Some people say they’re over zombies, but the moment a good show drops, everyone’s watching it. The truth is that whether it’s about an apocalypse or just a character turning into a zombie, the genre still works because it can set the stage for all kinds of stories: from heavy dramas to the most ridiculous comedies. Some shows play it straight, digging into trauma and the collapse of society, while others go all in on the chaos and just have fun with it. That variety is exactly what keeps the genre going (even after its big pop culture boom). If it’s done right, we’re in, and this list proves there’s still plenty worth watching.

Here are the 10 best zombie TV shows of all time. Together, they show how these creatures can still be used in fresh ways without telling the same story over and over again, because the world of the undead is bigger and more interesting than it looks.

The Walking Dead is the show that basically set the standard for zombie TV. However, the top of the top is not just about the undead, but about how people deal with the total collapse of society, and what that brings out in human nature, both good and bad. The story follows Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and a group of survivors in a world overrun by zombies, where the real danger often comes from other humans. This mix of psychological drama and horror kept the series going for years and helped build a whole extended universe with multiple spin-offs. It left a serious mark.