13 best virus TV shows: from zombie apocalypse to real stories

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

These plots will tickle your nerves and, perhaps, help you survive in dangerous times.

13. Between

• Canada 2015-2016.
• Drama, thriller, fantasy.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 6, 0.

In the small town of Pretty Lake, people begin to die from an unknown disease. And all of them are over 21 years old. The authorities hastily isolate the city, and soon there are only teenagers left there. They have to rebuild their lives on their own and try to figure out the causes of the epidemic.

Initially, the series was planned to be made a complete story for one season, but due to its popularity, they decided to extend it. And besides the main episodes, the web project Between the Lines was released. It consists of a two-minute series, the action of which begins even before the epidemic. In each episode, the journalist interviews one of the heroes of the series.

12. Andromeda virus

• USA, 2008.
• Drama, action, fantasy.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 6, 2.

An American satellite with an unknown virus on board crashes to Earth near a small town. Soon, everyone in the vicinity dies, except the child and the old man. The military is isolating the infected zone, and a group of scientists is trying to figure out the origin of the virus. But they have very little time.

The series is based on the book of the same name by Michael Crichton (author of Jurassic Park and director of the classic Westworld). A feature-length film was already released on this work in 1971, but now the famous Ridley Scott and his brother Tony have taken over the production. In the new film adaptation, the plot of the novel has been significantly changed. In particular, the geography of the spread of the virus has increased. The authors also hinted at its origin, although in the original it remained unknown.

11. Pandemic: How to prevent the spread

• USA, 2020.
• Documentary.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 6, 3.

The documentary series tells about the spread of deadly viruses around the world and how to save yourself from a pandemic. Experts in various fields tell about real cases and give advice.

Netflix is always trying to catch up on contemporary and relevant topics. But this time, the platform even got ahead of the hype. The series "Pandemic" was released on January 22, when many still did not believe in the possibility of a massive spread of the coronavirus.

10. Spiral

• USA, Canada, 2014-2015.
• Horror, thriller, fantasy.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 6, 8.

A group of scientists led by Dr. Alan Farragut travels to an Arctic base to study the new virus. Because of him, several people died at the station, and Peter Farragut turned into a monster. Researchers need to understand the origin of the infection and prevent it from breaking out of the laboratory.

The first season of the series interestingly combines a medical thriller about viruses and horror about zombies. And in the sequel, the heroes already have to fight the epidemic of athlete's foot on the island of Saint-Germain.

9. Quarantine

• USA, 2016.
• Drama, thriller.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 7, 2.

A Syrian man infects countless people in Atlanta with an unknown and deadly disease. As a result, part of the city is quarantined, and even close people turn out to be on different sides.

The CW series only lasted one season. But the authors were able to quite realistically show a situation when many still healthy people enter the quarantine zone with an ever-growing likelihood of getting sick. This creates the main drama in the story.

8. Epidemic

• Russia, 2019 - present.
• Drama, thriller, fantasy.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 7, 2.

A deadly virus is raging in Moscow and other large cities of Russia. The number of deaths is increasing, the electricity has been cut off, and those who have not yet been infected are fighting for food. Sergey wants to take all his loved ones out of the city in order to wait out the pandemic in a quiet area. But the heroes face many difficulties. And Sergey will also have to deal with his personal life, because he intends to save his ex-wife and son, and his new lover is not too happy about this.

The Russian series was launched in 2019 on the Premier streaming platform. However, after some time, a strange story happened: the fifth episode was deleted, and further episodes were postponed to the beginning of 2020. According to rumors, the TNT Online Cinema has deleted an episode of the Epidemic series with the scene of the shooting of civilians, because it showed how the security forces shoot civilians. Later, the fifth episode was still returned, but with the comment that it was not riot police, but unknown bandit formations.

7. Confrontation

• USA, 1994.
• Drama, horror, fantasy.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 7, 2.

The most dangerous strain of influenza escaped from the laboratory of the US Department of Defense. Absolutely all infected die, and only 0.6% of the population has immunity. A laboratory guard escapes with his family and spreads the virus across the country. As a result of the pandemic, most of the American population is dying out. The survivors were divided into two camps. Some are still trying to keep humanity. And the rest joined the sinister Black Man.

Confrontation is Stephen King's most ambitious work. And it tells in detail about the spread of a dangerous virus across the country. The 1994 adaptation was shorter, but still impressive. And now everyone is waiting for the new series from CBS All Access, which is due out in 2020. Given the coronavirus pandemic, the project will prove to be very relevant.

6. Strain

• USA, 2014-2017.
• Drama, thriller, horror.
• Duration: 4 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 3.

A plane lands at New York airport full of people who have died from an unknown virus. For some unknown reason, only four passengers survived. But soon the corpses begin to disappear from the morgues, and the survivors discover strange mutations in themselves. It turns out that a certain virus turns people into vampires.

This series was created by the famous Guillermo Del Toro based on his own series of books, which he co-authored with Chuck Hogan. It is interesting that in the "Strain" vampirism is considered as a disease, analyzing its biological side and even chemical processes.

5. Hot zone

• USA, 2019.
• Drama, thriller, fantasy.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 7, 3.

The plot of the series is based on real events. In 1989, the Ebola virus entered the United States. Nancy Jax must test a sample of one of the deadliest infections, and then find the source of its origin.

The projects of the National Geographic channel are always distinguished by deep elaboration of details and the most realistic atmosphere. Moreover, the action is dedicated to relatively recent events, about which many have heard.

4. The last ship

• USA, 2014–2018.
• Drama, action.
• Duration: 5 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 5.

The crew of the USS Nathan James was on the voyage for a long time and was isolated from the rest of the world. When the team nevertheless makes contact, they discover that an outbreak of a deadly virus has occurred on the ground. Now the heroes are looking for the remnants of civilization, and then they come into confrontation with the new government.

This series is based on the novel of the same name by William Brinkley, albeit with significant changes in the plot. And one of the producers is Michael Bay. Therefore, in "The Last Ship" there are many large-scale scenes, explosions and other special effects.

3. Survivors

• Great Britain, 2008-2010.
• Science fiction, drama.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 6.

A virus called "European flu" has spread throughout the world and wiped out most of the world's population. One of the few groups of survivors has to fight for food and the remaining benefits of civilization.

In 1975, a series was already released from screenwriter Terry Nation with the same name. The modern version is considered by many to be a free remake of that project. But the authors claim that their Survivors is just a new adaptation of Nation's novel of the same name.

2.12 monkeys

• USA, 2015-2018.
• Science fiction, drama, thriller.
• Duration: 4 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 7.

By the middle of the XXI century, a deadly virus drove humanity underground. The first outbreak is known to have occurred in 2015. It is there that the scientists send the prisoner James Cole. He must find "patient zero" and stop the epidemic.

The series is based on the plot of the film of the same name with Bruce Willis. Moreover, the beginning completely copies the original, there are only minor discrepancies. But with each season, the action moves further and further from the original source, gradually even changing the genre.

1. The Walking Dead

• USA, 2010 - present.
• Horror, drama.
• Duration: 10 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 2.

The series, based on the famous comic book series, is about a group of people who are trying to survive in a world where an unknown virus has turned most of the population into zombies. Moreover, often the more dangerous enemies are not the revived dead, but other people who have become marauders.

"The Walking Dead" often looks more like a drama than an action or horror, since the plot is devoted specifically to human relations. Unfortunately, after the first successful seasons of the series, many actors began to leave. But AMC has no plans to cut production yet, although ratings continue to fall.