Rick Grimes is a former Sheriff’s deputy who has been in a coma for several months after being shot while on duty. When he wakes| he discovers that the world has been taken over by zombies| and that he seems to be the only person still alive. After returning home to discover his wife and son missing| he heads for Atlanta to search for his family. Narrowly escaping death at the hands of the zombies on arrival in Atlanta| he is aided by another survivor Glenn who takes Rick to a camp outside the town. There Rick finds his wife Lori and son Carl along with his partner/ best friend Shane and a small group of survivors who struggle to fend off the zombie hordes; as well as competing with other survivor groups who are prepared to do whatever it takes to survive.