The Walking Dead became a hit series for AMC when it premiered in 2010. Based on the comic series of the same name by Robert Kirkman, Tony MooreAnd Charlie AdlardKirkman was heavily involved in the series, which added to its authenticity and made it appealing to both new and old fans of the apocalyptic stories and characters.
Due to the popularity of the show, The Walking Dead became a universe of its own with numerous spin-offs that continue to this day, even after the original series ended. Each is set in a different location, some with new characters, some with crossovers. Some start before the outbreak, some long after, and some are continuations of the original. Die-hard fans like to watch certain series, even episodes, in a certain order to follow the progressing timeline, but that doesn’t necessarily correspond to the ranking of these spin-off shows.
7 “The Walking Dead” web series (2011-2018)
Director: Greg Nicotero
Technically, the web series is just supplementary content to the main shows, giving fans something unique and exciting to watch while they wait for new seasons or episodes. There were eight seasons of The Walking Dead (Webisodes)each with a different cast and story. The first were removed from the main shows but exist in the same universe. Some told the story of characters from both The Walking DeadAnd Fear the walking deadlike “The Althea Tapes”, which is based on Althea’s (Maggie Grace) journey before and after meeting the main group in the latter show as she interviews people she meets. Others have slight connections, such as “The Walking Dead: Red Machete,” which tells the backstory of Mandy, the red machete that Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) used to kill Gareth (Andrew J. West) in season five of the main show.
As webisodes, these were of course only available online. Each consisted of shorter clips rather than full-length episodes. They were probably only watched by superfans. But they add a fun layer of context that ties the stories together.
Watch on YouTube
6 “Tales of the Walking Dead” (2022)
Created by Scott Gimple and Channing Powell
With a star cast, Tales of the walking dead was another spin-off that was intended to provide fan service to both viewers and celebrities who were fascinated by the show and wanted to be part of the universe. Among these was Terry Crewsthe next Olivia Munn in one of the six episodes. Other episodes featured celebrities such as Parker Posey, Jillian Bell, Anthony EdwardsAnd Jessie T. Usher.
The episodes are delivered in anthology format, with each one having its own unique tone and feel. They range from comedy to horror, which sets this show apart from others. There is also no crossover with the main series, with the exception of the third episode called “Dee,” which tells the backstory of Alpha (Samantha Morton), one of the most threatening villains on The Walking Dead, and her daughter Lydia (Cassady McClincy). It is the kind of show that anyone can watch without knowing anything about the main series, as Stories from The Walking Dead stands completely alone. Only the wanderers and a desolate apocalyptic world connect it to the others.
5 “The Walking Dead: World Beyond” (2020-2021)
Created by Scott M. Gimple and Matthew Negrete
Probably the least popular spin-off of the main series. The Walking Dead: World Beyond exists in the same universe, but in a different setting. It revolves around a group of teenagers who grew up during the apocalypse, many of whom have little memory of the world before. They are studying at a university in Nebraska and the story is about a small group who venture out on their own after a bombing at their school. They explore and uncover truths and lies about the Civic Republic Military (CRM) that oversees them, and finally learn what the world outside their four walls is like.
The Walking Dead: World Beyond It may seem like fans of the show can overlook it, but it provides a lot of important context. There is a connection to teased appearances of the CRM in Fear the walking dead and an important connection to the latest spin-off The Walking Dead: The Survivors. In addition, a post-credits ending scene in the series finale reveals a lot about the virus outbreak in general. There is a cameo flashback by Dr. Edwin Jenner (Noah Emmerich) that’s a moment not to be missed. The show itself has a slightly different tone, as most of the main protagonists are college kids. It’s not such a grown-up show in many ways, not just in the literal sense, but it does have some exciting moments. Plus Jadis (Pollyanna McIntosh) out of The Walking Dead is a crossover main character.
The Walking Dead: World Beyond
- Release date
- October 1, 2020
- Creator
- Scott M. Gimple, Matthew Negrete
- Seasons
- 2
4 “Fear the Walking Dead” (2015-2023)
Created by Robert Kirkman and Dave Erickson
The Walking Dead begins with Rick waking up from a coma about six weeks after the virus outbreak, so fans never find out how things started. This is remedied by Fear the walking deadwhich starts slowly as the virus outbreak begins and no one understands what is going on. This in itself is exciting as fans can imagine what they would have thought or reacted in such a situation. The setting is also California, so the group of survivors at the center of the story, who eventually travel to Mexico as well, has a very different feel.
There is an interesting dynamic between the characters that is different from the original. There are also challenges like Nick (Frank Dillane), one of the best Fear the walking dead characters, Madison (fights demons as a drug addict (and strangely enough can quickly adapt to a world full of zombies)Kim Dickens), who has led a hard life that has prepared her for this world, and Travis (Cliff Curtis) and his son Chris (Lorenzo James Henrie), which show how a changing world and dire circumstances can affect people in very different ways. The story in Fear the walking dead will probably get out of hand at some point, and diehard fans will argue that it was repetitive and went on a few seasons too long. But fans did I love that new characters are added over time, including the character crossover with Morgan Jones (Lennie James) out of The Walking Dead when the show’s two timelines finally converged.
3 “The Walking Dead: Dead City” (2023-)
Created by Eli Jorne
One of three new spin-offs that have been created since the end of the main series, The Walking Dead: Dead Citytakes place about five years after The Walking Dead ends. The story revolves around the reformed villain Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan), who is understandably still repulsed by him, considering how he brutally murdered her husband Glenn (Steven Yuen). The story takes place in New York, when Maggie is ironically looking for Negan and needs his help. Her son Hershel (Logan Kim) was kidnapped and she believes Negan has a connection to the kidnapper.
The unlikely duo embark on a mission as Maggie tries to come to terms with her intense hatred for Negan, despite everything he has done to convince her that he changed for the better. The strained relationship between the two is just as palpable as it was in the main series, with hints of the “old Negan” shining through from time to time. A second season is in the works, with the Manhattan Island setting, exciting new characters, and ties to the original. The Walking Dead: Dead City is a captivating experience for anyone who misses the original.
2 “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon” (2023-)
Created by David Zabel
When Lincoln went as Rick Grimes The Walking DeadDaryl Dixon (Norman Reedus), his number two and best friend, took on a leading role within the ensemble. As a fan-favorite characterit’s no surprise that he got his own spin-off with his namesake. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon follows Daryl’s journey, which eventually leads him mysteriously to Paris. By chance he befriends a nun named Isabelle (Clémence Poésy), who needs his help to take a young boy named Laurent (Louis Puech Scigliuzzi) to a safe place, believing he is the future Messiah. There’s plenty of action, fascinating new characters, and deeper character development for Daryl than was ever explored in the original.
Fans were delighted with the announcement of the return of Daryl’s platonic soulmate Carol (Melissa McBride) for the second season, which will be known as The book Carol. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon is one of the most exciting shows in the franchise currently airing. The second season is coming in September 2024, the third season of the show has already been renewed.
1 The Walking Dead: The Living (2024)
Created by Scott M. Gimple
As the highest rated The Walking Dead Series of the lot, The Walking Dead: The Survivors was also the most anticipated. It took a long time to complete and was announced after the departure of Lincoln and Michonne. Danai Gurira from the original series. Although it was originally supposed to be a movie and the COVID-19 pandemic caused delays, The Walking Dead: The Survivors was finally released in miniseries format this year. And it did not disappoint.
The Walking Dead: The Survivors begins by revealing where Rick has been since fans saw Jadis take him to safety in a helicopter. The series also follows Michonne’s journey since she left the main group to find him. Right from the first scene The Walking Dead: The Survivorshas captivated fans. It is also largely a love story. Fans were not only delighted to see the two fan-favorite characters again, but also to see them finally come back together after so many years and reaffirm their deep love for each other. Most importantly, The Walking Dead: The Survivors concluded a major storyline in a satisfying and story-appropriate way, with room for improvement should all the shows ever converge before a final ending.
Watch on AMC+
