15 Awesome TV Shows like Stranger Things
Lee
Lee is an avid 80's action fan classing 300, Predator and Terminator among his favourites. When he's not binging movies he can be found keeping fit, attending Comic Con and wearing Star Wars socks of all things.
Stranger Things is arguably one of the most popular TV shows of all time.
When Netflix first aired the show, I can bet they didn’t expect it to be as big a hit as it is, but here we are several seasons in, and it’s outstanding.
The show has everything, a brilliant cast, excellent storylines, and a killer 80s soundtrack that’ll make you wish you could relive the era all over again.
Oh, and not forgetting Will’s Mum…
But what happens once you’ve finished the show?
What you need is another show to sink your teeth into, so in this article, I’ll be showing you 15 TV shows like Stranger Things that you can binge-watch until your heart’s content.
Eerie, Indiana
This 90s TV show never really got the recognition it deserved. It only ran for one season, but with 19 episodes, it’ll give you something Stranger Things-esque to watch.
The show follows a young teen and his friend who investigate the oddities going on in their small town.
I’ll admit the show is set in the 90s, but it’s pretty close to 80s-themed Stranger Things.
Whether it’s haunted libraries or a mystical ATM, the two kids get to the bottom of the mystery.
The show has a similar feeling to Stranger Things, with a sense of wonder and excitement, and it follows a group of kids.
I feel if this show aired today, it would be more popular… remake anyone?
The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone is one of the most well-known mystery shows of all time.
While it might not have direct similarities to Stranger Things, there are a few reasons why you’d enjoy this show if you loved watching Mike, El, and the gang run around Hawkins solving mysteries.
Firstly, The Twilight Zone reboot probably wouldn’t have been as successful as Stranger Things, and it has similar themes like supernatural goings-on in a real-world setting.
The show is also incredibly sci-fi, so if that’s your bag, you’ll love it.
It has a large cast, as each episode tells a different story. Some names you might recognise are Morena Baccarin, Adam Scott, Jordan Peele, Damon Wayans Jr, and Damson Idris.
Wormwood
Wormwood is one for all of you Murray Bauman fans.
While Stranger Things is a heavily fictional TV show, the premise behind MKUltra and CIA mind control experiments is true and very well documented.
Wormwood is about the development of the program and the story of Frank Olson, the biological warfare expert who was dosed with LSD and fell to his death from a hotel window.
Olson’s death was said to be suicide, but there have been lingering doubts even to this day.
Was he “bumped” off to keep him quiet about the goings on in the secret CIA experiments? You’ll have to watch and find out.
The show stars Christian Camargo, Peter Sarsgaard, Molly Parker, and Scott Shepherd.
Sanctuary
This TV show went under the radar for most people, and if you’re like me, you probably missed it. Luckily, I’ve binged it recently, and it was great.
The show follows a brilliant doctor, Helen Magnus, and her team of experts. They track and study mythical beings that regular humans class as nothing more than a tall tale.
However, several other groups want to weaponise these creatures and use them for their own personal gains.
Each season covers various storylines but has a larger overarching theme, just like Stranger Things.
It’s a fun, easy-to-watch sci-fi show that you can enjoy without having to overthink it.
While it’s several paces behind Stranger Things, it should scratch that itch for you.
The show stars Amanda Tapping, Emilie Ullerup, Christopher Heyerdahl, and Robin Dunne.
Black Spot
Set in a small isolated town on the edge of a forest (just like Stranger Things), a local police chief and his new eccentric prosecutor investigate a series of gruesome murders linked to the supernatural.
This show is dark and has plenty of creepy parts that’ll remind you of the first few episodes of Stranger Things before you knew what was killing people in Hawkins.
The show stars Suliane Brahim, Hubert Delattre, Camille Aguilar, and Laurent Capelluto.
Dark
When two kids go missing from a small Bavarian town, the local’s sinful past and dark secrets start coming to light as the families search for their children.
This mystery drama is full of puzzles, twists and turns and will leave you suspecting a wide range of curious characters.
The story has many links to the supernatural, just like Stranger Things, and is a brilliant show to watch once you’ve finished Stranger Things.
Dark stars Louis Hofmann, Lisa Vicari, Gina Stiebitz, and Oliver Masucci.
Fear Street 1994
OK, I might be cheating a little here, but hear me out… Technically, this isn’t your usual series; it’s a three-part movie, but if you’ve seen season 4 of Stranger Things, you’ll know each episode was roughly the length of a film.
Fear Street is a horror slasher that spans different periods. Each episode tells the tale of a group of friends who come in contact with a murderous force.
I won’t go into too much detail in case I slip up and reveal some spoilers, but if you enjoyed the small-town horror feeling Stranger Things gives you, Fear Street is for you.
And to top it all off, it’s based on R.L Stine’s book series of the same name. You might know R.L from his popular 90s book series Goosebumps.
This series stars Emily Rudd, Chiara Aurella, Sadie Sink, and Olivia Scott Welch.
Maya Hawke, who plays Robin in Stranger Things, also stars in the series.
Outer Range
Wyoming rancher, Royal Abbott, is fighting for his family and land. He discovers a strange black void in one of his fields.
Later, his daughter-in-law disappears, leaving them pointing the blame at their neighbours who want their land. However, does the black void have something to do with it?
The show is full of intrigue and will have you questioning yourself throughout each episode.
This Amazon TV show stars Josh Brolin, known for Sicario, The Goonies, No Country For Old Men, Avengers: Endgame, Deadpool 2, and Inherent Vice. He’s joined by Imogen Poots, Lewis Pullman, and Tom Pelphrey.
The Guardian called the show a “maddening mystery” but only rated it 2 out of 5 stars.
Silverpoint
In 1997, four kids vanished without a trace while they were exploring Silverpoint woods. Almost 25 years later, a boy investigates what happened and tries to figure out the mystery of their disappearance.
… A disappearance of kids is very Stranger Things-esque, isn’t it? I needn’t say more.
One viewer of the show described it as “Fresh, intriguing, suspenseful”, all of the things you get from Stranger Things. However, I must add that this show isn’t as graphic as Stranger Things and could be suitable for your children to watch along too.
This BBC show stars Jordan Adene, Katy Byrne, Aoife Hughes, Maiya Silveston, and Scarlett Rayner.
Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks is an American mystery series that follows an FBI investigation into the murder of Laura Palmer, the local high school’s homecoming queen.
The investigation has strange supernatural elements and has a similar tone to Stranger Things. Plus, with it being set in a small town, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported back to Hawkins, minus the demi-gorgons and magical powers.
Starring in the show is Heather Graham, known for Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Boogie Nights, The Hangover, and Scrubs. Joining her are David Duchovny, David Lynch, Kyle MacLachlan, Lara Flynn Boyle, and Sherilyn Fenn.
I Am Not OK With This
This popular Netflix series follows Sydney, a teenager who’s trying to navigate their way through the complexities of high school life, all while dealing with family matters and figuring out her sexuality.
Oh, and I forgot to mention her newfound superpowers. Yeah, Sydney discovers she has El-like telekinetic powers; cool, huh?
At first, she doesn’t think so; she’s already struggling to fit in. But, could they give her the boost in confidence she needs?
As you can already tell, being set in high school, groups of teenagers and superpowers are all akin to Stranger Things.
The show stars Sophia Lillis, known for IT, Gretel & Hansel, and Uncle Frank.
The X-Files
If you love the conspiracy theory side of Stranger Things, then The X-Files is a much-watch TV show for you.
It follows two FB special agents sent out to investigate unexplainable paranormal cases and try to get to the bottom of what’s happening.
Both agents have a different approach to each scenario, with Agent Mulder being a conspiracy theorist and Agent Scully being more of a realist.
The show ran between 1993 and 2018, so there are plenty of episodes for you to sink your teeth into. I’ll always remember watching a few episodes as a child, and needless to say, it freaked me out, especially the vampire episode.
The show stars David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Mitch Pileggi, Robert Patrick, and William B Davis.
Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina
Remember Sabrina, The Teenage Witch from the 90s? This is Netflix’s reimagining of the popular TV show.
It follows a young teen who discovers she’s a witch. She struggles to deal with her dual life and being half-mortal.
The show is a rather dark adaptation but is the perfect show to watch after Stranger Things as it has the same dark feel and follows a bunch of high school kids coming of age.
It’s fun, chilling, and has a great storyline. Best of all, there are four seasons ready for you to binge your way through.
Leading the show is Kiernan Shipka; she’s known for Mad Men, The Silence, Flowers In The Attic, Let It Snow, Fan Girl, and Carriers.
Grimm
Nicholas Burkhardt is your average Portland homicide detective until he starts seeing things other people can’t see.
What he’s seeing is monsters and the supernatural world that many of us can’t see.
He’s what’s known as a Grimm, the latest in line to guard the thin veil between humanity and supernatural beings.
However, there are many who oppose Nicholas and his guardianship.
The show is like Stranger Things as it involves monsters and mystical creatures not of this Earth.
The show stars David Giuntoli, known for A Million Little Things, 13 Hours, Turn The Beat Around, and Weather Girl.
Supernatural
OK, this one’s my favourite on this list. Supernatural follows two brothers who’re looking for their missing father.
However, their family has a secret: they’re monster hunters and fear their father’s latest hunt has gone wrong.
The story becomes deeper and offers the same level of mystery and wonder as Stranger Things does. I’m pretty confident that you’ll enjoy binge-watching this show.
What’s more, there are 15 seasons to work your way through, each with around 23 episode. Now that’s enough to keep you busy for a month or two, although I must admit, I used to watch a season a week at university.
This popular TV show stars Jensen Ackles, Jared Padelecki, Misha Collins, Jeffery Dean Morgan, Mark Sheppard and Jim Beaver.
