The Best Post-Apocalyptic TV Shows of All Time

The TV adaptation of the video game series Fallout has recently shed new light on post-apocalyptic TV shows, delivering an alternate future that few would like to experience, but is highly entertainment to follow. Post-apocalyptic stories date back to 1826, when legendary author Mary Shelley birthed the thrilling subgenre with her dystopian novel The Last Man (1826). The movie industry only began making post-apocalyptic stories much later. That said, television has also given viewers some inventive stories about survivors coming to terms with living on a destroyed Earth.

The best post-apocalyptic TV shows often have creative ideas for presenting their take on the subgenre. Whether it be zombies, aliens, or some other unexplainable disaster, these series succeed in balancing character dynamics, intimidating threats, and bleak yet visually stunning environments. From popular series like The Last of Us and The Walking Dead to underrated gems like Jericho and Falling Skies, these are the best post-apocalyptic TV shows on the small screen.

Updated on May 21, 2024, by Arthur Goyaz: Post-apocalyptic TV shows often are the perfect escape from reality, even though these series tend to be the perfect example of humanity's self-destructive nature. This list was updated to add more TV show recommendations and to reflect CBR's current formatting standards.

15 Fallout Brings the Immersive Post-Apocalyptic World of the Video Game Franchise to the TV Screen

 

Already considered one of the best video games turned TV shows, Fallout is set in an alternate future where the world has been decimated by a nuclear war, forcing survivors to live in underground bunkers known as "Vaults." When secrets from the surface come to light, an unlikely team of heroes prepare for an imminent war

Fallout's got the whole package: radioactive faunas, mutants, robots, and of course, humans fighting against each other. The source material offers all the best attributes of a good post-apocalyptic story, and the series' high production value guarantees plenty of attention to worldbuilding and detail. One season in, and viewers can expect a roller-coaster ride with a handful of action-packed moments and boiling tension.

Fallout

In a future, post-apocalyptic Los Angeles brought about by nuclear decimation, citizens must live in underground bunkers to protect themselves from radiation, mutants and bandits.

Production Company

Amazon Studios, Kilter Films, Bethesda Game Studios

 

14 Snowpiercer Makes A Relevant Point About Class Discrimination

In the post-apocalyptic world of Snowpiercer, Earth has turned into one big ball of ice and what's left of humanity survives on board a perpetually-moving train that circles the planet. Elite citizens enjoy a lavish lifestyle in the front cars, while the poor people in the tail starve and struggle in tiny compartments. The moment comes when a group finally decides to rebel against the oppressive class system imposed on them.

Viewers might be familiar with Bong Joon-Ho's movie of the same name, where the conflict is filled to the brim in a little over 2 hours. The Snowpiercer TV show has all the time it needs to flesh out ideas and build up a fascinating allegory to class inequity, calling up immediate revolution in the form of insurgents who have nothing to lose.

Snowpiercer

Seven years after the world has become a frozen wasteland, the remnants of humanity inhabit a perpetually-moving train that circles the globe, where class warfare, social injustice and the politics of survival play out.

 

13 Sweet Tooth Searches For Hope in a Devastated World

Post-apocalyptic series tend to be bleak and hopeless in nature, without skimping on resources to show the dark future that awaits humanity. However, Sweet Tooth excels in its message of hope in a devastated world. Its main character, a boy who is half human and half deer, brings joy wherever he goes as he tries to survive among other hybrids in a shattered world that wants his species annihilated.

Sweet Tooth might be the most heartwarming post-apocalyptic TV show out there, one that will appease young and old audiences. With a delicate approach, the series follows characters desperate for a place where they can live rather than just survive. In a man-eat-man world, the meanings of predator and prey get mixed up.

Sweet Tooth

12 The Leftovers Subverts Post-Apocalyptic Tropes with Clever Allegories

One of HBO's best-written TV shows, The Leftovers challenges the post-apocalyptic subgenre as fans know it because, essentially, the show is all about people pretending the world is still the same. This proves to be a tougher task than anticipated when 2% of the world population vanished without a trace and, three years after this mysterious departure, a cult known as the Guilty Remnant comes up with a plan to shake the lives of those who had the audacity of moving on.

Developed by Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof, The Leftovers is constantly teasing the end of the world when, in fact, it has already happened. Viewers can expect plenty of mind-bending allegories about alienation, faith, and grief in a narrative enveloped by a surrealist veil. It's the kind of show that only gets better, and with a straightforward 3-season run, audiences can binge-watch it in a week.

The Leftovers

Three years after the disappearance of 2% of the global human population, a group of people in a small New York community try to continue their lives while coping with the tragedy of the unexplained nature of the event.

 

11 The Walking Dead Has Now Become A Sprawling Zombie Franchise

As the longest-running post-apocalyptic show on television, The Walking Dead's impact can still be felt today with the franchise it has since spawned. Based on Robert Kirkman's comic book series, the AMC show followed a survivor group as they stayed alive against the threat of zombie hordes and vile humans. The Walking Dead soon became a staple in the zombie subgenre of horror. The makeup and effects for the zombies had great detail, while the worldbuilding felt eerily realistic.

The fantastic ensemble cast had well-developed characters played amazingly by actors who received more recognition after appearing on the show - including Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, and Steven Yeun. While the show ran out of steam in its final seasons, The Walking Dead's stories have continued in numerous spin-off shows, including Dead City, The World Beyond, and The Ones Who Live.

The Walking Dead

Sheriff Deputy Rick Grimes wakes up from a coma to learn the world is in ruins and must lead a group of survivors to stay alive.

10 Z Nation is a Fun Alternative to Dark Zombie Apocalypse Stories

When it comes to great zombie apocalypse series, The Walking Dead or All of Us Are Dead are the first to pop up in viewers' minds. Those looking for something more relaxed, focused on the wild side of a post-apocalyptic world rather than drama and emotional attachment should definitely check out Z Nation. The show follows a group determined to bring the only known immune survivor of a zombie plague from New York to California, where a functional lab stands as humanity's last hope.

Z Nation's premise isn't that much different from standard zombie stories, but the show takes a turn to the best once it fully embraces its absurd tone. Similar to the works of Sam Raimi in Evil Dead and early Peter Jackson in Braindead, Z Nation gets as cheesy as it can without losing control of its immersive narrative, spiraling out of control in an over-the-top, apocalyptic mess.

9 The Last Ship Is An Action-Packed Blockbuster For The Small Screen

Those looking for intense, action-packed blockbusters fit for the small screen found plenty to admire in The Last Ship. This post-apocalyptic TV show is a loose adaptation of William Brinkley's eponymous 1988 novel. Starring Eric Dane and produced by Michael Bay, the show follows a naval ship crew who discover that most of the world's population has died of a dangerous virus.

As a result, the crew and the scientists on board work to develop a cure while facing off against powerful foreign enemies. The Last Ship offered plenty of firefights and explosions on land and sea to satisfy action fans while showcasing how the world tried to rebuild itself after a cataclysmic event. While the first couple of seasons were initially about stopping the virus, the show later introduced new threats like corrupt governments, dying farm crops, and cyber-attacks.

The Last Ship

The crew of a naval destroyer is forced to confront the reality of a new existence when a pandemic kills off most of the earth's population.

8 Jericho Provides Intensity And High Stakes In Each Episode

When the residents of the titular Kansas town witness a nuclear mushroom cloud in the sky, they become cut off from the rest of the world. As they work together to find what caused the nuclear attack on several American cities, they face several obstacles. From dwindling supplies to unwelcome outsiders, it takes a lot just to keep their town alive. Jericho provides intensity and high stakes in each episode as the characters adjust to their stressful situation.

The series had viewers invested in what could happen next, but not enough to keep it going for several seasons. Despite surviving a cancelation after Season 1, the show got canceled again after a shortened Season 2. Jericho lost its chance to expand its potential further, but its fans agree it's worth watching. Hopefully, there are comic book series that continue the story that would have appeared in Seasons 3 and 4.

Jericho

A small town in Kansas is literally left in the dark after seeing a mushroom cloud over nearby Denver, Colorado. The townspeople struggle to find answers about the blast and solutions on how to survive.

7 The 100 Appeals To The Teen Demographic As Well As Sci-Fi Fans

One of the best post-apocalyptic TV shows, The 100 is set after a nuclear apocalypse leaves Earth inhabitable for almost a century, following the last of humanity surviving in slowly dying space stations. To prevent themselves from going extinct, they establish an experiment to return to the planet. One hundred juvenile prisoners get sent to Earth to see if it is habitable again. However, an encounter with tribes of people whose ancestors survived the nuclear attack will determine the human race's survival.

As a sci-fi show on the CW, The 100 appeals to both teenage demographics and science fiction fans. As the characters grow and learn to adapt to the transformed Earth, they face off against a new threat each season, including warrior armies, artificial intelligence, violent criminals, and increasing radiation. While fans agree that the sci-fi series loses its spark in later seasons, The 100 still had an impressive seven-season run.

The 100

Set 97 years after a nuclear war destroyed civilization, when a spaceship housing humanity's lone survivors sends 100 juvenile delinquents back to Earth, hoping to repopulate the planet.

 

Release Date

March 19, 2014

 

 

Cast

Eliza Taylor , Bob Morley , Marie Avgeropoulos , Isaiah Washington

 

 

Seasons

7

 

6 The Strain Utilizes Vampires To Create Its Post-Apocalyptic World

When people think of post-apocalyptic stories, they don't usually think of vampires taking over the world. However, The Strain takes the unthinkable idea and effectively utilizes it. The show follows a CDC team as they work to contain a viral outbreak that turns its victims into vampiric creatures. The virus spreads to the point where a war wages between the vampires and the remaining survivors. Legendary filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro is known for great horror movies and for creating frightening creatures in his works. Acting as The Strain's co-creator and producer, his terrifying vampires here are no exception.

With remarkable creature effects and tons of bloody action, The Strain makes for an engaging post-apocalyptic horror show that deserves more attention. Although the middle seasons received lukewarm ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, the fourth and final season was praised. The critics' consensus states that "The Strain concludes on a high note with a climactic season that will remind viewers of the series' initial bite."

the strain

A mysterious viral outbreak with hallmarks of an ancient and evil strain of vampirism ravages the city of New York.

 

5 Into The Badlands Incorporates Martial Artistry Into Dystopian Fiction

Martial arts in a post-apocalyptic world sounds outlandish, but AMC's Into the Badlands successfully combines the two elements to create a fun and thrilling series. Set a few centuries in the future, the series follows a warrior named Sunny as he mentors a teenage boy in a feudal civilization known as the Badlands. However, this adolescent isn't as ordinary as he initially appears, and there are forces at play who want to exploit him.

Into the Badlands remains an underrated action series, but fans have lots of praise for the creativity that goes into it. Because the show's characters are reliant on melee weaponry like swords and knives instead of firearms, it paves the way for brilliantly choreographed and filmed fight sequences. Along with the impressive action, the show is inventive with its colorful visuals and astounding lore to keep it exciting.

Into the Badlands

A mighty warrior and a young boy with supernatural powers search for enlightenment in a ruthless post-apocalyptic America controlled by feudal barons.

4 Falling Skies' Fast-Paced Storylines Kept Viewers Intrigued And Invested

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TNT offered small-screen blockbuster entertainment with its summer programming, and Falling Skies was one of the network's biggest selling points. Starring Noah Wyle and executive produced by Steven Spielberg, the show presents the aftermath of an alien invasion that destroyed most of Earth in the span of six months. A resistance group called the 2nd Massachusetts subsequently wages war against the aliens to take back the planet.

With each of its five seasons comprised of only 10-12 episodes, Falling Skies allows for fast-paced storylines to keep viewers intrigued. The show also has explosive action sequences, stellar special effects, and other associated science fiction elements for genre fans. Falling Skies mixes its dark tone with hopeful moments for humanity, providing a fresh take on the alien invasion story. The show was honored at the first Critics' Choice Television Awards for Most Exciting New Series.

Falling Skies

3 The Last Man On Earth Weaves Comedy Into Its Post-Apocalyptic Narrative

Not every post-apocalyptic movie has to be serious, as demonstrated by 2013's This Is The End. Similarly, The Last Man on Earth is an excellent example of how to make a comedic TV show in otherwise bleak circumstances. After a virus seemingly wipes out the entire population, Phil Miller — played by Will Forte — fears he is the only human left on Earth. However, after encountering a female survivor, he learns he is truly not alone.

Forte makes for a hilarious lead as Phil, balancing the character's loneliness with the right amount of humor. The show also has a great supporting cast by his side, including Kristen Schaal, January Jones, and Jason Sudeikis. Thanks to consistently funny writing, the show keeps its audience entertained. Unfortunately, The Last Man on Earth got canceled after four seasons, which caused fans to demand a proper ending.

The Last Man on Earth

Almost two years after a virus wiped out most of the human race, Phil Miller only wishes for some company, but soon gets more than he bargained for when that company shows up in the form of other survivors.

2 Station Eleven Balances Horrifying Circumstances With Powerful Performances

Emily St. John Mandel's sci-fi novel Station Eleven's immersive post-apocalyptic world hooked readers, and the book eventually received a worthy TV adaptation. The MAX (formerly HBO Max) miniseries presents a flu pandemic that wipes out most of the human race. The series switches between the present, where characters get stuck in shelters, and the future, where traveling performers attempt to spread hope through their theatrics.

Station Eleven is a beautiful post-apocalyptic show that balances horrifying circumstances with strong character development and acting performances, especially Mackenzie Davis and Himesh Patel. Because Station Eleven aired around the same time as the COVID-19 pandemic, people were nervous to give it a watch. Those who did tune in were rewarded with an emotionally and thematically moving series.

Station Eleven

A post apocalyptic saga spanning multiple timelines, telling the stories of survivors of a devastating flu as they attempt to rebuild and reimagine the world anew while holding on to the best of what's been lost.

1 The Last Of Us Is One Of The Best Video Game Adaptations To Grace Television

The Last of Us fans hoped that the HBO adaptation of the beloved game didn't fall under the video game adaptation curse. Thankfully, the series exceeded their expectations and took the world by storm in early 2023. Set 20 years after a viral outbreak, protagonist Joel Miller has to deliver a girl named Ellie across a destroyed America in the hopes of developing a solution for the fungus-based apocalypse. Everything that made The Last of Us game so immersive is heavily incorporated into the TV show.

The mismatched pairing of Joel and Ellie grew into a lovable duo over time, thanks to the endearing chemistry between Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsay. The creature effects for the Clickers and other infected creatures were astounding yet terrifying, and the series had several emotional scenes that made viewers cry many tears. Unfortunately, fans will have to wait until 2025 for the second season, but at least the success of The Last of Us ensures a profitable future for game adaptations.