Alternate timelines, zombie apocalypse, and technology taking over are just a few ways television shows use a dystopian setting to really get their points across. They tend to be thought-provoking series that really make viewers wonder what would happen if what was happening on the screen was real life. Answer: terrifying. Dystopian shows, while thrilling, are also reminders that life could be a lot worse!

From 2% of the world’s population disappearing in a completely Thanos way in The Leftovers to people staying in a Silo 144 floors underground in Silo, having no idea what is actually on the surface, there are some dystopian shows that are definitely worth a watch. Interesting and yet scary, thought-provoking and yet chilling, this genre has a way of drawing people in with complex characters and narratives that are too incredible to believe. With twists, turns, and manipulative governments that will do anything to get their way, these dystopian shows are some of the best on television.

10’12 Monkeys’ (2015–2018)

Created by Terry Matalas and Travis Fickett

Image via Syfy

Loosely adapting the 1995 film of the same name, the sci-fi dystopian series 12 Monkeys starts its story in the year 2045. During that time, scavenger James Cole (Aaron Stanford) is recruited by a team of scientists who work for “Project Splinter.” His mission: time travel back to the year 2015 and stop a deadly virus from spreading and causing the death of seven million people. Together with virologist Dr. Cassandra “Cassie” Railly (Amanda Schull), Cole must find the Army of the 12 Monkeys, the organization that plans to release the virus into the world.

A fun and entertaining show, 12 Monkeys is a typical “let’s go back and fix history” formula but with a deeper meaning with intense questions such as the concept of predestination vs free will. The series has thriller elements, interesting plot twists, and complex characters that invite viewers to join them for a journey across time to save the human race from a future of extinction.

9‘Fringe’ (2008–2013)

Created by J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci

Image via Fox Network

The five-season series Fringe revolves around FBI agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) as she works with Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble) and his estranged son Peter (Joshua Jackson). The series shows the team working with fringe science in order to understand unnatural occurrences that are linked to a parallel universe and an alternate timeline. All in all, their discovery leads to a whole lot of problems for their world.

A sci-fi series mixed with “monster of the week” episodes and an overarching mythology that rules the narrative, Fringe didn’t get much love when it first aired but later found its footing along with a cult following. From Olivia trying her best to work with a team and do good to supernatural elements and the consequences of human action, the series is an entertaining showdown of good vs. evil. In this case, the evil, antagonistic characters aren’t random. They happen to be alternate versions of the main characters who want to cause havoc and mayhem, making it difficult to know who is who and what twist is going to come next while watching the show!

8‘Station Eleven’ (2021)

Created by Patrick Somerville

Image via HBO

Based on the 2014 Emily St. John Mandel novel of the same name, Station Eleven showcases a dystopian future where a flu pandemic is the cause of a collapse in civilization as people know it. The series follows a group of traveling performers in the post-pandemic world. While on their journey, they stumble upon a violent cult, one of whom is, unknowing to the troupe, linked to one of their members. What happens next is a mystery that unravels everything that people thought they knew.

The miniseries looks into the themes of healing and how literature, music, and theater are both therapeutic while also having a way for people to escape the circumstances in which they find themselves living. Station Eleven received critical acclaim for its narrative and performances of the cast of characters who are the epitome of “The Show Must Go On.” Regardless of the state of the world, the miniseries shows everyone needs a little laughter and art in their lives.

7‘Silo’ (2023–)

Created by Graham Yost

Image via Apple TV+

Based on Graham Yost’s Silo trilogy of novels, Silo stars Rebecca Ferguson as Juliette Nichols. Set in a dystopian future and living in a Silo diving 144 stories underground with 10,000 other people, Juliette is an engineer who is tasked with maintaining the generators on the bottom levels of the homestead. The thing is, the Silo is shrouded in mysteries and secrets, as no one knows why they went there or what is on the surface if anything. All they know is that the histories of the world were destroyed long ago, and any talk of going out is strictly prohibited and punishable by becoming forced out onto the surface, a place people do not come back from.

The series is interesting as it moves from a conspiracy thriller and police procedural to an end-of-times romance and big-picture social commentary on government control. It is an intense story of lies and deception, or people wanting to learn the truth of their past so they can pave a new way for their future and future generations. For anyone who is interested in plot twists and turns and a mystery that goes far deeper than the 144 floors of the Silo, buckle up!

6‘The Leftovers’ (2014–2017)

Created by Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta

Image via HBO

The Leftovers explores a dystopian world full of people who were left behind during what is known as the “Sudden Departure.” Over the course of three seasons, viewers watch as 2% of the world’s population mysteriously disappears, and the remaining people have to deal with the “new normal” in a place where everything has changed: family members have disappeared, and friends are gone forever. In a new era of religious cults and a decline of mainstream faith, the characters have to find peace in a world full of unanswered questions.

The story is artfully told, with plot twists around each corner and thought-provoking questions that will leave viewers equal parts frustrated and enthralled. The Leftovers is one of those shows that gets better as the seasons progress, with relevant characters who are just trying to find answers in the world around them and the mystery surrounding each episode. Based on the Perrota novel of the same name, the drama is considered one of the best to come out of the 2010s and one of the rare shows in history that is amazing from start to finish.

5‘The Man in the High Castle’ (2015–2019)

Created by Frank Spotnitz

Image via Prime Video

In a shockingly horrifying alternative timeline, The Man in the High Castle brings viewers on a crazy journey back to the 1960s, two decades after World War II, when the Axis Powers won the war. That’s right; this creepy yet great historical TV series takes a look at what history would look like if the other side had won. Based on Philip K. Dick’s novel of the same name, the series follows a dystopian story of rebels and alliances with some people who believe everything the new government is telling them is a lie and that the Axis Powers did not actually win the war; they just destroyed all the evidence that said otherwise.

Bringing together a horrifying idea, strong performances, and possibilities for what can happen from episode to episode, this series is a historical dystopian fantasy people have to see to believe. The series even wound up winning a Creative Arts Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series and was the most-watched Amazon original series when its pilot was released. Honestly, the series just gets crazier and more intense as the narrative progresses, all of which starts with nothing more than a roll of film that tells the truth about the war.

4‘Westworld’ (2016–2022)

Created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy

Image via HBO

Based on Michael Crichton’s 1973 film of the same name, Westworld starts off as a fun premise but quickly turns into a nightmare full of artificial intelligence ruling the world. The story is set in Westworld, an eccentric Wild West amusement park run by android “hosts” and a place where, once you’re inside, anything goes. High-paying guests can live out their wildest fantasies without fear of retaliation, something that sounds like an absolute dream to some. Fast forward a few years, and a powerful artificial intelligence called Rehoboam has taken over people’s lives, the programming to do no harm to humans is officially gone, and a war between the two species is underway.

The dystopian series is insane, mixing together a horrifying world of AI control and people getting their consciousness programmed into androids. A perfect Western TV series that just so happens to have sci-fi elements, this show is a perfect example of extreme measures and what the worst-case scenario would be if technology took over humanity. With powerful visuals and a thought-provoking, intelligent narrative, Westworld is one of the better dystopian shows to make it to the small screen.

3‘The Walking Dead’ (2010–2022)

Developed by Frank Darabont

Image via AMC

Based on Robert Kirkman’s comic book series of the same name, The Walking Dead is all about the post-apocalyptic world that took shape after a zombie virus outbreak. Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) wakes up in a hospital with no idea a zombie virus has taken over. Needless to say, he is confused, has no idea what is going on, and, most importantly, has no idea where his family is or if they are even alive. Thankfully, he finds them, and then it turns into a story all about survival as he and a group of survivors try to make it to various safe zones around the country. Unfortunately, they start to put the pieces together and learn that the virus is airborne, and technically, everyone is infected.

The intensity of the story is mixed with a lot of gore, and viewers tune into The Walking Dead and have no idea what they are in for. It was always a toss-up if a fan-favorite character was about to be ripped apart by a walker and live to see another episode or if someone was exiled from the group, never to be seen again. The Walking Dead is a dystopian world that, hopefully, stays on the screen and between the pages of books, and its concept does nothing more than remain one of the best zombie shows out there.

2‘Black Mirror’ (2011–)

Created by Charlie Brooker

Image via Netflix

Inspired by The Twilight Zone, the anthology series Black Mirror is similar to the 1950s show in that it looks at the human psyche and what people would do in certain situations. The difference between the two, though, is that Black Mirror dives into the world of technology and media and what people would do if the world had certain aspects changed, if only slightly, and how it would affect their relationships, mental health, and how they would react in their day-to-day.

Speculative fiction that explores a dystopian world, Black Mirror hangs on paranoia and social issues to display a complex narrative in each episode, something that is thought-provoking and sinister at the same time. With plot twists and horrible circumstances awaiting select characters, the sci-fi thriller anthology contains short stories about what would happen to the world if humans let technology rule their lives, a dystopia that might look like a utopian paradise at fire but, when looked at closely, it is a nightmare. The concept is frightening, considering the speed at which new technology is released and how media rules the internet.

1‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ (2017–)

Created by Bruce Miller

Image via Hulu

Based on Margaret Atwood’s best-selling novel of the same name, The Handmaid’s Tale is set in a totalitarian society known as Gilead. Part of the United States after the Second American Civil War, Gilead is a dystopia for women, as they are seen as nothing more than property in a deteriorating society with a decreasing birthrate due to environmental pollution and sexually transmitted diseases. Due to this, fertile women are taken into sexual servitude and known as Handmaids to repopulate the crumbling society. Of course, some of these women don’t take their slavery lightly, such as June Osborne (Elisabeth Moss), and will do whatever it takes to regain their freedom.

A haunting and vivid representation of women’s rights being taken away, The Handmaid’s Tale is a cautionary narrative, one that is, at times, difficult to watch. Even so, Moss’ performance is domineering and demands attention as she and the other Handmaids work to take their lives back from the powerful leaders who “own them.” The first season of the series went on to win eight Primetime Emmy Awards, the first Hulu show to win a major award.