Virus.
Kingdom was premiered in 2019 and the second season came out in March, just as the coronavirus began spreading across the globe. A spin-off episode, titled
Kingdom: Ashin of the North, is in the works.
The show’s main conceit of a zombie epidemic whose origin is hidden from the public until it’s too late makes it a worthy addition to this list. But
Kingdom is more than a simple allegory. The series explores the true meaning of leadership, the chasm between the rulers and the ruled, the impact of war and conflict on ordinary people and the role played by sycophants and an opaque government in shielding citizens from necessary truths. The zombies supply the gore, while the human characters deliver the lessons about the lingering impact of unjust regimes.