12 Best TV Shows Like The Last Of Us

Static Media

It’s hard to believe it’s been two years since “The Last of Us” took audiences by storm. As we at /Film wrote of the thrilling, character-driven achievement in TV, “‘The Last of Us’ is a survival story that cares less about how we survive than why, but it still manages to pull off some grisly action to match its source material … Breathe a sigh of relief: ‘The Last of Us” is very, very good.'”

Based on the video game franchise by Naughty Dog, the first season takes place after the world has been overrun with a mutated Cordyceps virus turning humans into hive-minded zombies. Pedro Pascal plays Joel, a grieving father entrusted with protecting Ellie (Bella Ramsey), while escorting her across the country after she’s discovered to be immune to the virus, hoping someone can provide a cure.

The series has finally returned for its highly-anticipated second season, which, for those who have played “The Last of Us – Part II,” brings a certain amount of dread. Whether “The Last of Us” season 2 works on television remains to be seen, but even if it somehow doesn’t, here are our recommendations for more shows if you’re a fan of the creators behind HBO’s hit, the trope of post-apocalypse and zombies, or simply just shows where truly nobody is safe from the cruelness of storytelling.

These are the best shows like HBO’s “The Last of Us.”

Chernobyl

HBO

While “The Last of Us” as a video game was heralded by the series’ co-creator, Neil Druckmann, he had some help from Craig Mazin, who had previously garnered acclaim on HBO with his drama miniseries “Chernobyl.” Inspired by the titular nuclear disaster from 1986, “Chernobyl” was one of the cable network’s biggest hits upon its release in 2019, topping the streaming numbers of shows like “Game of Thrones.”

When it premiered, /Film called “Chernobyl” the most vital, terrifying, and relevant horror story of 2019, writing that it “excels at portraying not only the physical and body horror that these men and women experienced, but also the psychological horror inflicted on them.” Of the series’ total five episodes, Mazin was the screenwriter behind each one, bringing a sensitivity to the subject matter that “The Last of Us” fans will recognize from his follow-up series, of which he also wrote or co-wrote all but one episode.

Most notably, there are lots of similarities in “Chernobyl” tonally to certain flashbacks from “The Last of Us” depicting the origin of the Cordyceps pandemic, albeit what makes “Chernobyl” much more chilling and hard-to-stomach is that it’s no science-fiction. It certainly won’t be the easiest watch, even for those who could easily handle “The Last of Us,” but if you had any appreciation for Mazin’s television work, this is the next series that you should be watching.

The Mandalorian

Disney+

Many have noted how similar Pedro Pascal’s role as Joel Miller in “The Last of Us” is to his role in the Disney+ “Star Wars” series “The Mandalorian.” Taking place shortly after the events of the original “Star Wars” trilogy, the series follows the procedural adventures of Din Djarin, a bounty hunter whose Mandalorian creed is tested when he rescues a child of Yoda’s species and reluctantly becomes its surrogate father to protect it from remnants of the Empire.

There are certainly similarities to the dynamic between Din Djarin and Grogu to Joel and Ellie in “The Last of Us,” but the shows are also oddly similar for their world-building. “The Last of Us” often spends entire episodes dedicated to supporting characters that Joel and Ellie encounter on their journey, which is also true for “The Mandalorian,” especially when it highlights guest stars like Katee Sackhoff’s Bo-Katan or Bill Burr’s Migs Mayfeld.

The show might not be as consistent in quality as “The Last of Us,” and Pascal’s role as Djarin often isn’t much more than voiceover work, but as /Film wrote in its season 3 review of “The Mandalorian,” which many consider its weakest season, it still contains “what we loved about the show in the first place: the relationship between Din and Grogu, mythos-expanding ‘Star Wars’ action, and a whole lot of fun.”

Dopesick

Those who have played through “The Last of Us – Part II” are well-acquainted with Abby, for better or worse. However, those who only watched HBO’s adaptation will meet her for the first time in season two, played by Kaitlyn Dever (above). The actress has had a strong career in comedy and drama thus far, but for an idea of how well she’ll fit in a show like “The Last of Us,” check out her performance in Hulu’s miniseries “Dopesick.”

“Dopesick” dramatizes the impact of the opioid crisis on American families, with Dever playing Betsy, a coal miner who becomes addicted to OxyContin after it’s prescribed to her for a back injury, sending her down a slippery slope of rehabilitation and desperation. While the series doesn’t feature any zombies or post-apocalyptic survival, it makes the Cordyceps pandemic of “The Last of Us” look mild in comparison to the epidemic of addiction that swept America through the early 21st century.

Especially considering the controversy behind Dever’s “The Last of Us” character, fans know it’s going to take a lot for audiences to empathize with Abby. Thankfully, shows like “Dopesick” prove that Dever can do it easily, so if you have any appreciation for the actress’ performance in “The Last of Us,” “Dopesick” is a strong (and important) miniseries you need to watch.

Silo

Apple TV+

Apple TV+ has become a new home for prestige television, as the streaming home for some of the best sci-fi shows on TV at the moment. One of those shows is “Silo,” which premiered in 2023 and wrapped up its second in early 2025, with two more on the way. Based on a series of novels by Hugh Howey, “Silo” centers on a dystopic future where humanity has survived in an underground complex inside a massive silo, with Rebecca Ferguson (above) starring as Juliette, an engineer who becomes embroiled in a murder mystery with a righteous sheriff (David Oyelowo) and his suspicious wife (Rashida Jones).

Obviously, the dystopian setting of “Silo” is in parts similar to “The Last of Us” given that the surface world, believed by those inside the silo to be poisonous, seems ravaged by apocalyptic disaster. The organization behind the titular silo is also reminiscent of FEDRA (the Federal Disaster Respond Agency) in the HBO series, given how controlling they are of their citizens and secretive about the origins of the outside world.

As we at /Film wrote of the post-apocalyptic neo-noir’s intrigue and world-building, it “ultimately stands apart from standard post-apocalyptic fare thanks to its ability to deftly pull the audience’s focus from one point of curiosity to another, keeping us fully absorbed in the details of this strange world all the while.” Suffice it to say, if “The Last of Us” left you hungry for dystopian drama, “Silo” is one of TV’s current best.

American Primeval

Netflix

This recent Netflix miniseries doesn’t have any dystopic government organizations or zombie virus outbreaks, but its exploration of mid-19th century America and deep exploration of its characters will appeal to fans of “The Last of Us.” Having released in January 2025, “American Primeval” finds Taylor Kitsch in a Joel Miller-esque role as Isaac, a mountaineer plagued with grief who reluctantly agrees to shepherd a mother (Betty Gilpin, seen above) and her disabled son (Preston Mota) through the dangerous road to California in order to reunite with the boy’s father.

“American Primeval” dominated Netflix’s top charts upon release, which should be no surprise given how gripping it is from start to finish. The series’ creator, Mark L. Smith, previously wrote Oscar-winning film “The Revenant,” which should give you some idea as to the way this show depicts the brutality of nature. With only six episodes, it’s a brisk albeit bloody show that throws western tropes like the “damsel-in-distress” or the “cowboy anti-hero” on its head, not unlike “The Last of Us.”

If you had a particular affinity for the episodes of “The Last of Us” that specifically followed the journey of Joel and Ellie through the American wild, “American Primeval” is the show for you. While it doesn’t boast any engaging zombie action, like “The Last of Us,” it understands that the true evil in the world comes from other human beings.

Yellowjackets

Showtime

“Yellowjackets” is another show that may not have zombies, but it does have cannibalism, which it has in common with “The Last of Us.” The Showtime series premiered in 2021, centering on a high school girls’ soccer team who end up in a plane crash, leaving them stranded in the Canadian wild. Meanwhile, the show simultaneously explores their lives 25 years later, as the survivors still face consequences from their teenage trauma.

Notably, one of the show’s biggest stars is Melanie Lynskey, who plays Shauna. “The Last of Us” fans will recognize Lynskey from the HBO series, where she played Kathleen, the leader of a Kansas City-based revolution whose determination to find and kill Henry (Lamar Johnson) and his younger brother Sam (Keivonn Montreal Woodard) see a seemingly-sweet woman turn into a ruthless monster.

/Film wrote that the coming-of-age cannibal mystery series’ third season, despite having faltered a little since its Emmy-nominated first season, “is proof positive that this show still has plenty to say about feminine rage and the haunting powers of grief and guilt.” Plus, its list of guest stars has begun to rival even the first season of “The Last of Us,” with appearances by Hilary Swank, Elijah Wood, and Joel McHale.

Station Eleven

HBO Max

“Station Eleven” is only a limited series of 10 episodes on HBO, meaning it’s an easy watch for “The Last of Us” fans biding time between new episodes of the second season. Based on a novel by Emily St. John Mandel, “Station Eleven” takes place in an alternate future where, not unlike the Cordyceps virus (or, in all fairness, the real world), a pandemic has completely obliterated human civilization, but it centers on a group of survivors who have banded together as The Traveling Symphony, a post-apocalyptic theater troupe.

Mackenzie Davis is the show’s center as Kirsten, the troupe’s biggest star, who was only a child when the pandemic began. The show equally explores how Kirsten survived as a child with the help of Jeevan (Himesh Patel), a stranger who becomes her reluctant caretaker. The supporting cast also features talented stars like David Cross, Lori Petty, and Gael García Bernal.

We at /Film deemed “Station Eleven” a colorful, humane, and Shakespearean post-pandemic watch, writing, “‘Station Eleven’ is a show about what’s really important: people, art, and the force of life that hums below the distractions.” It’s certainly a lot more optimistic about surviving an apocalypse than “The Last of Us” is, which after watching season 2 of the series, might be exactly what fans need.

Z Nation

Syfy

If you’re hungry for more zombie action after “The Last of Us,” then “Z Nation” is a series that will get you hooked. Premiering on Syfy in 2014, the show shares a similar premise to the HBO series thanks to Keith Allan’s character Alvin, who after a series of experimental vaccines is found to be immune to a deadly zombie outbreak that ravages society. While, like Ellie, his antibodies hold the cure for humankind, Alvin slowly discovers that his immunity may also be slowly turning him into a mutated zombie himself, capable of controlling the mindless soldiers he comes across.

Most of “Z Nation” centers on Alvin’s journey to California to deliver the cure, accompanied by Kellita Smith as an ex-National Guard named Roberta and DJ Qualls as a hacker named Simon. “Z Nation” is far less grim than “The Last of Us,” making it an underrated zombie show to watch if you love shows like “The Walking Dead” or other shows like it. As we at /Film wrote, “The show occasionally veers into campy territory, and it has difficulty deciding how seriously it wants to take itself. Still, if you’re willing to roll with those punches, it can be a fun, entertaining ride.”

Sadly, Syfy cancelled “Z Nation” after its fifth season in 2018, likely due to the increasing cost of production, but that hasn’t stopped fans of the cult series to clamor for a revival. As of March 2024, it seems like there’s still some hope…

Fallout

Amazon Prime Video

Video game adaptations can be hit or miss, but “The Last of Us” isn’t the only franchise to have seen success as a television series lately. In 2024, Amazon Prime premiered “Fallout,” a drama series based on a much different post-apocalyptic video game series than “The Last of Us.” The series takes place after nuclear disaster in the near-future leaves survivors retreating into a complex system of underground bunkers, known as vaults, where humans are unknowingly experimented on by a company called Vault-Tec.

Ella Purnell stars as Lucy, a young woman in the year 2296, who leaves her vault in search of her father Hank (Kyle MacLachlan), encountering eclectic characters such as Walton Goggins’ hideous (but still handsome) Ghoul, a lone ranger who was disfigured by nuclear radiation. Both fans of the franchise and unfamiliar new viewers deemed “Fallout” a stellar video game adaptation, with us at /Film writing, “The world of ‘Fallout’ feels as big and detailed as ‘Foundation’ or ‘Rings of Power,’ while still feeling as desolate as ‘The Last of Us,’ … [it] understands the best parts of the ‘Fallout’ games and how to translate them to a new medium.

If you’re a video game fan who was surprised by how well HBO handled “The Last of Us,” then fear not; Amazon does great service to the “Fallout” franchise and proves that video game adaptations don’t need to be incredibly faithful to the source material to still be good.

The Leftovers

HBO

Another drama series from HBO, “The Leftovers” premiered in 2014 and ran for three seasons. In “The Leftovers,” a mere 2% of the population on Earth suddenly disappear, which may not seem like much, but it’s enough to send society crumbling, making way for cultish factions rising. Like “The Last of Us,” the show has an ensemble, but it mainly follows the lives of the Garveys, Kevin (Justin Theroux) and daughter Jill (Margaret Qualley), who struggle following the exodus of matriarch Laurie (Amy Brenneman) and son Tommy (Chris Zylka).

Future seasons explore other survivors across America, as the mystery of this worldwide phenomenon is further explored. However, as /Film wrote of the emotionally satisfying finale of “The Leftovers,” “In the final minutes, all that matters are the two people sitting across from each other. As far out as Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta’s HBO series got, it became increasingly more intimate over the course of three seasons.” While “The Last of Us” does explore some of the mystery behind how Cordyceps took over the world, “The Leftovers” is content with keeping everything grounded.

Obviously, that kind of emotional focus on intimate character development in a high-concept setting will appeal to fans of “The Last of Us,” and the series is short and sweet enough to not feel like a grind to get through all 28 episodes.

Game of Thrones

HBO

The series has drawn lots of comparisons to fantasy franchises like “Lord of the Rings,” but it’s no surprise that the iconic HBO drama “Game of Thrones” took off, given its rich world, morally grey characters, and engaging plot. However, season 2 of “The Last of Us” will likely draw even more comparisons to “Game of Thrones” because of how ruthless it will be in proving that no character is safe, something the fantasy series became somewhat infamous for as it ran throughout the 2010s.

Plus, some could argue that, like “The Last of Us,” “Game of Thrones” is also a zombie show. From the series’ first moments, one of the biggest threats to Westeros is the invasion of White Walkers, an army of undead zombies from the wintry north beyond The Wall. Fans of Joel and Ellie will also see similarities in the likes of “Game of Thrones” main characters Jon Snow, Arya Stark, Sansa Stark, and The Hound, but the most obvious one is Lyanna Mormont, who debuts in the sixth season, played by none other than Bella Ramsey herself.

No matter how you feel about what worked and what didn’t work about the “Game of Thrones” finale, there’s no denying that it changed modern prestige television, for better or worse. Like the future of “The Last of Us” beyond its first season, there will be discourse about its storytelling decisions for decades to come.

The Walking Dead

AMC

You simply can’t talk about zombies on television without talking about “The Walking Dead.” The AMC series, based on a comic book franchise by Robert Kirkman, ran for 11 seasons and was one of the most talked-about shows of the 2010s, with characters like Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln, seen above), Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus), and Michonne (Danai Gurira) becoming household names by the end of its run. The series centers on Grimes, a sheriff who awakens from a coma to discover that society has crumbled from a zombie outbreak, reuniting with his family and surviving not just from zombies, but other humans.

Where “The Walking Dead” heavily differs from “The Last of Us” is in its cast. Across every season of “The Walking Dead,” it rarely maintained a steady ensemble, as characters often joined or were killed off from episode to episode, with even Lincoln’s own Grimes departing in its ninth season. Nevertheless, the series has also seen countless spin-offs, including “Fear the Walking Dead,” as well as a series focused on Norman Reedus’ character, “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.”

As far as zombie television goes, “The Last of Us” as a game owes a lot of its success to the popularity of “The Walking Dead,” but the sheer scale of the AMC series as a franchise may scare off some who are just looking for another show to binge. Still, if you’ve seen everything else on this list but have yet to watch “The Walking Dead,” you’re missing out.