The Walking Dead consistently portrays LGBTQ+ characters with dignity, complexity, and agency. Relationships are normalized and treated with respect, their love and losses depicted as integral to the human experience in the apocalypse, free from prejudice or harmful stereotypes. The show affirms the worth of queer lives and love.

The television series adapted characters from the comic books, notably Connie and Kelly, who were depicted as Asian-American and White respectively in the source material. In the show, these characters are portrayed by Black actresses, constituting clear race swaps.

The show often portrays Christianity as a source of hope, moral guidance, and community in a brutal world. While characters' faith is tested and some individuals exhibit hypocrisy, the narrative ultimately affirms the positive aspects of faith, showing it as a vital coping mechanism and a foundation for rebuilding society.