Video games aren’t just about gameplay anymore, they’ve also become great methods of storytelling, with compelling plots and characters and even cinematic touches like extended cut scenes. So it’s no wonder that some of the biggest, most beloved games often also become TV shows and movies. The latest isFallout, based on the game of the same name.
If you likedFallout, there’s no shortage of similar content, from other video-game adaptations to new stories of a post-apocalyptic world, from comedy to drama. The end of the world and how characters survive in the midst of it is a subject that’s been explored countless times in fiction, whether it’s brought about by a mysterious deadly virus, nuclear war, zombies or societal collapse brought about in other ways.
10’Halo' (2022-)
Developed by Kyle Killen and Steven Kane
Set in the 26th century,Halofollows a cybernetically enhanced super-soldier specifically designed to obey orders, called Master Chief, as he leads a team of Spartans of the United Nations Space Command (UNSC) in their quest to defend humanity from the alien Covenant. After touching an amulet, Master Chief begins to have visions. The show airs on Paramount+ and is based on the video-game series of the same name, with two seasons available so far.
AlthoughHaloisn’t the most faithful game adaptation and has veered from the original story quite a bit, leading to some frustration and criticism from fans, it still presentsan interesting sci-fi story for TV,especially for newcomers to the franchise or those who are willing to accept the show on its own merits. The series deals with the dark side of humanity, and it also features great effects, exciting action sequences and sincere performances from its cast.
Halocan be streamed on Paramount+ in the U.S.
Watch on Paramount+
9’Twisted Metal' (2023-)
Developed by Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick and Michael Jonathan Smith
In the Peacock comedyTwisted Metal, John Doe, who has no memory of his past, is presented with the opportunity of a better life in the safe community of New San Francisco, but only if he can successfully deliver a package across a post-apocalyptic wasteland. While accompanied by an axe-wielding car thief, he faces the dangers of the open road, including a deranged clown driving an ice-cream truck. The show is based on the video-game franchise of the same name.
Twisted Metalis like a comedicMad Maxand is in line with films likeZombieland, as it offers a more lighthearted take on the apocalypse, a refreshing alternative in a genre that is often heavy and bleak.It’s a well-done video-game adaptationand a hilarious show, where even the cause of the apocalypse isn’t as dangerous or serious as in other similar stories and John Doe is honest about some of the worst parts of the situation, like a lack of toilet paper.
Twisted Metal
Twisted Metalcan be streamed on Peacock in the U.S.
Watch on Peacock
8’The Last Man on Earth' (2015-2018)
Created by Will Forte
In the Fox comedyThe Last Man on Earth, a virus wipes out the entire population of the planet, except for one man, Phil Miller, a family man and bank employee. In search of other survivors, Phil traveled all over the US, Canada and Mexico in his RV. After four seasons, it ended on a cliffhanger, with a group of people emerging from an underground bunker. The series was created byWill Forte, who also starred as Phil.
The Last Man on Earthended despite critical praise and a devoted fanbasewho appreciated its ability to find humor in the apocalypse,where more dramatic series explore the dark side of what happens when people have freedom in a lawless land.The Last Man on Earthtook a comedic look at that same theme; and,like other shows about the end of the world, it also explored themes of loneliness and companionship, giving this comedy depth and meaning in the end times.
The Last Man on Earth
The Last Man on Earthcan be streamed on Hulu in the U.S.
Watch on Hulu
7’The 100' (2014-2020)
Developed by Jason Rothenberg
When civilization was destroyed by nuclear war, the only survivors were those aboard the 12 international space stations in orbit at the time inThe 100. Nearly 100 years later, as resources became scarce for the 4,000 people now populating the space stations, they sent 100 juvenile prisoners to Earth to see if they were inhabitable. The series aired on The CW and was loosely based on a series of books by the same name.
The 100wasone of the CW’s most acclaimed showswith a devoted fanbase, despite not getting much wider attention. Although it had some flaws, it still told an interesting story, and, like similar shows, it explored the themes of not just survival but conflict, warfare and how important it is for humanity to coexist peacefully. It also featured compelling characters who had some great development as the series progressed.
The 100can be streamed on Netflix in the U.S.
Watch on Netflix
6’Jericho' (2006-2008)
Created by Stephan Chbosky and Josh Schaer
After seeing a mushroom cloud over nearby Denver as part of an attack on 23 American cities and having all communications knocked out, the people of the small town of the titular Jericho were plunged into chaos as they were forced to figure out what happened, as well as survive and come to terms with the possibility that they were the last remaining people alive in America. The show aired on CBS and lasted two seasons.
Jerichowas tragically short-lived, as the drama was canceled after its first season, then briefly resurrected thanks to fan support, only to be canceled again. But it has found a cult following since, thanks to its story of survival.The series was a standout in the genre and was ahead of its time in some ways, making it a great option for first-time viewers looking for such a story, despite its lackluster ending.
Jerichocan be streamed on Paramount+ in the U.S.
5’Jeremiah' (2002-2004)
Created by J. Michael Straczynski
Created in 2002,Jeremiahis set in a dystopic 2021, where a deadly virus has killed everyone over the age of puberty. A decade later, loner Jeremiah (Luke Perry) seeks out the Valhalla Sector, which his father told him would be the key to survival. Along with his partner, Kurdy Malloy (Malcolm-Jamal Warner), and a man named Mr. Smith (Sean Astin)and Jeremiah encounter a group of other survivors along the way who were trying to rebuild society.
While the concept of a virus wiping out swaths of humanity and destroying society as we know it along with it is nothing new,Jeremiahput an interesting spin on it, leaving children on their own to figure out how to survive and rebuild, which also allowed the series to take a closer look at the impact that has on a person. Despite a somewhat slow start to the series, it hit its stride partway through Season 1 as it explored the virus and the effect it had on the world.
Jeremiahcan be streamed on Prime Video in the U.S.
Watch On Prime
4’Station Eleven' (2021)
Created by Patrick Somerville
Based on the novel of the same name,Station Elevenfollows survivors of a flu pandemic that led to the collapse of civilization and those who were left began to envision and rebuild a new world out of the crumbled ruins of the old one. While the series, at its heart, is about survival, Station Eleven also shows how the survivors of the pandemic cope with what was lost, not just in terms of people and modern conveniences, but in art like TV shows and books that humanity took for granted before it was wiped away.
Station Elevenwas a more optimistic view of the end of the world, where survivors weren’t content to just survive from day-to-day in a broken world.They clung to art and culture not just as entertainment or a way to connect with each other but as a reminder of the pastand what, and more importantly, who, they lost; and while some big changes from the source material mean it’s not the most faithful adaptation, it’s still a great one which stands on its own merits.
Station Eleven
Station Elevencan be streamed on Max in the U.S.
Watch on Max
3’Silo' (2023-)
Created by Graham Yost
InSilo, thousands of people are surviving in a silo which extends hundreds of stories deep underground with regulations they believe are designed to protect them from the dangerous wasteland above. The series takes place 140 years after people first made the silo their permanent home. It is based on the Silo novel trilogy andstreams on Apple TV, with one season behind it so far and another one on the way.
Silois more than just a survival story, especially as its characters uncover the mysteries of the silo itself, starting with a murder. In that way, the show unfolds similar to a murder mystery, with the silo functioning as a small town, given its insular nature.But one mystery only leads to other larger ones, including the true purpose of the silo and the motives of the people in charge, and it’s fascinating to watch it all play out.
In a dystopian future, men and women reside in a vast underground silo governed by strict regulations, believed to shield them from the hazardous world above. The series delves into the complex social order within the silo and the mysteries surrounding their subterranean existence.
Silocan be streamed on Apple TV in the U.S.
Watch on Apple TV
2’Snowpiercer' (2020-)
Developed by Josh Friedman and Graeme Manson
Set seven years after the world was literally frozen over,Snowpiercertells the story of survivors of the snow apocalypse who make their way across the world in a constantly moving train that circles the globe with 1,001 cars. Within these cars are the remnants of civilization, who are forced to face issues of not just survival but class warfare and more, just like how the world was before the temperatures dropped dramatically. The show’s first three seasons aired on TNT, with season four intended to be its last, but the network opted not to air it. Instead,the final season will air on AMCearly in 2025.
Snowpierceris a thrilling series with an interesting take on the apocalypse, with survivors not spread out across the country but rather contained in a moving train. Like other post-apocalyptic stories, it explores social issues with its characters in relative safety, and while that certainly comes with its own issues, especially when it comes to the politics aboard the train. It’s as if real-life is playing out right before the viewer’s very eyes, except they’re all confined to train cars.Snowpierceralso stands out for keeping its characters in the relative safety of the train, adding to the tension of this underrated gem.
Snowpiercer
Snowpiercercan be purchased on DVD from Amazon in the U.S.
Buy On Amazon
1’The Last of Us' (2023-)
Created by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann
Based on the video game of the same name released in 2013, Max seriesThe Last of Usfollows a man named Joel (Pedro Pascal) as he accompanies a 14-year-old girl, Ellie (Bella Ramsey), who may hold the key to survival in a post-apocalyptic world after an outbreak of a fungal infection which turned people into zombie-like creatures destroyed civilization. One season has aired so far, and Season 2 is in the works.
The similarities betweenThe Last of UsandFalloutare clear.Both are based on video games set in a post-apocalyptic universe,but they’re far from being the same show. While video-game adaptations can be difficult to pull off,The Last of Usmanages it wonderfully and has been praised by both audiences and critics. The episode “Long, Long Time” in particular, starringNick Offermanas Bill, has been hailed as one of the series’ best thanks to its compelling and emotional story.
The Last Of Us
The Last of Uscan be streamed on Max in the U.S.
