the pilot the perfect start to his complicated journey.

15 Years Later, The Walking Dead’s Pilot Remains One Of The Franchise’s Best Episodes

Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes walking with supplies in The Walking Dead, Days Gone Bye

While long-term fans often champion the older seasons, it’s fair to say that not all of The Walking Dead‘s early content has aged well, but “Days Gone Bye” still holds up as one of the best in the series. The episode produces a constant state of tension and an uneasy atmosphere that the franchise could only dream of replicating now.

For those unfamiliar with the source material, it was impossible to know if Rick would make it out of the hospital alive, let alone last 11 seasons. Likewise, whether he’d find his family was an unknown, as were Morgan’s true intentions, making it so much easier to get invested than modern Walking Dead content when you know whose safe.

Very few TV shows have managed to produce such a good opening episode, and while there have been some gems over the years for The Walking Dead such as “The Calm Before”, “Here’s Negan”, and “Years”, none of them would have been possible without “Days Gone Bye” being a masterpiece that remains iconic 15 years later.