The 20 Best Dystopian TV Shows of All Time

Dystopian fiction has always been a vital part of the science fiction and horror genres, but in the 21st century, it has truly evolved into its own dominant category. This genre now offers some of the most compelling TV dystopias, from zombie-infested landscapes to AI-driven apocalypses, and even subtler nightmares like societies ruled by social media metrics or worlds where every moment is recorded in your brain like a video file.

These 19 TV shows, along with one miniseries, showcase the most ingenious, terrifying, and often poignant dystopian narratives ever created. Whether depicting post-apocalyptic wastelands or the everyday life of office workers with consciousness-altering microchips, each story presents a dark vision of the future, brimming with intensity, intrigue, and boundless imagination.

From massive plagues and nuclear winters to robot uprisings, time travel-induced paranoia, and mysterious disappearances, these series capture the essence of dystopia. If movies are more your speed, don't miss the Top 10 Apocalypse Movies of All Time and the 6 Post-Apocalyptic Movies You've Probably Never Seen. Plus, IGN readers have voted on their Favorite Post-Apocalyptic World from Movies and TV!

For TV enthusiasts, dive into the heart of dystopia with shows like Fallout, Severance, The Walking Dead, The Handmaid's Tale, The Last of Us, and more. Here are the Top 20 Dystopian TV Shows of All Time!