For more than a decade, The Walking Dead portrayed its characters’ struggles as they tried, and sometimes failed, to survive its horrific post-apocalyptic world. The dangers that lay in wait on the outside, as well as the inside, proved to be one of the show’s most challenging features, where if it wasn’t infected wanting to rip their flesh off, it was its dangerous and cruel humans wanting what they had. Throughout the series, fans saw the many attempts by Rick and the gang to ensure their safety in numerous camps and communities so that they could live to see the next day, and hopefully make for a brighter future.

It’s fair to say that life wasn’t easy for Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and his group of survivors, who had come so close various times to establishing a better base only to have the welcome mat pulled from under their feet due to either a hungry zombie horde, delusional cannibals or an army tank blowing half of it up. As the series moved forward, fans witnessed the group move from location to location, but one “ideal” base from season one of The Walking Dead might have provided their every need without having to roam so far (and even avoid getting into heaps of poo and deaths in the process.)

Walking Dead Fans Think the Sheriff’s Department in Season 1 Was the Best Base

The Walking Dead fans have taken to Reddit to discuss why they think the sheriff’s department, which was featured in season one of the AMC series, was the group’s best chance of survival over all the other locations, especially the CDC. For those who may have forgotten what the CDC was, here’s a quick summary. In the fifth episode of season one of The Walking Dead, after the horde attack on their camp, Rick spearheads the rest of the survivors to the C.D.C. (Center for Disease Control) in the small hope that the group can cure Jim who was infected after being bitten. After finally gaining entry into the center, Dr. Jenner reveals that it’s only him left and there is no cure, leaving the group to pack up once more while witnessing the entire place implode with Jacqui and Jenner inside.

However, Walking Dead fans think that even though the CDC was a great base due to how secure it was, the group didn’t really need to go as far to call somewhere home as the police department in season one had everything they needed and could have avoided the horrific things that happened to them. Reddit user GuyWhoEatsChipz said that this specific location already had running water and the armory, which housed plenty of weapons, not to mention the likelihood it already had bulletproof glass and a built-in defense system. The poster also mentioned that, with some work, areas surrounding the station could have been used to grow crops too. One commenter in the comment section of the thread said that the group probably didn’t realize the “severity of their situation” until much later on and wanted somewhere more official to stay, like the CDC.

Others seemed to agree but pointed out that it may have been a better short-term base rather than a long-term one, as Rick, Carl, and Michonne did travel back at one point to collect more guns to fight the Governor, but most weapons had already been raided, meaning that other groups had been there previously which could pose a threat akin to the prison. However, as great of an idea that the survivors set up home at the sheriff’s department was, viewers would have missed all of the drama, deaths, and heartbreak that made for some of the best moments in the series.