When The Last of Us premiered, it instantly became a cultural phenomenon — not just because of its recognizable post-apocalyptic atmosphere and zombies, but primarily due to its powerful human drama.
The story of the tough yet humane Joel and the girl Ellie won over viewers thanks to its delicate balance between action and psychology. The series explored not just survival, but love, loss, responsibility, and the struggle to preserve one’s identity in a broken world.
If after The Last of Us you're craving a similar atmosphere, here are three projects that hit the mark. They also feature a looming end-of-the-world backdrop, complex character relationships, and the sense that beneath all the action lies a much deeper story about being human.
Station Eleven (2021)
IMDb rating: 7.6
Plot: After a deadly pandemic, a group of surviving performers travels across post-apocalyptic America, staging Shakespeare. The series weaves together multiple timelines, exploring how catastrophe affects fate, art, and memory.
Similarities: emotional depth, an unconventional take on survival, a sense of loss and the search for meaning in a new world.
The Girl with All the Gifts (2016)
IMDb rating: 6.6
Plot: In the near future, humanity is afflicted by a fungal virus (ring a bell?) that turns people into zombies. At the center of the story is a special girl, Melanie, who possesses intelligence — and a hunger for flesh.
Similarities: the type of virus, adult moral dilemmas, a unique child who could either save or destroy the world. Although it’s a film rather than a series, in tone and pacing, it’s very close to The Last of Us.
The Leftovers (2014)
IMDb rating: 8.3
Plot: Three years ago, more than 140 million people suddenly vanished from the face of the Earth. The event was dubbed 'The Sudden Departure', and those who remain continue living in a world where grief, guilt, and existential crisis have become part of daily life.
The first season focuses on police chief Kevin Garvey and the residents of a small town trying to make sense of what happened.
Similarities: the story is about post-catastrophe pain — unfolding through silence, loss, and the inability to move on. Slow, atmospheric, with heartbreaking drama and subtle metaphors.
