10 Shows and Movies Like The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (2024)

Description: While dealing with an alien invasion rather than zombies, 'Falling Skies' shares with 'The Ones Who Live' a focus on family bonds and resistance against overwhelming odds. Both shows depict ordinary people becoming soldiers in a fight for survival against a seemingly unstoppable enemy.

Fact: Falling Skies was executive produced by Steven Spielberg. The show's aliens were designed to be truly alien, not humanoid. Noah Wyle, known for ER, starred as the lead and also directed several episodes.

Description: As the original series that spawned 'The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live', it shares the same post-apocalyptic world, themes of survival, and the struggle to maintain humanity in the face of a zombie outbreak. Both series explore the psychological and emotional toll on survivors, with a strong focus on character development and interpersonal relationships.

Fact: The Walking Dead is based on the comic book series of the same name by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. The show's first season had a budget of $

Description: While dealing with vampires rather than zombies, 'The Strain' shares with 'The Ones Who Live' a story about a rapidly spreading pandemic that collapses society. Both shows explore how different factions respond to the crisis and feature a mix of horror and human drama.

Fact: The Strain was co-created by Guillermo del Toro and based on his book trilogy. The vampire design was specifically created to be repulsive, breaking from traditional romantic vampire depictions. The show's first season had one of the highest budgets for a basic cable series at the time.

Description: Like 'The Ones Who Live', 'The 100' deals with survivors trying to rebuild society after a catastrophic event. Both shows explore the moral complexities of leadership in extreme situations and feature romantic subplots amidst the survival drama.

Fact: The 100 is based on a book series by Kass Morgan. The show underwent significant tonal shifts throughout its run, starting as a teen drama before becoming more mature and dark. It features one of the first bisexual lead characters on American television.

Description: Like 'The Ones Who Live', 'The Last of Us' is a post-apocalyptic drama that combines zombie horror with deep emotional storytelling. Both series focus on the bond between two main characters navigating a dangerous world, exploring themes of love, loss, and what it means to be human in extreme circumstances.

Fact: The Last of Us is based on the critically acclaimed video game of the same name. Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey's performances were widely praised, with their chemistry being compared to that of Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira in TWD. The series broke viewership records for HBO Max, becoming their second-largest debut after House of the Dragon.

Description: This spin-off of 'The Walking Dead' shares the same universe and zombie apocalypse scenario as 'The Ones Who Live'. It focuses on the early days of the outbreak, providing a different perspective on the collapse of society. Both series delve into the moral dilemmas and survival strategies of their characters.

Fact: Fear the Walking Dead was initially conceived as a standalone series before being connected to The Walking Dead universe. The show features a blended family as its central characters, a first for the franchise. It was the most-watched first season premiere in cable television history when it debuted.

Description: While more comedic in tone than 'The Ones Who Live', Z Nation shares the same zombie apocalypse setting and explores how different groups of survivors cope with the new world. Both shows feature cross-country journeys and the formation of unlikely alliances in the face of the undead threat.

Fact: Z Nation was created by Karl Schaefer and Craig Engler, who wanted to make a more fun, less serious zombie show. The show features 'zombie of the week' scenarios with creative undead variations. It spawned a prequel series, Black Summer, which takes a more serious approach to the same universe.

Description: Though not a zombie show, 'Into the Badlands' shares with 'The Ones Who Live' a post-apocalyptic setting where society has reformed into warring factions. Both shows feature intense action sequences and explore themes of power, loyalty, and redemption in a lawless world.

Fact: Into the Badlands blends post-apocalyptic fiction with martial arts and Western genres. Daniel Wu performed most of his own stunts in the series. The show was originally conceived as a television adaptation of the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West.

Description: Similar to 'The Ones Who Live', 'Colony' explores life under occupation, with characters forced to make difficult moral choices to protect their family. Both shows examine collaboration versus resistance in a world where the old order has collapsed.

Fact: Colony was created by Carlton Cuse, who also worked on Lost. The show was partially inspired by the French Resistance during WWII. It was canceled after three seasons, leaving several major plot points unresolved.

Description: This intense, fast-paced zombie series shares with 'The Ones Who Live' a focus on the early, chaotic days of a zombie apocalypse. Both shows emphasize the brutality of survival and the rapid breakdown of societal norms, with a cinematic visual style that heightens the tension.

Fact: Black Summer is a prequel to Z Nation but takes a dramatically different, more serious tone. The show features long, unbroken action sequences that were challenging to film. Unlike many zombie shows, Black Summer's zombies are fast and relentless, creating constant tension.