The best dystopian TV series to stream in 2025

From The Last of Us to Black Mirror, these disturbing shows will keep you on the edge of your seat

Pedro Pascal in The Last of Us.
Pedro Pascal as hardened survivor Joel in The Last of Us
(Image credit: Alamy / Landmark Media / HBO)

Dystopian TV shows are much "subtler" than "monster-filled" horror offerings, said Stylist. But that's "exactly what makes them so scary". From an "evil totalitarian government" to chilling apocalyptic events, the genre covers a range of scenarios all united by one factor: "things are going downhill. Fast".

The latest season of the HBO hit "The Last of Us" is back on our screens, alongside plenty of other dystopian television series streaming right now. Here are some of the best.

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Irenie Forshaw is a features writer at The Week, covering arts, culture and travel. She began her career in journalism at Leeds University, where she wrote for the student newspaper, The Gryphon, before working at The Guardian and The New Statesman Group. Irenie then became a senior writer at Elite Traveler, where she oversaw The Experts column.