​10 Post-Apocalyptic TV Shows To Fill 'The Last Of Us' Void

1. The Last of Us — Stream on Max

Okay, so obviously to fill The Last of Us void...it's always a good time to rewatch the first two seasons! One of my personal favorites on this list, The Last of Us has redefined the genre itself. Based on the acclaimed video game of the same name, Joel and Ellie have to face a dystopian United States marred by the infected — think zombie-like creatures, but somehow ten times more terrifying — as they cross the country in hopes of finding a cure.

Visually stunning and emotionally charged, the show uses the apocalypse not as the centerpiece, but merely as a backdrop for the evolving relationship between Joel and Ellie. Their bond takes center stage, making even the end of the world feel secondary.

The Last of Us is streaming on Max (and season 3 was just announced on April 9!)

2. ​The Walking Dead — Stream on Netflix

You can’t have a list of best apocalypse shows and not include the one and only The Walking Dead. This series premiered in 2010 and quickly became a fan favorite of all apocalypse genre fanatics (including me!) and comic book lovers alike, and continues to be to this day. It’s also considered the longest-running apocalyptic TV show, with a grand total of 11 seasons and 177 episodes.

Granted, when I recently rewatched this series, I quickly recognized why so many TikTok sounds originated from its earlier seasons, and it’s all the more reason to watch IMO. The characters are complex with rich storylines that will keep you enthralled from day one — trust me!

The Walking Dead is streaming on Netflix.

3. Fallout — Stream on Prime Video

A repeat offender here, Fallout landed a spot on our best sci-fi shows list, but as much as it is sci-fi, it's also heavily apocalyptic, and it’s rare for a show to juggle two genres so well, but Fallout executes both seamlessly. Its take on a post-nuclear apocalypse is truly one of a kind. Instead of the usual worn-out streets, crumbling buildings, and flesh-eating zombies we know and love, Fallout transports you to a fresh, fully realized world with a unique perspective on the end of days. Fallout’s show creator, Jonah Nolan knows how to world-build like no other.

Fallout is streaming on Prime Video, and better yet, has a second season coming in December 2025.

4. ​Station Eleven — Stream on Max

Station Eleven, based on the novel of the same name, follows the survivors of a devastating flu that leaves the world in ruins. For those who tend to seek themes of hope and resilience in apocalypse shows, this is the show for you. Station Eleven offers the buoyant perspective of humans continuing on and finding meaning in a seemingly meaningless world. Post-pandemic, this story might hit a little close to home, but that’s all the more reason to binge this beautifully crafted, one-season series.

The one and only season of Station Eleven is streaming on Hulu.

5. ​The Last Man on Earth — Stream on Hulu

An unlikely contender on a list of post-apocalypse TV shows, but a well-deserved one! The Last Man on Earth takes a comedic spin on the apocalypse. Former bank employee Phil Miller believes he’s truly the last man alive after traveling across the United States, Mexico, and Canada…until he starts running into other survivors. This show is a breath of fresh air in the genre. While I’m white-knuckling it through most of the others on this list, The Last Man on Earth is both hilarious and oddly relatable. Because honestly — wouldn’t we all think we miss people...until they actually show up?

You can find the hilariously good series The Last Man on Earth on Hulu.

6. ​The Leftovers — Stream on Max

For my fellow Laurie fans from The White Lotus season 3, you’ll definitely want to check this one out! The Leftovers stars Carrie Coon as Nora Durst, a woman struck by profound loss after tragically losing her husband and two children during the “Sudden Departure” — the mysterious event where 2% of the world's population vanished without explanation.

This isn't your typical apocalypse show. The Leftovers leaves the chaos and destruction of an apocalypse at the door and focuses on the grief and emotional fallout that follows a global cataclysm. Oh, and did I mention Margaret Qualley and Justin Theroux are in this too? Run to Max to check this one out!

The Leftovers is on Max.

7. ​Sweet Tooth — Stream on Netflix

Will Forte must have an affinity for starring in atypical shows considering he's now in two on this list, but I digress! Much like The Walking Dead, Sweet Tooth is based on a comic of the same name, and it follows a hybrid deer-boy — stay with me here — on an adventure through a post-apocalyptic fairytale world.

Still stuck on the “hybrid deer-boy” part of it all? Allow me to explain. In the wake of a mysterious virus that wipes out much of the population, children begin being born as human-animal hybrids. The show blends beautiful cinematography, an enchanting story, and a downright adorable and lovable protagonist (our hybrid deer friend, Gus) all adding up to a must-watch.

Sweet Tooth is exclusively on Netflix.

8. The 100 — Stream on Netflix

Another repeat offender here, The 100 earned a spot on our list of best sci-fi shows, and it’s so dang good it’s landing a spot on this list too! Much like Fallout, The 100 blends the sci-fi and apocalypse themes immaculately and makes for a ridiculously binge-worthy series. It’s set 97 years after a nuclear war has destroyed all of civilization. Those that survived now live on the 12 international space stations in orbit at the time. The series starts with the survivors in space sending 100 of their juvenile prisoners back to Earth to test its habitability, as resources are running scarce on the space stations.

The 100 is streaming on Netflix.

9. Z Nation — Stream on Tubi

If you’re like me and enjoy a campy vibe in your TV line up, you’ll fall in love with Z Nation. It's a post-apocalyptic TV show that doesn’t take itself seriously and leans into the absurdity of it all – think Shaun of the Dead, but in a TV series. While it’s not for everyone, it certainly built up an impressive fan base during its four-year run.

It’s set three years after a zombie virus decimates the United States, following a group of survivors that have been tasked with the mission of transporting a man who has survived a zombie bite from New York to California.

You can find Z Nation on Tubi.

10. ​The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live — Stream on Netflix

Another Walking Dead mention! While fans have seen plenty of spin-offs over the years, one stands out like a diamond in the rough: The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. Maybe it’s because it brings back the Rick Grimes—played by Andrew Lincoln, whose sultry Southern accent I honestly can’t get enough of. Or maybe it’s because this spin-off actually feels like a true continuation of the series that so many of us fell in love with and still crave more of, following Rick and Michonne after their separation in the original series.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live is streaming now on Netflix. And if you’re in the mood to check out the other spin-offs, you’ll find those there too.