Watch The Walking Dead (2010 to 2022) first. Fear the Walking Dead starts as a prequel and later crosses over; The Ones Who Live, Daryl Dixon and Dead City follow the main show's characters after its finale.
- Titles
- 7
- Series
- 7
- Watch time
- 287 hours
- Avg IMDb
- 6.8
Walking Dead shows in release order
Here is every Walking Dead title in the order it came out, 2010 to 2024: 0 films and 7 series. Optional entries are marked; you can skip them on a first watch.
| # | Title | Year | Type | Runtime | IMDb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Walking Dead | 2010 | Series | 136h 36m | 8.1 |
| 2 | Fear the Walking Dead optional | 2015 | Series | 90h 13m | 6.7 |
| 3 | The Walking Dead: World Beyond optional | 2020 | Series | 15h 44m | 4.6 |
| 4 | Tales of the Walking Dead optional | 2022 | Series | 4h 30m | 5.9 |
| 5 | The Walking Dead: Dead City optional | 2023 | Series | 17h 14m | 7 |
| 6 | The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon | 2023 | Series | 17h 21m | 7.5 |
| 7 | The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live | 2024 | Series | 5h 13m | 7.7 |
Walking Dead timeline: shows in chronological order
The same titles in story order, by when they take place, with the year or era each one is set in.
| # | Title | Set in | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fear the Walking Dead | The outbreak | 2015 |
| 2 | The Walking Dead | Weeks after the outbreak | 2010 |
| 3 | The Walking Dead: World Beyond | 2020 | |
| 4 | Tales of the Walking Dead | Anthology | 2022 |
| 5 | The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live | After Rick is taken | 2024 |
| 6 | The Walking Dead: Dead City | Manhattan | 2023 |
| 7 | The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon | France | 2023 |
Release or chronological: which order is best?
Release order and story order disagree on 5 titles here. In release order you start with The Walking Dead (2010); in story order you start with Fear the Walking Dead, set in The outbreak, which came out 5 years later.
First time through, watch in release order. That is how the twists, returning characters and callbacks were built to land, and later entries assume you have seen the earlier ones. On a rewatch, try story order. It turns The Walking Dead into one continuous story and makes the prequels play as setup instead of backstory.
Where to start
Start with The Walking Dead and go in release order, skipping the 4 optional titles on the first pass.
The essentials are 3 titles and about 159 hours, 45% less than the full run.
The three highest rated: The Walking Dead (8.1), The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (7.7), and The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (7.5).
Every Walking Dead title, explained
One entry per title in release order: what it is about, why it matters to the bigger story, who is in it and how it did.
No. 01 · 2010 · Series · 136h 36m · 2nd in story order
The Walking Dead
Sheriff's deputy Rick Grimes awakens from a coma to find a post-apocalyptic world dominated by flesh-eating zombies. He sets out to find his family and encounters many other survivors along the way.
Why it matters: Rick Grimes' story; the main series.
- Starring
- Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, and Lauren Cohan
- Creator
- Frank Darabont
- Scores
- IMDb 8.1 · Rotten Tomatoes 79%
- Episodes
- 177 across 11 seasons
No. 02 · 2015 · Series · 90h 13m · 1st in story order · optional
Fear the Walking Dead
What did the world look like as it was transforming into the horrifying apocalypse depicted in "The Walking Dead"? This spin-off set in Los Angeles, following new characters as they face the beginning of the end of the world, will answer that question.
Why it matters: Starts at the outbreak in Los Angeles; optional.
- Starring
- Colman Domingo, Alycia Debnam-Carey, and Danay García
- Creator
- Robert Kirkman and Dave Erickson
- Scores
- IMDb 6.7 · Rotten Tomatoes 74%
- Episodes
- 113 across 8 seasons
No. 03 · 2020 · Series · 15h 44m · optional
The Walking Dead: World Beyond
A heroic group of teens sheltered from the dangers of the post-apocalyptic world receive a message that inspires them to leave the safety of the only home they have ever known and embark on a cross-country journey to find the one man who can possibly save the world.
Why it matters: Teens leave safety years into the apocalypse; optional.
- Starring
- Aliyah Royale, Alexa Mansour, and Hal Cumpston
- Creator
- Scott M. Gimple and Matthew Negrete
- Scores
- IMDb 4.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 46%
- Episodes
- 20 across 2 seasons
No. 04 · 2022 · Series · 4h 30m · optional
Tales of the Walking Dead
An episodic anthology series focused on both new and established characters set in the world of "The Walking Dead."
Why it matters: Standalone anthology episodes; optional.
- Starring
- Olivia Munn, Terry Crews, and Parker Posey
- Creator
- Channing Powell and Scott M. Gimple
- Scores
- IMDb 5.9 · Rotten Tomatoes 74%
- Episodes
- 6
No. 05 · 2023 · Series · 17h 14m · 6th in story order · optional
The Walking Dead: Dead City
Maggie and Negan travel to post-apocalyptic Manhattan - long ago cut off from the mainland. The crumbling city is filled with the dead and denizens who have made it a world full of anarchy, danger, beauty, and terror.
Why it matters: Maggie and Negan in Manhattan; optional.
- Starring
- Lauren Cohan, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Logan Kim
- Creator
- Eli Jorné
- Scores
- IMDb 7 · Rotten Tomatoes 78%
- Episodes
- 22 across 3 seasons
No. 06 · 2023 · Series · 17h 21m · 7th in story order
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon
After washing ashore in France, Daryl struggles to piece together how he got there and why, as he navigates a fractured, walker-infested landscape to find his way home. During his journey, Daryl has to protect a young boy, Laurent, who is seen as a messiah, while facing new, dangerous walker variants and the "Power of the Living" paramilitary group, as the connections he forms along the way complicate his plan to return home.
Why it matters: Daryl in France after the main series.
- Starring
- Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, and Romain Levi
- Creator
- David Zabel
- Scores
- IMDb 7.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 74%
- Episodes
- 19 across 4 seasons
No. 07 · 2024 · Series · 5h 13m · 5th in story order
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live
Rick and Michonne are thrown into another world, built on a war against the dead... And ultimately, a war against the living. Can they find each other and who they were in a place and situation unlike any they've ever known before? Are they enemies? Lovers? Victims? Victors? Without each other, are they even alive – or will they find that they, too, are the Walking Dead?
Why it matters: Rick and Michonne after the main series.
- Starring
- Andrew Lincoln, Danai Gurira, and Pollyanna McIntosh
- Creator
- Andrew Lincoln, Scott M. Gimple, and Danai Gurira
- Scores
- IMDb 7.7 · Rotten Tomatoes 88%
- Episodes
- 6
The best and worst rated Walking Dead shows
Across 7 rated titles, The Walking Dead averages 6.8 on IMDb. The top of the list is The Walking Dead at 8.1, then The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (7.7) and The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (7.5). At the bottom: The Walking Dead: World Beyond (4.6) and Tales of the Walking Dead (5.9).
- The Walking Dead8.1 · RT 79%
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live7.7 · RT 88%
- The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon7.5 · RT 74%
- The Walking Dead: Dead City7 · RT 78%
- Fear the Walking Dead6.7 · RT 74%
- Tales of the Walking Dead5.9 · RT 74%
- The Walking Dead: World Beyond4.6 · RT 46%
Who appears in the most Walking Dead shows
Norman Reedus leads with 2 appearances as Daryl Dixon, ahead of Melissa McBride (2) and Lauren Cohan (2). Counted from each title's top-billed cast.
| Actor | Role | Titles | First and latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norman Reedus | Daryl Dixon | 2 | The Walking Dead (2010) to The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (2023) |
| Melissa McBride | Carol Peletier | 2 | The Walking Dead (2010) to The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (2023) |
| Lauren Cohan | Maggie Greene / Maggie Rhee | 2 | The Walking Dead (2010) to The Walking Dead: Dead City (2023) |
| Danai Gurira | Michonne Hawthorne / Michonne | 2 | The Walking Dead (2010) to The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (2024) |
| Andrew Lincoln | Rick Grimes | 2 | The Walking Dead (2010) to The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (2024) |
| Jeffrey Dean Morgan | Negan Smith / Negan | 2 | The Walking Dead (2010) to The Walking Dead: Dead City (2023) |
| Pollyanna McIntosh | Jadis Stokes | 2 | The Walking Dead: World Beyond (2020) to The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (2024) |
Walking Dead directors and creators
10 filmmakers have directed or created The Walking Dead; Scott M. Gimple has the most, with 3.
- Scott M. GimpleThe Walking Dead: World Beyond (2020), Tales of the Walking Dead (2022), and The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (2024)
- Frank DarabontThe Walking Dead (2010)
- Robert KirkmanFear the Walking Dead (2015)
- Dave EricksonFear the Walking Dead (2015)
- Matthew NegreteThe Walking Dead: World Beyond (2020)
- Channing PowellTales of the Walking Dead (2022)
- Eli JornéThe Walking Dead: Dead City (2023)
- David ZabelThe Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (2023)
- Andrew LincolnThe Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (2024)
- Danai GuriraThe Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (2024)
How long it takes to watch every Walking Dead show
All 7 titles add up to 287 hours. That is about 144 two-hour evenings, or 29 days of ten-hour binges. The essentials cut it to 159 hours.
Start the first series and see if it hooks you.
Everything takes about 10 months; the essentials about 5 months.
Track what you've watched on the timeline and it counts the hours left.
Which Walking Dead shows can you skip?
4 titles can go without losing the main story. They are side stories, spin-offs or entries the later films ignore. Dropping them saves 128 hours.
- Fear the Walking Dead2015 · Series · 90h 13m · optionalStarts at the outbreak in Los Angeles; optional.
- The Walking Dead: World Beyond2020 · Series · 15h 44m · optionalTeens leave safety years into the apocalypse; optional.
- Tales of the Walking Dead2022 · Series · 4h 30m · optionalStandalone anthology episodes; optional.
- The Walking Dead: Dead City2023 · Series · 17h 14m · optionalMaggie and Negan in Manhattan; optional.
Common questions
What order should I watch the Walking Dead shows in?
Watch The Walking Dead (2010 to 2022) first. Fear the Walking Dead starts as a prequel and later crosses over; The Ones Who Live, Daryl Dixon and Dead City follow the main show's characters after its finale.
How many Walking Dead movies and shows are there?
There are 7 titles in the The Walking Dead franchise: 0 films and 7 series, released from 2010 to 2024.
How long does it take to watch all the Walking Dead shows?
About 287 hours for all 7 titles, counting every episode. The essentials only (3 titles) take about 159 hours.
What is the first Walking Dead title in chronological order?
Fear the Walking Dead, set in The outbreak. In release order the first is The Walking Dead (2010).
Which Walking Dead titles can I skip?
Fear the Walking Dead, The Walking Dead: World Beyond, Tales of the Walking Dead, and The Walking Dead: Dead City. They are spin-offs, side stories or non-canon entries; the main story holds without them.
What is the best Walking Dead title?
By IMDb score, The Walking Dead (2010) at 8.1, followed by The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live at 7.7.
Who has appeared in the most Walking Dead shows?
Norman Reedus, in 2 of them as Daryl Dixon.
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