Summary
WhileThe Walking Deadis often considered the gold standard for zombie TV shows,I think another series is even more unforgettable. When the AMC drama premiered in 2010, fans were introduced to an intense story featuring many strong-willed and interesting characters. But as much as I appreciate the long-running series, I can’t help but think that other stories, likeCormac McCarthy’s brutal and sadThe Road, are more realistic depictionsof life after the apocalypse.
While there are still a few excitingThe Walking Deadspinoffs (althoughsome are being removed from Netflix), fans of the genre are always looking for similar shows. Thankfully, a new series airing on SyFy fits the bill, and I think it’s even more impressive.
Revival Is A Fresh Take On The Zombie Show And More Compelling Than The Walking Dead
The SyFy seriesRevivaltakes place in Wausau, Wisconsin and tells the story of a unique scenario: people who have recently died have come back to life.These zombie-like figures are referred to as “Revivers,” and the main character, Deputy Dana Cypress (Melanie Scrofano), is tasked with solving a murder. With a 93% Rotten Tomatoes rating,Revivalis gaining popularity, and it’s easy to imagine it continuing for several more seasons.
WhileTWD fans want to see their favorite characters together again, they’re also likely keeping an eye out for other shows about zombies. It’s easy to compareRevivaltoThe Walking Deadand toResurrection, the short-lived 2014 series where people come back from the dead in the small town of Arcadia, Missouri.I thinkRevivalis much more interesting and exciting thanThe Walking Dead, which has several high and low points throughout its 11-season run. Although the character development is strong and I enjoy watchingthe endlessly fascinating villain Negan Smith (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), I think the zombies are the weakest part ofThe Walking Dead. They’re not all that compelling to look at, and they don’t stand out when compared to the undead from other movies or TV shows.
In contrast,Revivalis a thoughtful and compelling take on the zombie genre, and it grapples with themes of life in death. It’s not big or flashy, and technically, the Revivers aren’t actually zombies at all. You can’t even tell that anything has happened to these characters as they seem to be completely themselves, and I think that’s cool.
Of course, a good adaptation starts with a good story (and that’s why Stephen King believes hismost memorable adaptations stick to his source material).Revivalis based on Mike Norton and Tim Seeley’s comic of the same name. In an interview withComicsbeat.com, Seeley talked about what it was like bringing the story to the small screen. He said:
“in the TV show, we have a special effects budget. We’ve got a limited amount of willingness for the audience to necessarily accept that we have crazy monsters in the show, especially in those first few episodes. I think the way they revealed it works better for the TV show.”
Here’s Where You Can Stream Revival (And It’s A Short Binge-Watch)
WhileRevivalis airing on SyFy in the U.S. and CTV in Canada, you can also find it on Peacock.Revivalseason 1 only has eight episodes, and episodes 9 and 10 will air on August 7th and August 14th, 2025.
Fans of the zombie genre can also check outBlack Summer, the Netflix series praised by Stephen King. Since it only had two seasons, it’s also a fairly quick watch. Although it has a very different tone fromRevival,Black Summeralso offers up a unique zombie story that isn’t like all the other shows.
