Zombies, nuclear explosion and viruses: 15 TV series about the apocalypse

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

From ironic comedies to real horror.

15. Rain

• Denmark, USA, 2018 - present.
• Science fiction, thriller, drama.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 6, 4.

A real apocalypse begins in Scandinavia: the rain spreads a deadly and highly contagious virus. The only chance to survive is to stay dry. The plot is dedicated to the young Rasmus and his sister Simone, whom their parents hid in a safe bunker. Six years later, the children get out and go in search of their father.

In the real world, people have been frightened for many years by dangerous diseases that can spread along with rainwater. And so the plot of the first Danish series to come out from under the wing of Netflix looks very relevant.

14. Black summer

• Canada, USA, 2019 - present.
• Horror, drama.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 6, 4.

A zombie apocalypse swept across the world. A woman named Rose goes in search of her daughter and joins a group of survivors. They will have to go through the most terrible period, which is called "Black Summer".

This series is a spin-off of the famous Nation Z, which has appeared on our list of post-apocalyptic projects. And the atmosphere here is about the same: cheap special effects, grotesque brutality and crazy plot twists.

13. Ruthless sun

• UK, 2018.
• Drama, detective, fantasy.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 6, 6.

London detectives Hicks and Renko learn that the apocalypse will soon begin on Earth. However, partners need to continue to maintain order despite the fact that it is very difficult for them to work together: they have completely different personalities and approach to service.

Luther author Neil Cross is great at telling stories about cops. But here he added depressive apocalyptic motives to the traditional detective story.

12. Dominion

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

After the disappearance of the god, the archangel Gabriel and his subordinates launched a war against humanity. People took refuge in several cities, only the Archangel Michael helps them. He expects the promised savior to come soon.

This series is a continuation of the film "Legion", created by the same authors. They very boldly and unexpectedly developed religious ideas, showing angels not as protectors, but as destroyers of humanity.

11. Fear the walking dead

• USA, 2015 - present.
• Horror, thriller, drama.
• Duration: 5 seasons.
• IMDb: 6, 9.

All over the world, people are attacked by the living dead. In Los Angeles, single mother Madison Clarke and divorced teacher Travis Manava struggle to survive and adapt to new conditions of existence.

The action of the famous "The Walking Dead" took place several years after the zombie apocalypse. Spin-off allows you to see how it all began: its plot starts in the first days after the invasion of monsters.

10. Salvation

• USA, 2017–2018.
• Science fiction, drama, thriller.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 0.

MIT graduate student Liam and genius Darius learn that an asteroid is flying to Earth, which will surely destroy all life. They report this information to Pentagon spokesman Grace Burrows. In a few months, humanity must come up with a way to salvation.

The inexpensive CBS series has a lot of technical blunders for which it has been criticized by viewers. But on the other hand, the dramatic part of the plot is perfectly revealed: the fear of the end of the world and the difficulties of solving large-scale issues.

9. Into the night

• Belgium, 2020 - present.
• Science fiction, thriller, drama.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 7, 1.

An overnight flight from Brussels is unexpectedly captured by a distraught NATO officer. He claims that at dawn the Sun will destroy all life on Earth, so they need to fly "into the night." Unfortunately, the terrorist turns out to be right.

This series is based on the book "Old Age of Axolotl" by Polish writer Jacek Dukai. But in the original, the plot told about the distant consequences of the disaster, and the film adaptation captures only the plot dedicated to the apocalypse.

8. Tomorrow does not come

• USA, 2016.
• Melodrama, comedy.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 7, 2.

Evie, accustomed to stability and planning for the future, meets the freedom-loving boyfriend Xavier. He claims that in a few months the end of the world will come and they need to have time to enjoy all the delights of life.

The American TV series is based on the Brazilian project How to Enjoy the End of the World. From there, the main atmosphere came: this is just a light romantic comedy, and the coming apocalypse looms only in the background.

7. Confrontation

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

A strain of influenza developed in a laboratory by the US Department of Defense breaks free. All infected die, only 0.6% of the population has immunity. Most of America is dying out, and the sinister Black Man is already trying to seize power.

The most voluminous work of Stephen King was not so easy to transfer to screens. In a four-episode miniseries, a significant portion of the plot had to be cut. Now we are planning a full-fledged large-scale project from CBS All Access. Ironically, its release was delayed due to a real pandemic.

6. Constantine

• USA, 2014-2015.
• Science fiction, thriller, drama.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 7, 5.

The plot tells about the exorcist and hunter of evil spirits John Constantine. His soul is already cursed, but the hero undertakes to save the daughter of his friend, and at the same time to prevent the apocalypse.

Many people know the sarcastic hero from the comics of the Vertigo studio thanks to the full-length film adaptation with Keanu Reeves. However, in the series, the image of the hero turned out to be closer to the original source. Alas, this did not help the project: it was closed after the first season. Then the character moved to The CW's Arrow Universe.

5. You, me and the end of the world

• UK, USA, 2015.
• Comedy, fantasy.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 7, 7.

In a few months, a comet will crash into the Earth and destroy all of humanity. A group of people decide to take refuge in a bunker under the city of Slough. It soon turns out that they are all related to each other.

This series pleases primarily with an unexpected mixture of genres. Both religious motives and family drama with unexpected plot twists were added to the apocalyptic story. But first of all, this is a hooligan comedy with sharp jokes.

4. Kevin will save the world. If possible

• USA, 2017–2018.
• Comedy, fantasy.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 7, 8.

Selfish loser Kevin moves in with his sister Amy and her daughter Reese. The hero is the divine creation Yvette, who claims that the world will end soon. And only Kevin can save humanity. But everyone around him considers his visions to be banal hallucinations.

This funny series has been plagued by setbacks since its inception. After the pilot episode, they decided to replace the actress who played Yvette, and they had to re-shoot all the scenes with her. Unfortunately, the project was closed after the first season, cutting off the story literally in mid-sentence.

3. American Horror Story

• USA, 2011 - present.
• Horror, thriller, drama.
• Duration: 9 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 0.

The eighth season of Ryan Murphy's famous anthology is called Apocalypse. In the story, a nuclear explosion destroys humanity, after which the survivors gather in a specially equipped bunker.

Typically, the individual seasons of American Horror Story are not related to each other. But in Apocalypse, Murphy decided to bring back some of the familiar characters from seasons one and three. Interestingly, because of this approach, Sarah Paulson had to play several roles at once.

2. Good signs

• UK, USA, 2019.
• Science fiction, comedy.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 8, 1.

The demon Crowley and the angel Aziraphale have been friends for centuries. One day they learn that the Antichrist will soon come to Earth and destroy all living things. Since the heroes have already become attached to the planet and its inhabitants, they decide to prevent the apocalypse.

The witty miniseries is based on the novel of the same name by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. Moreover, Gaiman himself was responsible for the film adaptation. Therefore, the whole atmosphere and humor of the original has been preserved perfectly.

1. Supernatural

• USA, 2005–2020.
• Science fiction, horror, drama.
• Duration: 15 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 4.

Brothers Sam and Dean Winchesters travel across America and catch all kinds of evil spirits. But over time, their tasks become more and more global - sometimes they even have to save the whole world.

For 15 seasons, the main characters managed to face all kinds of supernatural threats. There was, among others, the danger of the end of the world. But, of course, the Winchesters were able to cope even with the horsemen of the Apocalypse.