Fear the Walking Dead premiered in 2015 as the first — and eventually, longest-running — of many spinoffs of AMC’s hit zombie-apocalypse show The Walking Dead. While the original series was based on a series of graphic novels of the same name, Fear the Walking Dead featured all new characters in a different setting, with the first season taking place in Los Angeles seven years prior to the events of The Walking Dead and the rest of the series taking place in various locations, eventually, paralleling its parent series’ timeline. Although it was centered around different characters, some did cross over from the original series, most notably Morgan (Lennie James). Fear the Walking Dead came to an end in November 2023 after eight seasons.

With so many seasons and episodes, some have stood out more than others as being among the series’ best, especially when it comes to IMDb rankings. Many of the series’ highest-rated episodes are from Season 3, followed closely by Season 6, after the show shifted from its focus from the Clark family to the survivors in their battle with ruthless leader Virginia (Colby Minifie). But no matter the season, Fear the Walking Dead at its best featured compelling plots with its most fascinating characters at the center.

10 “Children of Wrath” (Season 3, Episode 8)

IMDb Score: 8.1

Season 3’s mid-season finale, “Children of Wrath,” opened with a flashback, which returned to the events of the Season 2 finale in which Jeremiah (Dayton Callie) shot Ofelia (Mercedes Mason) in the desert and denied her shelter, telling her “brown people” were not welcome. Eventually, Walker (Michael Greyeyes) finds her and takes her to the reservation, providing her with food, shelter and a bath. In the present, Madison confronts Jeremiah and tried to pressure him to kill himself, and although he refused, he was shot by her son, Nick (Frank Dillane).

“Children of Wrath” was a tense episode overall with some huge, pivotal moments. The episode centered around Jeremiah as the cause of the group’s problems, especially when it came to societal issues like racism—no matter how the world changed during the zombie apocalypse, people like Jeremiah didn’t. The episode also featured a few tense confrontations with Madison at the center, including one where she shared some of her difficult past with her children.

9 “What’s Your Story?” (Season 4, Episode 1)

IMDb Score: 8.1

Season 4 began with “What’s Your Story?” and the introduction of Morgan, following his departure from Season 8 of The Walking Dead after the war with Negan and the Saviors. Flashbacks showed characters from the original series asking Morgan to return to their community, with Morgan refusing each time. After a time jump, Morgan meets John Dorie (Keith Carradine), who was on his own looking for his partner, Laura. Morgan and John are captured by Leland (Clint James) and saved by a woman named Althea (Maggie Grace) — Al for short — driving a SWAT truck with a camera in hand to document survivors’ lives and experiences. They eventually meet up with the other survivors.

“What’s Your Story?” was a fresh start for Fear the Walking Dead, with a time jump putting it in line with The Walking Dead and great new characters, and some of the series’ best. Although they appeared for the first time here, they became major parts of the Fear the Walking Dead universe, with Morgan in particular shifting the focus of the series from Madison (Kim Dickens) and her family to himself. The episode was also notable for including three original Walking Dead characters—Jesus, Carol and Rick Grimes himself.

8 “Things Left to Do” (Season 6, Episode 9)

IMDb Score: 8.2

In “Things Left to Do,” Virginia holds members of Morgan’s group in exchange for her sister, Dakota (Zoe Colletti), leading to a shootout between Virginia’s rangers and Morgan’s group. Virginia was shot in the shoulder by Strand, then captured by Morgan, who took her to his old hideout to treat her wound. She revealed Dakota wasn’t really her sister after all, but she was actually her daughter. Morgan decides to spare her life and exiled her instead, but June asks for a word with her, and shoots her point-blank in the face.

The specter of John Dorie looms large over “Things Left to Do,” with June focused on not just digging his grave and finding out what happened to him and why, but getting revenge against Virginia and Dakota. And it wasn’t just June—Virginia made a lot of enemies, most of whom wanted her dead. But the best part of the episode were its twists and revelations, from the truth about Virginia and Dakota’s relationship to June doing what Morgan would not.

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7 “The Key” (Season 6, Episode 4)

IMDb Score: 8.2

In Season 6 episode “The Key,” John Dorie investigated the death of Cameron (Noah Khyle), found tangled in barbed wire and being eaten by walkers, as part of his duties as a ranger for Virginia, despite her insistence the death was accidental. John’s instincts proved correct, as Cameron was murdered by having his throat slit, and his girlfriend, Janis (Holly Curran), was framed for it and even went so far as to give John a false confession, with Virginia behind it all.

John Dorie was always a great character that was fun to watch, even more so in “The Key.” The role of a ranger suited him, especially considering his past as a cop; but it was unfortunate that it had to be for the villain Virginia and kept John separated from June (Jenna Elfman) shortly after the two married. Most importantly, though, this was a fantastic episode which showed Virginia’s true colors and forced John to come to terms with the kind of person she really was.

6 “Brother’s Keeper” (Season 3, Episode 12)

IMDb Score: 8.2

Season 3’s “Brother’s Keeper” began with a newly exiled Troy visiting the scene of a recent helicopter crash and finding a grenade launcher, which he took with him. He then went back to the ranch to warn Nick that the community was in danger. Meanwhile, Jake (Sam Underwood) wanted to leave with Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey) and suggested heading for his family’s cabin, and he ultimately questioned the nature of their relationship and whether it was about their feelings for each other or simply survival.

The Walking Dead franchise often dealt with morality and what was left of survivors’ humanity, and “Brother’s Keeper” was no exception. The episode was one of the strongest of the early seasons of Fear the Walking Dead, with a compelling story and a healthy dose of intensity. The trouble heading towards the ranch was brought by Troy himself, unsurprisingly, as he continued to be a problem for the others, and he was certainly pleased with himself for it.

5 “Sleigh Ride” (Season 2, Episode 16)

IMDb Score: 8.2

In the second part of the Season 3 finale, “Sleigh Ride,” Proctor John (Ray McKinnon) and his group, with Alicia joining them, head for the dam, resulting in a showdown, complete with explosives rigged and ultimately detonated thanks to Nick. Meanwhile, as Madison and Nick stay in hiding together, things become increasingly tense as they discuss the death of Troy (Daniel Sharman) and Nick’s struggles with addiction. Strand disguised them in an attempt to sneak them out, but they were found and threatened by Proctor John.

“Sleigh Ride” was a solid season finale, one of the best of the series, with high stakes and major moments that would have big repercussions. It featured some great emotional moments, particularly from Madison’s dream sequences, as well as compelling action at the dam. The explosion not only destroyed a relatively safe place with a valuable resource, but it left the episode ending on a cliffhanger, with Madison as the only confirmed survivor.

4 “100” (Season 3, Episode 4)

IMDb Score: 8.2

Season 3 episode “100” focused on Daniel (Ruben Blades), with the title referring to the total number of people he had killed by the end of the episode. The episode begins with flashbacks showing what happened to Daniel after he burned down the Abigail Estate, in particular how he struggled to survive with significant burns and was rescued by Efrain (Jesse Borrego) and feared he had killed his daughter, Ofelia, in the fire. Daniel eventually left the care of Efrain and headed out on his own.

Fear the Walking Dead didn’t typically focus on one character at a time in a standalone episode, but the choice to do so here with Daniel was an excellent one that paid off. It was a great look at Daniel’s character, especially his search not just for his daughter, Ofelia, but for atonement for his past mistakes, familiar themes in the Walking Dead universe. The episode also featured some harrowing sequences, most notably one where Lola cut burned, damaged tissue from Daniel’s leg.

3 “Wrath” (Season 2, Episode 14)

IMDb Score: 8.2

In “Wrath,” the first of a two-part season finale, Nick and Reynaldo (Cuauthtli Jimenez) went on a run to deliver drugs to the Los Hermanos gang, who revealed they had a new supplier and intended to take over La Colonia, leading Nick to attempt to convince Luciana (Danay Garcia) and the others to leave. Strand chose to stay behind. In a run-in with walkers, Alejandro (Paul Calderon) is bitten, forcing him to admit he’d been lying about his immunity. Meanwhile, Ofelia made it to the American border, and Travis (Cliff Curtis) kills the two men who killed his son.

“Wrath” was a compelling, well-paced episode with thrilling action scenes and gory walker sequences, as well as some surprising moments. While the audience surely wasn’t shocked to learn the truth about Alejandro’s alleged immunity, it was a stunning revelation for the other characters. The episode was also a huge one for Travis, who lost his son and made those responsible pay with their own lives in a brutal, harrowing scene.

2 “The Good Man” (Season 1, Episode 6)

IMDb Score: 8.3

In Season 1’s finale, “The Good Man,” the families of Fear the Walking Dead prepared to leave as walkers took over Los Angeles and the Guard left, even while some believed the situation was actually improving. Daniel hatched a plan to release thousands of walkers trapped in a stadium to use them as a distraction, and ultimately, rather than heading to the desert as planned, the group find shelter at Victor’s (Colman Domingo) beachside mansion.

“The Good Man” was the strongest episode of the first season of Fear the Walking Dead. One of the most interesting parts of the series when it first began was the early days of the outbreak, and here, it started to become obvious to not just the families but even the government how bleak the situation was, and, of course, Walking Dead viewers already knew how much worse it could get.

1 “The End Is the Beginning” (Season 6, Episode 1)

IMDb Score: 8.4

After being shot by Virginia, a gravely injured Morgan crossed paths with a stranger in need and former ranger for Virginia, Isaac (Michael Abbott Jr.), all while trying to evade a bounty hunter named Emile also working for Virginia in Season 6 premiere “The End Is the Beginning.” Isaac had been bitten by a walker and therefore had little time left, all while his pregnant wife went into labor. Meanwhile, two men were out to get a key in Emile’s (Demetrius Groose) possession.

“The End Is the Beginning” was a strong start to Season 6 and is the highest-rated episode on IMDb. It was great to see Virginia shaken, and she considered Morgan to be enough of a threat that she sent Emile after him, and Emile was fun to watch. But above all, it was a great episode for Morgan, who was vastly changed by the end, so much so that he told Virginia he wasn’t Morgan anymore.