The Zombie Series On Netflix That Blows Horror Fans Away
The zombie genre has brought us incredibly popular films and shows like World War Z and The Walking Dead that have captivated audiences for years. There's something that is just generally fascinating about undead creatures with a craving for human brains that horror fans just can't get enough of. Since Hollywood has churned out a ton of zombie content over the years, a lot of the genre's rules have become somewhat formulaic. Naturally, this has led to an incessant amount of tropes that fans apparently aren't thrilled by anymore.
One fan on Reddit asked other zombie heads about zombie movies or shows that aren't so focused on a post-apocalyptic setting. The user explained that while they enjoyed the genre, something they never really liked was the fact that "almost all [zombie movies] that I watched jumps away from the outbreak to the post apocalyptic setting, like the outbreak is no big deal." Thankfully, other zombie fans chimed in about what they thought was the best series on Netflix that did away with this trope.
Fans agree that Kingdom is a standout in the zombie genre
A handful of Reddit users who replied to the thread cited Kingdom as one of the best entries in the zombie genre. This South Korean television show is an adaptation of a comic series titled The Kingdom of the Gods, which takes place during Korea's Joseon Dynasty in the early 1600s. The series does away with the first major trope, a post-apocalyptic setting, and instead tosses viewers right into the middle of an outbreak. "Can't recommend it enough," one user wrote. "It builds up to the outbreak. Amazing writing as well."
Kingdom follows Prince Lee Chang (Ju Ji-hoon), the next in line for his father's throne. However, everything goes awry when the king falls ill with "smallpox," and royal authorities prevent the prince from seeing him. Suspicious that his stepmother, Queen Consort Cho (Kim Hye-jun), may be plotting against him, Prince Lee begins to investigate the matter on his own. Traveling to the southern provinces in the kingdom, the prince makes a shocking discovery about his father's "illness." It turns out that there is a plague that is turning the entire countryside into zombies, and his father is one of the afflicted. Determined to keep his title and save his future kingdom, Prince Lee vows to uncover the truth behind the entire conspiracy.
As one Reddit user aptly put it, Kingdom is "basically samurais with zombies plus fantastic writing." The show does away with typical zombie tropes by having a unique feudal setting in addition to taking place during an outbreak, rather than after it. For those who are interested in historical drama with plenty of zombie action, Kingdom is currently available for streaming on Netflix.