Viewers have been obsessed with zombies ever since their initial emergence in George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead in 1968. From that moment on, audiences have lost their minds over the abounding films and shows that feature the undead, and The Walking Dead is arguably one of the most popular ones. If you’re dying to find similar shows, read on for suggestions that will satisfy your zombie appetite.The Walking Dead made its debut on AMC in 2010. The series is based on the comic books of the same name and follows a group of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world where zombies, or walkers as they are referred to in the show, have overrun the world. Those who have narrowly escaped the walkers’ warpath have to scavenge and fight against rival groups in order to survive. Rick (Andrew Lincoln), Daryl (Norman Reedus), Carol (Melissa McBride), Maggie (Lauren Cohan), and the rest of their crew meet several villains along the way, including The Governor and Jadis. However, the ultimate bad guy is Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) whose weapon of choice is Lucille, a bat wrapped in barbed wire. The show, which is currently on its 11th and final season, has gained so much popularity and has served as an impetus for the creation of other zombie-centered shows.
Fear the Walking Dead
Creators: Robert Kirkman and Dave Erikson
Starring: Alycia Debnam-Carey, Colman Domingo, Danay Garcia, RubeÌn Blades
Due to the immense popularity of The Walking Dead, AMC decided to create a spin-off titled Fear the Walking Dead. Unlike The Walking Dead, which thrust the audience right into the zombie apocalypse, the first three seasons of Fear serve as a prequel, showing us just how the chaos began. We are introduced to a Los Angeles-based family who learns about a deadly virus and does everything in their power to survive. Though the 7th season is currently airing on AMC, the show’s first six seasons are available on Hulu.
Do you have to watch The Walking Dead before watching Fear the Walking Dead? No. The two shows have different storylines and take place in different locations. The only character they have in common is Morgan Jones (Lennie James).
Z Nation
Creators: Karl Schaefer and Craig Engler
Starring: Russell Hodgkinson, Keith Allen, Nat Zang, Kellita Smith
Z Nation is another zombie series, starting off three years into the apocalypse. The show revolves around Murphy, a prisoner who was injected by an experimental vaccine that prevented him from turning into a zombie after being bitten. He attempts to travel from Washington, D.C. to a lab in California where they will use his blood to develop more vaccines, and he recruits other survivors to help him on his journey. The series premiered in 2014 and ran for five seasons. It is available to stream on Netflix.
iZombie
Creators: Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggiero-Wright
Starring: Rose McIver, Malcolm Goodwin, Rahul Kohli, Robert Buckley
iZombie is a drama about Liv, a medical resident who is also a newly-turned zombie. She discovers that she can actually pass as a functioning member of society as long as she eats brains. Unlike most zombies, Liv is compassionate and has no desire to hurt living people, so her solution is to quit her residency and become a medical examiner at the morgue, where she has access to an endless supply of brains to gorge on. The show follows Liv as she tries to maintain a “normal” life without giving away her new identity. You can stream all five seasons of iZombie on Netflix.
Daybreak
Creators: Brad Peyton and Aron Eli Coleite
Starring: Colin Ford, Alyvia Alyn Lind, Sophie Simnett, Austin Crute, Matthew Broderick
Similar to The Walking Dead, Daybreak is based on Brian Ralph’s graphic novel of the same name. The show, which only ran for one season, follows Josh, a Glendale High School student and an easy target for bullies. He gets his chance to rise from the ashes after an atomic explosion wipes out most of his hometown. He is forced to survive in a post-apocalyptic world where adults have transformed into “ghoulies,” but the typical cliques in high school still exist. You can watch Daybreak on Netflix.
Survivor
Creator: Terry Nation
Starring: Julie Graham, Max Beesley, Paterson Joseph, Zoë Tapper
Survivors is a British show based on a novel by the show’s creator, Terry Nation, about a group of people who survive a pandemic called the “European flu.” Those who withstood the virus go searching for others who also made it out alive. Once they find each other, they are forced to work together to rebuild a functioning society, though they are seriously lacking important establishments like a government and a police force. They may have survived the pandemic, but will they survive a world without laws? Watch Survivors on Apple TV or Amazon Prime to find out.
Curfew
Creators: Matthew Read
Starring: Phoebe Fox, Andi Osho, Billy Zane, Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Sean Bean
Curfew is another British show about people who band together in order to survive a deadly virus. The government has imposed a curfew in hopes of protecting citizens from being killed by the virus. However, the ultimate form of protection is offered as a prize for a race in which contestants take any measure to be the first to cross the finish line. Curfew is a Spectrum Original and can be streamed on Spectrum TV.
Kingdom
Creator: Kim Eun-hee
Starring: Ju Ji-Hoon, Bae Doona, Kim Sung-kyu, Kim Hye-jun
Kingdom is the first original Korean series on Netflix and is based on the webtoon series The Kingdom of the Gods by the show’s creator. In 16th century Joseon (currently Korea), a mysterious virus is plaguing the kingdom and bringing the dead back to life as monsters. When rumors arise that the King of Joseon has died, Prince Chang makes it his mission to uncover the secrets that are circulating and find a way to prevent the spread of the virus in the kingdom. A third season has not yet been announced, but you can watch Seasons 1 and 2 on Netflix.
Reality Z
Creators: Tatiana Bacal, Rodrigo Monte, Eduardo Simeão
Starring: Ravel Andrade, Harley Yeager, Carla Ribas, Ana Hartmann
A perfect combination of two of our guilty pleasures – zombies and reality television – Reality Z is a Brazilian series about the reality show “Olympus” in which the contestants are gods and goddesses hoping not to get kicked out of “God’s House.” Minutes before the first episode is set to air, the cast and crew discover that zombies have infiltrated the studio. The stakes are much higher as the contestants must now fight to stay alive. The studio becomes a safe haven for those in Rio de Janeiro who have narrowly escaped zombie attacks, but they still have to overcome the drama and chaos within the studio walls. Netflix has not yet renewed the show for a second season, but Season 1 is available for streaming.