Alternate Trips Away From The Lake
Have you finished streaming To The Lake? Wondering what to watch next? Well, fret not! We’ve combed through the archives and saved you the hassle of having to try and find something similar with our top 10 picks for alternate viewing. To keep things simple for skim-readers we’ve added what similarities these have. Of course for all the shows we’ve reviewed, we’ve also added a handy link so you can check out our full thoughts on that series and see if it’s something you want to invest your time with. So without further ado, we present 10 TV shows that should whet the appetite when you’ve finished streaming To The Lake.
Colony
Similarities – Characters
Another cancellation casualty, Colony is a sci-fi series with a lot of promise that’s only partially explored. The main premise is set in the near future with an occupied LA. It centers on a family who must make difficult decisions as they balance staying together whilst trying to survive. While the show is predominantly sci-fi in nature, it’s also one of those series that really leans into its character drama. The show expertly balances tension with familial issues, building up to a really dramatic send-off at the end of the series.
The Last Ship
Similarities – Isolation & Outbreak
The Last Ship is a surprisingly underrated hit. It’s a show that tackles an outbreak that decimates most of the world’s population but from the confines of a naval destroyer out at sea. While the crew do dock at various different locations, there’s an intriguing main premise at work here. Running for five seasons, the show does feel like it runs out of steam after season 3. Still, if you’re looking for a different flavour of outbreak, this may just be up your alley.
The Walking Dead
Similarities – Outbreak
The behemoth that refuses to die, The Walking Dead franchise continues to churn out spin-offs, sequels and movie adaptations to Robert Kirkman’s original comic. Through this myriad of noise is a show (at least early on) that perfectly captures the essence of surviving against the undead. While the later seasons do lose their way, The Walking Dead is undoubtedly a decent apocalypse choice with (arguably) four great seasons followed by a declining quality to its final 11th season. You can read our thoughts on The Walking Dead in our season reviews here!
The Purge
Similarities – Tension & Every Man For Themselves
When it comes to missed opportunities, no franchise comes close to The Purge. After a myriad of lacklustre films, The Purge sets its sights on the small screen for a 2 season stab at delivering a story worthy of its interesting premise. While the first season does squander its potential, the second is actually a surprisingly gripping affair, revolving around separate groups of people banding together to try and survive Purge night – an event where crime is legal for 24 hours. If you’re in the mood for something family-centric and equally as suspenseful as To The Lake, this is a pretty good choice. You can read our thoughts on The Purge in our season reviews here!
Better Than Us
Similarities – Androids
Although not quite as endearing as BBC’s android-centric Humans, Better Than Us is a 2-season Russian drama revolving around a family on the brink of splitting up. Backdropping this familial drama, set deep in the heart of 2029, is a narrative where robots have become an ordinary part of human life. However, a rebel group intend to put a stop to this before robots take over every aspect of our lives. Blending elements of thriller and espionage together, Better Than Us certainly grows into its role with the later episodes delivering some great drama. You can read our thoughts on Better Than Us in our episode reviews here!
Survivors
Similarities – Outbreak & Characters
An unknown virus pandemic kills more than 90% of the world’s population. Those immune must strive to survive and overcome the difficulties of this new world order. The synopsis is undoubtedly similar to To The Lake’s but this BBC drama has more than enough gas in the tank. The characters are well written, the pacing nicely balanced and the relatively easy 12 episode run-time (6 episodes a season) makes this an easy show to get into and a difficult one to put down.
Kingdom
Similarities – Suspense & Characters
Beautifully presented and dripping in Asian culture, zombie action-thriller Kingdom is quite the thrill ride. Split across two seasons, Kingdom effortlessly blends political drama with a thrilling action plot, full of beautifully shot set pieces. It’s one of the few shows that balances the action with drama nicely. This one is full of tension and suspense too, leading to the welcome prospect of a possible third season on the horizon. You can read our thoughts on Kingdom in our full season reviews here!
Falling Skies
Similarities – Action
Falling Skies is basically The Walking Dead with aliens. There’s plenty of drama, action and tense segments interspersed across the five seasons but do be aware the season finale at the end of 5 is pretty unanimously considered dreadful. Despite that though, the show itself had a decent run and boasts some memorable episodes along the way. If you’re looking for something that has a similar up-and-down vibe to To The Lake and characters you can get behind, this one may be worth a shout.
Black Summer
Similarities – Start Of The Outbreak
Black Summer is an interesting take on the downfall of humanity, sticking much closer to the days of humanity’s downfall rather than the post apocalyptic wasteland depicted in so many other shows. Despite some strange stylistic choices and questionable character logic, Black Summer maintains a consistent danger throughout, with intelligent, fast zombies and an extremely tense atmosphere gripping most of the season. You can read our thoughts on Black Summer in our full season reviews here!
Jericho
Similarities – Small Band Of Survivors
A small town in Kansas is left in the dark after seeing a mushroom cloud over nearby Denver, Colorado. With radio transmissions out and lots of unanswered questions, this small town try to figure out what’s going on and how to survive. Suspenseful, well written and surprisingly gripping, Jericho became a cult hit until it was unceremoniously dumped by networks. The fans were so angry in fact, 20 tons of peanuts were sent to the CBS offices in a bid to reinstate the show. It worked too! And while this only returned for another season, Jericho is undoubtedly a decent watch. So there we have it, our 10 TV show picks to keep you busy in the wake of news over whether To The Lake is renewed for a second season or not. What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!
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