Are you in the mood for a thrilling, futuristic TV series to binge watch? I have the list for you!
If you’re craving a show that feels so intense it’s impossible to stop watching, these 5 binge worthy series’ are a good place to start. These dysfunctional words of environmental crisis, crazy politics or even going as far as living through a zombie apocalypse are all great examples of what creators of dystopian fiction have developed over the years. If you want to be dragged into the world of dark, thrilling dystopia, these are the 5 shows I recommend watching at some point.
5) Fallout
Set in 2027, Fallout is a post-apocalyptic drama which has been adapted into a series from a collection of video games going by the same name. Following The Great War, citizens live inside these underground bunkers, where communities have formed together. Fallout follows the stories of three main characters.
The wonderful Ella Purnell stars as Lucy, a vault resident who sets out on a dangerous mission outside of the bunker in search of her kidnapped father. She crosses paths with the rest of the star studded cast, including Walton Goggins as The Ghoul, a bounty hunter and Aaron Moten as Maximus, a loyal member of The Brotherhood of Steel. Not only is Fallout super funny, the action and gore is top notch and provides some great TV. I found the plot lines of both seasons super engaging and left me wanting more after every episode. The world building is fantastic and serves as a reason in itself to dive deep into this show. If you loved the first season, you’ll be happy to know that the second season has very recently been released!
You can stream season one AND two exclusively on Amazon Prime
4) Station Eleven
Station Eleven is set following the aftermath of a deadly breakout of a flu epidemic that wiped out a large majority of the worlds population. The show is different in it’s way of following multiple timelines across the series, it tells the stories of the survivors following the immediate impacts right up until the present day, which is twenty years after the outbreak. We follow Kirsten, (Mackenzie Davis) who joins a group of actors named ‘The Travelling Symphony’.
I find this show unique in the shows im discussing in this post as its rebuilding of the world is heavily focused on how impactful art and human connections can bring a community together and lacks the violence that most dystopians focus on. Following a devastating pandemic, it’s often difficult to reconnect with the world and each other, we’ve all been there. But Station Eleven reminds us all that there is still hope out there and we can always make good of a situation if we lean on each other and never give up. The storytelling never fails to remind us that something so beautiful can be created even in the most destructive of times, the suffering these characters feel is shared in such a beautiful way. If anyone wants to watch a unique dystopian series, I highly recommend this one
Season one of Station Eleven is available to purchase on streaming websites such as Amazon Prime and Apple TV
3) The Last of Us
Also adapted from the hit video game, The Last of Us is a post-apocalyptic drama that follows smuggler Joel (Pedro Pascal) who is tasked with escorting teenager Ellie (Bella Ramsey) to a group named the Fireflies. Ellie is immune to a fungal virus that has taken over most of humanity. Once bitten, victims are turned into zombies.
The father-daughter bond that develops between Joel and Ellie is enough to make this show so loveable. Amongst the tense, thrilling encounters with the zombies sometimes known as Clickers, the heartfelt interactions between the two are so tender and loving. When we first meet Joel, he unfortunately loses his daughter Sarah when the chaos of the virus unfolds, making his bond with Ellie so impactful as we see his hardened shell slowly breakdown. Joel and Ellie are the driving force that keep the other going through the terrifying state the world they live in. This show demonstrates a fantastic balance of horror and heart, it will stick with you forever. If you like a zombie apocalypse story that gives more than you’d expect, id highly recommend giving this hit show a chance.
You can stream The Last of Us on NOW Tv or Sky Atlantic
2) Silo
Based on the trilogy of books by Hugh Howey, Silo follows society who live in an underground silo, brought up to believe that the outside world is dangerous. No one knows who built the silo, or how they got there. But the one thing they do know is that the outside world is a wasteland, that the air is toxic an it’s too dangerous to go outside. Citizens are sent outside to ‘clean’ following any crimes committed, which is documented in front of a large window to the residents inside of the silo, but nobody has ever survived longer than a few minutes. Silo is led by the amazing Rebecca Ferguson (side note: this is her best performance to date!), who stars as engineer Juliette Nichols who investigates the murder of someone she was close to.
As the death of her close friend, ties in with some other mysterious deaths that followed, Juliette becomes desperate to uncover the truth behind what may of happened. This slow-burn mystery is thrilling, tense and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The world building is immaculate, creating a strong sense of claustrophobia as the story unravels itself. The tension between the authorities and Juliette whilst she frantically works to uncover the truth is enough to make this show binge-worthy. The juicy cliffhanger at the end of season one, sets up for the second season perfectly. Personally I watched the whole show in less than a week and this is some of the best Dystopian / Sci-Fi fiction I have consumed. Looking forward to season three releasing sometime in the later year!
You can stream Silo exclusively on Apple TV
1) The 100
Where do I even start with this show? This was the show I grew up on and it holds a special place in my heart. The 100 is set in a post-apocolypitc world where the only remaining survivors now inhabit a space ship named ‘The Ark’. After discovering the oxygen system onboard their space station will run out soon, 100 juvenile prisoners are sent down to earth to see if the earth is survivable again, as a test to see if mankind can come home. ( Spoiler alert, earth IS survivable again!)
Tensions arise almost immediately when the prisoners reach the ground when they discover the other remaining survivors on earth known as The Grounders, a large group warriors who inhabit the earth in different clans. The pressure builds as as the prisoners are trying to contact The Ark, as well as attempting to survive in a foreign environment whilst trying to avoid conflict with The Grounder. Leaders Clarke Griffin ( Eliza Taylor ) and stowaway Bellamy Blake (Bob Morley) must work together to control the arising tension The 100 must face. Spanning for a whopping 7 seasons, The 100 is nail biting, thrilling and so enjoyable to watch. We really grow with these characters as they explore the earths surface whilst facing a number of different enemies across time. This show has it all. It has the drama, the action and it has the romance! It really does have something which will appeal to everyone.
The whole 7 seasons can be streamed on Amazon Prime.
