Shuffling Through More Undead Picks
All Of Us Are Dead is the latest Netflix K-drama series. Set in a high school and the wider area of Hyosan, this series depicts the trials and tribulations of the zombie apocalypse just as an outbreak occurs.
If you’ve finished watching this and are looking for alternate series, fret not! We’ve combed through the archives and saved you the hassle of having to try and find something similar with our top 10 picks for alternate viewing.
To keep things simple for skim-readers we’ve added what similarities these have.
Of course for all the shows we’ve reviewed, we’ve also added a handy link so you can check out our full thoughts on that series and see if it’s something you want to invest your time with.
So without further ado, we present 10 TV shows that should whet the appetite when you’ve finished streaming All Of Us Are Dead.
Kingdom
Similarities – Zombies & Suspense
Beautifully presented and dripping in Asian culture, zombie action-thriller Kingdom is quite the thrill ride. Split across two seasons, Kingdom effortlessly blends political drama with a thrilling action plot, full of beautifully shot set pieces.
The story begins slowly, using its first episode to show off the gorgeous setting of Hanyang in South Korea as we travel back through time to the Joseon Period. Crown King Lee Chang is our protagonist and while he begins engaging in a bitter feud with the Queen, physician Seo-Bi in Jiyulheon makes a horrific discovery.
With Lee Chang by her side, the pair realize the dead are coming back to life and mercilessly hunting the living. With no guns or modern weaponry, much of the tension comes from seeing these men and women make do with the scarce resources around them.
It’s one of the few shows that balances this action with tension perfectly. The second season only builds on this, leading to the very possible prospect of a third season.
You can read our thoughts on Kingdom in our full season reviews here!
Black Summer
Similarities – Action & Survival
Black Summer is an interesting take on the downfall of humanity, sticking much closer to the days following the infection rather than cutting forward to a bleak post-apocalyptic wasteland straight away.
The story follows pockets of different survivors, just trying to make it out alive while the zombie threat remains a constant obstacle. Later seasons do include more human factions and drama.
Despite some questionable character logic at times, Black Summer maintains a consistent danger throughout and its large ensemble of characters are constantly thwarted by intelligent, fast zombies. There’s an extremely tense atmosphere gripping most of the season and while many people remain torn over this one, we were definitely fans of this.
You can read our thoughts on Black Summer in our full season reviews here!
Happiness
Similarities: Human drama & viral infection
Happiness is a brilliantly written hidden gem from Korea. Our story takes place post-COVID. Korea and the rest of the world are just starting to get back on their feet.
When experimental vaccine pills called Next drip-feed onto the market, it’s soon revealed that these are the catalyst for another outbreak – one far deadlier than Corona.
With an unquenchable thirst for water and a madness that descends over the infected, the virus spreads courtesy of bites and scratches – as well as taking the pills.
What’s particularly interesting here is the development for all the supporting players. While Sae-Bom and Yi-Hyun have their own angle, intent on finding a vaccine with the help off government official Tae-Seok, the real meat of the story lies in the reaction from the different owners and renters inhabiting this block.
Happiness is an absolute must-watch and one of the hidden gems from this year.
Fear The Walking Dead (Seasons 1-3)
Similarities – Downfall of Humanity
Set years before The Walking Dead, Fear The Walking Dead disappointingly brushes past the “during” phase of the apocalypse and devolves into a lite version of The Walking Dead instead.
However, the show builds up beautifully to a tense second season and a fantastic third before taking a serious nose-dive in quality. While the later seasons – including the horrific season 5 – are sure to put you off, the first 3 actually do a good job of delivering a post-apocalyptic romp worth watching.
You can read our thoughts on Fear The Walking Dead in our full season reviews here!
The Strain
Similarities – Action & Horror
Split across four seasons, The Strain combines elements of a viral outbreak with vampires in an explosive and bloody fight to the bitter end. It’s classic monsters vs humans territory but the extended run-time allows a lot of the characters a chance to shine and flesh out across the season’s run-time.
At the heart of this fight lies Dr. Ephraim Goodweather who leads a group of New Yorkers out to fight against the undead and secure the fate of humanity itself.
The Strain is a thrilling, decently paced show and although there are a few lulls along the way, does an excellent job keeping the tension high throughout.
Survivors
Similarities – Outbreak & Characters
An unknown virus pandemic kills more than 90% of the world’s population. Those immune must strive to survive and overcome the difficulties of this new world order. This intriguing premise forms the core instead the synopsis for this excellent BBC series that ran for 2 seasons.
The characters are well written, the pacing is nicely balanced and the relatively easy 12 episode run-time (6 episodes a season) makes this an easy show to get into and a difficult one to put down.
Highschool Of The Dead
Similarities – High School Setting
Highschool Of The Dead is about as close as you’re going to get to the feel of All Of Us Are Dead. The initial premise revolves around high school students stuck in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. It’s right at the start of infection too, and for our ensemble, making it out alive is a priority.
Do be warned though that this series is going to be an acquired taste. Next to the cliched story, the series has a tendency of including some pretty risque shots at times. However, it makes our list simply because of how similar in storytelling this is to Netflix’s latest K-drama.
Z Nation
Similarities – Zombies & Misfit Band Of Characters
While a lot more comedic than Black Summer and following a simple zombie outbreak premise, Z Nation is certainly a unique offering in this post apocalyptic circuit. What it lacks in big set pieces and polish, it more than makes up for with wicked humour and ideas.
This is a show intent on having as much fun as possible with the apocalypse whilst simultaneously upping the stakes every season. The later segments of this one are great fun and the tight-knit family vibes make it an easy sell.
You can read our thoughts on Z Nation in our full season reviews here!
The Purge
Similarities – Surviving & Tension
When it comes to missed opportunities, no franchise comes close to The Purge. After a myriad of lackluster films, The Purge sets its sights on the small screen for a 2-season stab at delivering a story worthy of its interesting premise.
While the first season does squander its potential, the second is actually a surprisingly gripping affair, revolving around separate groups of people banding together to try and survive Purge night – an event where crime is legal for 24 hours.
If you’re in the mood for something family-centric and equally as suspenseful as To The Lake, this is a pretty good choice.
You can read our thoughts on The Purge in our season reviews here!
Sweet Home
Similarities – Surviving & Tension
Adapted from the webtoon of the same name, Sweet Home is an action packed fight for survival as humanity finds itself on the brink of extinction. When people suddenly begin to turn into monsters outside, a group of misfit residents inside an apartment complex are forced to work together. Of course, cabin fever, fear and paranoia begin to consume our characters. This is only made worse when a few begin to fall prey to that very same infection they’re trying to keep out.
When the monsters do show up, Sweet Home ramps up the pace and tension to deliver 4 breathless episodes of action back to back. It’s not until the halfway point of the show where we actually stop and learn more about the characters we’ve been following. This serves as a proverbial deep breath, building toward a climactic finale across this 10 episode series that leaves the door wide open for a second season.
There will undoubtedly be some that dislike this way of serializing Korean dramas but Netflix’s latest foray into horror definitely has some promise and more than a few tense moments.
You can read our thoughts on Sweet Home in our full season review here!
So there we have it, our 10 TV show picks to check out when you’re finished with All Of Us Are Dead
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!