Anyone still declaring that video game adaptations always flop clearly hasn't watched The Last of Us. Not only does the HBO Max series pit Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) against fungus-infested monsters, but it also begs audiences to question how far they'd go for the people they love. Morale explorations aside, The Last of Us also has some of the most famous zombies since George Romero terrified the masses with Night of the Living Dead in 1968.
Now gearing up for a third season, The Last of Us isn't an easy act to follow. However, those looking for something similar have options. Whether you're craving more undead creepiness or hoping for complex tales of humanity, here are 10 TV shows like The Last of Us. Some are even HBO Max mainstays, meaning jumping from one show to the next is easy.
The Walking Dead (2010-2022)
With 11 seasons of content and some of the best practical effects in the zombie subgenre, The Walking Dead still reigns as "King of the Zombie Shows." While much of The Last of Us focuses on Joel and Ellie, The Walking Dead features an ever-evolving ensemble cast, primarily led by former deputy sheriff Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln).
Yes, there are snarling zombies and gory encounters, but the series' heart is the people and their struggle to survive. The Walking Dead never fails to remind audiences that humans are the real monsters. Assuming post-apocalyptic tales of survival are your thing (you liked The Last of Us, after all), The Walking Dead is the ultimate follow-up for more zombie-laden action and messy morality tales. And, hey, if you end up loving it, check out our guide on how to watch The Walking Dead franchise in order, so you don't miss any of the many spin-offs.
The Leftovers (2014-2017)
You won't find zombies in The Leftovers, but you will find an apocalyptic-esque world that's equally chilling. The series pulls no punches, kicking off with a mother whose shopping trips get upended when her baby and others disappear into thin air. Staying tuned transports audiences three years after the "Sudden Departure," where survivors are left to grieve and grapple with suddenly losing 2% of the world's population.
Criminally underrated as far as shows go, The Leftovers offers a similar vibe to The Last of Us while delving much deeper into faith and existentialism. If in-depth explorations of grief and loss sound like a lot right now, consider skipping this one. However, if you don't mind heavy themes, The Leftovers offers plenty of mystery and compelling characters for fans of The Last of Us to get lost in.
The Strain (2014-2017)
Stemming from the combined minds of Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan is The Strain. What makes The Strain so unique is its monsters. After CDC head Dr. Eph Goodweather (Corey Stoll) gets called to a "ghost ship" airplane situation, he uncovers a viral outbreak of vampirism spread by parasitic worms. While it sounds strange, The Strain delivers stylish cinematography with dark, disturbing scenes meant to make your skin crawl (pun intended).
The emphasis on studying the virus and developing a cure makes it a worthy follow-up to The Last of Us, especially considering the parasitic nature of its monsters. If you're a horror fan who thinks you've seen everything, The Strain might surprise you. Gritty, atmospheric, and packed with the same unique creature designs that made del Toro a household name, this one is a must-watch, at least for its first couple of seasons.
Z Nation (2014-2018)
Z Nation isn't for everybody. It offers something a little more campy and a lot more low-budget than most of the entries on this list. Fun might be the best description for The Asylum's five-season horror series, which follows a motley crew of heroes tasked with transporting the only survivor of a zombie-like plague that swept across America to a lab to create a cure from the antibodies in his blood.
Sound familiar? Those caught up on The Last of Us' first season know that's kind of, almost what the deal is with Ellie and her seeming immunity to the fungal infection. If you want a similar plot to The Last of Us, just with more humor and camp, add Z Nation to your watch list for some road trip horror fun.
12 Monkeys (2015-2018)
Like your apocalyptic viewings with more sci-fi than horror? Then, que 12 Monkeys. Hailing from the acclaimed 1995 film of the same name, the 12 Monkeys series sees two strangers team up to stop a virus from destroying the world with the help of time travel.
Like The Last of Us, finding the cure remains a significant overarching plot point while smaller human moments drive the story. Although 12 Monkeys is a bit of a slow burn, it's a mind-bending drama with plenty of mythology and mystery to keep you tuning in for more. Just be warned, this is one you pay attention to, or you'll lose the plot real quick.
Fear the Walking Dead (2015-2023)
Walking Dead fans might tell you that The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (2023) is the most like The Last of Us, given its reluctant caregiver trope. However, Fear the Walking Dead is arguably the better and more newcomer-friendly spinoff. Those wondering what happened in the early days of The Walking Dead's zombie outbreak get a taste of that in Fear the Walking Dead, which serves as a prequel to the flagship series.
In some ways, it begins very similarly to The Last of Us, as you watch the protagonists struggle to process the devastation and confusion breaking out around them. However, it diverts into its own unique story about survival. For its first three seasons, Fear might even be more engaging than The Walking Dead. If apocalyptic zombie stories are your thing, don't sleep on this one.
Black Summer (2019-2021)
Although Black Summer markets itself as a Z-Nation spinoff, those without knowledge of Z Nation can jump right into the 2019 series. You won't find slow, meandering zombies here. Instead, you'll find plenty of tension-inducing action and gore. Admittedly, Black Summer feels more attuned to The Walking Dead than The Last of Us, thanks to a decent-sized crew of survivors sharing the screen. However, at the heart of it all is Rose (Jaime King), a mother intent on finding her daughter and keeping her safe, which feels akin to Joel and Ellie's relationship in The Last of Us.
Black Summer moves at a breakneck pace, and although it exists as a Z Nation spinoff in name, it shares little of its predecessor's comedy. Instead, it opts for a gritty realism that adds to the ample action. Netflix might have cancelled this one, but Black Summer's two seasons are still well worth watching.
The Stand (2020-2021)
At well over 1,000 pages, Stephen King's well-loved novel rightfully needed an updated miniseries to tell its sprawling story. Set in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a lab-created virus, The Stand centers on a group of survivors caught between two supernatural figures, Randall Flagg (Alexander Skarsgård) and Mother Abigail (Whoopi Goldberg). With the two leaders acting as personifications of good and evil, respectively, The Stand delves into that theme and the complexities of morality.
The source material is tricky to adapt, but the miniseries manages to offer a compelling (if not flawed) version of one of King's most popular books. The post-apocalyptic setting is similar to The Last of Us, but The Stand feels much more epic in scale. While general horror fans might like the series, it will be best loved by King aficionados who enjoyed previous series adapted from his work, like Under the Dome (2013) and Castle Rock (2018).
Yellowjackets (2021-Present)
Okay, so Yellowjackets exists in a vastly different genre than The Last of Us. However, both deal with survival and question how far humans will go to achieve it. While Ellie and Joel hike through a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by fungus-infested zombies, Yellowjackets follows a high school soccer team navigating the aftermath of a plane crash that left them stranded in the wilderness.
The series might have cannibalism in common, but they also share actor Melanie Lynskey, who plays the quietly ruthless Shauna in Yellowjackets and the similarly complex Kathleen in The Last of Us. If you're looking for more survival horror, Yellowjackets is a modern classic for a reason.
All of Us Are Dead (2022-Present)
If Korean dramas aren't typically your thing, All of Us Are Dead might be the best zombie show you've never seen. The webtoon-turned-series follows a group of teenagers who find themselves trapped in their high school as their peers begin chomping into one another. Just like The Last of Us, All of Us Are Dead's biggest selling point becomes the humanity (or lack thereof) among the survivors.
Much like other Korean zombie fare, the action unfolds at a breakneck speed with plenty of guts and gore. Think Train to Busan (2016) meets high school politics. As a Netflix original, it remains a constant on the streamer, making it easy to jump into at any point—and I very much recommend making the jump.
