DystopianSci-Fitelevision series are quite different from your normal sci-fi fare, with the best of the best taking these exciting fictional societies and corrupting them to the point of dysfunction. Dystopian fiction does this in a variety of ways, often using the premise of its story to make a point about modern society. However, sometimes these dystopias simply feature memorable characters, using them to make their point as opposed to the state of its fictional society.
With this in mind, it is important to note the popularity of dystopian science fiction. These series constitute some of themost shocking sci-fi TV twists, standing as a testament to the impact of their writing. However, like many similar shows,many sci-fi shows are canceled before their time, showing just how important it is to support these series while they are still running, to ensure these iconic sci-fi shows stay around for longer.
Station Eleven
Cast
Station Eleven, released in December 2021, is a post-apocalyptic drama that explores the lives of flu pandemic survivors. As they navigate a transformed world, the narrative delves into their efforts to rebuild civilization and preserve the valuable aspects of their former lives.
Taking place in a world that has been ravaged by a widespread pandemic,Station Elevenrevolves around a traveling theater troupe and its survival. They are faced with countless challenges in a world that feels a little too close to our own, even facing off against a dangerous cult that threatens to change everything.The world ofStation Elevenis cruel and empty, often making the spaces that should theoretically be full of people instead feel eerie and liminal.
Station Elevenis based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Emily St. John Mandel.
The show itself has been met with near-universal acclaim, even sporting an impressive 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. It has even won awards for its achievement, with actress Mackenzie Davis even winning an award for her impactful performance. There are only ten episodes in this miniseries, making it the perfect show to binge for anyone interested in dystopian fiction.
Silo
In a dystopian future, men and women reside in a vast underground silo governed by strict regulations, believed to shield them from the hazardous world above. The series delves into the complex social order within the silo and the mysteries surrounding their subterranean existence.
Starring Rebecca Ferguson in another iconic role,Silosets out to answer what life would be like if all that remained of humanity was trapped living on the inside of a massive silo. According to those in command of the Silo, the world outside is dangerous and uninhabitable. However, Ferguson’s character Juliette Nichols is not so sure that they are telling the truth.
The mystery ofSilois instantly compelling,urging its viewers to keep watching in the hopes that their numerous questions might be answered. The series' production design is especially notable, stunning in its scale and even managing to win it an award from the British Film Designers Guild. The series is still ongoing asSilo’s second season is still on the way, making it a highly anticipated addition to the dystopian television lexicon.
The 100
The 100 is a sci-fi post-apocalyptic TV series set ninety-seven years after a nuclear war has destroyed civilization. When a spaceship housing humanity’s lone survivors send one hundred juvenile delinquents back to Earth in hopes of possibly re-populating the planet, they discover that Earth is still inhabited. Now constantly in a state of power flux with warring clans, cannibals, and mountain-dwellers, the juveniles must attempt to survive while re-establishing contact with the Ark.
Featuring a group of young prisoners who are sent to Earth after the space station that humanity calls home begins to fail, the characters ofThe 100are tasked with determining whether the Earth is once again safe 90 years after nuclear fallout. The premise continues to evolve over the show’s 7 seasons, changing as the characters solve the problems they are presented.The show can be incredibly brutal at times, especially for a show that aired on CW, unafraid of killing off its characters even in the very first episode.
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After a rocky first season,The 100quickly became a staple of CW television, with several of its seasons standing at an incredible 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. It is another award-winning series, and for good reason. Its many seasons show just how good the writing and character development were for this sci-fi series, which began at perhaps the peak of dystopian young adult fiction.
The Man in the High Castle
The Man in the High Castle is a tv adaptation of the alternate historical thriller book written by Phillip K. Dick. The show follows multiple perspectives in a world where the Nazis and Japan won World War II and have now taken over the world and split the united states into East and West sections. When several characters discover that the current reality isn’t supposed to be based on prophetic newsreels, it becomes a race between the ruling powers and the rebellion to find the figure that knows the truth behind it all.
Directed by science fiction legend Ridley Scott,The Man in the High Castleis an alternate universe sci-fi show set in a reality where the Axis powers won World War II.It is based on the novel of the same name from 1962 and follows a group of people living under the regime, called the Japanese Pacific States in America, that slowly begins their journey towards rebellion. The dystopia that is developed in this series leaves one to wonder how horrible things would have turned out if this was the way WWII had originally gone.
The first two episodes of the series originally debuted at San Diego Comic-Con in 2015.
Deeply conspiratorial and incredibly tense,The Man in the High Castleis an excellent example of how to create alternate reality fiction. Not only does the show address themes of fascism head-on, but it manages to do so while creating a compelling narrative that eclipses many in the genre. The pilot was the most watched original series episode at the time of its release, receiving rave reviews from fans and critics alike.
Westworld
Westworld is a television series set in a futuristic Wild West-themed amusement park where advanced android hosts cater to human guests' desires. The series explores the themes of artificial consciousness and human morality as the lines between reality and artificiality begin to blur.
Originally based on the 1973 film of the same name,Westworldis a series about an amusement park built to emulate the American Wild West. However, this amusement park is filled with androids built for the express purpose of fulfilling guests' fantasies, no matter how dark and twisted those fantasies might be. It is a chilling look at the lack of empathy humanity can have, especially when acting in the role of a god.
Westworldis a quality series that balances its radical premise with grounded visuals and honest emotional storytelling.It tackles the question of what makes something human in a way that feels satisfying, prompting the viewer to ask themselves the very same question. The series was beloved for this reason and more, ending its four-season run in 2022.
The Last Of Us
The Last of Us is a post-apocalyptic drama series set two decades after a global catastrophe. It follows Joel, a seasoned survivor, who is tasked with escorting Ellie, a teenage girl, across a desolated United States, transforming into a harrowing journey of survival and companionship.
Notable for its powerful emotional throughline and strong characters,The Last of Usis an HBO zombie series that transpires in a world in which the zombies are just the hosts of a terrifying breed of parasitic mushrooms that turns people into bloodthirsty zombies. The main character, Joel, finds himself in the care of a young girl named Ellie, who is miraculously immune to this zombie infection. The key to saving the world from this dystopia is in their hands, but despite the initially hopeful premise, Joel and Ellie face trauma and hardship at every step in their journey.
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The visuals are incredible, with zombie designs that look as though they were taken straight out of the 2013 video game this series is based on.The Last of Ustook some creative liberties with the game’s plot to adapt the series to television, but did so with reverence to the original in a way that adds to the game’s story rather than taking away from it. This show marked a change in video game adaptations to television, showing that the stories told in these games are just as good, if not better, than what is currently on TV.
Black Mirror
Black Mirror is a dystopian anthology series that explores the unsettling and profound impact of modern technology on society. Premiering in 2011, it examines various scenarios where technological advancements intersect with human nature, creating thought-provoking narratives about contemporary and future issues.
A bit unique in the way it presents itself,Black Mirroris a dystopia in which the premise changes from episode to episode.This is because it is an anthology series, featuring new actors and characters with each installment. Even though the series changes so wildly, even within a single season, each contained story is wildly dystopian in ways that reflect the world around us, holding a mirror to topics such as modern social media usage and the rise of artificial intelligence.
Inspired by other anthology classics likeThe Twilight Zone,Black Mirrorhas become its own sort of modern-day classic. It has been cited as one of the best series of the 2010s by several outlets, includingEntertainment Weekly,and both the series and its creators have won countless awards for their achievements on a technical level and as a result of their incredible storytelling. The show is eerie to its core, showing the possible realities that the world could fall into because of technology.
Fallout
Set 200 years after an apocalypse, Fallout follows residents of luxury shelters as they re-enter a post-nuclear world. Confronted with a bizarre and violent landscape, the series explores the stark contrasts between their sheltered existence and the harsh realities of the outside universe.
Amazon Prime Video’sFalloutis about exactly what the title suggests—nuclear fallout. The series itself takes place in an alternate world with a similar history to our own, except after WWII the emphasis on the creation of nuclear technology was much more pronounced. Now, living in the fallout of a nuclear war that decimated the planet decades ago,many of the survivors either live in vaults or deal with the consequences of the irradiated wasteland.
This new series was based on the originalFalloutgames, a long-running series of video games that dates as far back as 1997.Falloutshot to immediate popularity the moment it was released, even being named asone of the best sci-fi shows of 2024. TheFalloutseries was so popular on Amazon that not only did it become the second most-viewed title on the entire streaming service, but the video games themselves received a surge of attention that resulted in a massive 160% increase in players.
Severance is a psychological thriller series featuring Adam Scott as Mark Scout, an employee at Lumon Industries who undergoes a “severance” procedure to separate his work and personal memories. However, as work and life personas mysteriously begin to collide, it quickly becomes clear that not all is as it seems. Created by Dan Erickson and directed by Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle.
Severancebegins with an immediately interesting premise, beginning with Mark Scout and his office job at the somewhat shady company Lumon Industries. Initially, it seems to be just like any office job, except to work there one must undergo a “severance,” completely separating their memories of work from their memories of the rest of their lives. What follows begins as a slow burn, ramping up as the mystery lingering at the center of the series' plot begins to unfold.
While not the most traditional dystopian series,Severancestill manages to portray the alternate reality of this work-life nightmare in a way that speaks to the heart of the everyday nine-to-five office worker.It also weaves the greater mystery of Lumon Industries together with the subtle horror of everyday office culture in a way that feels organic. Though there is only one season of the show as of now,Severanceseason 2 is coming, set for release in January 2025.
The Handmaid’s Tale
The Handmaid’s Tale is a television adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s novel, released in 2017. It is set in a dystopian future where a woman is compelled to live as a concubine under a strict fundamentalist theocracy.
Told through the lens of a woman named June,The Handmaid’s Taledepicts the state of the world after a totalitarian government has very recently established itself at the head of the United States.Renamed Offred after she is forcibly assigned as a Handmaid to bear the children of Commander Fred Waterford, June struggles to cope with her new reality. The series is haunting to its very core, depicting the suffering of June and women like her in grave detail.
The Handmaid’s Taleis a scathing criticism of fascism, displaying rebellion in a world that has subjugated the people living in it.
A masterclass in building empathy, this series is a deeply feminist story rooted in the real-life atrocities that women have faced across the globe.The Handmaid’s Taleis a scathing criticism of fascism, displaying rebellion in a world that has subjugated the people living in it. With its powerful acting and fully realized story, both of which and more have earned the show all sorts of awards, including two Golden Globes and several Emmy Awards,The Handmaid’s Talehas become an incredible example of whatSci-Fican achieve.
