Top 20 Dystopian TV Shows Ever

Dystopian fiction has surged in popularity within the realms of science fiction and horror, establishing itself as a formidable genre in the 21st century. This list showcases the pinnacle of dystopian television, encompassing a variety of dark futures from zombie-infested wastelands to AI-driven apocalypses, and even more subtle nightmares such as societies ruled by social media metrics or worlds where every experience is recorded in the mind like a video file.

From devastating pandemics and nuclear winters to robot rebellions, time-travel-induced paranoia, and mysterious disappearances, these 19 TV shows (along with one miniseries) stand out as the most inventive, terrifying, and often deeply moving dystopian narratives ever produced. Whether depicting life after a cataclysmic event or exploring the daily struggles of individuals with microchips implanted in their brains, fracturing their consciousness, these series all share a grim outlook on the future—near or distant—that is charged with tension, mystery, and creativity.

For those interested in cinematic dystopias, be sure to explore the Top 10 Apocalypse Movies of All Time and the 6 Post-Apocalyptic Movies You've Probably Never Seen. Additionally, IGN readers have shared their preferences in the Favorite Post-Apocalyptic World from Movies and TV.

But if television is your medium of choice, delve deeper with us into acclaimed series like Fallout, Severance, The Walking Dead, The Handmaid's Tale, The Last of Us, and many more. Here are the Top 20 Dystopian TV Shows of All Time!