10 Shows Like Toxic Town You Must See

Created by Jack Thorne, Netflix’s ‘Toxic Town’ delves into the harrowing true story of three mothers at the heart of the infamous Corby toxic waste case. This gut-wrenching drama lays bare their agony as they fight for justice after the children of the town are born with life-altering defects due to environmental negligence. Unflinching in its depiction of suffering, the series immerses viewers in the raw, unfiltered reality of their battle. Yet, amid the darkness, ‘Toxic Town’ is also a story of resilience and camaraderie, showcasing how solidarity and shared trauma can forge unbreakable bonds. If this haunting real-life tragedy left an impact on you, here are more compelling shows that explore similar themes of justice, survival, and the human spirit.

10. The Accident (2019)

‘The Accident’ follows the aftermath of a devastating explosion at a construction site in a small Welsh town, which kills several children. The series focuses on the grieving families seeking justice, led by Polly Bevan (Sarah Lancashire), who is determined to uncover the truth behind the tragedy. As the investigation unfolds, corporate negligence, government failures, and community divisions come to light, revealing the darker side of power and accountability. In line with ‘Toxic Town,’ ‘The Accident’ explores institutional cover-ups, corporate recklessness, and the fight for justice by those left behind. Both series showcase how ordinary people suffer the most when profit and power take precedence over safety and ethics.

9. Fires (2021)

A powerful Australian drama, ‘Fires’ is a six-part anthology series inspired by the real-life 2019–2020 Black Summer bushfires that ravaged vast parts of Australia. Each episode follows different characters—firefighters, residents, and first responders—who are forced to navigate the horrors of an unstoppable environmental catastrophe. Through raw storytelling and powerful performances, the series captures the emotional and physical toll of the disaster while highlighting systemic failures in government response and climate policy.

Similar to ‘Toxic Town,’ ‘Fires’ explores the human cost of environmental negligence, the struggle for survival in the face of a preventable tragedy, and the resilience of communities left to fend for themselves. Both shows serve as urgent reminders of how corporate and governmental decisions—or lack thereof—can have catastrophic consequences on ordinary lives.

8. The Salisbury Poisonings (2020)

‘The Salisbury Poisonings’ recounts the 2018 Novichok nerve agent attack that shook the quiet British town of Salisbury. The series follows the immediate aftermath of the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, as well as the tragic death of Dawn Sturgess, an innocent bystander who was fatally exposed to the deadly substance. Through the perspectives of local health officials, emergency responders, and investigators, the show portrays the race against time to contain the crisis, protect the public, and uncover the truth behind the attack. Like ‘Toxic Town,’ ‘The Salisbury Poisonings’ explores the devastating impact of government secrecy, systemic failures, and the unintended victims of larger political and corporate forces.

7. The Hot Zone (2019–2021)

Inspired by true events and based on Richard Preston’s 1994 non-fiction book, ‘The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus,’ this medical thriller explores the outbreaks of deadly viruses and the efforts to contain them. The first season focuses on the 1989 Ebola outbreak in the U.S., following Dr. Nancy Jaax (Julianna Margulies), a virologist who risks everything to prevent a potential pandemic. The second season, ‘The Hot Zone: Anthrax,’ shifts to the 2001 anthrax attacks, tracing the FBI’s hunt for the bioterrorist responsible for mailing deadly spores to media offices and U.S. senators in the wake of 9/11. Like ‘Toxic Town,’ ‘The Hot Zone’ delves into government mismanagement, scientific failures, and the human cost of crises that could have been prevented. Both series highlight the intersection of corporate interests, public health, and institutional accountability, showing how small lapses in judgment can spiral into full-scale disasters.

6. When the Dust Settles (2020)

A gripping Danish drama, ‘When the Dust Settles’ (Når støvet har lagt sig), tells the interwoven stories of eight strangers whose lives are forever altered by a devastating terrorist attack in Copenhagen. The series explores their lives before and after the tragedy, revealing how seemingly unrelated individuals are connected through fate, trauma, and the fight for justice. As the narrative unfolds, themes of grief, political failure, and resilience emerge, painting a poignant picture of the lasting effects of violence on a community. Much like ‘Toxic Town,’ ‘When the Dust Settles’ examines institutional failures, the ripple effects of catastrophe, and the struggle of ordinary people caught in extraordinary circumstances. Both series highlight the emotional and societal aftermath of large-scale disasters, shedding light on the human cost of systemic negligence.

5. Five Days at Memorial (2022)

Based on Sheri Fink’s 2013 non-fiction book, ‘Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital,’ this harrowing limited series chronicles the true story of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina at Memorial Medical Center in New Orleans. Over five agonizing days, the hospital’s staff—led by Dr. Anna Pou (Vera Farmiga)—struggles to care for patients without power, resources, or government assistance. As conditions deteriorate, desperate decisions blur the lines between survival and morality, leading to one of the most controversial medical ethics cases in recent history. ‘Five Days at Memorial’ exposes institutional negligence, the devastating impact of environmental disasters, and the failure of authorities to protect the vulnerable in a similar manner as ‘Toxic Town.’ Moreover, these series examine how crises reveal the cracks in the system, leaving ordinary people to bear the consequences of corporate and governmental failures.

4. Flint Town (2018)

A depressing eight-part documentary series, ‘Flint Town’ takes viewers inside the struggling police department of Flint, Michigan, a city plagued by economic decline, rising crime, and one of the worst public health crises in recent US history—the Flint water crisis. Shot over two years, the series follows the daily lives of law enforcement officers as they attempt to maintain order amid government failures, budget cuts, and widespread distrust from the community.

The show provides a raw, unfiltered look at a city left behind, where citizens and officials alike grapple with systemic neglect and broken institutions. ‘Flint Town’ examines the devastating consequences of corporate and governmental irresponsibility on public health and safety, echoing the themes of ‘Toxic Town.’ In both these series, you will find the exploration of how communities are forced to fend for themselves when those in power fail them, highlighting the long-lasting effects of environmental disasters and institutional corruption.

3. The Railway Men (2023)

Based on the true events of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, ‘The Railway Men’ is a powerful retelling of one of the world’s deadliest industrial disasters. When toxic gas leaks from the Union Carbide pesticide plant, killing thousands, a group of unsung heroes—railway workers led by Iftekaar Siddiqui (Kay Kay Menon), Rati Pandey (R. Madhavan), and others—risk their lives to save stranded civilians at Bhopal Junction railway station. As the government scrambles and corporate negligence is exposed, these ordinary men perform extraordinary acts of courage to minimize the catastrophe’s impact. Much like ‘Toxic Town,’ ‘The Railway Men’ sheds light on corporate recklessness, government failure, and the resilience of communities in the face of disaster. Both shows expose how human lives are often collateral damage in the pursuit of profit, emphasizing the fight for justice against institutions that evade accountability.

2. Mr Bates vs The Post Office (2024)

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, hundreds of innocent subpostmasters across the UK found themselves accused of theft, fraud, and false accounting — not because of any wrongdoing on their part, but due to a fatally flawed IT system called Horizon. ‘Mr Bates vs The Post Office’ tells the harrowing true story of Alan Bates (Toby Jones) and his relentless legal battle to expose the injustice that devastated countless lives. As subpostmasters were wrongly prosecuted, their reputations and livelihoods were destroyed, while those in power refused to acknowledge the system’s catastrophic failures. The series chronicles their fight for truth, accountability, and justice, culminating in one of Britain’s worst miscarriages of justice being overturned in court. While ‘Toxic Town’ explores the consequences of environmental misconduct, ‘Mr Bates vs The Post Office’ highlights how technological failures—when left unchecked—can ruin lives on an equally devastating scale.

1. Chernobyl (2019)

A haunting retelling of one of the worst nuclear disasters in history, ‘Chernobyl’ meticulously reconstructs the 1986 explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Soviet Ukraine and the catastrophic fallout that followed. The series follows key figures such as scientist Valery Legasov (Jared Harris), Soviet deputy Boris Shcherbina (Stellan Skarsgård), and nuclear physicist Ulana Khomyuk (Emily Watson) as they uncover the devastating truth behind the disaster.

From the harrowing initial explosion to the horrifying health effects suffered by first responders, ‘Chernobyl’ exposes a chilling pattern of government cover-ups, bureaucratic failures, and the reckless pursuit of power at the expense of human lives. If ‘Toxic Town’ is a deep dive into the consequences of corporate negligence, ‘Chernobyl’ is its historical counterpart—an unflinching portrayal of how misinformation, denial, and institutional arrogance can turn disasters into tragedies of unfathomable scale. Both shows force viewers to confront the brutal reality of preventable catastrophes and the painful road to truth and justice.