Top 10 Zombie TV Shows Ranked

There are so many TV shows about or involving zombies which could almost become a genre in its own right, and this is further proven by the best zombie series available to stream. Zombie TV shows are at least a subgenre from dramas, thrillers, post-apocalyptic shows and sometimes even comedies. The concept of zombies – undead ex-humans roaming around with the singular mission of finding human flesh to feast on – has been approached from every angle imaginable over the last few decades, and they just keep getting better.

Undead started the idea of ​​zombies on TV and more recently, the launch of The last of us I saw HBO create one of the best adaptations of a video game, but a show that helped revitalize zombie shows with its enormous scope, incredible storytelling, and cinematic quality. Elevated the genre more than any zombie show since Undead debuted. While zombie movies are plentiful, it's the best zombie TV shows that allow compelling stories to be told in unique ways over a long period of time.

10

Dawn (2019)

1 season, 10 episodes

With a comedic angle to the zombie apocalypse, Aurora is about a 17-year-old high school outcast named Josh. After an apocalyptic event in California, he goes in search of his British girlfriend. Aurora is full of pop culture references, which is certainly a fun aspect of being in the middle of a zombie outbreak.

But it's the eclectic group of sidekicks Josh meets that makes the season-long show so fun, including a 10-year-old pyromaniac and a former bully. Together, they must fight enemies, including adults who have turned into zombies called Ghoulies.

The show's starting point may be Josh, but It's the cast that makes the show worknot unlike some other zombie shows. The action and survival aspect can be entertaining, but the character dynamics fuel the show. The real downside to the series is that it ends on a cliffhanger. The ending sees a new threat emerge, only for the show to never be able to move forward with the story.

9

Propeller (2014–2015)

2 seasons, 26 episodes

Unfortunately, Propeller it only lasted two seasons, but SyFy's The attempt at a zombie invasion series was well received by critics and audiences. Propeller is about a viral outbreak that has two effects on humans who have been exposed. Either the virus is fatal and they die instantly or they become violent, dangerous, blood-seeking creatures.

The premise doesn't seem original at all and has been done hundreds of times, but there's a reason it's been tested and proven. Helix nails the formula and its focus on the sci-fi aspects of the narrative as scientists try to control the spread, it portrays the premise from a different perspective. The performances amid all the scientific explanations are what have been most praised by critics. Billy Campbell's work in leadership, in particular.

THE New York Times took the time to highlight Campbell in his review of the first season, pointing out how prolific an actor he is and how many projects he had at one time, stating:

Campbell is one of the busiest actors in the world… An abundance of work can sometimes lead to performances that seem in demand, but not here.

8

Fear the Walking Dead (2015–2023)

8 seasons, 113 episodes

The first spin-off Undead, Fear the undead follows a different cast of characters than the main series and begins its story before the outbreak. Starting in Los Angeles, the show travels through Mexico, Texas, Virginia and other locations. The fact that the series continually updates its main cast, including some of the best characters who arrive after the first season, helps breathe new life into it each season. The show also maintains its connection to the main series by featuring a handful of characters and events from the main series.

Like the original, The biggest enemies the characters face in each season are deadlybut the spin-off leans into that element a little too much. This is the biggest disadvantage of the series, as some of these conflicts become very complicated and can get in the way of the story. That's not to say the series or the performances are bad. The show and its cast members have consistently been nominated for Saturn Awards, which honor science fiction and fantasy art.

7

Brand New Cherry Flavor (2021)

1 season, 8 episodes

Netflix's horror drama Brand new cherry flavoris a limited series that follows Lisa, a young woman who travels to Los Angeles in hopes of finally being able to direct her first film. However, she quickly finds herself in a nightmare situation when the producer she connects with is only interested in her sexually, not professionally. When he takes her out of the film, she seeks help from a surprising source: a witch.

This leads her to a situation that involves not only zombies, but also killers, supernatural kittens and a tattoo artist with the power to curse people. Zombies are just one part of the larger theme of Brand new cherry flavorwhich also addresses topics involving women in entertainment and power dynamics in the industry. The zombies and other genre elements keep the show fun and it's still considered one of the best zombie TV shows.

6

Zombie (2015–2019)

5 seasons, 71 episodes

Zombieone loose adaptation of the DC comic series of the same namefollows Olivia “Liv” Moore, a medical examiner who becomes a zombie. This, however, does not impede his work with the police department. Instead, she eats her victims' brains, which helps her temporarily inherit their memories and personalities so she can provide details to help the police solve cases.

It's a unique take on the procedural crime drama, and while high concepts in the procedural format pose huge risks, Zombie is satisfactory. Zombie is, ironically, a humanizing story about an undead character who finds a way to feed her carnal desire to help others.

It's long been incredibly rare for series on the CW, the network that aired Zombieto earn any of the accolades that would be considered prestigious in Hollywood. This does not mean, however, that Zombie didn't gain a legion of fans who wanted to see him win awards anyway. The show and protagonist Rose McIver were regularly nominated for Teen Choice Awards. Fans were also recognized by the MTV Fandom Awards for Best New Fandom of the Year during the first season.

5

Santa Clarita Diet (2017–2019)

3 seasons, 30 episodes

Santa Clarita Diet it only lasted three seasons, but it's still one of the best zombie TV shows thanks to its gripping plot and A-list cast that includes Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant. Joel and Sheila are a happy couple who work in real estate, but discover that their lives have changed forever when Sheila begins to show symptoms of being a zombie and feels the urge to consume human flesh. It's an interesting take on the typical zombie genre that combines elements of horror with comedy.

In addition ZombieThere haven't been many shows or films that have tried to show what it would be like to have a person aware that they are a zombie. Zombies are often portrayed as mindless monsters, while humans are the characters who provide the audience's point of view.

This is not the case here, as Barrymore's Sheila is the “monster” but also the human element of the show experimenting with things completely out of their control with hilarious results. This is also the rare series where critical reception has improved over time. Each season saw more critics praising the show's performances and storyline.

4

Kingdom (2019–2020)

2 seasons, 12 episodes

Kingdom is a horror thriller set in the South Korean political period set in a fictional medieval-inspired time during the Joseon period. At the center is a crown prince investigating a plague that is taking hold, causing humans to turn into zombies. The series is well crafted, whether in the story, in the surprisingly great digital and practical effects, or in the actors' performances, which helped make it Kingdom one of the highest-rated K-dramas.

There is a special episode called Kingdom: Northern Ashinwhich is just as good as the main series. While the show was praised by critics around the worldIt was also successful at awards shows at home in South Korea. It was nominated for Best Drama at the Baeksang Arts Awards and the Asia Contents Awards. Ju Ji-hoon also won the Best Actor award at the Asia Contents Awards.

3

Ash Vs Evil Dead (2015–2018)

3 seasons, 30 episodes

Ash vs Evil Dead and a horror-comedy spin-off of the original evil Dead trilogybut it was canceled after three seasons on Starz. As a result, Ash vs Evil Dead has become as much of a cult classic as the beloved film franchise. Bruce Campbell, who fans of the genre will know from almost everything, returns to reprise his role as Ash Williams, who joins some young people from his town when the Deadites return.

The series was less scary than the comedy and horror films, but equally funny, and Ash becoming a more developed character in a long-running series it was exactly what he deserved. Campbell cited allowing fans to get to know Ash as one of his favorite parts of the project. Campbell made a statement following the show's cancellation as fans campaigned to bring it back (via Collider):

I'm so glad we did this because we saw Ash's house, we went to his room, we met his friends, we met his daughter that we never knew he had and that he never knew he had, and we met his father, we played for the great Lee Majors. I feel like we really pushed all the buttons and he fulfilled his destiny written in that old book. He was the guy destined to defeat evil in the past, present, and future, and he hung out with a hot robot girl at the end to get a kick out of the future. What else do you need? We knew the reviews were bad. We knew at the beginning of last season that we needed an end because we didn't think Starz would renew us and we were right. So thank God we did that.

During its run, the show and Campbell were regularly nominated at both the Saturn Awards and the Fangoria Chainsaw Awards. Campbell even won Best Actor two years in a row.

2

The Walking Dead (2010–2022)

11 seasons, 177 episodes

The longest-running zombie series of all time, Undead begins shortly after the start of the zombie apocalypse. The humans who died “morph” soon after, becoming mindless, wandering “Walkers.” As Rick Grimes discovers after waking up from his coma, everyone is infected and will transform when they die, not just those who were bitten. In terms of the best zombie TV shows, Undead deserves a mention simply because of its impressive 11-season run.

While there was a clear drop in quality in later seasons, between the number of seasons, spin-offs, and being a large part of the pop culture zeitgeist in the 2010s, the The AMC series still maintains a legacy that other shows can't rival. In fact, if zombie fans were asked just before 2023, they probably would have named The Walking Dead the best zombie show because of how fully formed the world is and how thoroughly it is explored.

During the show's run, was nominated for 16 Emmys, winning two. It was also nominated for a Golden Globe. Undead it was also regularly nominated for the People's Choice Awards, Saturn Awards, and Fangoria Chainsaw Awards throughout its run. The most surprising thing is that the show was even nominated for a Kids Choice Award at one point. It truly captured everyone's attention at the height of its storytelling.

1

The Last of Us (2023–)

1 season, 9 episodes

The last of us It's already one season, but HBO carefully and respectfully adapted the source materialwhich resulted in one of the most epic and emotionally exhausting series the network has ever produced. The show follows Joel (Pedro Pascal), a smuggler who must escort a teenager through a zombie-filled United States, where humans can be just as dangerous as the variety of zombies encountered.

The network cast Pascal, who has become one of today's most beloved movie actors, and from a cinematic standpoint, the show looks spectacular as well. It was a huge challenge to adapt a universally praised video game, but HBO managed it effortlessly.

Video game adaptations have been notoriously difficult to make, but the team to The last of us not only stood out in adapting the game, but also made one of the best zombie TV shows always. The show's first season was nominated for three Golden Globes and five Primetime Emmy Awards.