When the world goes sideways, are you ready to handle it? Binge on these apocalyptic survival series this weekend to see how the experts navigate fictional crises.
These shows are more than just entertainment; they offer valuable survival strategies and insights to keep you sharp in any disaster scenario. Each series was chosen for its gripping storylines and practical survival lessons, ensuring you get both excitement and knowledge.
We’ve included a diverse range of series to cover various survival scenarios and techniques. We avoided series that focus more on spectacle than survival skills, so you can focus on shows that provide both thrills and practical tips.
#1. Doomsday Preppers
The series explores individuals and families preparing for various doomsday scenarios, covering everything from natural disasters to economic collapse. Each episode provides insights into preppers’ preparations, supplies, and crisis strategies, showcasing readiness, survival planning, bunker setups, and resource stockpiling. With extreme tactics that pique curiosity and a hint of suspense, this binge-worthy show is a must-watch for doomsday prep enthusiasts.
#2. Surviving Disaster
The show features former Navy SEAL and survival expert Cade Courtley, who teaches viewers how to survive various disaster scenarios. From terrorist attacks to natural disasters, each episode breaks down the steps and strategies for survival; with a mix of real-life footage and dramatic reenactments, this series provides essential survival information and keeps you on the edge of your seat.
#3. Alone
A gripping reality TV series chronicles the journey of ten contestants stranded in a remote wilderness with minimal supplies and isolated from the world, relying solely on survival instincts and creativity to persevere daily. After navigating a challenging path to success, the ultimate winner secures a cash prize, captivating audiences with their endurance in harsh conditions and their fight for survival.
#4. The 100
In this sci-fi drama set in a post-apocalyptic world, a hundred young offenders come back to Earth from a space colony to face challenges from adapting, surviving in dangerous terrain, and dealing with power dynamics to forming alliances, all to secure their place in a new world order. Viewers are captivated as they witness individuals confronting external threats and inner struggles while learning vital survival techniques such as fire-starting, foraging, shelter-building, and navigation in unfamiliar territories.
#5. Survivorman
Survival expert Les Stroud leads this captivating reality show, tackling solo survival missions in challenging terrains. Viewers are captivated by his ingenuity in finding food, building shelter, and navigating back to civilization, with each episode presenting new challenges, offering viewers valuable survival tips and skills for adapting to different environments through smart problem-solving.
#6. Survivors
A post-apocalyptic drama follows a group of survivors in Britain as they navigate dangerous territories, resource scarcity, and conflicts with other groups after a deadly virus wipes out most of the population. As they struggle to stay alive and rebuild society, viewers are drawn into their challenges and the harsh realities of a world without modern conveniences.
#7. Man vs. Wild
In this popular documentary-style show, adventurer and survival expert Bear Grylls takes on some of the most extreme environments in the world and demonstrates incredible survival skills and techniques that viewers can learn from. From the Sahara’s deserts to the Amazon jungles, Bear shows viewers how to find food, shelter, and water in these harsh environments while entertaining them with thrilling challenges.
#8. Fight to Survive
A captivating series chronicles the challenges individuals and groups face as they combat nature, the elements, and each other to stay alive. Whether stranded on a remote island or navigating rugged terrain, these survivors rely on their intellect and physical prowess to make it through.
#9. Earthstorm
If you like survival series with natural disasters, Earthstorm will keep you on the edge of your seat as you witness the power of Mother Nature and humanity’s efforts to combat it. As the world is hit by a series of natural disasters, a team of experts must come together to try and stop the destructive forces, from tornadoes and earthquakes to hurricanes and tsunamis, while utilizing cutting-edge technology and scientific knowledge to save lives and prevent further catastrophes.
#10. Designated Survivor
Designated Survivor follows Tom Kirkman, a cabinet member thrust into the presidency after a devastating attack on the government during the State of the Union, as he navigates the aftermath, rebuilds the country, uncovers the truth behind the attack, and tackles challenges from all fronts. As Kirkman fights to restore order and protect his country, viewers go on a journey that is a reminder of how quickly life can change and how one person’s actions can impact an entire nation.
#11. Station Eleven
Station Eleven shows how survivors navigate a post-apocalyptic world after a deadly flu pandemic devastates humanity, weaving together characters’ lives before and after the outbreak to highlight human interconnectedness. Viewers think about life and reactions in challenging situations, as the series starkly shows how fragile society is while also finding hope and beauty in the human spirit.
#12. La Brea
In the series La Brea, a mysterious sinkhole appears in Los Angeles, transporting a group of people to a prehistoric world filled with dangerous creatures. As they struggle to survive and find a way back home, viewers are drawn into a thrilling adventure that explores themes of survival, family, and the resilience of humanity. While rooted in fantasy, La Brea delves into pertinent real-world themes like climate change and the impact of human actions on our planet.
#13. Y: The Last Man
Y: The Last Man follows the story of Yorick Brown, the last surviving human with a Y chromosome in a world where all other male mammals have mysteriously died. As Yorick travels the country seeking answers about the plague’s cause and maybe saving humanity, viewers embark on an emotional and thought-provoking ride exploring gender, power dynamics, and society’s fragility.
#14. Outlast
If you love reality and survival series, Outlast is a must-watch. This show follows a group of strangers who are dropped into the wilderness with limited resources and have to fend for themselves. As they face physical challenges and internal conflicts, viewers are immersed in a gripping tale of perseverance, teamwork, and self-discovery.
#15. Jericho
In a post-apocalyptic world, the residents of Jericho, Kansas, must band together to survive and rebuild their community after a series of nuclear attacks devastate the United States. With its intense action and intricate character dynamics, you’ll be glued to your seat as you watch this small town battle for survival against all odds, with surprises around every corner.
#16. Survivor
If you’re a fan of survival, reality, and game shows, check out Survivor, a long-standing reality TV series that has captured audiences for years. Contestants are stranded on a remote island, forced to rely on their physical and mental abilities as they compete in various challenges for rewards and immunity. The show’s strategic gameplay, unexpected twists, and diverse group of contestants make for an addictive and unpredictable watch.
#17. The Colony
For a more intense and realistic take on survival, The Colony follows a group of strangers in a simulated post-apocalyptic world. With limited resources and no outside help, the group must work together to build shelter, find food, and defend themselves against potential threats, creating a gripping experience that combines science, survival skills, and human drama to keep you on the edge of your seat.
#18. Jeremiah
In the post-apocalyptic series Jeremiah, you will follow the journey of a young man who was one of the few survivors of a deadly virus that killed every adult on Earth, leaving only children behind. In the series, Jeremiah must fight to survive, unravel the mystery of what caused the virus, and find a way to rebuild society, offering a unique and captivating take on the post-apocalyptic genre.
#19. The Last Ship
In this exciting series, a Navy destroyer’s crew navigates a global pandemic, wiping out 80% of the population. As they search for a cure and rebuild society, they face challenges from external and internal sources, creating a suspenseful tale that highlights humanity’s resilience and adaptability in tough times.
#20. Zoo
Zoo is an exhilarating sci-fi series that tracks a team of scientists and journalists delving into a perplexing pandemic triggering animals to target humans violently. Racing against time to discover a cure and halt the animal assaults, the group unravels a startling conspiracy with potentially fatal ramifications for humanity. With its dynamic narrative and intense suspense, Zoo will captivate you until the final moment.
#21. Naked and Afraid
Naked and Afraid is an intense survival show where two strangers are dropped in a remote location with no clothes, food, or water, and their only goal is to survive for 21 days. Viewers quickly see the physical struggles they face and the mental toll trying to survive takes on them.
#22. Sweet Tooth
Sweet Tooth is a heartwarming and adventurous post-apocalyptic series that follows Gus, a young boy who is part human and part deer, as he embarks on a journey to find his mother. Along the way, Gus meets unlikely friends and discovers the truth about his origins and the cause of the deadly virus that wiped out most of humanity.
#23. Out Of The Wild
Out of the Wild is a reality show where nine strangers are dropped in the Alaskan wilderness with minimal supplies. They must work together to survive while facing extreme weather, dangerous wildlife, and their own personal demons as they navigate the unforgiving landscape. But beyond just survival, Out of the Wild also delves into deeper themes such as human nature, teamwork, and facing one’s fears.
#24. Aftermath
Aftermath is a gripping post-apocalyptic drama series that depicts a family’s battle for survival in a world ravaged by a lethal virus. Amid treacherous terrain and connections with other survivors, the family wrestles with personal pain and grief from heartbreaking losses while fighting for survival and holding onto hope for a better future, striving to rebuild society from the ashes of destruction.
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