12 Shows Like The Testaments You Must See

Created by Bruce Miller, Hulu’s ‘The Testaments’ continues the story of the world established in the popular show ‘The Handmaid’s Tale.’ It follows the lives of Agnes MacKenzie (Chase Infiniti), a high-ranking girl in Gilead’s society who realizes her danger and begins to rebel, Daisy (Lucy Halliday), a Canadian teen whose life is upended by a secret linking her to Gilead, and Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd), the headmistress of a preparatory school who aims to bring reform through education. The teens, Agnes and Daisy, form a bond that becomes the catalyst capable of upending their lives.

As they spend more time at Aunt Lydia’s institution, their experiences lead them towards realizations and perspectives that may prove significant. Based on Margaret Atwood’s eponymous novel, the drama show is a deeper exploration of gender issues, friendship, and themes of liberation in a dystopian world dominated by men, with its own unique rules and moral standards. These shows, similar to ‘The Testaments,’ navigate deep human emotions, social themes, and intricately examine the fates of unique characters.

12. Utopia (2013-2014)

‘Utopia’ is a British thriller series that centers on the lives of Ian Johnson (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett), Becky (Alexandra Roach), Wilson Wilson (Adeel Akhtar), and Grant Leetham (Oliver Woollford), a group of online comic book enthusiasts. They believe that the graphic novel “The Utopia Experiments” predicts epidemics. The four become targets of “The Network,” a dangerous organization, after it learns they have acquired an unpublished sequel to the graphic novel.

The Network makes life difficult for the comic book fans while also trying to find a mysterious woman named Jessica Hyde. As the four dig deeper into the conspiracy, they uncover a plot linked to a flu virus that is beginning to spread worldwide. Created by Dennis Kelly, the show is based on an original idea by Huw Kennair-Jones, Mark Aldridge, and Clare McDonald. The narrative complements ‘The Testaments’ through its commentary on political systems, the element of power, and the harrowing journeys of individuals.

11. The Society (2019)

Created by Christopher Keyser, Netflix’s ‘The Society’ is a drama series that follows Allie Pressman (Kathryn Newton) and other teenagers as they are forced to establish their own society after the rest of the population of their Connecticut town, West Ham, vanishes under mysterious circumstances. The town is enclosed by a dense forest, and it appears the outside world is inaccessible, with no telephone or internet contact possible. With limited resources, the teenagers must create their own rules for survival. As they come to terms with their new reality, they face unique challenges that may alter the course of their lives. Akin to ‘The Testaments,’ the show is an exploration of a distinct reality in which rules and morals play a major role in people’s lives. The sense of mystery and the visual elements connect them on a deeper level.

10. Brave New World (2020)

Peacock’s ‘Brave New World’ is created by Grant Morrison, Brian Taylor, and David Wiener, and is loosely adapted from Aldous Huxley’s novel of the same name. The science fiction drama series revolves around John the Savage (Alden Ehrenreich), who saves Bernard Marx (Harry Lloyd) and Lenina Crowne (Jessica Brown Findlay) during a perilous incident. This leads to him being taken to the futuristic, utopian city of New London, where citizens live a hedonistic, non-monogamous existence. His influence disrupts their acceptance of the immoral caste system and challenges reality. The narrative delves into the intrigues of unique social systems, norms, rules, and morality, akin to ‘The Testaments.’

9. Westworld (2016-2022)

Set in a futuristic realm, HBO’s ‘Westworld’ depicts a thriving theme park where a powerful corporation lets visitors explore their darkest human impulses without consequence. The park is populated by sophisticated humanoid robots, designed to serve the guests and fulfill their fantasies. However, as these robots appear to gain some level of consciousness and human-like emotions, an unimaginable crisis erupts. Dolores Abernathy (Evan Rachel Wood) is at the heart of this turmoil, driven by a quest for purpose. Created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, the sci-fi Western drama series is based on director Michael Crichton’s eponymous film. The narrative, like ‘The Testaments,’ explores bodily autonomy, freedom of expression, and the meaning of life in a twisted reality.

8. Orphan Black (2013-2017)

Created by Graeme Manson and John Fawcett, ‘Orphan Black’ centers on the trials and tribulations of Sarah Manning (Tatiana Maslany). After witnessing the suicide of her doppelgänger, Beth Childs, Sarah becomes entangled in a bewildering conspiracy. To investigate the case further, Sarah takes on Beth’s persona to dig deeper. She finds more genetically identical clones raised by different birth parents and must quickly discover who created the clones and why, as an assassin is systematically killing them. The show explores the moral and ethical complexities surrounding human cloning, particularly its impact on one’s sense of identity. The Canadian sci-fi thriller series is connected to the characters and themes of ‘The Testaments’ through its focus on the psychological and physiological dimensions of power, while also navigating the female experience in all its complexity.

7. The Man in the High Castle (2015-2019)

Prime Video’s ‘The Man in the High Castle’ explores a world where the Axis powers have won World War II, dividing the United States into a Nazi-controlled eastern section, a Japanese-controlled western section, and a Neutral Zone. In 1962, Juliana Crain (Alexa Davalos) is drawn into the dangerous American Resistance, which is opposed by John Smith (Rufus Sewell) of the SS and Colonel Takeshi Kido (Joel de la Fuente). The Resistance’s hope lies in mysterious films depicting an alternate reality in which the Allies won.

The one behind these films is a mysterious person known only as “The Man in the High Castle.” With the person’s identity remaining unknown and the stakes getting higher, secrets lurk in the shadows. Created by Frank Spotnitz, the dystopian series is loosely based on Philip K. Dick’s novel of the same name. The narrative complements ‘The Testaments’ as it sheds light on a political reality where ideologies and systems are closely connected to power, identity, and freedom.

6. Snowpiercer (2020-2024)

Created by Josh Friedman and Graeme Manson, TNT’s ‘Snowpiercer’ is set in a world frozen after a global incident. The dystopian thriller series takes place seven years after the disaster and focuses on the last survivors of humanity, who live aboard a colossal train that circles the planet continuously. This train is a self-sustaining machine that protects its passengers from extreme cold. However, the train’s society is rigidly stratified by class, which fuels perpetual conflicts over social injustice and scarce resources. To solve a series of murders, Head Engineer Melanie Cavil (Jennifer Connelly) seeks the assistance of Andre Layton (Daveed Diggs), a homicide detective.

The show is based on the film of the same name by director Bong Joon-ho and the French graphic novel ‘Le Transperceneige’ by Jacques Lob, Benjamin Legrand, and Jean-Marc Rochette. The series, through its portrayal of class dynamics, social differences, conflict, and the value of freedom in a dystopian world, is connected to ‘The Testaments.’

5. The Wilds (2020-2022)

Prime Video’s ‘The Wilds’ follows a group of teenage girls, including Fatin Jadmani (Sophia Ali), Dorothy Campbell (Shannon Berry), Martha Blackburn, Rachel Reid, and others. The plane that they are on crashes under mysterious circumstances, leaving them stranded on a deserted island. The young girls fight for survival, unaware that their disastrous situation is actually a staged social experiment orchestrated by Gretchen Klein. The narrative alternates between the girls’ experiences on the island and a scenario in the future where the survivors are interrogated in an underground bunker by two men, who claim to be FBI agents. Created by Sarah Streicher, the drama series complements ‘The Testaments’ through its nuanced and harrowing portrayal of the female experience through the lens of gender, manipulation, power, and secrets.

4. Silo (2023-)

Apple TV’s ‘Silo’ takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where humans live in a massive subterranean silo, their only known sanctuary. The sci-fi dystopian drama show centers on the experiences of Juliette Nichols (Rebecca Ferguson), an engineer whose routine life is shattered when she takes on the investigation into a colleague’s death. Her quest for answers quickly spirals into a profound search for the truth about the silo’s shrouded history.

When an important individual breaks a sacred rule and a string of mysterious resident deaths follow, it forces Juliette to confront startling secrets that threaten the very foundations of the reality she lives in. Created by Graham Yost, the narrative is based on Hugh Howey’s Silo trilogy of novels. The story features a dystopian reality in which the purpose of people remains unclear, and power structures seemingly target the most vulnerable. These themes and the narrative’s visual style connect it to the world of ‘The Testaments.’

3. 3% (2016-2020)

Created by Pedro Aguilera, Netflix’s ‘3%’ is a Brazilian dystopian thriller series set in a future where class differences are extremely pronounced. Most people struggle to survive in the poor region known as the “Inland”, while a small, privileged group lives comfortably on an island called “Offshore.” Annually, those from the Inland who have turned 20 get a single chance to take part in a set of difficult tests that decide if they are worthy of living in the rich community. With only 3% of candidates allowed to win, the competition becomes intense and brutal.

One of the individuals in this complex equation is Michele Santana (Bianca Comparato), a lone, clever young woman with a sense of justice. As she becomes one of the few selected to live on the Offshore, her life takes unexpected turns. The story, like ‘The Testaments,’ presents a unique reality, populated by complex characters dealing with political, economic, and social issues in a world built on domination and subjugation.

2. The Power (2023)

Prime Video’s ‘The Power’ is an American-British sci-fi drama series that takes place in a fascinating reality. In this world, Jos Cleary-Lopez (Auliʻi Cravalho) and her fellow teenage girls across the world suddenly develop the power to electrocute people at will. This reverses the global power balance, as women can now hurt or even kill with electric jolts from their fingertips. The ability serves as an agent of both liberation and destruction, as different girls use it for various purposes.

While some use it for liberation, others do it to control human behavior. As the world comes to terms with this new reality, teenage girls deal with issues of their own. The show is based on the eponymous novel by Naomi Alderman, who co-created the show with Raelle Tucker and Sarah Quintrell. It reflects the ideas of ‘The Testaments’ through its deeply relevant commentary on gender dynamics, political systems, the art of adjusting to new realities, and female liberation.

1. The Handmaid’s Tale (2017-2025)

Created by Bruce Miller, Hulu’s ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ is a dystopian series set in the Republic of Gilead, where a fundamentalist theocracy has replaced the US. Due to environmental disasters and a plummeting birth rate, women are made second-class citizens in the new political system. One of the most important assets for this male-dominated society is the existence of fertile women. Due to the desires of the regime and the new social order, the few fertile women, called Handmaids, are forced into sexual servitude to bear children for childless government officials.

The narrative centers on the trials and tribulations of June Osborne (Elisabeth Moss), who is captured and forced to serve as a handmaid to a powerful family. To find her daughter, she must overcome overwhelming odds while also grappling with her sense of identity and freedom. Based on Margaret Atwood’s eponymous novel, the show is closely connected to ‘The Testaments’ as it is set in the same world and focuses on the institutions, power structures, and value systems that define the lives of women. Both shows present the story from a feminist perspective, connecting them on a thematic level.