If watching society crumble before your very eyes is your thing, we’ve got the perfect list of TV shows for you today. The post-apocalyptic genre has exploded in popularity after the COVID-19 pandemic, mostly because some days, it really feels like the end of the world is near. The TV shows that pick up the format put a unique spin on what exactly happens after a major catastrophic event reaches Earth and ruins everything. Without giving too much away in the beginning, they pump up your intrigue with visuals of vast wastelands, an unlikely band of survivors, desperate battles against humans or zombies.
At their very best, these TV shows use the utter destruction of humanity to explore more poignant questions about social structure, morality, and what it really takes to rebuild a world. And let's not forget the production values that put you right into these bleak yet visceral apocalyptic worlds filled with action and remorse.
Usually, a post-apocalyptic scenario involves zombies, but this list features various other premises as well. The central question, however, remains the same – how far are you willing to go to protect those you love? So if you're ready to have your minds blown and learn how to survive through a shattered world (just in case), keep reading because you're about to discover the absolute best post-apocalyptic shows streaming now.
10 The Walking Dead (2010 – Present)
The Walking Dead
- Release Date
- October 31, 2010
- Cast
- Norman Reedus, Melissa Suzanne McBride, Lauren Cohan, Christian Serratos, Seth Gilliam, Khary Payton, Jeffrey Dean Morgan
- Main Genre
- Action
By the time the 2010s rolled in, the zombie horror genre had cemented itself as a trademark for post-apocalyptic settings. Introduce one deadly virus and a bunch of vibrant and unrelenting characters and there you have it, a gripping tale of survival against all odds. The Walking Dead, however, launched the current golden era of zombie fiction for televised consumption.
The bleak yet wildly captivating story follows sheriff’s deputy Rick Grimes becoming the leader of a group of people trying to find clues for survival in a world ravaged by a mysterious outbreak that not only turns humans into the undead but also reanimates the dead out of their graves. At 11 seasons and counting, the show has introduced and said goodbyes to several characters, but Andrew Lincoln’s charm remains ever-so-emotionally-resonant throughout.
Available to stream on Netflix
9 The Rain (2018 – 2020)
The Rain is a three-season Danish Netflix original that uses one of the primary elements of Earth as a cause of an apocalypse – the rain. In the show, we see that a rain-carried virus has wiped out all the citizens of Scandinavia, barring a few who stayed down in bunkers and away from contant. Among those are two siblings, who after six years in hiding, embark upon a desperate search for their missing father, a scientist who left them in a bunker and never returned.
As the duo brave a new world plagued by death, they slowly encounter other survivors and together, they decide to leave the land and find new life. The show is as refreshing as its premise makes it sound. The Danes are quite skilled when it comes to showcases an existential crisis of the youth because in three seasons, we see the siblings find love, come-of-age, and discover their true selves, while dealing with obvious horrors.
Available to stream on Netflix
8 The Last Man on Earth (2015 – 2018)
The Last Man on Earth
- Release Date
- March 1, 2015
- Cast
- Will Forte, Kristen Schaal, Cleopatra Coleman, January Jones, Mel Rodriguez, Mary Steenburgen
- Main Genre
- Comedy
Not underrated but definitely underwatched and deserving of way more praise than it receives, The Last Man on Earth is Fox’s comedic wonder in the post-apocalyptic genre. Phil Miller had the unenviable fate of being the last human survivor on the planet after a mysterious global accident that took away the rest. Stranded on his own, the hopeless and clueless Phil, played flawlessly by Will Forte (who also penned the iconic pilot episode of the series), may seem like he’s got his sh*t together, but he eventually cracks under the pressure of utter solitude in this offbeat TV show.
After years of loneliness, when he’s given up, he finally finds a sign of survival and meets Carol Pilbasian. With witty gags and heartfelt moments in equal measure, it ends up being more than just what it promises in the beginning.
Available to stream on Hulu
7 Revolution (2012 – 2014)
revolution
- Release Date
- September 17, 2012
- Cast
- Billy Burke, Tracy Spiridakos, Giancarlo Esposito, Zak Orth, David Lyons, J.D. Pardo, Stephen Collins, Elizabeth Mitchell
- Main Genre
- Action
Eric Kripke, who co-wrote The Boys and created Supernatural, lends his remarkable talents in the making of this TV show that is sure to have viewers hooked from the very first episode. Revolution takes the familiar post-apocalyptic setting but injects it with a concept that fears us all more today than it did a decade ago – a global blackout. 15 years after all power sources failed mysteriously, civilisation as we know it, collapsed, and now the remnants of America have split themselves into territories ruled by warlords.
Among the survivors are the Matheson family, our point of focus. Apparently, the Mathesons are in possession of a pendant that holds the secret to this blackout. The series showcases the best and worst of humanity. There’s pulse-pounding action, suspense, and revelations around every turn. The best thing about the series is its well-crafted narrative and the family-centered dramatic conclusion.
Available to buy on Prime Video/Apple TV
6 The Leftovers (2014 – 2017)
The Leftovers
- Release Date
- June 29, 2014
- Cast
- Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman, Christopher Eccleston, Scott Glenn, Regina King, Kevin Carroll
- Main Genre
- Horror
Thanos obliterated 50% of the Earth’s population with a single snap of his fingers. The Leftovers doesn’t go that far, it sticks at a wipe-out of 2% of the entire world’s population (then 140 million people) disappearing without a cause or a trace. Set against the backdrop of Mapleton, New York, the series follows those left to pick up the pieces amidst a climate of mourning, madness, and faith.
Even though the atmosphere seems the same, the characters aren’t filled with fear of facing a new threat on every other turn, people are going to work and having relationships, there’s still an emergence of new order because humanity has divided itself into two opposing groups: the Guilty Remnant and Holy Wayne. Regardless, The Leftovers proves to be more of a haunting, psychological drama that explores trauma and existential dread than an action thriller.
Available to stream on Max
5 Van Helsing (2016 – 2021)
A list about post-apocalyptic shows and no mention of vampires? How could that be possible? Van Helsing is a fantasy horror/post-apocalyptic series set in a world where darkness has engulfed the land and vampires have come out of hiding to threaten and murder humans. Caught in between is a mysterious vampire hunter named Vanessa Van Helsing, who not only is brave enough to battle deranged humans and the undead army of vampires but is also more of a target because, in her veins, runs a rare kind of blood that can turn vampires back into humans. Clever setting, right?
With five seasons, the show crafts a new take on all the classic tropes and merges horror action with suspense and intrigue. The character development is layered and steady and the universe is ever-expanding to keep the viewers fully invested.
Available to stream on Netflix
4 Snowpiercer (2020 – present)
Snowpiercer
- Release Date
- November 30, 2019
- Cast
- Jennifer Connelly, Mickey Sumner, alison wright, Iddo Goldberg, Rowan Blanchard, Sean Bean
- Main Genre
- Sci-Fi
Based on the 2013 film of the same name from director Bong Joon-ho, this dystopian thriller is also set on a perpetually moving train that circles the globe seven years after the world freezes over. Like people living on land right now, there’s a social divide on the locomotive as well, and that’s how the series contains a microcosm of humanity and society within its claustrophobic setting. At the front of the train are privilege and excess, reserved only for a few. And the rear cars are filled with squalor and chaos.
The overall atmosphere of Snowpiercer is ripe with criticism of the world at large. Naturally, the tensions within the two ends reach a boiling point and the oppressed take a stand against the tyrants. The show, much like the film, has superb directing, writing, and performances from stars like Jennifer Connelly and Sean Bean.
3 Sweet Tooth (2021 – Present)
Sweet Tooth
A boy who is half human and half deer survives in a post-apocalyptic world with other hybrids.
- Release Date
- June 4, 2021
- Cast
- Nonso Anozie, Christian Convery, Will Forte, Aliza Vellani, James Brolin
- Genres
- Action, Adventure, Drama
Adapted from a comic book series by Jeff Lemire, Sweet Tooth is a recent entry to Netflix’s large library of shows. The show, unlike others on the list, is a fairytale-like take on the post-apocalyptic world. Set a decade after a deadly virus swept across the planet and killed millions, we are introduced to a world where women have been giving birth to hybrid children.
The main protagonist of the show is Gus, a young boy who is half human and half deer. Having lived mostly in the remote forest, isolated from the rest of the world, Gus is unaware of what lies beyond. But with protector-companion Big Man, he ventures into the outside world and faces both wonders and terrors. On the surface, the series seems like a faithful adaptation to the comics, but as you keep watching the episodes, you’ll realize that it is a heartfelt journey of a boy and the good that remains even in a world pushed off the cliff.
Available to stream on Netflix
2 The Society (2019)
The Society
- Release Date
- May 10, 2019
- Cast
- Toby Wallace
- Main Genre
- Thriller
The Society falls under the category of shows that weren’t just canceled too soon, but one that left viewers with a cliffhanger ending. Created by Christopher Keyser, the series centers around a bus full of teenagers who unassumingly embark on a camping trip after saying their goodbyes to their families. However, due to bad weather, they’re forced to return to town. When they realize that every adult has inexplicably disappeared, they’re forced to form factions based on high school social dynamics and navigate life without adults. As resources run low, tensions escalate.
The show’s premise is very thoughtful, and the execution is nothing short of gripping. But right when the format of a haunting mystery box was being opened and the audience was feeling invested, Netflix cut the cord on the series due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Available to stream on Netflix
1 The Last of Us (2023 – Present)
The Last Of Us
- Release Date
- January 15, 2023
- Cast
- Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Anna Torv, lamar johnson, Melanie Lynskey
- Main Genre
- Action
It isn’t every day that you see a video game adaptation shaking up global viewership and gaining massive acclaim. But The Last of Us achieved just that with its premiere on HBO earlier this year. The series acquaints us with a dystopian America destroyed by a mutating fungus that turns humans into zombie-like creatures. This fungus has existed for twenty years now and modern civilization has long fallen prey to it.
Joel is a smuggler hired to escort Ellie, a teenager who is immune to the infection, across an abandoned United States, still ripe with unknown terrors. The duo faces the treacherous terrain and encounters good and evil, and eventually form a connection that transforms the both of them. The Last of Us stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as the main leads. The cinematography and the grounded atmosphere works hand in hand in elevating the story. Even though the show is only one season in, we’re sure that it will become the pinnacle of modern post-apocalyptic television.
Available to stream on Max
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