The Walking Dead's Woman Problem

Spoilers for the whole season, up to last Sunday's (12/2) episode. Also, here, have some Michonne blackface.

In a series where the major dramatic impetus nearly every episode is a character doing something really stupid, The Walking Dead's first two seasons rarely allowed its female characters any sort of redemptive moments for their follies. And if they're not botching things royally and then eating shit for them, then they're window dressing, meant to deliver a few lines where needed and fade into the background. Halfway into the third season, and with a writing team that's really stepped up their game, has it gotten better? Sure, a little. Could it get better still? Yeah. And I understand that characterization has never been the strong point of this little undead yarn, but when you compare any of the women to Rick or Daryl or even Carl, their developmental trajectories are either radically thinner or almost non-existent. But for the most part they're trying, and here's how:

The Walking Dead Cast Survival Index

(Spoilers for both seasons.)

Rick
 + Has gotten very good at pointing that revolver in the exact same position every single time
+ Special policeman gun training
+ Some degree of common sense, which is I guess what allowed him to become king of all these yuk-yuks in the first place
+ Will go through hell and back looking for/saving/protecting your lost/dying/beleaguered ass
+ Leadership capabilities. Supposedly
- Leadership capabilities more or less amount to him looking sad or calling in support from a different, more persuasive cast member until he gets his way
- Has to lead this group around
- Is married to Lori
Value: 7. Definitely not who I'd put in charge of a bedraggled handful of humans staring down their own mortality, but it's not like this group has much of a choice.