Dhruv Sharma
While some of us simply seek a liberal dose of some gory action from zombie shows, others just like being reminded of how good we have it compared to the characters of a post-apocalyptic fictional realm. Whatever your reasons may be, Netflix’s new horror series ‘Betaal‘ will certainly satiate your cravings for top-notch “evil dead” entertainment.
The storyline of the show is propelled by a police force that has been hired to displace the people of a local village. But when they accidentally end up unearthing the curse of an ancient deity, hell is unleashed upon them. If you were blown away by its whole zombie-meets-mythology setup, here’s a list of all the shows that are similar to ‘Betaal’. Almost all the shows mentioned below can be streamed on Netflix, Apple+ Tv, Amazon Prime Video, or Hulu.
6. Black Summer (2019-)
Compared to most other zombie shows out there, ‘Black Summer‘ is more terrifying than emotional. But its lack of emotional depth never really gets in the way of its overall entertainment value. Keeping its premise rather simple, ‘Black Summer’ revolves around the lives of a special forces team that carries all the remnants of hope in the world on its shoulder by fighting zombies. If you’re looking for a thrilling zombie-centric show that doesn’t beat around the bush with unnecessary melodrama and promises some intense gory action, make sure that you do check it out.
5. iZombie (2015-2019)
Created by Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggiero-Wright, ‘iZombie‘ is inspired by a comic book series of the same name. It centers around a Medical resident named Liv who mysteriously turns into a zombie one day. As a result, her life turns completely upside down and she struggles to suppress her growing urges to consume human flesh. This is when she discovers that consuming one’s human brain not only fulfills her undying hunger but also allows her to absorb the memories of those she feeds on. From its premise, one might assume that ‘iZombie’ is just another generic zombie dramedy. However, it offers a lot more than that and takes a very refreshingly ironic take on the exhaustive genre.
4. The Returned (2015)
Most zombie shows just confine themselves to the usual slasher fare but only a few go beyond that and present something eerily enthralling. ‘The Returned’ does exactly that. Although it is lesser-known compared to most other shows on this list, it is somewhat of a hidden gem that not only boasts some memorable zombie-centric action but also captivates you with its stunning cinematography and ambiguous mystery drama. Set in small-town, ‘The Returned,’ as the name suggests, is about a group of people who return from the dead. While families are united and a new ray of hope is shed on forgotten relationships, a dark sense of uncertainty begins to grow amongst the locals of the town.
3. The Walking Dead (2010-)
With almost a decade of runtime, ‘The Walking Dead‘ has now acquired a huge fan following of its own and it is easily one of the best zombie-horror shows out there. Set in a post-apocalyptic world that is dominated by zombies, ‘The Walking Dead’ is a heavily character-driven series that revolves around the lives of those who walk across the ruins of a destroyed world and try to find a safe home. As you would expect from every other zombie series out there, ‘The Walking Dead’ offers a whole lot of gratuitous violence but apart from that, even its world-building elements are quite appreciable. Not to mention, its breathtaking apocalyptic landscapes add more heft to its overall terror factor.
2. Kingdom (2019-)
Most zombie shows are initially extremely thrilling because of all the palpable terror that they offer. But beyond their first season mark, many of them start lacking forward-moving plot progressions. This is where the South Korean drama ‘Kingdom‘ stands out. With its involvement of innovation, culture, and a localized value system, ‘Kingdom’ offers a lot more than tiresome violence. Its story is primarily about a deceased king who rises again and with his return, a strange plague begins to grip his entire kingdom. Determined to stop this, the prince must now find a way to defeat an enemy he knows nothing about.
1. Ghoul (2018)
Just like ‘Betaal’, ‘Ghoul‘ also draws its inspiration from Indian folklore and although it isn’t exactly about zombies, several parallels can be drawn between ‘Ghoul’ and ‘Betaal.’ To begin with, both shows have been created by Patrick Graham and seem to have a lot in common with Hollywood classics like John Carpenter’s ‘The Thing.’ Moreover, both shows revolve around the struggles of a military unit against an eldritch godly entity that is not benevolent towards mankind.
Read More: Betaal Ending, Explained
