This 4-Part Sci-Fi Show Changed The Game For Dystopian Dramas

The best post-apocalyptic TV shows often show a surprising amount of versatility, with TV shows like Station Eleven avoiding the temptation to make the end of days a depressing place, or simply copying Mad Max. On the other hand, the dystopian subgenre seemingly has less opportunity to get creative, with most shows being set in cyberpunk capitalist nightmares with similar aesthetics.

That said, occasionally a show arrives that changes the game for its genre and is set to inspire future series. While excellent ratings from audiences and critics are not always essential when this happens, it helps when the show is actually good, and Snowpiercer fulfilled this, at least for the first two seasons, which are often compared to the TV show Silo.

Snowpiercer’s Setting Was An Ambitious Feat For The Sci-Fi Dystopian Genre

Image courtesy of Everett Collection

Snowpiercer is a rare sci-fi TV show that surpassed its book origins, as it was based on a 1982 French graphic novel named Le Transperceneige. The source material inspired Bong Joon-ho’s 2013 dystopian movie masterpiece, Snowpiercer, as well as the TV show of the same name, and while all three vary in quality, they have the same unusual location.

Snowpiercer is set seven years after the world we know has been buried by a second Ice Age, and the last remaining survivors all live on a gigantic high-speed train that perpetually circles the globe. The story follows these passengers and explores real-world issues like class warfare, social justice, and the drive for survival, confined within this one claustrophobic setting.

There are some great movies set in one location, and Bong Joon-ho’s Snowpiercer movie was outstanding, earning a 94% positive critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, while setting a two-hour movie on a train is one thing, setting a four-season TV show with 40 episodes in the same place is an incredibly ambitious and risky feat, yet it worked.

Why Snowpiercer Is Still Worth Watching Despite Ending In 2024

Snowpiercer‘s unusual location alone makes it well worth watching, but it is also a dystopian show with masterful world building and character design. The show is a mix of genres that combines a murder mystery and social commentary, and the fact that this all takes place on a giant train is truly unique in the dystopian TV genre.

The first two series maintained a claustrophobic atmosphere that made all the action seem much more intense, and while the last two seasons are considered to have drastically declined in quality, the show is still an exciting concept. The population on the train is divided along the lines of social class, and Snowpiercer‘s story follows the lower class revolution against the corrupt elites.

Even during the third and fourth season of Snowpiercer, the acting saves the show. The final two seasons were both criticized for poor writing, inconsistent pacing, and illogical character choices that seemed to weaken the social commentary aspect, but Daveed Diggs and Jennifer Connolly were both praised for their performances and the way their characters’ relationship evolved over the course of the show.

All 4 Seasons Of Snowpiercer Are Available On Tubi To Watch For Free

Jennifer Connelly, Daveed Diggs, and Sean Bean in a Snowpiercer promo image

While streaming giants like Netflix, Apple TV, and Prime Video tend to get the most attention for their excellent sci-fi TV shows, Tubi is the best streaming service that you’re not using. Netflix’s reputation for canceling excellent series before their time is starting to damage its reputation in sci-fi, and while Apple TV is home to some sci-fi masterpieces, it is missing many great shows.

The Seasons of Snowpiercer
Season	Year	Episodes	Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Rating	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Rating
1	2020	10	62%	73%
2	2021	10	88%	75%
3	2022	10	–	55%
4	2024	10	–	44%

Tubi is home to some iconic sci-fi TV series, and all four series of Snowpiercer are available to stream on Tubi for free. Rather than being a remake of Bong Joon-ho’s movie, it instead shares the same concept but introduces new characters, so even if you have already seen and enjoyed the movie, the Snowpiercer TV series is worth watching too.