The Walking Dead is an American post-apocalyptic horror drama television series based on the comic book series of the same name by Robert Kirkman Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard—together forming the core of The Walking Dead franchise. The series features a large ensemble cast as survivors of a zombie apocalypse trying to stay alive under near-constant threat of attacks from zombies chiefly known as walkers by the other characters. With the collapse of modern civilization these survivors must confront other human survivors who have formed groups and communities with their own sets of laws and morals sometimes leading to open hostile conflict between them. The series is the first television series within The Walking Dead franchise.