Among the aspects drawing people to Fallout is the post-apocalyptic setting. That’s one quality which the Amazon TV show captures brilliantly. It portrays a bleak future filled with cynical survivors, mutated monsters, and ruined remnants of society. Both the games and show use these aspects to satirize heavy topics like war and capitalism. More importantly, they use their living, wheezing world to craft a colorful cast of characters. That approach makes Fallout a tricky beast, especially if audiences want a similar experience elsewhere.
Plenty of TV shows portray the post-apocalypse, but only a handful achieve it consistently well. If fans want an enticing alternative, though, then they should check out these series. Not only do they echo the qualities inherent to Fallout, but they’re engrossing in their own right.
10. The Last of Us
Here’s a no-brainer. Both Fallout and The Last of Us are both post-apocalyptic worlds with deranged monsters. Based on the latter series, this HBO show adapts the first entry while adding several sequences to aid in world-building. Granted, not all of these additions work. In fact, most of them slow the series to a crawl, but the tale still succeeds where it counts.
The Last of Us is an engaging tale about broken, cynical people finding kinship with each other. The paternal relationship between the two protagonists develops naturally over the season. Not only is it believable, but it becomes incredibly visceral and heartfelt. That passionate portrayal should be familiar to fans and welcome to newcomers.
9. Daybreak
This Netflix series has an odd genre blend: post-apocalyptic drama and teen comedy. Daybreak sees a group of school students lost amid the end of the world. The resulting escapades have all the tropes that are typical of these settings. There are dilapidated buildings, crazed psychos, and ultraviolent antics. At first glance, the show doesn’t seem far removed from other entries.
However, it handles these aspects with the same irreverent silliness of high school. The misfit heroes carve up their enemies–covering themselves in blood and guts–yet they treat it as just another daily annoyance. Even the cliched, Mad Max-esque gangs are akin to teenage cliques. Such snarky cynicism is mean-spirited, but that’s what makes it so entertaining.
8. The Strain
Zombies usually pepper post-apocalyptic stories, but why can’t vampires get in on the fun? In The Strain, an outbreak of bloodsuckers begins in New York before spreading far and wide. They even blanket the land in a nuclear winter so that they can walk during daytime. Society’s gradual downfall and the heroes’ desperate response create a solid show.
The Strain mixes sci-fi scares with a sprinkle of camp. It attempts to ground vampirism in medical science. That’s when it’s most intriguing, as the plucky protectors must find creative ways of overcoming the plague.
That formula partially feeds the campier exploits. The vampire uprising is a form of biological warfare by a sinister overlord and his Nazi lieutenant. Leading the resistance is an elderly vampire hunter and an exterminator who loves blowing stuff up. This silly stuff doesn’t always blend with the realistic elements, leading character dynamics to feel forced at times. Luckily, these stumbles aren’t enough to dampen the slow-burn suspense.
7. Terra Nova
When the future goes to the dumps, salvation lies in the past. Terra Nova portrays a world ruined by overpopulation and toxic air. When the people find a portal to an alternative past, a chosen few pass through and settle in a lush, prehistoric colony. That premise gives the show its novelty.
Terra Nova excels at world-building. Viewers feel a real sense of community and growth as characters come together to strengthen the colony. True, the series tries to craft a sinister mystery at the heart of that colony, but it doesn’t land due to the cartoonish villains. Thankfully, the heroes offset that misstep.
At the center of the struggle is a family. Audiences remain on their side throughout. After being separated, they must reestablish their dynamics, rebuilding their love and trust along the way. In the process, they help each other adjust to their new home. Such small-yet-important steps make the sci-fi scenario relatable on a human level.
6. Silo
Of all the entries on the list, this show has the most in common with Fallout. Sure, Silo concerns a post-apocalyptic setting, but it also portrays society as living in underground bunkers. Within these silos, they must follow a set of rules determined by mysterious higher-ups. The similarities are plain as day. The series is particularly relevant to the Fallout show, which dials up the themes surrounding capitalism.
Silo conveys many of the same messages. The measured pace and operatic production values give it arguably more nuance. The story raises potent questions about power structures and sacrificing freedom for safety (or the illusion of safety). The whole ordeal makes for nihilistic commentary, but that doesn’t mean it’s not insightful.
5. The Last Ship
The Last Ship also echoes Fallout in that it focuses on people who are sheltered from a post-apocalyptic world. The difference is that these heroes are members of the U.S. Navy (and one scientist). When a global plague wipes out the world’s population, their ship basically acts as a mobile Vault. Together, they must scavenge the sea for supplies and try to synthesize a cure, all while avoiding the virus. That’s a solid premise for the genre.
Unsurprisingly, The Last Ship has the post-apocalyptic perks that fans love. Navy ships can already be claustrophobic locales. This situation naturally arouses further desperation and paranoia. As a result, the show achieves a constant, palpable suspense. The characters aren’t totally unprepared, though. That’s the other major draw.
Rather than novices who are new to violence, these guys are capable troops who’ve seen their share of combat. They get into all sorts of shootouts, channeling the same macho appeal as a military or action show. It’s also interesting to see how their sense of duty operates during the worst of times. After all, why follow orders when the chain of command collapses? Finding the answer gives the series an oddly empowering tone, at least compared to its peers. Not only are these storylines engrossing, but they’re an unexpected novelty in such a horrific setting. That deviation makes The Last Ship a refreshing entry in a crowded market.
4. Godzilla Singular Point
Godzilla is always a destructive force, but he’s now a harbinger of universal Armageddon. Godzilla Singular Point sees a strange phenomenon of red dust pop up across Japan. This substance ushers in monsters capable of distorting time itself. Worse, the dust comes from a legendary being called Godzilla, who embodies a gateway to another reality. It’s not long before the dust covers the entire world, turning it into a hellish landscape infested with kaiju.
That gradual progression is the show’s most fascinating quality. Like any good disaster mystery, the urgency builds as the situation becomes clearer. The conflict can actually be overwhelming. Godzilla’s existence demolishes all understanding of space and time. It’s not all doom and gloom, though.
The characters solving this mystery are likeable and fun. That’s partly due to their anime eccentricities. Their wacky reactions and goofy antics lend welcome levity to the complex cataclysm. Travelling with them makes the apocalypse oddly appealing.
3. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
The Terminator films use their nuclear apocalypse as a backdrop for drama, and The Sarah Connor Chronicles continues that tradition. Here, the prophesied savior and his mother try to stop machines from taking over, ironically with the help of a reprogrammed cyborg. Meanwhile, their time-travelling allies have flashbacks (or flashforwards) to a future dominated by mechanical monstrosities. These sequences inform their actions in the present.
That formula makes The Sarah Connor Chronicles the most inspired entry since Terminator 2. It constantly finds creative ways to expand the films’ concepts, making the world feel well-realized. It then uses those expansions to deepen the established characters and the new faces.
More than ever, fans see the psychological toll this scenario can take. These guys grapple with survivor’s guilt, imposter syndrome, post-traumatic stress, and other issues. Yeah, these arcs aren’t exactly uplifting, but they make for intensely satisfying drama. The best apocalypse stories test the human spirit and its capacity to cope with that utter hopelessness.
2. Ash vs. Evil Dead
Whether dealing with radiated mutant creatures or demons, the solution is still a shotgun. The Evil Dead flicks have always portrayed Deadite attacks with ever-increasing peril (and humor). The TV show takes those supernatural skirmishes across the United States. Everywhere people turn, they see portals to Hell and horrific demons consuming their loved ones. They shouldn’t despair, though.
Ash vs. Evil Dead peppers the carnage with zany slapstick and awesome one-liners. They come courtesy of the silly hero and his quirky team of demon-hunters. These goofballs bounce off each other without missing a beat, and they’re all right at home among the weirdness.
Through their bloody exploits, the show satirizes zombie and action tropes while also embracing those tropes with all its heart. That clash shouldn’t work, but Ash vs. Evil Dead makes it look easy. It even goes all the way with a post-apocalyptic epilogue tinged with typical Ash machismo. Fans can only hope for a follow-up in some form.
1. Samurai Jack
Samurai Jack truly has it all. It surrounds a samurai flung forward into a dystopian future. As he searches for a portal back to his own time, he helps the bizarre denizens fight back against their demonic oppressor and robotic armies. What unfolds is an epic adventure across this troubled world.
The setup is the perfect for episodic escapades. Jack’s travels lend incredible variety to the visuals and tone. Viewers never know what they’ll see or whom Jack will meet. That unpredictability naturally fuels the humor, as countless colorful characters clash with this stoic samurai. Of course, the comedy is far from the main attraction.
The show lives and dies on the sure-handed artistry of Genndy Tartakovsky. Every locale is beautifully picturesque and dripping with atmosphere. That philosophy extends to the action, which is always a treat thanks to the fluid animation and stylistic direction. Tartakovsky’s works are usually striking, but this series remains his magnum opus. Samurai Jack brings these disparate elements together in a brilliant blend. It’s equal parts slick and silly, balancing everything with measured confidence. Never has the post-apocalypse been this vibrant.
