This week’s feature in “Dead Alert,” The Walking Dead newsletter, was an interview with Chad L. Coleman who plays Tyreese on the show. I was surprised that Tyreese was introduced as a character this season considering that he shows up much earlier in The Walking Dead comics. Because he is already a member of Rick’s group in the comics before the prison even happens, I just assumed that he wouldn’t be used at all in the television show. Needless to say I was shocked and quite excited to see him make an appearance in Season 3.

So far I like Tyreese as a character on the show and I’m enjoying Coleman, the actor who is playing him. Tyreese has a kindhearted personality, and an eagerness to help which I really like. He also doesn’t blindly follow orders, and he thinks for himself, an admirable quality.

Reading AMC’s interview with Chad L. Coleman it was interesting to find out that he and Danai Gurira (Michonne) had worked together before and already were familiar with each other before the show. Sadly I didn’t watch The Wire, so I don’t really get the question comparing Coleman’s character Cutty on that show to Tyreese. I did find it fascinating that Coleman was in the army and has real-world survival skills that he could use if he needed them.

The most mind-blowing aspect of the interview with Chad L. Coleman however was finding out that Sasha on the show is Tyreese’s younger sister. This entire time I assumed the younger woman with him was his daughter just like in the comics! I feel dumb for not knowing that, but the other hand, the show hasn’t dropped me any hints that they were siblings. It makes their relationship a little more fascinating to me now knowing that.

Learning that Coleman ran track instead of playing football like Tyreese didn’t impress me, but hearing that he’s good at bringing people together did. His natural nice-guy qualities shine through in his role so far as Tyreese. I’m looking forward to seeing where the writers take his character, especially as Season 3 draws to a close.

What do you think about Tyreese as a character?