Battlestar Galactica Meets The Last Of Us In Netflix's 5-Part Post-Apocalyptic Series

Published Jun 23, 2026, 8:15 PM EDT

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Only one show really combines all the best elements of Battlestar Galactica's military-focused sci-fi story with the post-apocalyptic world and virus of The Last of Us. That show is The Last Ship, and though it originally aired on TNT, it was recently added to Netflix this month. The Last Ship stars Eric Dane as Tom Chandler, the commander of the missile destroyer ship the USS Nathan James, one of the last bastions for humanity after a global pandemic wipes out 80% of the world's population.

Chandler and the USS Nathan James are even more unique than that, however, as they have onboard a virologist who works to develop a cure for the virus and save humanity. Unfortunately, things get complicated after other nations learn of Dr. Scott's location, making Chandler and his ship the most valuable military target in the world. With five seasons, The Last Ship is the perfect choice for dystopian sci-fi fans to watch, especially if you like Battlestar Galactica or The Last of Us.

The Last Ship Has All The Military Action Of Battlestar Galactica

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The Last Ship has quite a few obvious similarities to Battlestar Galactica. The latter show is widely regarded as one of the best sci-fi military shows ever made, and while Tom Chandler may not be commanding a spaceship, The Last Ship scratches the same itch. Both shows are chock-full of military action, with huge casts of characters having to work, live, fight, and die together in perfect harmony to keep humanity alive.

By primarily following soldiers and military commanders, Battlestar Galactica and The Last Ship also have similar feels in general. Both shows are defined by their massive and action-packed battles, both confront their characters with difficult decisions and life-or-death missions, and, most importantly, both have a dreadful feel to them that's tinged with a slim hope for the future in perfect dystopian fashion.

Even the premises of The Last Ship and Battlestar Galactica are similar. In Battlestar Galactica, the crew of the titular ship is the last remaining human vessel after a cataclysmic attack by the Cylons. In The Last Ship, the USS Nathan James is the last remaining American ship on Earth, and thanks to Dr. Scott, the last hope for humanity to develop and distribute a cure. Both shows are about the last hope for humanity facing extinction. Some of the details are just a bit different.

The Last Ship Also Features An Apocalyptic Plague Similar To The Last Of Us

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Part of The Last Ship's premise also makes it similar to The Last of Us. As previously mentioned, The Last Ship takes place shortly after the vast majority of humanity is wiped out by a lethal plague. Similarly, The Last of Us takes place in a world destroyed by the cordyceps fungus. While infected people in The Last Ship don't become zombies and the risk of infection isn't as omni-present, they're very similar setups.

The Last Ship is also a story about humanity's effort to cure its global pandemic, which is quite similar to The Last of Us season 1 and the mission to get Ellie to the Fireflies in hopes of developing a cure. Additionally, both shows deal quite extensively with efforts to rebuild. The Last of Us takes place 20 years after the initial pandemic and features several survivor groups and communities, while later seasons of The Last Ship explore how the cure is actually distributed and how the world governments reshape themselves into something unrecognizable.

Both The Last of Us and Battlestar Galactica have become sci-fi dystopian classics for a reason, and The Last Ship deserves a spot on the same list. It has all the action, tension, world-building, and dread of those other shows, along with much more. Its premise is also much more realistic and grounded than The Last of Us or Battlestar Galactica, which could make The Last Ship your favorite new show on Netflix.

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