The Walking Dead was THE breakout show on cable when it was introduced in 2010. Even now, almost ten years later, the show remains far ahead of anything on cable where ratings are concerned. It was extremely popular in its heyday due to storylines that pit characters in life-ending situations with choices impossible to make. The tension that these stories brought was what made it so much fun to watch; you could call the show a character study of people when they are in the worst of situations. This is why we became attached to these characters and would worry if they would see a terrible end in whatever episode that aired.

The Walking Dead has a habit of replacing its characters on regular intervals so as to drive home the idea that anyone can bite the dust at any point. While this made the show feel like serious business right from the get-go, the core group had, at that time, always remained. We grew very fond of these characters and they were the prime ones we followed to see where the apocalypse world would go with these people at its forefront.

Now, almost all the originals have gone and only a handful remain. This isn’t a good thing as the show’s popularity has severely lacked in the last couple of years. There’s no doubt that character departures, and retaining lackluster characters, have contributed to this downfall in popularity and acclaim.

Here are 15 Character Exits That Hurt The Show (And 10 That Need To Go).

Hurt: Jesus

The only good character introduced in Season 6 who was, well, good. Jesus was the final person we had any care for at the Hilltop and his demise in the mid-season finale of Season 9 takes away any interest we might have had in the location.

Jesus was also just such a cool guy to follow, with a great heart, and his teased storyline of becoming the leader of the Hilltop was something we wanted to watch. However, he wasn’t given much to do as of late and that’s why he was written out.

Needs To Go: Daryl

What exactly has Daryl done since Season 5? For the last three years, he’s descended into the most boring character you can think of. He became a breakout character earlier on due to his snarky personality and quick wit, but none of that remains now as he just drones in his dialogue.

Even the most ardent fans of his have lost interest because there’s just nothing to follow about Daryl anymore. We know he’s just going to grunt and hardly say anything about any situation.

Hurt: Beth

Beth’s demise was used to further the notion that anyone could away in The Walking Dead world, but it wasn’t the best decision. She had finally grown from just being a dumb kid (as seen from Season 2 to the first half of Season 4), only to be taken out in the blink of an eye.

She would’ve fit in well at the Alexandria Safe-Zone and her integration in this society would’ve been something very interesting to see.

Needs To Go: Jerry

Other than just smiling all the time, what does this guy bring to the table, really? Jerry has exclusively been King Ezekiel’s right-hand man since his introduction and it’s not fun anymore. All he does his smile and make light of every situation.

It was refreshing at first to see someone with a positive outlook, but when the guy’s only attribute seems to consist of this, it’s not very becoming. Despite being on the show for three seasons, we have zero care for what he does.

Hurt: Tyreese

Like Beth, this guy was taken out just when things were starting to get interesting. The thing is, though, that Tyreese’s exit made perfect sense and it was the right time to take him out. However, considering we had liked Tyreese so much better than his sister Sasha, his exit didn’t help the latter.

There’s also the fact that his demise made no difference as, apart from the episode in which he es away, Tyreese is never really mentioned again.

Hurt: Glenn

By the time of his demise, Glenn had become a bit boring, but it was his departure that signaled the fall in The Walking Dead’s popularity. Since he’s been gone, the show has never been half of what it used to be – critically and commercially.

As it turned out, he was in the top-tier level of characters on the show and fans did tune in to watch Glenn’s adventures. After he was taken out so horribly, The Walking Dead has never been able to find its footing once more. A significant portion of the audience left with Glenn.

Needs To Go: Nabila

Look, representation is important, but when it’s inaccurate representation, then it just needs to go. Nabila’s introduction was met with cheers due to her being a Muslim character; however, she hasn’t displayed anything a Muslim does other than wear a hijab.

Her being in a live-in, physical relationship with Jerry contradicts Muslim principles; it doesn’t make sense why she would go against these principles if she still wears a hijab. There’s also the fact that Nabila is a boring character who has no personality or edge.

Hurt: Axel

Axel was the only prison inmate who was exciting and engaging to follow. Having been introduced in acrimonious circumstances, Axel’s humor and good nature began rubbing off on everyone. He was becoming a permanent part of the group when he was taken out in an instant by the Governor (with a headshot).

It’s a shame because Axel’s humor was something that was very much needed in The Walking Dead. It had brought a nice air of relaxation to the community and the episodes, but this was dropped in favor of dropping Axel.

Needs To Go: Eugene

The guy is so infuriatingly frustrating that the poor actor got threats about him on social media, prompting him to quit the platform altogether. While the people who threatened are nothing but immature, Eugene is someone that’s near-impossible to like.

He spent all of Season 8 as a turncoat while in Season 9, he hasn’t done anything other than continue being a coward. After six seasons on the show, you’d expect him to be more of a developed character, but Eugene doesn’t do anything other than drone on in his robotic voice.

Hurt: The Governor

Although it would be ridiculous if the Governor ever came back, it would be interesting to see how he’d fare against Negan. Up until we’d seen Negan in action, the Governor had been the best villain on The Walking Dead by far. He was cold, not-so-calculating, but extremely resourceful.

It was how unhinged he was that made him fascinating to watch; you’d never know what to expect from him. He’d settled in well on The Walking Dead, but it was time to say goodbye when we did. Still, the show hasn’t been as good since he left.