Feeling Lost Without ‘The Walking Dead’? Here Are 9 Shows to Try
If you know a Walking Dead fan, be nice to them — they’re really going through it right now. Yes, we all recognize there are real tragedies in the world, and a few production delays absolutely pale in comparison. But it’s a bummer to have lost not only the Season 10 finale to coronavirus for the time being, but to have companion programs Fear the Walking Dead and World Beyond delayed, too. How are we supposed to get our weekly dose of walkers?
It seems like the only way to sink our teeth into that world of zombies and human-flesh-wearing baddies is to watch the series all over again. And that’s one solution to quarantine boredom, but if you don’t feel like starting Rick (Andrew Lincoln)’s story from the beginning, there are plenty of other options available. Here are nine shows we think fans of TWD will enjoy.
The Walking Dead, Season 10 Finale, TBA, AMC
Fear the Walking Dead
If you want to go back to the TWD universe, why not check out the spinoff show — if you haven’t already? Fear takes place at the start of the apocalypse, and it follows the Clark family as they endure the initial outbreak in Los Angeles to wind up in Mexico. It’s more of a family drama than the main show and the overall plot is a slow burn, but unique characters and colorful, interesting locations make it worth the watch. The show’s action-packed and powerful third season is on par with anything The Walking Dead has done. Four seasons are currently streaming on Hulu.
Game of Thrones
We know, we know … Season 8 wasn’t quite what everyone expected. But nonetheless, if you haven’t yet explored Westeros, there probably hasn’t ever been a better time than now. Even if you’ve heard about how polarizing the last six episodes were, Thrones remains a journey worth taking (and hey, it’s got zombies!). You can find it on HBO Go and HBO Now.
Battlestar Galactica
If you’re a fan of the sci-fi genre as a whole, or the work of TWD’s composer, Bear McCreary, it’s certainly worth looking into Battlestar Galactica. The show follows a fleet of spaceships comprising the last of the human race; the journey is led by the crew of the Battlestar Galactica as they try to find a new home for humanity after the robotic Cylons wiped out most of the population. It’s shocking, emotional and at times, political. There’s a good reason it’s typically ranked among the best science fiction shows of all time. If you’re interested, SyFy is currently streaming all four seasons for free.
Westworld
No zombies or killer robots here … well, maybe we’ll take that back. Westworld isn’t post-apocalyptic (although it might get there in Season 4), but it ponders many of the same themes as TWD — what it means to be human, how humanity is gained and lost, etc. As humanoid hosts in a wild west theme park slowly gain consciousness and remember the terrible things visitors have done to them, they seek a way out — and revenge on those who hurt them. Like Thrones, you can find this one on any of HBO’s streaming services.
The Strain
What if TWD had vampires instead of zombies? The end result might end up looking a lot like The Strain, a post-apocalyptic drama that ran for four seasons on FX. The basic premise is remarkably similar to the AMC hit: a viral outbreak occurs that starts turning people into vampires, leaving what’s left of humanity to battle for survival. Fun fact: Ramin Djawadi, who also wrote the music for Game of Thrones and Westworld, worked on The Strain as well. Check it out on Hulu.
The Haunting of Hill House
For those who like it when TWD leans more into the horror side of things, The Haunting of Hill House will help you pass those days — and maybe a few sleepless nights, depending on what time you watch it — in quarantine. After the death of a family member, the Crain clan relives a trauma that split them apart, and find themselves drawn back to the place where it all began. There’s ghosts, plot twists and several jumpscares. Head over to Netflix for all the supernatural horror.
Kingdom
First things first: Kingdom is a Korean drama, so if that’s not your thing, you might want to keep clicking. But if you’re okay with reading subtitles or listening to an English dub, this Netflix show is plenty worth the time it takes to watch its 12 episodes. (You also might want to check out Train to Busan, a Korean zombie movie on Netflix.) It has a unique perspective on the zombie apocalypse and incredible visual effects. A period drama, it follows the crown prince of Joseon as he tries to stop a zombie outbreak that began with the king’s death. There are samurai swords. There are fast zombies. For TWD fans, there’s plenty here to appreciate. Like Hill House, this one’s on Netflix.
The Mandalorian
Tonally, this one couldn’t be much more different than TWD. But typically fans of genre shows tend to enjoy plenty of programs that take place in worlds unlike our own … or even galaxies far, far away. If you haven’t yet seen this eight-episode story about a lone gunslinger who ends up protecting a child set in the post-Empire Star Wars universe, do yourself a favor and start watching it, today. The high production value and music alone make it worth a watch, as well as, you know, the adorableness of Baby Yoda. You’ll have to sign up for Disney+ to watch this one — or just make good use of the free trial period.
Black Summer
Black Summer does what Fear the Walking Dead did, but in the Z-Nation universe. It shows the start of the outbreak that spawned The Walking Dead’s more lighthearted, over-the-top parallel program on SyFy. If you’re more interested in how these post-apocalyptic worlds come to be than what happens in them, then this one might be for you. You can find it on Netflix.
