Credit: Apple TV+
5 min read
Looking for a new series to watch after finishing Netflix’s 3 Body Problem? Check out this list of the best dystopian TV series to watch now.
There’s something particularly horrifying about watching a dystopian TV series or film. Instead of the blood-soaked, monster-filled fear fest of a classic horror movie, the dystopia is much subtler in its terror: and that’s exactly what makes them so scary.
The opposite of utopia, dystopia is simply a fictional state or society in which things are going wrong. The term itself encompasses a bunch of different scenarios, from a state wrought by extreme injustice at the hands of an evil totalitarian government to a world destroyed by an apocalyptic event. But no matter what’s going on at the heart of the dystopia, the crux of the issue at hand is the same: things are going downhill. Fast.
While some may prefer to steer clear of dystopia after the (rather dystopic) events of the pandemic, others might feel like now is the perfect time to dive into a world even more horrific and terrifying than the one we’re in. And if that’s you, we’ve got you covered.
Keep reading to check out our pick of the best dystopian TV shows to watch now, from the horror of The Handmaid’s Tale to the chilling, post-apocalyptic vibes of The Last Of Us.
Silo
Based on Hugh Howey’s New York Times bestselling trilogy of dystopian novels, this 10-episode drama tells the story of the last 10,000 people on earth.
Their world, however, looks incredibly different to ours, as they live in a silo buried deep, deep underground. There, men and women live in a society full of rules and regulations they believe are meant to protect them from the toxic wasteland above… but is all as it seems?
“No one knows when or why the silo was built and any who try to find out face fatal consequences,” promises the synopsis.
Season 1 of Silo is available to stream on Apple TV+
3 Body Problem
Set in 1960s China, the story follows a young woman who makes a fateful decision that reverberates across space and time into the present day. Split across several timelines and with many characters to keep on top of, it’s astrophysicist Ye Wenjie who soon proves herself to be a key player in the plot.
“When the laws of nature inexplicably unravel, a tight-knit group of brilliant scientists must join forces with an unflinching detective to stop humanity’s greatest threat,” reads the synopsis.
Season 1 of 3 Body Problem is available to stream on Netflix
The Last Of Us
Set in a not-so-distant future, The Last Of Us follows hardened smuggler Joel (played by Pedro Pascal) as he escorts 14-year-old Ellie (played by Bella Ramsey) on a terrifying journey across a ruined USA. And a ruined USA filled to bursting with cannibalistic humans that have been infected and driven mad by a cordyceps fungus.
The best news? Season two is coming and (hopefully) soon.
Season 1 of The Last Of Us is available to stream on NOW
Severance
This dystopian drama revolves around Lumon Industries, a sprawling business that’s set up in a small town with many of its inhabitants working for the cult-like company. Mark (played by Adam Scott) is the new office leader who seems devoted to his job but when his best friend, Petey (played by Yul Vazquez), mysteriously vanishes from the company, he’s left to fill in the blanks of what happened…
Season 1 of Severance is available to stream on Apple TV+
Dark
A missing child sets four families on a frantic hunt for answers as they unearth a mind-bending mystery that spans three generations. Through this search, the town’s sinful past is exposed, along with the double lives and fractured relationships that exist among the four families. Oh, and a dose of the supernatural, too.
Seasons 1-3 of Dark are available to stream on Netflix
The Handmaid’s Tale
Now in its fifth season (with the upcoming sixth being its last), the HBO adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale is a must-watch dystopian series.
The show, which is set in a near-future United States which has been taken over by a fundamentalist theocratic dictatorship called Gilead, follows the story of June (Elisabeth Moss), a woman who has been forced to become a ‘handmaid’ and bear children for the Gilead elite.
Seasons 1-5 of The Handmaid’s Tale are available to stream on Prime Video
Black Mirror
Each episode of Black Mirror taps into a collective unease or anxiety we as a society share in the modern world.
Charlie Brooker’s futuristic series has tackled everything from the trappings of social media to the dangers of artificial intelligence across its six seasons. If you like dark and twisted, you’ll love this.
Seasons 1-6 of Black Mirror are available to stream on Netflix
Westworld
If you’re a fan of sci-fi and dystopia, you’ll love the futuristic vibes of HBO’s Westworld.
Based on the concept of an exclusive theme park that allows visitors to “live without limits” alongside lifelike robots called hosts, Westworld explores what happens when people believe their actions have no consequences. As you can expect, it gets dark. Quick.
Seasons 1-3 of Westworld are available to stream on NOW
Years And Years
This BBC drama, which follows the story of one central family, spans over 15 years as the world around them rapidly destabilises.
Although Years And Years was released before the coronavirus pandemic, the subjects it explores remain extremely close to the bone, picking on topics, stories and ideas we see in the world today.
Season 1 of Years And Years is available to stream on Prime Video
Snowpiercer
This dystopian thriller from Oscar-winning director Bong Joon Ho (the man behind Parasite) is as fast-paced and drama-filled as you can get.
Set seven years after the world has become a frozen wasteland, the show follows the lives of the only surviving humans on earth – those onboard the 1,001 car-long super-train, Snowpiercer, which circles the globe on an endless loop.
Inside, the remaining humans have been divided into strict classes, with the rich living luxurious lives upfront while the poor ‘tailies’ are left in squalor at the back. In Snowpiercer, we find out what happens when those at the bottom decide enough is enough.
Seasons 1-3 of Snowpiercer are available to stream on Netflix.
Main Image: Apple TV
Other Images: Apple TV/HBO/Hulu/Netflix/BBC
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