15 post-apocalyptic TV shows to fill the void left by The Last Of Us
From the devastating Station Eleven to the delightful The Last Man On Earth, these series will provide your end-times television fix
TV Features Saloni Gajjar
In case you’re unaware (although we’re not sure how that’s possible), The Last Of Us has dominated television this year. Adapted from a beloved video game, the post-apocalyptic drama is set in a world destroyed by a pandemic caused by a mass fungal infection. Despite the doom and gloom and our own real-world circumstances, the HBO series has struck a chord, thanks to its deeply human stories and connections as Joel (Pedro Pascal) transports Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across a catastrophic, clicker-filled America.
With the show’s season-one finale airing on March 12, you’re probably facing a gaping hole left in your TV viewing routine, at least when it comes to quality post-apocalyptic programming. Luckily, The A.V. Club has recommendations for your next end-times binge, no matter your mood. Here are 15 more great like-minded shows to watch once TLOU wraps.
15 Comments
The Society was wild, had a surprisingly strong cast (Newton, Gideon Adlon, & Rachel Keller among others) and was kinda shockingly brutal at points. Kathryn Newton in particular was a real gem in this, dealing with tremendous grief while also trying to hold down a leadership position she didn’t really seem to want at first while also fighting off the seeds of rebellion among the teens. Sad that it got its renewal reversed.
Everytime I open the HBOMax app, the top photo is an adult with the child and the implication that they’re shepherding them across the country. Even if that’s not really the premise of the show.Just screaming DID YOU LIKE LAST OF US PLEASE WATCH THIS PLEASE WATCH ME
This was funny. I didn’t like the show so, I noticed this too.
Neon Genesis Evangelion was great, all three endings and everything. Battlestar Galactica’s first season was the greatest season of TV I ever saw but sadly the ending whiffed it so bad that I’ve still never forgiven it.
Honestly the ending of BSG was even not *awful* until the “modern” coda. It was definitely a show where they could never write a finale that lived up to expectations but up to a point they did a reasonably decent job – the assault on the Colony was well done and had good tension. But basically everything after the Galactica’s final jump needed to be tightened up; a few great scenes in there (Roslin’s death, ooof, still gets me), but the “let’s go native” stuff and then the Head-Gaius and Head-Six final bit was just cringe-inducingly bad and retroactively soured an otherwise pretty decent finale.
Eva was weird, but fun. Although I never could reconcile the 80’s J-Pop theme (or the wacky penguin!) with such an otherwise seriously-themed show. I mean there’s all this stuff of literal biblical import and here come the major-key pop trumpet solos!
The 100 is the perfect example of sticking with a a show initially seen as something mediocre to see it evolve into something that didn’t get nearly enough credit for its superb storytelling, characterization, and even better world-building.Yeah, as you said, the final season didn’t fully stick the landing for most, but I appreciate the swings they took, especially after S5 (even if S4 was the peak). Even then, it’s an incredibly solid sci-fi that made its YA elements work way better than it had any right to.
I’m upset that more people haven’t seen Station Eleven. Its so damn good and is like the antithesis of The Last of Us.
It’s so good. I’ve recommended it to so many friends and none of them have watched it. It bums me out. I’m like, “Have I ever steered you wrong?!” And yet, they don’t watch. It’s a shame.
Station Eleven – the novel and the show – is amazing. I tell everyone I can to watch the show and read the book. I’m also enjoying the hell out of The Last of Us (never having heard of the game).
I never saw The Leftovers series, but I read the novel, which I highly recommend. As for Battlestar Gallactica, YES! (And Callum Keith Rennie deserves much more praise than he gets outside of Canada. He was outstanding.)
Rennie deserves to be better known. He’s been excellent in everything I’ve ever seen him in. He has a very watchable quality.
While I agree that as a novel, The Leftovers is worth recommending, the series is equal to or better. And I just rewatched Californication: season 2 stars Callum Keith Rennie, and he’s great.
You can add Travelers to this list.
The “standout performance” in Station Eleven was by Matilda Lawler. Everyone else was fine, she was excellent.
+1 for Neon Genesis.Also add “Bokurano” so you can be depressed forever.