5 thrilling shows like The Walking Dead

In 2010, AMC Networks premiered The Walking Dead, an apocalyptic series that aired for 12 years across 11 seasons. Based on the comics created by Robert Kirkman, the series became wildly popular, beyond what anyone could have imagined, and has inspired other series within the genre.

The Walking Dead has been praised for its earliest and final seasons, with mixed reviews for its seventh and eighth seasons. While it is set in an undead apocalypse, the stories revolve around the survivors and their experiences after the outbreak occurred. Many viewers note this is why the series became so popular.

Long-standing cast members for the series include Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Steven Yeun, Chandler Riggs, Melissa McBride, Lauren Cohan, Danai Gurira, Josh McDermitt, Christian Serratos, Seth Gilliam, Ross Marquand, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Several of these characters' stories have continued in the long line of spinoffs of the main series. Let's check out some other great series' to watch that are similiar to the tone and setting of The Walking Dead (TWD).

Z Nation

Z Nation is a five-season series that premiered on Syfy in 2014. Its story begins three years after an outbreak and follows a group of people on a dangerous cross-country mission. They are tasked with bringing a man who survived a zombie bite to the last known viral lab in the hopes of creating a vaccine with the antibodies in his blood. While this series has been described as campy, it is an excellent watch for fans of the genre.

Starring: Kellita Smith, DJ Qualls, Michael Welch, Keith Allan, Anastasia Baranova, Russell Hodgkinson, Pisay Pao, Nat Zang, Tom Everett Scott, Harold Perrineau, Matt Cedeño, and
Emilio Rivera.

Stream on: Prime Video, AMC+, Shudder, and Philo

Black Summer

Black Summer is a two-season spinoff set in the same universe as Z Nation. This story begins six weeks after the outbreak and follows a mother, Rose, played by Jamie King, separated from her during the deadliest days of a zombie apocalypse. She begins her journey to locate her daughter as she travels with a group of refugees in a world overrun by the undead.

Starring: Jaime King, Justin Chu Cary, Christine Lee, Sal Velez Jr., Kelsey Flower, Erika Hau, and Gwynyth Walsh.

Stream on: Netflix

Silo

Silo is a sci-fi dystopian drama that, while it doesn't feature the undead, is a story of survival. The series focuses on a community that lives in an underground silo consisting of 144 levels with 10,000 residents. The society is governed by a set of rules that is believed to protect them. Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson) is an engineer who works in the lowest levels of the silo and is intrigued by the history of the community.

Starring: Rebecca Ferguson, Rashida Jones, David Oyelowo, Common, Tim Robbins, Harriet Walter, Avi Nash, Rick Gomez, and Chinaza Uche.

Stream on: Apple TV+

From

From is the Harold Perrineau-led sci-fi series set in an extremely mysterious small town in the US. Anyone who visits cannot leave, and the story follows the residents as they struggle to survive against nocturnal creatures who threaten them. This series has been highly praised for its story, performances, and directing, with viewers flocking to watch the three-season series.

Starring: Harold Perrineau, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Eion Bailey, David Alpay, Elizabeth Saunders, Shaun Majumder, Scott McCord, and Ricky He.

Stream on: MGM+

Sweet Home

The South Korean apocalyptic horror Sweet Home is a Netflix original you must add to your list if you are a fan of TWD. The series consists of three seasons, the third and final of which was released in 2024, are all available on the streamer. This series swaps the undead for monsters and does a fantastic job with its story that follows a teen and his neighbors as they do what it takes to survive and hold on to their beliefs and humanity.

Starring: Song Kang, Lee Jin-wook, and Lee Si-young.

Stream on: Netflix