Why A 5-Part Post-Apocalyptic Drama From 12 Years Ago Is Dominating Netflix
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Published Jun 28, 2026, 2:00 PM EDT
Faith Roswell is a Senior Writer on Screen Rant's Classic TV team. Since earning her degree in Creative Writing over a decade ago, Faith has written articles on film and TV from a variety of different angles. Faith now combines her knowledge of psychology with her love of monster movies to give more insight into what makes the best ones.
You may have read her Screen Rant lists and features covering horror, sci-fi, and fantasy, or read her Amazon Top 10 book, "Movie Monsters of the Deep."
Faith has had an extensive career as a writer, appearing on BBC live radio, researching true crime for Rotten Mango podcast, and writing for publications including Mental Floss, Atlas Obscura, and The Daily Jaws before beginning here at Screen Rant.
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There is a lot of room for creativity in the end of days, with TV shows and movies featuring everything from pandemics to the zombie apocalypse. That said, the best post-apocalyptic TV shows of all time have more than just excellent worldbuilding, with characters to root for and an aesthetic that immediately defines the series. For example, Amazon Prime's Fallout adaptation has established itself as an apocalyptic masterpiece for its zany characters and capturing the apocalypse-meets-1950s-Americana tone of the original videogames.
Fallout might occasionally make the end of the world look fun, but most post-apocalyptic TV series are terrifying. The best dystopian TV series treat the end of the world as an inevitable reflection of our current society, like Snowpiercer and Silo, which both feature an increasing class divide and breathtakingly corrupt government behind the scenes. While many great shows in this genre follow everyday people trying to survive, like The Walking Dead, the characters in The Last Ship add an extra layer of intrigue to the plot.
The Last Ship is set after a pandemic wipes out 80% of the population, and follows the 218-person crew of a Navy guided missile destroyer ship, who must find a cure and save humanity. Watching the people who are supposed to be the last line of defense in action is always fascinating, and the premise turns the series' plot into a multi-genre thriller that hits a little close to home. A new addition to the platform, The Last Ship is already Netflix's #2 series, making it the highest trending show on Netflix that isn't an original for the streamer.
The Last Ship's Instant Netflix Success Proves How Popular Post-Apocalyptic Shows Still Are
Doug Hyun/TNTIt may surprise viewers to learn that The Last Ship is not a new TV show, and originally aired on TNT in 2014. This is a testament to the popularity of the post-apocalyptic genre, with the show's success 12 years after its debut illustrating how viewers have actively looked for content in the genre. With the continued interest in pandemics in the post-COVID world, The Last Ship is a perfect summer binge, with an ending that packs an emotional punch while paying tribute to people who have made immense sacrifices in the name of the world's survival.
The Last Ship is better than its 69% Rotten Tomatoes rating suggests, with reviewers praising the action scenes and character-driven plotlines. While the premise is narrow, with the fight to cure the plague at the center of it all, this works in the show's favor as it allows the five seasons to remain focused on keeping the story moving, unlike other series that have tried to branch out and merely become confusing. The ship is a more exciting setting than the post-apocalyptic desert trope, and there is not a single weak link in the cast.
The Last Ship Features A Lot Of Familiar Faces
You will likely recognize many of the actors in The Last Ship, including the late Eric Dane in his best TV role. Dane, best known for playing Dr. Mark "McSteamy" Sloan on Grey's Anatomy and Cal Jacobs in Euphoria, plays Commander Tom Chandler. Dane has previously been associated with lighter dramas, so his standout performance in The Last Ship deserves to be seen. The show also stars Adam Baldwin as Commander Mike Slattery, the total opposite to his character in Firefly. While Jayne Cobb is a mercenary whose loyalty is for sale, Slattery's loyalty is his driving force.
The Last Ship is based on the 1988 book of the same name by William Brinkley, but the devastating global event was nuclear war rather than a pandemic.
Rhona Mitra, who plays Dr. Rachel Scott, is no stranger to the post-apocalyptic genre, having played Major Eden Sinclair in the British post-apocalyptic genre mash-up, Doomsday. Even the guest stars in The Last Ship are familiar, with Titus Welliver (Bosch,) Jodie Turner-Smith (Star Wars: The Acolyte,) and Jackson Rathbone (Twilight) appearing, among many others. With an excellent cast, great action scenes, and a fresh take on post-apocalyptic TV shows, the five-season action thriller is underrated and well worth watching.
The Last Ship
Release Date 2014 - 2018-00-00
Network TNT
Directors Paul Holahan, Jack Bender, Peter Weller, Michael Katleman, Bill Roe, Sergio Mimica-Gezzan, Bobby Roth, Brad Turner, Greg Beeman, Jann Turner, Jonathan Mostow, Kenneth Fink, Mario Van Peebles, Michael Nankin, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Tim Matheson, Nelson McCormick, Reza Tabrizi, Anton Cropper, Mairzee Almas
Writers Onalee Hunter, Jill Blankenship, Mark Malone, Hiram Martinez, Nic Van Zeebroeck, Katie Swain, Ira Parker, Cameron Welsh, Josh Schaer, Jessica Butler, Jorge Zamacona, Michael Sussman, Quinton Peeples, Anne Cofell Saunders
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Rhona Mitra
Dr. Rachel Scott
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