Plot Summary

The Walking Dead centers on small-town sheriff’s deputy Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes, who awakens from a coma to discover that the world he once knew has collapsed. Civilization has fallen to a relentless zombie apocalypse, and the remnants of humanity struggle to survive in a landscape ruled by fear, scarcity, and moral compromise. As Rick searches for his wife and son, he is thrust into a brutal new reality where trust is fragile and survival demands impossible choices.

Set against the ruins of Atlanta and the rural American South, the series follows a shifting group of survivors who band together for protection. Yet the true danger often lies not only with the undead, but with the living—desperation, power struggles, and conflicting visions of hope fracture alliances and redefine loyalty. Leadership becomes both a burden and a curse as Rick attempts to preserve a sense of humanity in a world that no longer rewards it.

Adapted from the comic book series by Robert Kirkman, The Walking Dead was developed for television by Frank Darabont, the filmmaker behind The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. Blending visceral horror with character-driven drama, the series redefined the modern zombie genre, evolving into a cultural phenomenon that explores not just the end of the world—but the endurance, and fragility, of the human spirit.