Dystopian fiction has evolved from a sci-fi and horror subgenre to a powerhouse category in its own right during the 21st century. This collection showcases television's finest dystopian visions – from zombie-infested wastelands to AI-dominated futures, along with more subtle nightmares like social media-ruled societies or worlds where memories become digital recordings.
Global pandemics, nuclear devastation, robotic rebellions, temporal chaos, and unexplained disappearances – these 19 series (plus one exceptional miniseries) represent television's most brilliant, terrifying (and frequently heartbreaking) dystopian narratives. Some depict civilization's collapse while others explore office workers with consciousness-splitting neural implants. Our criteria? A chilling future vision – near or distant – bursting with gripping tension, mystery, and creative world-building.
For those preferring cinematic dystopias, we recommend our lists of Top 10 Apocalypse Movies of All Time and 6 Underrated Post-Apocalyptic Films. You might also enjoy seeing which dystopian worlds IGN viewers crowned as their favorites across movies and TV!
But if binge-worthy television is your preference, join us as we analyze groundbreaking shows like Fallout, Severance, The Walking Dead, The Handmaid's Tale, and The Last of Us. Without further ado, we present the 20 Greatest Dystopian TV Series Ever Made!
