Cable's biggest genre tentpole of the 2010s; proved horror could own Monday nights.
Why it matters
Episode guide
177 episodes across 11 seasons — titles, air dates, and synopses.
At a glance
Sheriff Rick Grimes wakes into a zombie apocalypse and leads survivors through endless moral collapses. Horror as long-form cable tentpole. Spinoffs keep the dead walking after the flagship ends.
Network & studio
- AMC — cable network
- AMC Global Media — production studio
Why watch now
The 2010s’ monster ratings engine — horror that owned Monday nights for years.
Cultural impact
TWD proved genre horror could be cable’s biggest tentpole and franchise mitosis a business plan. Comic-vs-show death debates were a second series.
Creators
Frank Darabont
Key cast
- Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes
- Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon
- Danai Gurira as Michonne
- Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes
- Lauren Cohan as Maggie Greene
- Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan
Flash facts
- Adapted from Robert Kirkman's comics; developed for TV by Frank Darabont.
- Peak seasons were cultural events with massive live ratings for cable.
- Expanded into a multi-series franchise universe still producing spinoffs.
FAQ
Who developed The Walking Dead for TV?
Frank Darabont developed the AMC series from Robert Kirkman’s comics.
How long did the main series run?
2010–2022 across many seasons before the spinoff era fully took over.
Why so many spinoffs?
The franchise’s ratings power and character popularity made expansion a natural business move.
Cultural eras
Official & further reading
- AMC
- AMC+ — The Walking Dead
- AMC network
- Wikipedia
- IMDb search
- TMDB search
- YouTube — trailers & clips
External sites for further reading — TV Flash is not affiliated with these networks or studios.
Back to the decade
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