9 Must-Watch Shows That Capture The Thrills Of The Walking Dead
When the final episode of The Walking Dead aired, fans felt an emptiness that no ordinary show could fill. Where else could you experience flesh-eating zombies, heart-pounding survival, and characters you’d gladly fight alongside?
The apocalypse isn’t over yet. Korean period dramas overrun with undead royalty and high school students battling zombie-infested hallways keep the thrill alive, delivering the same edge-of-your-seat tension that made Rick Grimes legendary.
Dive into these zombie-packed shows and get your survival fix before the world ends.
1. All of Us Are Dead
Picture your worst day at school, then multiply it by a thousand zombies. This South Korean sensation drops you right into the chaos when a science experiment goes horribly wrong, turning an entire high school into ground zero for the apocalypse.
Students who worried about pop quizzes yesterday are now fighting for their lives against former classmates and teachers. The show brilliantly weaves coming-of-age drama with gut-wrenching horror, making you care deeply about each character’s survival.
What sets this apart is how it captures teenage relationships and rivalries even while the undead pound on classroom doors.
2. Kingdom
Ever wondered what a zombie outbreak would look like in ancient Korea? Kingdom answers that question with stunning cinematography and political intrigue that rivals Game of Thrones.
Crown Prince Lee Chang investigates a mysterious plague spreading through the kingdom, only to discover the dead aren’t staying dead. Set during the Joseon period, this Netflix original blends historical drama with horror so seamlessly you’ll forget zombies weren’t actually part of Korean history.
The palace intrigue and power struggles make the zombie threat even more terrifying because humans prove just as dangerous.
3. Z Nation
If The Walking Dead is your serious older sibling, Z Nation is the fun cousin who shows up with wild stories. Three years into the zombie apocalypse, humanity’s last hope rides on getting one man across the country because he’s immune to the virus.
This series doesn’t take itself too seriously, throwing in zombie babies, radioactive zombies, and even zombie tornadoes. The campy humor and inventive storytelling create a lighter take on the end times without sacrificing the survival stakes.
You’ll laugh, you’ll cringe, and you’ll absolutely love the creative ways they dispatch the undead.
4. Black Summer
Before Z Nation’s quirky adventures, there was Black Summer—and it’s absolutely brutal. This prequel shows the first terrifying days when society collapses faster than you can say “run.”
Rose, a mother separated from her daughter during the initial outbreak, will stop at nothing to reunite with her. Unlike other zombie shows, there’s minimal dialogue and maximum tension as strangers form uneasy alliances just to survive another hour.
The zombies here are fast, relentless, and genuinely frightening. Each episode feels like holding your breath for forty-five minutes straight while your heart tries to escape your chest.
5. Fear the Walking Dead
Ever wish you could see how everything started before Rick woke up in that hospital? Fear the Walking Dead rewinds to day one, showing society’s collapse through the eyes of ordinary people in Los Angeles.
Madison Clark, a guidance counselor, and her blended family watch their world crumble in real-time as authorities lose control and neighbors turn into threats. The show’s early seasons excel at building dread as characters slowly realize their normal lives are never coming back.
Watching civilization fall apart piece by piece creates a different kind of horror than just surviving in the ruins.
6. The Last of Us
Based on the beloved video game, this HBO masterpiece proves zombie stories can win Emmys and break hearts simultaneously. Joel, a smuggler hardened by twenty years of surviving a fungal apocalypse, must escort fourteen-year-old Ellie across a ravaged America.
The infected here aren’t your typical zombies—cordyceps fungus turns humans into terrifying creatures with genuinely nightmare-inducing designs. However, the real story lies in Joel and Ellie’s evolving relationship as they face both infected and dangerous survivors.
Each episode feels cinematic, with emotional gut-punches that’ll have you ugly-crying between action sequences.
7. Train to Busan: The Series
Remember that incredible Korean zombie movie that had everyone talking? While not a direct series adaptation, the Train to Busan universe expands with stories exploring the same outbreak from different perspectives.
The concept of being trapped on a speeding train with the undead created one of the most claustrophobic zombie experiences ever filmed. The series maintains that same breakneck pace and emotional intensity that made the original film unforgettable.
Korean zombie content consistently raises the bar for the genre, combining stellar action choreography with genuine emotional depth that Western productions sometimes miss.
8. The Walking Dead: World Beyond
What’s it like growing up in a world where zombies are just normal? World Beyond follows the first generation raised entirely after the fall, giving us a fresh perspective on the franchise.
These teenagers from a safe community embark on a cross-country journey, experiencing the dangerous outside world for the first time. Their naivety creates tension because they lack the survival instincts older characters developed through harsh experience.
The show explores hope and rebuilding rather than just survival, asking whether humanity can create something better from the ashes. It’s a different flavor but expands the Walking Dead universe in meaningful ways.
9. Resident Evil Netflix Series
Capcom’s legendary video game franchise gets the Netflix treatment, splitting its story between 2022 and 2036. Jade Wesker navigates a world overrun by infected creatures while flashbacks reveal how Umbrella Corporation’s experiments destroyed everything.
The series takes liberties with game lore, which divided fans, but delivers solid zombie action and corporate conspiracy thrills. Mutated creatures beyond basic zombies add variety to the threats our heroes face.
If you can appreciate it as its own thing rather than a direct game adaptation, there’s plenty of apocalyptic fun to enjoy here with familiar franchise elements.
