You can skip 4 of the 7 titles in the The Walking Dead franchise and still follow the main story: Fear the Walking Dead, The Walking Dead: World Beyond, Tales of the Walking Dead, and The Walking Dead: Dead City. The essentials (3 titles) take about 159 hours instead of 287 hours.
- Skippable
- 4
- Essentials
- 3
- Time saved
- 128 hours
Safe to skip
- 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.
Why each one is optional
What each skippable title is, what it adds if you do watch it, and who is in it.
No. 01 · 2015 · Series · 90h 13m · 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. 02 · 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. 03 · 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. 04 · 2023 · Series · 17h 14m · 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
The essentials, in release order
- The Walking Dead2010 · Series · 136h 36mRick Grimes' story; the main series.
- The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon2023 · Series · 17h 21mDaryl in France after the main series.
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live2024 · Series · 5h 13mRick and Michonne after the main series.
Common questions
Do I need to watch every The Walking Dead title?
No. You can skip 4 of the 7 titles in the The Walking Dead franchise and still follow the main story: Fear the Walking Dead, The Walking Dead: World Beyond, Tales of the Walking Dead, and The Walking Dead: Dead City. The essentials (3 titles) take about 159 hours instead of 287 hours.
How long are the The Walking Dead essentials?
About 159 hours for 3 titles, in release order starting with The Walking Dead.
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