Zombies. They creep, they bite, and somehow, we can’t stop watching them. I’ve spent more late nights than I’d like to admit scrolling through Netflix’s zombie library, testing every show to see which ones actually deliver the scares and the “oh no, I didn’t see that coming” moments.
While some series have me glued to the screen, heart racing and eyes wide, others make me wonder why I even pressed play in the first place. I mean, seriously. There are some zombie shows streaming on Netflix that make you wonder if the writers just gave up halfway through and decided, “Eh, zombies will do.”
Below, I've shared a list of three zombie series on Netflix that totally won me over. Now, those you should watch! I’ll also tell you about the one show that didn’t make the cut. This is a series that’s better left in the grave so you don’t waste your binge time.
The Walking Dead (2010-2022)
- Verdict: Watch
- Seasons: 11
If you’re putting together a list of the best zombie shows to watch, The Walking Dead being on it should be a total no-brainer. This is the show that basically taught TV how to do zombies right, and years later, it’s still the first one people think of.
What The Walking Dead nailed from the start is that the zombies were never really the point. Sure, the walkers are creepy and gross, but it’s the characters that keep you invested. If you're new to the whole zombie genre, The Walking Dead would be the perfect place to start.
The beloved zombie series opens with sheriff’s deputy Rick Grimes waking up alone in a hospital, confused, groggy, and very much not prepared for the world he’s about to step into. Society has completely collapsed, the streets are crawling with walkers, and Rick’s first mission is simple: survive long enough to find his family.
From there, the show snowballs into a brutal, emotional road trip through the apocalypse, following a growing group of survivors as they bounce from one “safe” place to the next.
Black Summer (2019-2021)
- Verdict: Watch
- Seasons: 2
If you haven’t watched Black Summer on Netflix yet, do yourself a favor and fix that immediately. This show is nothing like your typical slow-moving zombie fare. From the very first episode, it throws you headfirst into chaos. You’re watching people run for their lives, screaming, stumbling, and fighting just to survive in a world that’s already fallen apart.
Sure, you haven't known the characters for long, but Black Summer wastes no time making you care. In just a few intense, gut-wrenching moments, you feel their fear, desperation, and determination as if it were your own. One particular character whose journey you instantly become invested in is Rose.
Imagine being separated from your child in the middle of an apocalypse. That’s Rose’s reality, and Black Summer makes you feel every ounce of her struggle. While navigating abandoned streets and dodging fast, relentless zombies, Rose is forced to make impossible choices at every turn. And she's not the only one fighting to survive and be reunited with their loved ones.
Resident Evil (2022)
- Verdict: Skip
- Seasons: 1
Look, I went in knowing there was a good chance that I wouldn't enjoy Netflix's Resident Evil series adaptation. Those who are familiar with the franchise (outside the games) know that the adaptations have a… complicated reputation.
The live-action movies are infamous for being flashy and action-heavy, but they also lack respect for the source material and its characters. Netflix's version didn't even feel like Resident Evil. It felt more like a generic teen-focused sci-fi drama than the tense, survival-horror experience that made the games legendary.
The acting wasn't the best either, and the writing was just bad. Honestly, the only reason I watched it to the end is because I was curious to see if it would somehow redeem itself. Obviously, it didn't if I'm telling you to skip right on over it. If I had to say what the best part of the show was, I would say the late Lance Reddick. Even in a series that struggles with tone, writing, and pacing, Reddick delivered and gave a strong performance.
Here's the official logline for Resident Evil via Netflix:
“Year 2036 - 14 years after a deadly virus caused a global apocalypse. Jade Wesker fights for survival in a world overrun by the blood-thirsty infected and insane creatures. In this absolute carnage, Jade is haunted by her past in New Raccoon City, by her father’s chilling connections to the Umbrella Corporation but mostly by what happened to her sister, Billie."
All of Us Are Dead (2022-)
- Verdict: Watch
- Seasons: 1 and a second season on the way
While The Walking Dead would be the top zombie show currently streaming on Netflix, All of Us Are Dead deserves a spot right next to it in my opinion. Netflix released the first season back in January 2022, and it quickly blew up. Korean shows were all the rage globally around that time, thanks to the hype from Squid Game. But that didn’t mean every single one was a hit, or managed to grab audiences the way All of Us Are Dead did.
Besides its unique and catchy title, what made people gravitate towards this zombie series was how it mixed pure, edge-of-your-seat horror with real human emotion. Like The Walking Dead, All of Us Are Dead isn’t just about zombies. It’s about the people trying to survive them. You have these high school students thrown into a nightmare they never asked for, forced to make impossible choices while facing fast, relentless zombies at every turn.
Some characters you’ll instantly root for, while others will frustrate or shock you with their decisions. But that's part of the ride, and you're going to want to see every twist, every desperate escape, and every shocking loss unfold.
Below, the logline is shared for All of Us Are Dead via Netflix:
"A group of students trapped in a high school find themselves in dire situations as they seek to be rescued from a zombie invasion of their school."
All four of these zombie shows are available to stream on Netflix right now.