15 Best TV Shows Like The Walking Dead

There aren’t many shows where characters bash each other over the head with a barbed wire baseball bat named Lucille, but that’s what makes “The Walking Dead” different. For 11 seasons, the AMC horror drama — adapted from Robert Kirkman’s comic of the same name — imagined a post-apocalyptic future where humans are more monstrous than the zombies referenced in the title. Now that it’s over, you might be craving more shows like “The Walking Dead,” but fear not, as TVLine has you covered.

“The Walking Dead” is a unique show, but there are other series out there that scratch a similar itch. This list doesn’t contain any of the spin-offs, as it’s highly likely fans are more than familiar with them. Instead, we’ll focus on other great post-apocalyptic, horror, and sci-fi shows that hang out in the same wheelhouse as the Kirkman adaptation. So, if you’re looking for more genre shows to fill your “Walking Dead” void, this collection is worth adding to your watchlist.

Video game adaptations can be pretty hit or miss, but “The Last of Us” is generally regarded as a very good one. Based on the Naughty Dog games of the same name, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann’s post-apocalyptic tale takes place in a world where humanity has fallen to a fungal infection that turns people into mutants. Ellie (Bella Ramsey) has the DNA that could lead to a possible cure, and Joel (Pedro Pascal) becomes responsible for making sure she gets to her destination in one piece.

“The Last of Us” follows many of the tried-and-tested tropes we associate with the best zombie shows like “The Walking Dead.” It’s a survival story about characters traveling through dangerous settings, but don’t mistake it for being derivative of other works. “The Last of Us” is a bleak series that isn’t afraid to strike viewers with emotional gut punches, making it a draining watch at times. “The Walking Dead” isn’t a pleasant show either, but apocalypses aren’t supposed to be fun.

Zombie-themed entertainment is often criticized for being too similar, as many shows and movies in the genre adopt the same tropes. That criticism doesn’t apply to “Kingdom,” which thrusts the undead into a period setting to create one of the best K-dramas of all time.

“Kingdom” takes place in 17th-century South Korea while the country is still feeling the effects of the Imjin War. The action centers around Lee Chang (Ju Ji-hoon), a crown prince who must protect his kingdom from an undead contagion. However, the world of politics is just as deadly as the zombie outbreak, forcing the young prince to deal with the schemers who want to claim the throne for themselves.

“Kingdom” is the perfect show for fans of “The Walking Dead” and “Game of Thrones,” as it combines creature chaos with political intrigue. The historic horror yarn is available to stream on Netflix, along with many other acclaimed South Korean shows.

“The Walking Dead” isn’t the only TV series based on one of Robert Kirkman’s horror comics. “Outcast,” which Kirkman adapted for the screen in 2016, swaps zombies for demons, but the results are no less terrifying.

“Outcast” tells the story of Kyle Barnes (Patrick Fugit), an unlucky fella whose life has been traumatized by demonic possessions that affected his loved ones. This makes him the ideal person to deal with the evil rascals, so he teams up with a clergyman to perform exorcisms. Not all demons are physical, though, as Kyle deals with the emotional scars brought on by his dark past.

“Outcast” blends supernatural scares with human-focused drama, making it similar to “The Walking Dead.” However, the demonic chiller wasn’t as successful as Kirkman’s hit zombie show, with Cinemax canceling it after two seasons. But if you’re looking for an underrated horror series that will give you the shivers, “Outcast” is worth your time.

“The Walking Dead” imagines a post-apocalyptic future where society has branched off into communities, some of which are pretty twisted and tribal. A similar concept is explored in Apple TV’s “See,” which tells a story about humanity returning to the old ways after a virus turns most people blind.

“See” stars Jason Momoa as Baba Voss, a warrior and leader of one of the tribes that populates the new world. While there are some thematic parallels to the aforementioned AMC zombie series, Momoa revealed that “See” was inspired by Westerns. “[Steven Knight] really wanted to make a Western almost in the sense of having Comanches, Apaches, and all the different types of tribes like the Payans and the Alkenny,” he told Rotten Tomatoes.

During its run on Apple TV, “See” became one of the streaming service’s most-watched shows. The action-drama boasts an 84% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, adding more credibility to the argument that Apple TV is the best streaming service for sci-fi fans.

Have you ever felt that post-apocalyptic shows would benefit from more “Bayhem?” The good news is that there is one series out there that delivers it in spades, as it was produced by Michael Bay himself.

“The Last Ship” depicts a post-apocalyptic universe where a virus has wiped out 80% of the population. Fortunately, the 218-member crew of the USS Nathan James survived the ordeal, so it’s now up to them to find a cure for the virus. The crew is led by Tom Chandler, a U.S. naval officer portrayed by Eric Dane.

With this being a Michael Bay production, “The Last Ship” delivers plenty of action and spectacle. The crew finds themselves at odds with everyone, from escaped Al Qaeda prisoners, to tyrannical dictators who want to unite the Latin nations against the United States. The show is more over-the-top than “The Walking Dead,” but both offer depictions of humanity being at odds following a catastrophic event.

Are you the type of person who watches reality TV shows and finds the participants annoying and insufferable? If so, you might enjoy the underseen “Dead Set,” a five-part British miniseries about “Big Brother” contestants getting trapped in the house as a zombie apocalypse unfolds around them.

“Dead Set” comes from the mind of “Black Mirror” creator Charlie Brooker, and it’s a zombie series with brains and bite. The undead outbreak can be interpreted as a satire of reality television, often hailed as a mindless form of entertainment that’s easy to consume. In other words, it turns viewers into zombies, and “Dead Set” explores this idea quite literally.

Outside of its thematic elements, “Dead Set” is an effective horror thriller that boasts plenty of scares and carnage. The overlooked series is much funnier than “The Walking Dead,” but fans of the Walkers will still be treated to the nightmare fuel they crave.

Craig Engler and Karl Schaefer’s “Z Nation” was produced by The Asylum, the production company behind “Sharknado” and numerous rip-offs of popular movies and TV shows. The success of “The Walking Dead” probably inspired its creation to some degree, but “Z Nation” is a different type of zombie show.

“Z Nation” follows a group of people as they transport the only survivor of a zombie bite across the United States in the hope of finding the ultimate cure. But that’s easier said than done when there are hordes of undead creatures ravaging the lands. The survivor’s exposure to being bitten also turns him into a monster-zombie hybrid, so he doesn’t exactly get off lightly.

Some scenes pack a punch, but Engler and Schaefer’s series is a self-aware, satirical, and action-packed zombie yarn. Fans of “The Walking Dead” will appreciate the undead mayhem, but viewers who feel AMC’s acclaimed horror series is too slow and melodramatic might also enjoy “Z Nation.”

“Black Summer” is a prequel to “Z Nation” that chronicles the beginning of the zombie apocalypse that rocks the universe. Unlike its predecessor, though, “Black Summer” is a true horror series that goes for scares over laughs, making it more in line with the tone of “The Walking Dead” than “Z Nation.”

The story follows Rose (Jaime King) as she sets out to find her missing daughter following the outbreak. She is joined by other survivors along the way, which gives the show a team-up element similar to Rick Grimes’ group in the hit AMC series.

“Black Summer” didn’t conquer the world like “The Walking Dead,” but it was good enough to impress a genre master. Stephen King took to X (formerly known as Twitter) and gave “Black Summer” a glowing review, writing, “Just when you think there’s no more scare left in zombies, THIS comes along. Existential hell in the suburbs, stripped to the bone.”

Being a teenager is tough, but the students of the Hyosan High School in “All of Us Are Dead” have it worse off than most. When the school finds itself at the center of a zombie outbreak, the classmates must fend for themselves. However, it’s only a matter of time until some of the students become members of the undead themselves.

“The Walking Dead” fans will appreciate the zombie horror on “All of Us Are Dead,” but the South Korean series stands out from other shows about the undead. The story explores weighty themes like bullying, inequality, and other challenges faced by young people today, with the zombies serving as metaphors for these big ideas.

The combination of spooky thrills, bloody mayhem, and biting social commentary is reminiscent of shows like “Squid Game,” further proving that South Korea makes some of the smartest horror shows out there. “All of Us Are Dead” puts a unique spin on zombies and coming-of-age dramas, but it also happens to be very entertaining.

“The 100” is a YA series that aired on The CW, but that doesn’t mean it’s tamer than the other shows on this list. The story follows a group of juvenile delinquents who return to Earth after nuclear terror destroyed the planet 97 years prior. The teens are effectively used as testing dummies while the rest of humanity hangs out on space stations until they’re sure it’s safe to return.

The CW series’ story is similar to that of “The Walking Dead,” as both shows follow survivors wandering around, encountering numerous threats along the way. Among these threats are the Reapers, a group of cannibalistic soldiers who are just as freaky as the Whisperers on “TWD.” The creators of “The 100” also weren’t worried about making fans sad. The show kills off some notable characters in devastating ways, so it’s just as bleak as AMC’s zombie series at times.

The zombies on “The Walking Dead” eventually became secondary to other threats. The most memorable villains are of the human variety, but the undead certainly have a part to play. “Helix” is similar in that regard, as infected people take a backseat to other mysteries.

“Helix” follows Alan Farragut (Billy Campbell) and Sarah Jordan (Kyra Zagorsky), a pair of scientists tasked with investigating a viral outbreak that turns people into zombie-like beings. The epidemic also has connections to the Ilaria Corporation, giving our heroes a mystery to uncover.

The creators of “Helix” were conscious about making the Syfy series different from “The Walking Dead,” despite understanding why some folks might compare them. “Helix” is more rooted in science fiction than horror, but it still contains its fair share of scary moments. Sadly, all good things must come to an end. Syfy pulled the plug on “Helix” after two seasons due to low ratings — but don’t let that stop you from checking it out.

If you’re looking for another post-apocalyptic series where society has splintered into factions, look no further than “Snowpiercer.” Based on Jacques Lob’s “Le Transperceneige” graphic novel and Bong Joon-ho’s “Snowpiercer” film, the show follows a train full of survivors as they navigate a doom-laden ice age. However, some passengers are more privileged than others, leading to chaos on the locomotive.

Like “The Walking Dead,” “Snowpiercer” centers around a catastrophic event that brings out the worst in humanity. The train is essentially a totalitarian state that favors the elites, so it’s only a matter of time until all hell breaks loose between the opposing class systems. The revolution is led by Andre Layton (Daveed Diggs), a former detective who becomes the leader of the train’s lowly rebels.

“Snowpiercer” is full of action, mystery, drama, and dystopian bleakness, making it a fitting bedfellow for “The Walking Dead.” Sadly, the series ended after four seasons, so it didn’t get to enjoy the same type of longevity as AMC’s 11-season wonder.

“The Walking Dead” can be pretty bleak, but its story of humans striving to rebuild their lives after terrible events is ultimately hopeful. If you’re looking for another post-apocalyptic series that shines a bigger spotlight on this optimistic idea, “Station Eleven” is the one for you.

Based on Emily St. John Mandel’s novel of the same name, “Station Eleven” follows a theater troupe who travel around trying to entertain other survivors. The story chronicles the pandemic that flattened humanity, followed by the present-day where everyone tries to get by with what they have.

A storyline involving a cult adds some menace to “Station Eleven,” so “The Walking Dead” fans can look forward to some darker elements. That said, the series is more interested in reminding viewers that no matter how difficult things are, there’s always something worth living for. Post-apocalyptic series don’t always have to be depressing and violent to work.

If Guillermo del Toro’s name is attached to a project, horror fans take notice. The auteur director behind “The Shape of Water,” “Hellboy,” and “Blade II” has been scaring us with his movies for decades, but his small-screen work is just as spooky. This brings us to “The Strain,” a vampire series del Toro co-created with Chuck Hogan.

“The Strain” takes some cues from zombie shows like “The Walking Dead,” with the series’ vampirism spawning from a viral outbreak as opposed to more traditional supernatural hocus pocus. The virus in question is transmitted through worms that infect their human hosts, causing them to turn into bloodthirsty creatures of the night.

Hogan and del Toro’s series offers plenty of pulpy fun, but the horror is treated with enough seriousness to be effective. Fans of old-school effects will also be pleased to know that most of the creature effects were done practically, which adds more ghoulish charm to “The Strain.”

“Falling Skies” is an underrated sci-fi gem starring Noah Wyle that was produced by Steven Spielberg. With those names involved, how could it not be good? The series is reminiscent of “The Walking Dead,” as it follows a group of survivors trying to survive against a monstrous threat.

The threat in question is an alien invasion, and Wyle’s Tom Mason is our Rick Grimes-esque everyman tasked with leading the survival mission. Tom used to be a humble history professor, but the arrival of extraterrestrial menaces forces him to become a fearless leader.

Like “The Walking Dead,” “Falling Skies” blends monster mayhem with character-driven drama to great effect. The series ran for five seasons and received two Emmy nominations during its run, so it clearly has fans out there. These days, Wyle is mostly celebrated for his hit medical dramas, but “Falling Skies” shows there’s more to him than playing doctors.