As one of the most popular series in recent memory, there are plenty of people looking for other shows like The Last Of Us. Based on the acclaimed video game of the same name, the HBO series takes place in a post-apocalyptic setting where a virus has wiped out most of humanity and created an army of violent zombies. It follows Joel (Pedro Pascal) who escorts Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across the dangerous country with the fate of humanity hanging in the balance. Through its success sets it apart from much of the television landscape, fans can still find other shows like The Last of Us.
Fans still have a long wait for The Last of Us season 2, but there are some great series that can bide their time along with playing the original games. The Last of Us is not just a zombie outbreak show as it deals with the loss of humanity and impossible choices people are forced to make. Along with its post-apocalyptic horror and intense atmosphere, other shows hit these elements offering thrills and chills. Any fans of The Last Us will want to check out these excellent alternate options.
10 The Mist (2017)
The movie version of The Mist and its infamous ending are more widely known, but the series adaptation is also worth a watch. A mysterious mist settles over Bridgeville, Maine in this fascinating work of sci-fi horror based on Stephen King’s 1980 novella. Trapped in town by an ominous vapor and the horrific monsters that reside within it, survivors are forced to not only protect themselves from the unknown but from the dangers of the people that are stuck there with them. Deadly creatures, crumbling society, and untrustworthy survivors are all topics familiar to any fan of The Last Of Us. Unfortunately, the series only aired for one season before its cancelation.
9 Snowpiercer (2020-2022)
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This thrilling post-apocalyptic drama has stood the test of multiple forms of media. First, it was the French graphic novel Le Transperceneige, then it was adapted to film as Snowpiercer, and finally to a television series of the same name. Seven years after Earth becomes a frozen wasteland too cold for human life, the remaining survivors’ only hope is to stay aboard a perpetually moving train that continuously travels the globe. Much like The Last Of Us, the inhabitants are in survival mode, starving, turning on each other, and heavily watched by classist authorities.
8 The Walking Dead (2011-2022)
One of the most-watched cable network series of its time, The Walking Dead follows a broad ensemble of distinct characters as they struggle to make it in a post-apocalyptic, zombie-infested world. Based on a popular comic series by Robert Kirkman, the survivors worry about fighting off other groups of people just as often as they worry about the undead. Exploring themes of found family, survival, and a search for a cure, fans of The Last Of Us should definitely give this popular AMC series a try. There are currently over 100 episodes to binge, and while it ended with season 11, there are plenty of The Walking Dead spinoffs ahead.
7 The 100 (2014-2020)
Loosely based on a young adult novel series written by Kass Morgan, The 100 is set in a universe where Earth has become uninhabitable due to nuclear Armageddon. The remnants of humanity escaped to space in a station known only as “The Ark,” and remain there for decades. Nearly a century later, the decision is made to send a group of one hundred juvenile delinquents back to the desolate Earth to determine if it is possible for humans to ever return. The series ended in mid-2020 after a commendable seven-season run and an appropriate 100 episodes.
6 Z Nation (2014-2018)
It’s no surprise that there are a few zombie-related shows when comparing things to The Last of Us, given their similarity to the vicious, roaming Infected. The plot of Z Nation is not only a fun ride, but it is surprisingly similar to The Last Of Us. A black comedy rather than a drama, it is set years after an outbreak that signals the beginning of the zombie apocalypse. Only one person has ever survived infection. Traveling with a group from New York to California, he may be the only hope for a vaccine that could save the world. Z Nation ran from 2014 to 2018 on the SyFy channel and has a total of five seasons.
5 The Purge (2018-2019)
The Last of Us shows that the government’s reaction to the breakdown of society turned out to be as deadly as the outbreak itself. Eager to find a quick fix to steadily rising crime rates, an emerging government party called The New Founding Fathers Of America mandated that once a year, all crime – including murder – is legal. One of the few series on the list that is not post-apocalyptic, The Purge television show further explores the themes of The Purge movie franchise from multiple perspectives. The show ran for two seasons on the USA Network before its cancelation.
4 Attack On Titan (2013-2023)
One hundred years after humanity is taken over by an ancient predatory race of giant, man-eating creatures known as Titans, a young man swears to rid of world of their reign of terror. Set in a dystopian world where survivors are struggling against extinction, forced to fight monsters, and hopes of defeating them may be found in a character’s blood, Attack On Titan is a perfect choice for The Last Of Us enthusiasts that prefer to watch anime to live-action television. The series is currently airing its fourth and final season.
3 12 Monkeys (2015-2018)
A time traveler from a post-apocalyptic future goes back in time to try to save the world in this television adaptation that plunges audiences back into the world of the classic 1995 science-fiction thriller. Hailing from a harrowing future in which a virus has left humanity on the brink of destruction, mankind only has one, last shot at stopping it before it’s too late. Premiering on the Syfy channel in 2015, 12 Monkeys ran for four seasons before its climactic end.
2 The Walking Dead: World Beyond (2020-2021)
Fans of watching Ellie run around an apocalyptic United States, killing Infected, and being a general badass should definitely give World Beyond a try. This action-packed drama follows a group of sheltered teenagers that must fight for their lives as they travel miles through infested cities and eerie ghost towns to save a father, and perhaps to find a new family with each other along the way. A single-season event that was created to fill in some of the blanks from the original series, it will also lead the way for the re-introduction to the presumed dead fan-favorite, Rick Grimes.
1 The Stand (2020)
Another Stephen King adaptation, The Stand also examines how people losing hope allows evil to take over. Set in a post-apocalyptic world ruined by a man-made plague that kills 99% of the population, the few immune survivors band together. Meanwhile, a dangerous, false-messiah makes himself known, leading up to a war of Biblical proportions. Yet another adaptation of a classic Stephen King horror novel, The Stand is a CBS mini-series starring big names such as James Marsden, Alexander Skarsgard, and Whoopi Goldberg. This limited event is slated for only nine episodes that will conclude in February, and it is viewable on CBS All Access.
