# War of the Worlds (2019)

> After an alien attack nearly wipes out humanity, scattered survivors struggle to stay alive and uncover who the attackers are and why they want humanity destroyed.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/73365

## Facts

- Seasons: 3
- Episodes: 24
- Episode runtime: 50 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: science fiction, drama
- Created by: Howard Overman
- Network: Canal+
- Cast: Gabriel Byrne, Léa Drucker, Elizabeth McGovern, Bayo Gbadamosi, Molly Windsor, Ty Tennant, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Natasha Little
- TMDB rating: 6.5/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9686194/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: bleak, paranoid, tense, melancholic, gripping

## What critics say

Audience reception is mixed, with early seasons praised for their tense survival drama and the final season rated noticeably lower.

## Synopsis

War of the Worlds (2019-2022) is a French-British science fiction drama series created by Howard Overman for Canal+, adapted from the novel by H.G. Wells. Gabriel Byrne plays Bill Ward and Léa Drucker plays Catherine Durand, leading scattered survivors across a world emptied by a sudden alien assault, with Daisy Edgar-Jones as Emily Gresham and Ty Tennant as Tom Gresham among the family members caught in the chaos. The engine of the show is simple and relentless: survivors must find food, shelter, and allies while hunted by invaders whose motives remain a burning question. Each episode is built from tense encounters, desperate journeys, and fragile alliances formed in deserted towns and ruined landscapes. Across three seasons of eight episodes each, the story moves forward as one continuing arc, giving a sustained sense of dread and attrition. The series is set in a near-future world shaped by the arrival of extraterrestrial forces, with an atmosphere of eerie desolation, paranoia, and human resilience. Its tone is bleak yet gripping, with moments of quiet grief and fierce determination. Fans of Falling Skies, The 100, and the 2005 film The War of the Worlds will find resonance in its alien invasion survival premise and apocalyptic dread.

## Shows like War of the Worlds

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- [The Man Who Fell to Earth (2022)](https://ember.film/tv/98673)
- [Teacup (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/163275)
- [Tripods (1984)](https://ember.film/tv/35771)
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- [Invasion (2021)](https://ember.film/tv/105392)
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- [3 Body Problem (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/90640)

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