Dead Bits: Walking Dead mini series

The Walking Dead is a popular zombie show that has spawned a number of spin-off series, and I'm not going to talk about any of those here. Instead, this is a review on all the tiny web series currently on offer.

Walking Dead: Torn Apart

This low quality and cheap production is set at the start of the epidemic, and is obviously a trial "add on" for the Walking Dead universe. Some B-class acting abounds from the protagonists trying to decide what to do but it did actually do justice in the jump scare department. Best watched before the main series as it includes characters encountered in season 1.

Walkind Dead: Cold Storage

An obvious upgrade from Torn Apart with better quality everything really. This follows a survivors encounter with a safe haven in the form of a storage building. The decent story is one of my favorites in this set, and is best watched before the main series.

Walking Dead: The Oath

Apart from some poor quality at the start, this one has a decent story that follows survivors looking for a medical facility to treat their wounds. For a change there are some nice surprises here, but I still prefer the story of Cold Storage altogether. Again watch before the main series as the location is visited in season 1.

Walking Dead: Red Machete

Definitely different from the above in that this artistic and almost voiceless series follows the titular red machete from its unboxing and across its many, many owners. The cartoon segment while nice feels a bit forced, and would have been better replaced by actual shots from the main show. Still an interesting watch, but unlike the above three this one should only be seen after season 7.

The weapon is the main character. Interesting...

Fear the Walking Dead: Flight 426

We've had snakes on a plane, so why not zombies? Set entirely in an aircraft on Z-day #1, this story is quite neat though also predictable in equal measure. It definitely has a cooler tie in to the Fear series though, so watch it before watching Fear Season 1.

Fear the Walking Dead: Passage

Following survivors seeking passage to safety, this one is really good in terms of set quality but really weak in terms of story and acting, leading it to be my least favourite of all the shorts. Also some real "wtf" moments like, why did you bother putting that zombie in a hazmat suit? Anyway, best watched after Fear Season 3 I guess.

The Althea Tapes

Best watched after Fear Season 4 this is perhaps the lowest budget of all the series thus far, taking the interview type approach for all of its six episodes. While the acting is decent, which is good since it's literally just people talking at the camera, it simply isn't compelling enough to recommend. There was an opportunity to tie it into Fear itself but it looks like that opportunity was squandered.