Post-apocalyptic wastelands play a key role in the movie/TV industry. Humankind is battling to survive in the aftermath of some cataclysmic event, usually at our hands. Navigating familiar tropes like the quest for power, love, and relationships becomes secondary to the battle for survival.
The small screen allows for a longer continuity, allowing for better character development and plot twists. With so many possible outcomes to apocalyptic events, different post-apocalyptic plots have been adapted over the years. We take a look at some of the best TV series set in post-apocalyptic wastelands.
See
Imagine a world where everyone has mutated/evolved into blindness. See is set in such a world, where sight is deemed a curse and any sighted individuals are branded heretics. Humanity has regressed into small village societies cut off from each other. Technology and human progress have all but ceased, with any remnants serving as a reminder of a darker time.
See follows Baba Voss, tribe chief of the people of Alkenny, as he navigates this world trying to protect his two adoptive sighted children. Baba Voss faces threats from opposing armies, the children’s biological family, and more, all while relying on his sense of smell and hearing alone.
Fallout
Fallout is set in the aftermath of nuclear detonation, with the Earth and almost everything else affected. Whether a combination of twisted science or radiation, the series features some mutated creatures that now roam the planet. Mutated humans and those immune or protected from the radiation all live together in what has become the new normal.
The series follows different individuals across this wasteland in search of one man, who seemingly has something special. Despite being on several different quests, all main characters cross paths on the way to uncovering ancient secrets.
The Walking Dead
Despite existing in the Game of Thrones era, The Walking Dead still managed to be one of the most popular and most watched shows. Thanks to the success of this TV show, there have been several sequels, all of which seem to have found a fanbase.
The Walking Dead answers of of the most prominent questions in fantasy, “what if there was a zombie apocalypse”. The series follows the human survivors across the now zombie-infested wasteland as they struggle to survive. From interactions with other survivors to battles with zombie hordes, The Walking Dead is a true marvel.
The 100
A century after the world was destroyed by nuclear devastation, Humanity’s survivors live on the Arc, a lifeboat in space. With conditions deteriorating, 100 delinquents are sent to the Earth’s surface to determine if conditions have improved. The 100 have to deal with themes like a lawless society, power struggles, and the human survivors on the ground.
Throughout its seven-season run, the series evolves, becoming almost unrecognisable, with many new elements. With new themes, locations, and ever ever-dwindling number of the original 100, the show evolves into a more mature piece on survival.
Silo
Silo is set 10,000 years in the future, with the survivors of humanity living 144 stories below the gound. Society is advanced with technology in use, but people now live under strict rules meant to protect them. With time, mysteries about the past and present lead people to start asking questions about the true motive of the silo.
As this series is set underground, we don’t get to see the true extent of whatever post-apocalyptic event forced humanity underground. Regardless, its effect is felt in the living conditions and rules of the silo.
Snowpiercer
Snowpiercer follows the survivors of humankind, stuck on a train after the Earth becomes a frozen wasteland. Survivors on the train have to deal with dwindling resources, social injustice, and a class system, all while fighting for survival. As the train roars on across one large track across the planet, so too does the human race cooped up in one metal box.
With the looming threat of destruction if the train ever stops, Snowpiercer explores themes of violence, greed, and even cannibalism.
The Last Of Us
The Last of Us is set in a post-apocalyptic world where zombies run amok in the aftermath of a pandemic. Victims of the infection become zombies, which has caused society to collapse. Unlike most other post-apocalyptic movies, society still functions, with people simply being more reserved.
This series follows Joel, who is hired to escort a young girl, Ellie, across the USA. Ellie is immune to the infection and could hold the key to creating a cure and restoring civilization. Joel and Ellie must make their way through a zombie infested wasteland to safety. With seasons 2 and 3 yet to come, there’s a lot more to anticipate and explore.
