Three Foreign Zombie TV Shows You May Not Have Heard Of... But Should Add to Your List...
In a post-Walking Dead world, it may seem like cultural has reached the point of zombie-saturation. Though, for long-term fans of the genre (myself included), it just means more to love.
Here are several zombie series that play with the genre in new ways:
The king is dead...ish? And a plague is sweeping 17th-century South Korea, but this no normal illness. Its victims are back. And they’re hungry.
Kingdom follows Crown Prince Lee Chang, heir to the throne of Joseon. After being sent to investigate the strange plague spreading across the land, he unearths more than a few horrible truths. This show is a breath of fresh air. In an over-saturated sub-genre. It expertly weaves together a story of political intrigue, societal corruption, and brilliant, bloody visuals.
You can watch both seasons of Kingdom on Netflix.
Another Netflix Original, Reality Z is a Brazilian remake of the British limited series Dead Set (2008), but with enough changes to make it worth a watch, even if you’ve seen the original.
The cast of a Big Brother-style reality show, isolated from the world for filming, have no idea that a zombie outbreak is quickly spreading and they might be some of the last people left alive. Once they realize that... things predictably spiral out of control.
The main theme of Dead Set seems to be that the kind of people who are desperate to get famous are also the last people you’d want at your side during the apocalypse. Reality Z takes that and runs with it, providing a more biting commentary on social inequality and political corruption. It may be a bit heavy-handed at times, but no one said the zombie genre was made to be subtle.
Reality Z and Deadset are both streaming on Netflix
Zombies! On a boat! What’s not to love?
ZOMBOAT! is the story of two sisters, Kat and Jo, who, during a zombie apocalypse, steal an ex’s houseboat with the goal of sailing from Birmingham to London—and safety. Along the way, they run into the members of an ill-fated bachelor party, former co-workers, and previous flings.
It’s a fun romp with colorful meta-commentary, lovable characters, and a ingenious, but very, very slow getaway vehicle.
You can catch ZOMBOAT! on Hulu