From bleak wastelands to resilient survivors, these series explore worlds forever changed by catastrophe. Here are 15 definitive post-apocalyptic television shows, ranked.
The Walking Dead redefined the genre for a generation, chronicling a sprawling struggle for survival in a zombie-ravaged America. Its enduring popularity spawned a vast multimedia universe.
Black Mirror offers a more technological and psychological form of ruin. Its standalone episodes present chilling futures shaped by societal collapse and the dark side of innovation.
Station Eleven delivers a poignant and artistic vision of collapse. It follows interconnected survivors decades after a flu pandemic, focusing on the enduring power of art and human connection.
The Last of Us became an instant classic, blending brutal survival action with a profound emotional story. Its journey across a fungal-infected America sets a new standard for narrative adaptation.
Sweet Tooth presents a more fantastical and hopeful apocalypse. In a world where hybrid children are born, it follows a young deer-boy on a quest to find his origins.
The 100 drops delinquent teens onto a radiation-scarred Earth generations after nuclear war. Their return sparks conflicts with hardened survivors and explores the costs of leadership.
Into the Badlands merges post-apocalyptic drama with martial arts spectacle. In a feudal future, a legendary warrior protects a mysterious boy across a dangerous territory.
The Stand remains a seminal adaptation of Stephen King’s epic novel. It depicts the global battle between good and evil after a weaponized plague wipes out most of humanity.
See is set in a future where humanity has lost the sense of sight. Societies have adapted, but the emergence of sighted twins threatens to overturn the established order.
Revolution posed a simple, gripping premise: what happens when all electricity on Earth permanently fails? The series explores the ensuing global power struggle.
The Rain follows a Danish brother and sister who emerge from a bunker after a rainfall-borne virus decimates Scandinavia. They search for safety and answers in a changed world.
Falling Skies chronicles the organized resistance against an alien occupation that followed a devastating global attack. It focuses on family and resilience in the face of extinction.
Jericho centers on a small Kansas town isolated after nuclear attacks on major U.S. cities. Residents must navigate internal strife and external threats to forge a new community.
The Colony was a reality experiment that simulated life after a global catastrophe. Engineers and survivalists tested their skills to rebuild and sustain a functioning society.
The Last Man on Earth provided a comedic take on the genre. It followed the misadventures of a man who believes he is the sole survivor of a viral pandemic, until he slowly finds others.