7 Shows Like ‘The Walking Dead’ To Watch If You’re Obsessed With Zombies

Even if you have not seen The Walking Dead for yourself, chances are you have heard of the critically-acclaimed series during its 12 years on the air.

The Walking Dead premiered back in 2010, ultimately kickstarting the zombie craze that we all have fallen victim to, as well as paving the way for TONS of other similar television shows to come. 

Inspired by a comic book series of the same name by Robert Kirkman, who doubles as the creator of the television adaptation, The Walking Dead begins with a police officer named Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) waking up from a coma only to realize that zombies have killed off a majority of Earth’s population. Discovering that he is one of the only survivors, along with his wife Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies), his son Carl (Chandler Riggs) and a few other strangers, he unionizes all of the remaining humans to fight off the zombies (or “walkers” as Kirkman calls them), ultimately creating a gripping plot that is sure to have your eyes glued to the screen. 

Featuring extremely engaging characters and a countless number of unexpected twists, there’s definitely a reason why the series ran for such a long period of time!

After 11 seasons and 177 episodes, the beloved television show came to a close in November of 2022; however, the franchise is evolving into so much more. With two follow-up shows in the works, Daryl Dixon and a program that is yet to be titled, as well the premiere of The Walking Dead: Dead City just last month, we can’t wait to see what AMC has in store for The Walking Dead fans. 

If you’re looking for a new series to binge while we wait for even more from the franchise, the Decider team developed a list of seven programs that are sure to grasp the attention of all The Walking Dead-lovers, from iZombie to The Last Of Us to The 100.

Keep scrolling to find your next show to binge…

1. iZombie

   No television show can fuel your zombie obsession quite like CW’s iZombie.

   The must-see series follows the life of Olivia “Liv” Moore (Rose McIver), a medical resident who unexpectedly turns into a zombie at a party. As she yearns to maintain her day-to-day lifestyle, Liv learns that she can behave as a regular human being as long as she eats brains, however, that leaves her with a moral conflict: How will she be able to maintain her kind, compassionate nature, when she has to eat humans to survive?

   While The Walking Dead and iZombie have the zombie aspect in common, the creatures depicted in each respective series could not be more different. The “walkers” in The Walking Dead are much more violent and aggressive than McIver’s character in iZombie, allowing both of the shows to captivate zombie-lovers in an entirely different way.

   With five phenomenal seasons all available to stream Netflix, you definitely should add iZombie to your watchlist if you love all things zombie-related. 

   where to stream izombie

2. Kingdom

   If you are looking for yet another show to satisfy your zombie appetite, then Kingdom is perfect for you.

   Based on the webtoon series The Kingdom of the Gods, the television show serves as the first original Korean series on Netflix, and it is brimming with gore, blood and (you guessed it) zombies.

   Taking place within Korea in the early 1600s, Kingdom tells the story of Prince Chang (Ju Ji-hoon), the heir presumptive to the throne who is determined to prevent the spread of a virus that is wiping out the kingdom. Much like we see within The Walking Dead, this virus is known for bringing the dead back to life as zombies, ultimately forcing Prince Chang to protect both himself and the rest of his kingdom throughout the beloved series. 

   With a slightly political plotline, strong aspects of Asian culture and beautifully shot scenes in Seoul, South Korea that differentiate the Kingdom from The Walking Dead, each respective series is super engaging in its own way. 

   With only 12 episodes, Kingdom is a super bingeable show that you need to watch ASAP if you love a historical drama crawling with the undead. 

   watch kingdom on netflix

3. The Last Of Us

   Looking for even more zombies? If so, then The Last Of Us might be right up your alley. 

   Based on the survival horror video game of the same name, The Last Of Us is yet another post-apocalyptic drama that follows two survivors, Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), after a fungus-based virus has turned a majority of the human population into zombies. Due to the fact that Ellie may be holding the cure to the deadly virus, Joel is tasked with smuggling the 14-year-old out of a quarantine zone and across the United States in an attempt to create a vaccine and save all of mankind. 

   Serving as arguably the best zombie show to come out since The Walking Dead premiered back in 2010, The Last of Us has received 24 Emmy nominations, including Best Drama Series, for its beloved first season. To nobody’s surprise, it was even confirmed for a second season this past January!

   If you are looking for a phenomenal show to watch (or if you are just in a Pedro Pascal phase), definitely check out the critically-acclaimed series on Max before Season 2 drops. 

   Watch the last of us on max

4. Survivors

   Following a very similar plot to The Walking Dead, as well as numerous other television shows on our list, BBC’s Survivors — not to be confused with the show with Jeff Probst — tells yet another post-apocalyptic story.

   Within the series, an unknown virus kills more than 90% of Earth’s population, however, these deceased individuals do not come back as any kind of creature. Inspired by a novel of the same name by Terry Nation, who doubles as the creator of the television adaptation, Survivors showcases those who lived through the pandemic searching for their fellow survivors, as well as learning to adapt to their new lives after loss. 

   Coming together to rebuild a functioning society, all while lacking important aspects like law enforcement and government, this unionization of the remaining individuals is very reminiscent of what we see in The Walking Dead, however, with much less violence and gore. 

   Just like Kingdom, Survivors only has 12 episodes, making it a super bingeable show that you can knock out in just one weekend (or one day if you’re feeling extra motivated).

   where to stream survivors

5. The 100

   While this show may be lacking that signature zombie flair as well, CW’s The 100 tells yet another post-apocalyptic tale that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. 

   Beginning 97 years after a nuclear apocalypse, where the survivors now live within an orbiting space station called The Ark, the hit television show tells the story of a group of individuals who are sent back down to Earth to test if the planet is habitable once again. Can you guess how many there are in this group? That’s right, 100. 

   Discovering that they are not the only survivors like they had previously thought, the group is forced to battle against the beings that remain on Earth in order to stay alive, much like we see within The Walking Dead. 

   With the post-apocalyptic aspect connecting The Walking Dead with The 100, the respective television shows even share an actress. Alycia Debnam-Carey plays the main role of Alicia within The Walking Dead’s beloved spinoff, Fear the Walking Dead, as well as the supporting role Lexa in the second and third seasons of The 100.

   Serving as arguably one of the most similar shows on our list, The 100 is definitely a must-see for all The Walking Dead-lovers.

   where to stream the 100

6. The Vampire Diaries

   If zombies are not really your thing, chances are vampires might be! The Vampire Diaries is said to be very reminiscent of The Walking Dead, all while remaining true to its individual plot and unique characters.

   Based on the book series of the same name, The Vampire Diaries shows what happens when the Salvatore brothers, Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder), enter the town of Mystic Falls and encounter a high school girl named Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev). While Stefan and Damon’s arrival to mystic falls would not be considered an “apocalypse,” the Salvatore brothers are secretly vampires, adding another layer of depth to the beloved series. 

   The Walking Dead and The Vampire Diaries ran on cable television primarily during the same time period, causing fans of both series to draw similarities between the two. With an equal amount of intrigue and mystery in each respective television show, The Walking Dead-lovers are sure to enjoy watching The Vampire Diaries just as much.

   If you are seeking another drama-filled television show to binge (or if you just can’t get enough of Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder), definitely tune in to The Vampire Diaries.

   where to stream the vampire diaries

7. Fear the Walking Dead

   We could not make a list of television shows for The Walking Dead-lovers without including one of its spinoff series, Fear The Walking Dead.

   The first three seasons of the AMC series take place years before The Walking Dead, and they are centered around a blended family from Los Angeles, California: Madison Clark (Kim Dickens), Travis Manawa (Cliff Curtis), Nicholas “Nick” Clark (Frank Dillane), Alicia Clark (Alycia Debnam-Carey), Chris Manawa (Lorenzo James Henrie) and more.

   The family learns about a deadly virus and attempts to survive throughout the beloved television show, however, they do not interact with any of the OG The Walking Dead characters until its fourth season. Fear The Walking Dead shifts focus toward Morgan Jones (Lennie James) in season four, who unexpectedly finds the group’s surviving members in Texas, marking a major turning point in the series.

   Often considered a lite version of The Walking Dead, fans of the original show will likely be captivated by this spinoff, due to its almost identical plot and overlapping characters.

   With part one of its two-part final season concluding just last month, as well as its final six episodes right around the corner, now is the time to binge Fear the Walking Dead. 

   where to stream fear the walking dead

#3: The Last Of Us

#7: Fear the Walking Dead

episodes right around the corner, now is the time to binge Fear the Walking Dead. 

Born and raised in Orange County, California, Melanie Rooten is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. Melanie has a true passion for all things pop culture, and she tends to spend her free time going to concerts and music festivals, binging her favorite TV shows, spending time with her friends and family and cheering on the Oklahoma Sooners (of course). You can connect with her on Twitter (@MelanieRooten) to see all of her recent articles.