Dr. Harlan Carson is a supporting character from The Walking Dead, appearing between the series' sixth and eighth seasons. He was a resident of the Hilltop Colony and its foremost medical expert, gaining him the job of community physician. He was portrayed by R. Keith Harris.
History[]
Early life[]
Before the apocalypse, Harlan and his brother Emmett were both practising doctors, although Harlan's speciality was obstetrics. When the undead outbreak occurred, the two brothers took refuge in a FEMA camp before being evacuated to the safe-zone that would later become known as the Hilltop Colony. As doctors, their expertise was well-received and greatly appreciated by the community.
However, one day, the Hilltop would be visited by a group of aggressive apocalypse survivors calling themselves the Saviors. Having greater numbers and weapons, the Saviors demanded that Hilltop start producing food for them in exchange for being left in relative peace. Initially, the Hilltop residents refused, but the Saviors soon got the settlement under their control after publicly executing one of the younger residents. Since then, Hilltop had been living in constant fear of the Saviors' wrath and were unable to fight back due to a lack of resources and manpower.
Season 6[]
First appearing in the episode "Knots Untie", Harlan and three other Hilltop residents run afoul of walkers while on a supply run. The group are forced to take shelter in an abandoned building, but are later rescued by Rick Grimes and a group of his people from the Alexandria Safe-Zone. During this time, he meets Maggie Rhee, who is pregnant. He offers to provide her pre-natal care and vitamins and vouches for the others when they arrive at Hilltop.
Season 7[]
In the episode "Go Getters", after Maggie returns to Hilltop following her first meeting with Negan, Harlan examines her and finds that she has a ruptured placenta. He advises Maggie to rest and remain at the Hilltop for the duration of her pregnancy.
In the episode "The Other Side", the Saviors visit the Hilltop and Simon tells Harlan that his brother Emmett is dead. As such, Harlan's medical services are needed at the Sanctuary, but the Saviors leave Hilltop a crate full of aspirin in exchange.
Season 8[]
After Gabriel Stokes begins suffering from an infection due to coating himself in zombie gore, he is brought inside the Sanctuary where Harlan is tasked with caring for him. During this time, Eugene Porter - who had also been pressed into Negan's service - orchestrates the duo's escape. He says he has neutralized the guard at the North Gate and prepared a vehicle so that Harlan and Gabriel can make it to the Hilltop and Harlan can take care of Maggie. Though Gabriel offers Eugene the chance to join them, he refuses.
In the episode "Dead or Alive Or", Harlan and Gabriel get lost on their way to the Hilltop and take shelter in an abandoned shack that had been used as a radio station during the outbreak. While inside, the duo discover that the deceased operator had left behind a stash of antibiotics which Harlan uses to treat Gabriel. Gabriel soon recovers from his infection, although he is left with lingering damage in his optic nerves, partially blinding him.
Later that day, the pair discover a set of car keys and Harlan heads outside to search for the vehicle, unknowingly walking into a set of traps. His foot gets caught in a bear trap as nearby walkers begin to close in on him. While Gabriel is able to save Harlan, both men are now injured in some capacity. They find the vehicle in the garage but are ambushed by Saviors. While in captivity in the back of a pick-up truck, Harlan attempts to subdue a Savior by snatching his gun from its holster, but is instead shot and killed by another. His body is then thrown out of the truck as a mourning Gabriel is taken away.
Since Harlan was shot in the chest, he would have reanimated as a walker. However, his reanimation is never witnessed as he is never seen again.