15 Best Apocalyptic TV Shows, Ranked

The end of the world is nigh, or at least that seems to be a warning based on the flood of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic TV shows being released over the last few decades, particularly in the last 5 to 10 years. In each of the shows, the world has come to an end through some form of tragic circumstance: a nuclear war, a deadly virus, an alien invasion, even a zombie takeover.

The best apocalyptic shows combine an intriguing story with compelling character arcs. Most are emotional, often to the point of gut-wrenching, while some offer a more humorous take. Many focus on the apocalypse as merely a backdrop for a larger story about the state of humanity. But the best apocalyptic TV shows have fans eager for more as soon as an episode, or season, is done.

15

‘Z Nation’ (2014–2018)

Created by Karl Schaefer and Craig Engler

A defining entry in the pantheon of series and movies that defined the zombie craze of the 2010s, Z Nation stands out with its air of playfulness that embraces the excitement of horror in all its glory. Opening three years after the outbreak of a zombie virus that has decimated America, it follows a small group of survivors as they set out to escort humanity’s last hope—a man injected with an experimental vaccine to combat the zombie virus—across the nation to a research lab in California.

While aspects of the series may be too camp for viewers who enjoy grappling with the drama and moral ambiguity present in many apocalypse stories, Z Nation offers unabashed fun through its unique approach and its eager cast. It also led to Black Summer, a more serious prequel series set during the initial stages of the outbreak that ran for two seasons and was released on Netflix from 2019 to 2021.

14

‘Jericho’ (2006–2008)

Created by Stephen Chbosky, Josh Schaer, and Jonathan E. Steinberg

Something of a forgotten gem of 2000s television, Jericho uses an interesting approach to apocalyptic drama to present an intriguing story of paranoia and fear of the unknown. Set in the eponymous small town in Kansas, it follows residents in the wake of a large-scale nuclear attack on America. With all services going down and hysteria running rampant, the community struggle to stay united as concerns grow over what will come next, and if anyone else survived the attack.

With a keen interest in examining how people respond to catastrophe, what inspires people to stick together, and how communities strive to define themselves, all while embracing all the cautionary panic that comes with any story about nuclear obliteration, Jericho is as bold as it is thematically loaded. After being initially canceled after it 22-episode first season, it was brought back for a seven-episode second season to serve as a resolution. Even with this, Jericho remains one of many series that were axed prematurely, never being given a proper chance to realize its potential.

13

‘The Last Man on Earth’ (2015–2018)

Created by Will Forte

One of few humorous takes on the apocalypse, The Last Man on Earth stars Saturday Night Live alum Will Forte as the title character, or so he thinks. Following the existence of a deadly virus that seemingly wipes out everyone in the entire world, Phil (Forte) spends years on his own until finally coming across another survivor named Carol (Kristen Schaal). They believe they must repopulate the Earth, but Carol is insistent that they marry first. Soon after, the pair come across four other survivors and Phil realizes he may have acted in haste.

The Last Man on Earth follows Phil’s journey with the other survivors he comes across, the friction among the eccentric characters, and the hilarity that ensues as this band of misfits try to figure out how to bring the world back.

12

‘The Leftovers’ (2014–2017)

Created by Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta

A widely underrated supernatural drama, The Leftovers commences years after an apocalyptic event known as the Sudden Departure led to two percent of the world’s population mysteriously disappearing. The people who remain are known as the leftovers, and the series follows their struggle to survive amidst so much confusion and loss.

The Leftovers examines the human condition and the need for direction, with several cults emerging after the loss and the decline of mainstream religion. The biggest threat is a cult known as the Guilty Remnant, along with one led by a man named Holy Wayne (Paterson Joseph) who believes that he’s the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The Leftovers received increasingly better review through its three seasons, with the final third season achieving an almost perfect Rotten Tomatoes critics score.

11

‘The 100’ (2014–2020)

Created by Jason Rothenbern

Younger survivors are at the heart of The 100 set 100 years after an apocalyptic event. Survivors have been living in space, but now it’s time to try and reinhabit the Earth. A group is sent down to accomplish this, all made up of juvenile delinquents. When they arrive, however, they find that there are descendants of survivors living on the ground already.

Airing for seven seasons, The 100 received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics, who call it a perfect guilty pleasure. While the characters are stereotypical portrayals, there’s something satisfying about seeing how it all plays out.

10

‘Falling Skies’ (2011–2015)

Created by Robert Rodat

Created by Robert Rodat—the Oscar-nominated screenwriter behind Saving Private Ryan—and with Steven Spielberg serving as an executive producer, Falling Skies is a consistently intriguing alien invasion thriller that thrives with its entertainment awe and its engrossing production value. Set in the aftermath of an alien attack that has decimated humanity, it follows a large group of survivors who fight to protect their own while launching a resistance movement against the invaders.

Intelligently meshing its grandiose stakes and spectacle with a lean yet sharp focus on interpersonal relationships and budding conflicts, Falling Skies is a poised and brilliantly layered series that is comfortable juggling its apocalyptic immensity and its more nuanced details. Maintaining its quality across its five-season run, the dystopian sci-fi series is able to satisfy viewers craving high stakes and action drama while still offering plenty for those who prioritize the exploration of complex and challenging ideas.

9

‘Sweet Tooth’ (2021–)

Created by Jim Mickle

Executive produced in part by Robert Downey Jr., Sweet Tooth has an interesting premise whereby the end of the world has led to the emergence of babies born as hybrid humans and animals. Gus (Christian Convery) is at the center of the show, a 10-year-old who is part human boy, part deer. Following the death of his father, he sets out on a journey to locate his missing mother.

Sweet Tooth is a fantasy drama that concurrently follows the story of Dr. Aditya Singh (Adeel Akhtar) who is trying to find a cure for the virus that has plagued the population, and Bear (Stefania LaVie Owen), a leader of an animal army who dedicates her life to protecting the hybrids. The show was met with widespread praise, with fans loving the fact that it’s suitable for pre-teens, too.

Created by Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Michael Jonathan Smith

In the apocalyptic world portrayed in Twisted Metal, based on the video game series of the same name, the Earth has become a vast wasteland and various groups have taken over different areas, making traveling from one to the other near impossible doe to tremendous danger. John Doe (Anthony Mackie) suffers from amnesia and doesn’t remember much of anything about his life before. But he works with his car “Evelyn” as a highly sought-after milkman who helps groups barter among one another by transporting goods from one community to another. When the leader of a thriving community presents him with the opportunity of joining, John decides to take on the task she sets out for him to do: transport an important package to a dangerous location and make it back alive.

The first season follows John’s journey, meeting people along the way including Quiet (Stephanie Beatriz), another lone survivor with her own sordid backstory, the vicious Agent Stone (Thomas Haden Church), and the maniacal killer clown Sweet Tooth (played by Joe Seanoa and voiced by Will Arnett). Twisted Metal is faithful to the video game with plenty of exciting car chases and battle scenes, offering a blend of gruesome violence, drama, and biting humor.

7

’12 Monkeys’ (2015–2018)

Developed by Terry Matalas and Travis Fickett

A series based on the 1995 film Twelve Monkeys, which was itself based on the 1962 French featurette Le Jetée, Syfy’s engrossing time-travel apocalyptic thriller overcomes a lackluster first season to excel as one of the most transfixing and underrated series of the 2010s. It follows James Cole (Aaron Stanford), living in the ruins of a deadly virus in 2043 who is recruited to venture back to 2015 to investigate the origin of the disease. Finding an ally in Dr. Railly (Amanda Schull), Cole sets out to bring down the Army of the 12 Monkeys before the terrorist organization can unleash the apocalyptic contagion.

Growing in stature and confidence throughout if four-season run, 12 Monkeys truly grows beyond its source material in its sophomore outing, delivering a relentlessly twisty and thrilling sci-fi series that strikes a precise balance between being astonishingly intelligent and easily comprehensible. Capping things off with a brilliantly shocking finale, 12 Monkeys is truly a hidden gem of apocalyptic television that all lovers of great storytelling ought to persist with.

6

‘Silo’ (2023–)

Created by Graham Yost

Many didn’t realize that Silo is actually based on a novel trilogy. The story is an interesting take on the apocalypse whereby the events above ground have led to the development of a giant underground silo where survivors reside. But much like Earth before, the Silo is divided by class, with the working-class living on the bottom levels and the upper-society elites at the top. When Juliette’s (Rebecca Ferguson) friend winds up dead under suspicious circumstances, she is convinced that not all is what it seems. She teams up with the sheriff Holston (David Oyelowo) to try and figure out what’s really going on.

The overarching story in Silo, one of the best original series on Apple TV+, is politics and truth: no one really knows if what they see outside through an oversized window is real, nor who or why the silos were created. But everyone is afraid to question the status quo. Once sent outside, no one is permitted to return, and they seemingly perish within minutes of being exposed. With season one ending on a major cliffhanger with big reveals, fans can’t wait to see how the story continues.

5

‘The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live’ (2024)

Created by Scott M. Gimple, Danai Gurira, and Andrew Lincoln

One of many spin-offs in The Walking Dead universe, and the latest to be released, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live broke records for AMC and received accolades all around. Set 13 years after the zombie apocalypse, a virus infects everyone such that when they die, they turn into flesh-eating undead. This series follows two main characters from the original, Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira) as they attempt to reunite. It also introduces some of the best new characters in The Walking Dead universe. Rick left the original series in season nine and had been presumed dead for some time. When his wife Michonne believes she has found proof that he is still alive, she sets out on a journey to find him and bring him back home.

A love story as much as it is an apocalyptic tale, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live brings satisfying closure to a story and characters that have become beloved by fans. While the single season might be the end of the story, there’s so much more to be told in other spin-offs, with the potential for cameos and crossovers as well.

4

‘The Walking Dead’ (2010–2022)

Created by Frank Darabont

What fans love about The Walking Dead is that as the story progresses, it becomes less and less about the dangers posed by the walking undead in the new world overtaken by a virus and more about the dangers posed by other humans. It’s also about the difficult choices people must make when there are seemingly impossible ones. The story follows the main group of survivors, people who come together from all walks of life, as they seek shelter, resources, and protection. It’s difficult to determine who to trust, and as formidable enemies appear, the group must decide how to handle them and stay alive.

The Walking Dead follows the popular comic book series in its base storylines, but also diverts in some ways with exciting twists and turns to surprise even die-hard comic fans. While the story arcs can be repetitive at times, and the show took a dip in ratings and reviews through its eighth and ninth seasons, The Walking Dead is one of those rare shows that re-emerged stronger and ended on a high.

3

‘Station Eleven’ (2021)

Created by Patrick Somerville

An underrated miniseries hit from HBO that casts a refreshing and optimistic lens on humanity in the apocalypse, Station Eleven cleverly weaves together multiple timelines to present a holistic and heady vision of the end of time. It follows survivors in a world where civilization has collapsed due to a deadly flu outbreak. Containing its focus to a traveling acting troupe who aspire to bring joy to survivors, it explores Kirsten Raymonde’s (Mackenzie Davis) experiences as both a young girl struggling to navigate the initial virus outbreak and, years later, as a member of the troupe trying to evade the attacks of a violent cult.

While meticulously paced and measured in its thematic explorations, Station Eleven rewards patience as it grapples with bold and assertive ideas of morality and purpose, both in an artistic sense and in the context of life and death. It makes some bold departures from Emily St. John Mandel novel it is based on, but maintains the source material’s life-affirming and strangely comforting belief that human decency will always find a way to prevail, no matter how bleak the circumstances.

2

‘Fallout’ (2024–)

Created by Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet

Based on the video game franchise of the same name, Fallout is set in the future where society has populated underground bunkers known as Vaults. Various communities trade with one another, but when a tragic event occurs, a young woman named Lucy (Ella Purnell) decides to travel to the surface to find her missing father. Despite its dangers and wasteland status, above ground is populated by others. But these aren’t welcoming folks, as Lucy alongside the mutated ghoul bounty hunter (Walton Goggins) discovers.

Fallout came out of the gate strong, with many critics applauding how closely it mirrors the game, and even feels like an extension of it. From the characters to the stories and the fabulous visuals that seem like they’re right out of a game, Fallout is poised to become one of the best apocalyptic TV shows ever made, and the best show based on a video game.

1

‘The Last of Us’ (2023–)

Created by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann

The Last of Us was all anyone could talk about in 2023, particularly the performances by Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey. He plays Joel, a hardened survivor in a post-apocalyptic world caused by a mass fungal infection. She, meanwhile, is Ellie, a young girl believed to be immune and possibly hold a cure. Joel is reluctant to oblige when asked to transport Ellie to what is supposed to be a safe location. But the pair embark on a journey filled with danger and emotional father-daughter-like moments.

Staying faithful to the video game while also developing separate but related unique stories, such as the love story between survivors Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett), The Last of Us has become a masterclass in both apocalyptic shows and video game TV show adaptations. Earning 24 Primetime Emmy nominations and winning eight, The Last of Us could become the next big post-apocalyptic franchise.

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