When it comes to TV shows about zombies, there’s no point in arguing against the importance of a show like The Walking Dead. Released in 2010, created by Hollywood’s horror master Frank Darabont, and based on the comic book by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard, the show completely changed the TV landscape after fan favorites like Lost and Prison Break had come to an end. Suddenly, a new show had arrived, and though it was based on a horror subgenre that most people didn’t seem to connect with, it presented a dramatic backdrop that was worth grabbing ourselves onto. Those that came after, spin-offs and others completely unrelated, didn’t match The Walking Dead, even when it started fizzling out.

However, in the small universe of zombie TV shows, there’s one that, in retrospect, could give The Walking Dead a run for its money. And it isn’t exactly a huge production. Itself a spin-off of a show called Z Nation, Black Summer is a riveting drama show that takes the zombie apocalypse premise and puts it on steroids. Produced by Netflix in 2019, the show was a sensation among zombie culture fans, with horror author Stephen King praising it: “Just when you think there’s no more scare left in zombies, this comes along.”

Yes, The Walking Dead remains the go-to for this sort of conundrum, but if you don’t want to navigate its multiple seasons, or in the case you got tired of all its drama and took it off of your watchlist, there’s a solid option in Black Summer. Here’s what this underrated Netflix horror show has to offer, and which in some ways is infinitely better than The Walking Dead.

What Is Black Summer About?

The premise of Black Summer is incredibly simple, and perhaps that’s the best thing about it. It doesn’t do much to expand the reasons for the apocalypse. Not even when it takes a break from all the action and increases its drama element. The chaos you feel from the beginning is kept throughout the entire run, and contrary to how it feels in other zombie movies and TV shows, Black Summer never feels out of control and with too much filling.

Black Summer is told from the perspective of Rose (Jamie King), a mother and wife who sees her world shattered amidst a crisis that has put the military on the streets of American suburbia. Rose is set on reuniting with her daughter, Anna, and to accomplish this, she will have to turn into someone else, as America is going through a disaster in which flesh-eating ghouls have taken the streets.

This makes Black Summer a mother’s journey with all the drama you can imagine. However, the show also takes its liberties and focuses on secondary characters with their own unique storylines that will find a way into Rose’s path. Trust us when we say nothing in Black Summer is a random script decision, and everything will make sense, even if it’s just through a poetic coincidence.

The Dread, the Drama, the Survivors

Black Summer differs from its peers by presenting its set of characters with a slight sense of unpredictability. Even though it’s definitely Rose’s story, the one leading up to the conclusion, every part of the plot becomes relevant because, in this world, there aren’t any heroes. This adds to the sense of realism the show has, which shows of this nature should have. This is one of many things that it does better than The Walking Dead: you believe in these people, and you believe in their quest, which is anything but fancy.

Of course, the realism wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for the show’s groundbreaking performances. Survivors played by King, Justin Chu Cary, Christine Lee, and Kelsey Flower give life to their characters by playing victims of something they can’t comprehend, and they don’t play the typical TV characters whom we aren’t supposed to ask much about.

While in The Walking Dead the show led to an inevitable development of the characters because the drama had to counterbalance the horror aspect, in Black Summer there’s simply no time, and we’re only left with a random set of events that will offer the substance they need to understand how regular people came to be in his situation.

Blurring the Line Between TV and Cinema

One thing about The Walking Dead that will always make it shine above other shows of its genre is that it puts zombie culture aside and puts the survivors’ stories at the forefront of the apocalypse. The makeup effects are outstanding, and the show gets scary enough at some point that it could run along with other zombie films that present the premise of the undead. However, it’s the drama of the survivors that makes the show interesting. And even though it showed to have a limit that was surpassed in recent seasons, it was a risky take by showrunners.

In the case of Black Summer, we don’t need drama because the horror content is fierce enough to make a crack in the genre. The cinematography and editing work are extraordinary and feature the best visuals in the underworld of horror television. When you think of good zombie films, none of them feel fancy, but with Black Summer, you will probably change your mind. The irony lies in the fact that Black Summer is a television production, a medium typically associated with lower quality.

It may not have the influence that it should have in other shows, but in the microcosmos of zombie television, there’s nothing better than the horror in Black Summer and how it presents the threat of zombies.

Is it Worth Watching Black Summer Over The Walking Dead?

The Walking Dead universe is vast and rich, and it seems to offer something for everyone. We won’t actually deny that it still has a place in modern television, with its countless characters and the way it seems to “reset” itself every now and then. It has a following, and that’s great for the dynamics of horror television.

However, if you’re into shorter TV series that you can binge on without spending hundreds of hours in front of your TV, then there’s no better choice than Black Summer. In terms of characters, the stories click, and there’s not much to do in that space, but in terms of its horror display, it will give you the creeps while keeping you on the edge of your seat with outstanding visuals and the best camera work on lesser-known television.

It’s uncanny how it only lasted two seasons, but perhaps it was for the best. Some things are not meant to last long, which is usually said about The Walking Dead, and which actually worked for Black Summer.