Dystopian fiction has carved out a significant niche within the realms of science fiction and horror, emerging in the 21st century as a powerhouse genre. This list showcases the pinnacle of TV dystopia, encompassing everything from terrifying zombie outbreaks and AI-driven apocalypses to the subtler, yet equally chilling, scenarios of societies governed by social media metrics or where every moment is captured and stored in your mind like a video file.
From devastating pandemics and nuclear winters to robot insurrections, time travel-induced paranoia, and mysterious disappearances, these 19 TV shows (plus one miniseries) encapsulate the most ingenious, spine-chilling, and often deeply moving dystopian narratives ever produced. Whether depicting post-apocalyptic landscapes or the more mundane yet unsettling reality of office workers with consciousness-altering microchips, each entry offers a dark glimpse into the future, brimming with tension, mystery, and creativity.
If your interest leans towards films, be sure to explore the Top 10 Apocalypse Movies of All Time and the 6 Post-Apocalyptic Movies You've Probably Never Seen. Additionally, IGN readers have shared their picks for the Favorite Post-Apocalyptic World from Movies and TV!
But if you're here for television, dive in with us as we explore series like Fallout, Severance, The Walking Dead, The Handmaid's Tale, The Last of Us, and more. Without further ado, here are the Top 20 Dystopian TV Shows of All Time!
