The Walking Dead: A guide to every spin-off and how to watch them

The Walking Dead, a zombie apocalypse drama on AMC has gripped fans for years. Since the debut of the original show, several spin-offs have emerged, expanding the fictional universe, and offering viewers even more insights and perspectives into the presented world and characters’ lives.

That said, these spin-offs of The Walking Dead offer fans a comprehensive look at the world that began with Rick Grimes waking up in a deserted hospital. Whether you’re a die-hard fan of the franchise or someone new to The Walking Dead world, here’s your rundown of the six spin-offs and how best to binge-watch all of them.

What are the six spin-offs of The Walking Dead?

1. Fear the Walking Dead (2015 – 2023)

Set mostly in Los Angeles, it revolves around the character of Madison Clark and her family during the initial days of the apocalypse. The first three seasons of this show are pretty close to the original show’s timeline leading up to the moment when Rick wakes up in The Walking Dead. Seasons 4 through 7 of this show are more in tune with the chronological order of the original show and pull in characters like Morgan Jones and Dwight.

2. The Walking Dead: World Beyond (2020 – 2021)

Set a decade after the outbreak, The Walking Dead: World Beyond is the show where viewers get to see the first generation to come of age in the apocalypse. This show revolves around a set of teenagers who step out of their sheltered enclosed society in Omaha to look for one of their missing parents. It also gives an insight into the emergence of the zombie epidemic and the mysterious CRM (Civic Republic Military), which is connected to the original Walking Dead story.

3. Tales of the Walking Dead (2022)

Tales of the Walking Dead is a show that features episodes that are not necessarily connected and tells stories from various periods of the show. Every episode gives various information about the Walking Dead universe. It starts from when the zombie apocalypse began till the present.

4. The Walking Dead: Dead City (2023 – Present)

The Walking Dead: Dead City is about the adventures of Maggie and Negan in New York City after most of the population has been destroyed by the virus. This show takes place after the events in the original The Walking Dead show and fixates on the complex relationship between the two characters. While battling new threats and old demons, Dead City continues to develop the dilemmas and challenges that define the franchise.

5. The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (2023 - Present)

In this spin-off, fan-favorite Daryl Dixon finds himself in France, away from the familiarity of the American South. This show is centered around Daryl’s journey through a completely unfamiliar territory where he faces new perils as well as the origins of the zombie virus. It is refreshing to have a new perspective on the apocalypse with an alternate setting, and different characters, while still being true to the original show.

6. The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (2024)

The Ones Who Live sees Rick and Michonne reunite after being apart for years. Their journey is rather risky as they confront the CRM that took away Rick several years ago. This spin-off promises to tie up loose ends and give fans closure on one of the most beloved Walking Dead storylines.

What is the correct way to watch The Walking Dead spin-offs?

The Walking Dead: Dead City (Image via AMC)

There are two ways to watch the spin-offs. While you can watch them in the order they were released, many fans prefer to experience the story chronologically.

Here's how to watch them in the release order:

The Walking Dead (Season 1 to 5)
Fear the Walking Dead (Season 1)
The Walking Dead (Season 6)
Fear the Walking Dead (Season 2)
The Walking Dead (Season 7)
Fear the Walking Dead (Season 3)
The Walking Dead (Season 8)
Fear the Walking Dead (Season 4)
The Walking Dead (Season 9)
Fear the Walking Dead (Season 5)
The Walking Dead (Season 10 episodes 1 to 16)
The Walking Dead: World Beyond (Season 1)
Fear the Walking Dead (Season 6)
The Walking Dead (Season 10 episodes 17 to 22)
The Walking Dead (Season 11 episodes 1 to 8)
The Walking Dead: World Beyond (Season 2)
Fear the Walking Dead (Season 7 episodes 1 to 8)
The Walking Dead (Season 11 episodes 9 to 16)
Fear the Walking Dead (Season 7 episodes 9 to 16)
Tales of the Walking Dead (Season 1)
The Walking Dead (Season 11 episodes 17 to 24)
Fear the Walking Dead (Season 8 episodes 1 to 6)
The Walking Dead: Dead City
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon
Fear the Walking Dead (Season 8 episodes 7 to 12)
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live

And here's how to watch them chronologically:

Fear the Walking Dead (Season 1 to 3)
The Walking Dead (Season 1 to 8)
Fear the Walking Dead (Season 4)
Tales of the Walking Dead (Season 1)
The Walking Dead (Season 9)
Fear the Walking Dead (Season 5)
The Walking Dead (Season 10)
The Walking Dead: World Beyond (Season 1 to 2)
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live
The Walking Dead (Season 11)
Fear the Walking Dead (Season 6 to 8)
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon
The Walking Dead: Dead City

By following this guide, you can plunge into The Walking Dead universe, following the events right from the beginning of the apocalypse up to the present.