Posted on Wednesday, October 17, 2017 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
In celebration of the 100th episode of "The Walking Dead," let's stroll down memory lane and see how some of the characters have aged over the years. The crow's feet, the gray hair, the inevitable strain of living in the zombie apocalypse but also by the fact more real time is passing than story-telling time.
The show debuted in 2010 and is now shooting season eight seven years later.
On "The Walking Dead," it appears less than three years have elapsed since the beginning of the show though characters almost never reference time. You can perhaps judge where we are in terms of time by how old Judith is. (She's still a toddler after being born season three.) Only a few weeks have elapsed since the end of season five.
That's why Chandler Riggs has lived through almost his entire teen years on the show and has already graduated high school.
Let's compare how characters that were around in the first couple of seasons looked way back when (2010-11) vs. the most recent season (2016). I'd add 2017 photos from season eight but AMC has yet to release any episodic shots.
Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln)
In beginning... The time when Morgan's son whacked Rick in the head. I actually watched this scene in Grant Park live with Gale Anne Hurd and Robert Kirkman across the street.
In 2013, during season four while the crew was trying to reunite following the prison disaster and seeking Terminus:
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
In 2016, season seven, the gray seeping into the beard.
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus)
In the beginning... when Daryl was hanging by Dale's RV.
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
By season four, his hair had grown out:
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
And in season seven, he was beaten down by Negan... temporarily. And yes, he's let his hair grow over his eyes...
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs)
Naturally, Chandler went through the biggest changes because he was just 11 years old when he shot season one:
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Like others, he let his hair grow out and he began wearing that cowboy hat season three:
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
By season five, he was firmly in the midst of adolescence as his voice had changed:
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
And by season seven, he had lost an eye but gained a girlfriend:
Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride)
Carol went with the androgynous look while still married to her abusive husband:
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
By season three at the prison, she was killing walkers and sick people:
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Carol's hair had grown marginally longer by season five:
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
And as if we were in a different world, here's Carol baking cookies in Alexandria season 6 and here hair is longer still:
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
And season 7? The hair just a wee bit longer again:
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Glenn Rhee (Steven Yeun)
Glenn truly looked like a baby season one:
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
He had grown up a bit by season three, having hooked up with Maggie and becoming an integral part of Rick's team at the prison. And he smartly saved himself when Merle let loose a walker on him after he had been kidnapped by the Governor:
By season five, he was punching out idiots and taking names:
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Glenn, right before he died shooting the season 7 debut last year, was working on a mustache:
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Maggie Greene (Lauren Cohan)
Maggie began the show on the farm and instantly fell for Glenn.
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Maggie toughened up quickly by the time she was captured by the Governor season three:
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
By season five, she too had to become a warrior and was handy with a gun:
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Honestly, of all the characters, Maggie looks more of less the same from 2011 to 2016 though she - unlike the other characters - actually cut her hair season seven after she became pregnant:
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Michonne (Danai Gurira)
In the beginning... Although a stand-in played a shadowy Michonne at the end of season three, Gurira actually appeared for the first time in 2012 for season three.
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
She doesn't look appreciably different by season four:
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Or season five:
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Then again, maybe the wrinkle between her eyes has deepened:
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
And after shots of her looking so super serious, here's a season 7 GIF of her laughing! And her dread-locked hair, by the way, is a wig, so it's always disarming to see her without it.
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
