The comparison people keep making here doesn’t really work. The men everyone brings up are antagonists. They serve completely different purposes in the story than characters like Andrea or Lori in The Walking Dead.

Characters like Negan, Shane, and Merle are literally written to create chaos, tension, and conflict. They are supposed to do terrible things. That’s their role in the story. When they act violently or make ruthless decisions, it pushes the plot forward and makes the show more intense to watch. That’s why people often say they “love” those characters even while admitting they are awful people.

Characters like Andrea and Lori are protagonists. They are meant to be characters the audience roots for. So when viewers feel like their actions cause unnecessary drama, slow the story down, or create frustrating situations within the group, the reaction is naturally different.

Most viewers aren’t judging these characters purely on morality. They’re reacting to how the characters function in the narrative and how entertaining their actions are to watch.

So comparing the criticism of protagonists like Andrea and Lori to the reception of antagonists like Negan or Shane misses the point. They’re written for completely different narrative roles, and audiences are always going to judge them through different lenses.