Top 20 Dystopian TV Shows Ever

Dystopian fiction has long been a significant force in both the science fiction and horror genres, but in the 21st century, it has truly emerged as its own dominant category. Here, you'll discover the very best of TV dystopia, encompassing everything from zombie-infested wastelands to AI-driven apocalypses, and even more subtle nightmares like societies ruled by social media metrics or worlds where every moment is recorded in your mind like a video file.

From massive plagues and nuclear winters to robot uprisings, time travel-induced paranoia, and mysterious disappearances, these 19 TV shows (plus one miniseries) showcase the most inventive, terrifying, and often poignant dystopian narratives ever crafted. Some are set in post-apocalyptic landscapes, while others focus on office workers with microchips in their brains, splitting their consciousness. What we're after is a dark, gripping vision of the future, whether it's near or far, brimming with intensity, intrigue, and boundless imagination.

If you're more interested in movies, be sure to explore the Top 10 Apocalypse Movies of All Time and the 6 Post-Apocalyptic Movies You've Probably Never Seen. IGN readers have also voted on their Favorite Post-Apocalyptic World from Movies and TV!

But if it's TV that captivates you, then stay tuned as we delve into series 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!