HBO’s The Last of Us came out swinging with a first season that many critics called “near perfect.” It balanced gritty apocalypse storytelling with heartfelt character drama, capturing the emotional pulse of Joel and Ellie’s journey while expanding on the original game in meaningful ways. But while the series still remains one of television’s strongest entries in the undead genre, season 2 exposed a few cracks — and suddenly, viewers are remembering that the zombie world is much bigger than just one franchise.
In fact, several other shows have quietly (or not so quietly) outperformed The Last of Us in originality, execution, and pure genre reinvention. From French supernatural dramas to horror comedies dripping with satire, these series prove that the zombie genre still has plenty of creative life left.
Netflix’s Santa Clarita Diet was a gem taken too soon. Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant shine as a suburban couple whose life goes off the rails when Sheila turns into a zombie — a very hungry one. The show blends horror, humor, and pointed social commentary, playfully mocking California perfectionism with a grotesque twist. It was abruptly canceled just as it hit its stride, but its three seasons remain a highlight of modern horror-comedy.
Rather than leaning into fear and chaos, iZombie offers something different: procedural storytelling with a zombie heroine who absorbs memories and personality traits from the brains she consumes. Rose McIver’s performance is endlessly charming, and the show embraces a fresh identity far removed from the bleak worlds of
No matter where the zombie genre goes, The Walking Dead
remains its cultural benchmark. At its peak, it was undeniable prestige television — violent, emotional, unpredictable. Though the quality fluctuated over its 11 seasons, its influence is unmatched.
This French series takes zombies in a completely different direction. Instead of gnashing teeth and bloodshed, The Returned delivers a slow-burning supernatural mystery grounded in grief, identity, and the surreal. Fans often compare it more to
Charlie Brooker’s pre-Black Mirror masterpiece asks a simple but brilliant question: What if a zombie outbreak happened during
Not a zombie show in the traditional sense, but its central premise — a man who can bring the dead back to life — revels in the macabre with a playful touch. Bryan Fuller’s signature style shines in every colorful, haunting, poetic moment.
If The Last of Us is prestige drama, Ash vs. Evil Dead is the punk-rock cousin who doesn’t care about awards. Bruce Campbell returns as the chainsaw-wielding Ash in a show that doubles down on gore, humor, and unhinged energy.
This South Korean smash hit blends action, emotion, and social themes into one gripping survival story. In just 12 episodes, it offered more tension, character growth, and innovation than many long-running zombie franchises.
It’s the last person anyone would expect.
General Hospital keeps throwing suspects at us in the Who Shot Drew mystery. Was it Willow? Michael? Portia? Nina? Jacinda? They all have good reasons to do it. (Most of the audience feels the same.) But there is one person who has the best reason to want Drew gone. And, so far, no one has considered them….
Key Takeaways
You’d think, what with gaslighting Willow (Katelyn MacMullen), taunting Michael (Rory Gibson), harassing Portia (Brook Kerr), and trying to steal Monica’s (Leslie Charleson) house — not to mention swiping Tracy’s (Jane Elliot) luggage (SO mature) — Drew (Cameron Mathison) would have no time to be making his daughter Scout’s (Cosette Abinante) life miserable. And if you ask Drew, it’s not Scout he’s trying to make miserable, it’s her brothers, Danny (Asher Antonyzyn) and Rocco (Finn Carr). And her grandmother, Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn).
Drew is throwing out restraining orders, right and left, to keep them all away from his little girl. For her own good, of course.
Well, Scout isn’t appreciating his efforts. She hasn’t said much about it to Drew. Probably because the poor girl has already lost her mother, Sam (Kelly Monaco).
Drew has isolated her from most of her family. Scout doesn’t want to risk losing her father’s life, too. While he’s alive, that is. If Scout is forced to live with only Drew, it would be nice if he didn’t hate her. On the other hand…
On the other hand… if Scout didn’t have to live with Drew… if he were, say, dead… why, that would be a whole other story! If Drew were out of the way, Scout could see her brothers. And her grandma. And her aunts. And basically anyone she wanted, without fear that Drew might remember that they snubbed him in an elevator once by letting the door shut in his face, and now he has a score to settle.
Could Scout have been the one to shoot Drew? Maybe because she heard about this girl in Salem, who shot her uncle… and got away with it, scot-free.