A record 15 post-apocalyptic TV shows soon airing

In January, I was convinced that the trend of post-apocalyptic-themed TV shows had peaked with 12 shows. I was wrong.
With the fall TV season, there will be 15 post-apocalyptic TV series airing on broadcast and cable TV. The Syfy network is adding two more post-apocalyptic shows – “Van Helsing” and “Aftermath.”
“Van Helsing” takes place years after a vampire plague has swept the planet. It premieres Sept. 23.
“Aftermath” is a family drama about surviving a Biblical apocalypse complete with demons, doomsday meteors, solar flares, and other hellish events. It premieres Sept. 27.
Syfy is the post-apocalyptic network with four such shows in production. The others are “Z Nation” and “12 Monkeys.”
AMC is in second place with three PA shows – “The Walking Dead,” “Fear the Walking Dead” and “Into the Badlands.”
Why so many shows about living in a post-apocalyptic world?
It might have something to do with the public’s collective mindset, especially given the weak economic recovery under President Barack Obama, fears of terrorism, civil unrest, diseases like Zika and other horrors. Then there’s the looming 2016 presidential election featuring two of the most unpopular candidates of all time – Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
No wonder people feel like it’s the end of the world.

Update (Sept. 30, 2016): There are now 16 post-apocalyptic TV series airing on broadcast and cable TV. That's because the FX vampire drama “The Strain” went apocalyptic in its third season, with a global outbreak of vampirism.

Related:

List of post-apocalyptic TV shows