WhenThe 100first premiered on The CW in 2014, many viewers were instantly hooked on the concept. It was a peak time for dystopian plots, as the first twoHunger Gamesmovies had already successfully hit the theaters, and many fans were anticipating great things to come from the first film adaptations ofThe Maze RunnerandDivergentseries.
The 100follows 100 juvenile delinquents (plus one stowaway) as they are sent from their space station to Earth almost 100 years after previous generations abandoned it due to its uninhabitable state. The teens create a society, and after realizing the planet is safe, more of their cohabitants successfully make the journey down to the ground. However, they slowly begin to realize that they have more enemies than they ever imagined on the ground, and people become divided as moral questions and powerful leaders arise.
While many fans are still wrestling with their feelings abouthow things endedinThe 100, they should know that there are a number of other brilliant dystopian and sci-fi series that also deal with a survival element. Here are 10 TV shows you must watch if you likedThe 100.
10The Society (2019)
The Society
Supernaturalactress Kathryn Newton finds herself in yet another strange predicament inThe Society, but this time, Sam and Dean are nowhere to be found. Here, Newton plays Allie, a teenager with a take-charge attitude who, upon returning to town after a school field trip is canceled, discovers that the whole town has vanished, save for those who were with her on the bus. After several emotions wash over the teens, they come together to create their own society, but some are less inclined to listen to those in charge.
How It’s Like The 100
Rather than returning to Earth and not knowing what to expect, Allie and her classmates return to their little town and are completely baffled by the disappearance of everyone. LikeThe 100,The Society’s teenagers are forced to come up with a system that works for the majority in terms of rules, jobs, and leaders. Unfortunately, also likeThe 100, the series wascanceled without a proper endingas a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.Stream on Netflix
The Walking Dead
Based on one of the most successful and popular comic books of all time, AMC’s The Walking Dead captures the ongoing human drama following a zombie apocalypse. The series, developed for television by Frank Darabont, follows a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), who are traveling in search of a safe and secure home. However, instead of the zombies, it is the living who remain that truly become the walking dead. The Walking Dead lasted for eleven seasons and spawned several spinoff shows, such as Fear the Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: World Beyond.
The Walking Deadfollows an ensemble cast as they try to survive in a post-apocalyptic world, where zombies make up more of the population than the living. Much like Clarke Griffin (Eliza Taylor) inThe 100, Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) often tries to do what is best for the whole group, but many characters, as well as fans, become frustrated when his vision is clouded by his relationships and his need to be the one in charge.
Grounders and Walkers may not exactly be the same thing, but both seem to always want our protagonists dead. BothThe 100andThe Walking Deadfocus on people’s wills to survive. Unfortunately, as both groups navigate their own respective spaces, they find that not all other living and breathing people want to join forces to help everyone in need.Stream on Netflix
83% (2016-2020)
The Brazilian dystopian3%is a dark TV series that has morally conflicted characters likeThe 100, but it also features (sometimes deadly) games that determine a person’s fate. The premise of the show is that nearly everyone lives in an impoverished state known as “Inland,” and when people are 20 years old, they have the opportunity to complete challenges to be able to cross over to the technologically advanced “Offshore,” where money is not a problem and food is abundant.
On the outside,3%seems like a blend betweenThe 100,The Hunger Games, andSquid Game. However, there are more similarities between the twodystopian TV seriesthan initially meets the eye. In3%, there are several people like Clarke Griffin, who just want the best for everyone, even if that includes a rebellion. People also double-cross their friends as well as exclusive organizations to get what they want, and in the end, audiences tend to feel bad for those with good hearts.Stream on Netflix
7Snowpiercer (2020-2023)
Snowpiercer
With 2026 right around the corner and the things that our world has already gone through in the last few years, it is not that hard to imagine that the events inSnowpiercercould potentially take place in our lifetime. The TV series is a reboot of the 2013 film of the same name, and it deals with individuals who were lucky enough to board a space train that continuously circles Earth after the planet has become uninhabitable. However, as anyone who has ever been in a confined space knows, not everyone gets along, and there are bigger problems than food rationing and invading personal space.
LikeThe 100,Snowpierceralso focuses on the lives of individuals who have resorted to living on a space station after the planet is no longer suitable for human life. Instead of hoping to one day go back to the ground, the main characters show the importance of keeping their humanity in a dire situation. Classism and politics are major themes in this survival series, and many people even resort to complete chaos and believe in an “everyone for themselves” mindset.Rent on Prime Video
Related:The Theory That Snowpiercer Is a Sequel to Willy Wonka, Explained
6Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments (2016-2019)
Shadowhunters
Based on Cassandra Clare’s book seriesThe Mortal Instruments,Shadowhuntersfollows Clary Fray, an 18-year-old girl who discovers that vampires, werewolves, angels, and demons are just a few of the supernatural creatures that have always been a part of the world. Now that she has come of age, she is allowed to know about the different beings as well as her own fate as a Shadowhunter. Unfortunately, this also means more responsibility, especially when her mother is kidnapped by a rogue Shadowhunter who happens to be Clary’s estranged father.
WhileShadowhunters: The Mortal Instrumentsis more about supernatural beings thansurviving a post-apocalyptic world, there is still quite a bit of a connection between it andThe 100. For instance, both Clarke and Clary have to accept their roles in new and dire situations rather quickly. They each come from questionable families, and, in the end, they are willing to risk a lot to do what is best for everyone.Stream on Hulu
5Terra Nova (2011)
Terra Nova
Rather than going from a space station to the ground, the characters inTerra Novaare moving through time to create a better (and less populated) world for those in the future. This sci-fi drama primarily focuses on the Shannon family as they travel from the year 2149 all the way back to the Cretaceous Period. Other than the predatory dinosaurs, the family quickly discovers that the colony is not as perfect as it was made out to be, and there is a rebel group that is determined to take down the organized society.
Much likeThe 100,Terra Novabegins by discussing the issues of overpopulation and the dwindling resources available. The lack of food, water, shelter, and space is something everyone can understand as a very real fear, and when government authorities are put in place to keep families regulated, reality hits as we can think about other countries that have already imposed similar rules.Buy on Prime Video
4Lost (2004-2010)
Lost is a mystery drama series created for TV that follows a group of survivors of a plane crash and tells its story between the past, present, and future via flashbacks. When Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 crashes and lands on a mysterious island in the pacific ocean, the castaways discover their new temporary home may have a mind of its own, as strange supernatural events keep them locked to the island. From an unknown black smoke creature to dangerous islanders, the passengers must work together to survive the island’s seemingly deadly intentions.
Lostfollows thesurvivors of a plane crashas they find themselves on what seems to be a remote island in the South Pacific Ocean. At first, the individuals have varying levels of hope that someone will notice their plane went down. However, as time goes on and deadly forces begin to present themselves on the island, survival instincts take over, and the thought of leaving becomes miniscule. For six seasons, fans were on the edge of their seats rooting for their favorite characters to avoid tragedy and death.
Aside from crashing in the middle of nowhere,LostandThe 100have quite a few similarities. While Clarke and her crew fight off different Grounder tribes for several seasons, the survivors inLostbattle to survive against hostile natives known as “The Others.” Research labs, supernatural elements, and predetermined fates also play a role in each TV series.Stream on Hulu
Related:10 Movies to Watch if You Miss Lost
3The Ark (2023-Present)
Set 100 years in the future,The Arkshows Earth dying, and to preserve the human race, a group of highly intelligent individuals have been sent into space to eventually colonize on a new planet. However, after losing most of the crew and the commanders who run the ship, the survivors have to figure out how to pilot the Ark One and reach their destination to save humanity.
Lt. Sharon Garnet, much like Clarke Griffin, finds herself a bit in over her head when she has to, all of a sudden, step up as the de facto captain of the spacecraft after the others are killed. She reminds everyone that there are rules to follow, and they still need to complete their mission. Understanding and cooperation become key to their survival, but not everyone wants to follow the new orders.Stream on Peacock
212 Monkeys (2015-2018)
After having already worked together onTerra Nova, writers Terry Matalas and Travis Fickett came together and developed yet anothertime traveling TV series, but this time, they merged their original plans with a plot adapted from the 1995 film12 Monkeys. The four-season TV series, also called12 Monkeys, follows James and Cassie (Aaron Stanford and Amanda Schull) as they desperately try to stop a world-ending virus before it wipes out all of humanity.
Rather than trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world, James and Cassie are in a race against time to take down a powerful organization that releases a deadly virus that will inevitably kill billions of people.12 Monkeysfeels a lot more like the later seasons ofThe 100as there is more of a science-based plot to save people from a plague.Stream on Hulu
1The Wilds (2020-2022)
The two-season series,The Wilds, features a dual storyline: one follows two groups of teenagers, who believe they are stranded in a remote location where they struggle to survive, and the other shows that their predicament is a fabricated social experiment created by a manipulative woman named Gretchen. When all the “survivors” discover the reality of their situation, they begin pointing fingers and questioning everything they know about one another. Gretchen, on the other hand, manages to evade the authorities and claims that her experiment is doing wonders for the growth of the teens.
LikeThe 100,The Wildsfollows a group of teenagers who are thrown into the unknown. However, instead of monitoring living conditions, Gretchen wants to prove that girls are more capable of creating and running an efficient society than boys. Both groups (the girls and boys) inThe Wildsare similar to the original 100 teens who found themselves on the ground for the very first time because they establish needs and rules as they build their own societies.Stream on Prime Video
