Top Five TV Shows to Prepare You for the Apocalypse!

I love a good apocalypse series to really sink into, and there are so many to choose from! This was a tricky list to put together; I've been a fan of the genre since childhood, but these are five series that I come back to time and time again. So, bunker down, stay safe, and enjoy my list of five apocalypse shows that'll have you prepared for the collapse of society before you know it.

5 – The Walking Dead

I know, I know. It's an obvious choice, but when I first started watching The Walking Dead, I was instantly gripped. Based on graphic novels, the show premiered in 2010 and followed post-apocalyptic cop, Rick Grimes, who led a group of survivors through a gruesome and deadly world. Iconic villains, shocking deaths, tense stand offs and characters who you truly cared about came together to create something truly special. Whilst I'd say that the series quality decreased over time, I still very much enjoyed watching and to this day there are characters whose deaths still make me mad.

4 – Fallout

Released in 2024, Fallout is based on the videogame of the same name and that made me nervous at first. We've all seen terrible adaptions of games – but this isn't one of them. Taking place after the events of the games, thus expanding the lore rather than remaking it, Fallout follows three survivors in the year 2296, two centuries after a nuclear apocalypse. The survivors are Lucy, a sheltered Vault Dweller who is looking for her kidnapped father, The Ghoul, a completely ruthless bounty hunter, and Maximus, who is a Brotherhood of Steel squire. Full of dark satire and tonnes of action, this is a genuinely brilliant adaption of an iconic video game franchise.

3 – The Last of Us

Another brilliant video game adaption is The Last of Us. Once again, I was nervous for this series – released in 2023, would it be able to live up to the beloved games? Thankfully, yes. Set twenty years after societal collapse following a mass fungal infection, the show follows Joel, a hardened and tough survivor, who is tasked with smuggling Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of a quarantine zone. What starts as a small smuggling job soon becomes an absolutely gut wrenching, brutal journey across the US. Mutated, zombie-like creatures and ruthless people put them both as risk – so they must depend on one another to survive. Emotional storytelling, incredible performances and a high production value mean that this is, in my opinion, the best video game adaption ever made.

2 – Kingdom

Premiering in 2019, Kingdom is, in my opinion, the best zombie show out there. Set in Korea's Joseon period, the show follows Lee Chang, a Crown Prince, who is investigating a deadly and mysterious plague which is affecting the King. However, the King isn't the only person affected and the contagious outbreak brings the dead back to life as genuinely scary, flesh hungry creatures. As if the outbreak isn't enough, he must also deal with a violent coup led by his opponents. Corruption, survival and class blend with the scariest zombies I've ever seen on a TV series to create one of the best apocalyptic – and best in general – TV shows I've ever had the joy to watch.

1 - Pluribus

Pluribus is, without a doubt, my favourite show from 2025 (and I can't wait for the next series!). The show follows Carol, a reclusive and cynical novelist, who has somehow gained immunity from a strange global virus which has caused the majority of humanity to become a hive mind, due to an alien invasion. Whilst most of humanity appears to be happy in their collective consciousness, Carol must learn to navigate the new world and try to find a way to reverse the process – or join it. Brilliantly written, full of outstanding performances and a plot that kept me gripped from start to finish, Pluribus is an absolute must watch.

So here are five brilliant apocalypse shows for you to survive! Have you seen them all? Which is your favourite, and what would you add to the list?

Written by Tam Page