Stranger Things is over; yeah, it’s really over. The final episode of Season 5 has just arrived on Netflix, and boy, it was surely an exciting journey. And now that it is over, fans may find it hard to move on from the brilliance of Hawkins and the Upside Down. Well, if you’re in the same boat of sadness, here are some other TV shows like Stranger Things you should watch now.
1. Dark
Image Credit: Wiedemann & Berg Television (via Amazon)
- Release Date: December 1, 2017
- Director: Baran bo Odar
- Cast: Jonas Gerzabek, Louis Hofmann, Andreas Pietschmann, Dietrich Hollinderbäumer, Ella Lee, Maja Schöne, Lena Urzendowsky, Angela Winkler
- Seasons/Episodes: 3/26
- IMDb/Rotten Ratings: 8.7/95%
Dark might seem different from Stranger Things on the surface, but if you dig deeper, you might discover why we chose it for this list. It is a small town mystery, with missing children driving the plot. On the other hand, like the Upside Down mirrors Hawkins in Dark, you will see different realities existing in layers.
Dark revolves around four interconnected families, who are connected to each other across multiple generations. After a child goes missing, a hidden passage is discovered beneath the caves of the town of Winden. The series shows that a generation’s past sins are never buried; they are simply passed on to the next.
2. Fringe
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Television (via Amazon)
- Release Date: September 9, 2008
- Director: J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci
- Cast: Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, Lance Reddick, Kirk Acevedo, Blair Brown, Jasika Nicole, Mark Valley, Seth Gabel
- Seasons/Episodes: 5/100
- IMDb/Rotten Ratings: 8.4/91%
Now, you might love seeing Dustin talking about Parallel Universes, time, and every other sci-fi mumbo-jumbo. Well, you’ll see that all of that is discussed in Fringe. This show revolves around unexplained crimes linked to advanced science. In the show, they call it the “fringe science.”
Overall, Fringe is a TV show like Stranger Things that will surprise with its complexity, and of course, with its several alternate dimensions that ultimately threaten humanity. Sure, you don’t get a band of kids fighting off the inter-dimensional threat, but you still get amazing characters like Olivia Dunham, Walter Bishop, and his son Peter.
3. The Umbrella Academy
Image Credit: Dark Horse Entertainment (via Amazon)
- Release Date: February 15, 2019
- Director: Jeremy Webb, Paco Cabezas, Peter Hoar
- Cast: Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, David Castañeda, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, Mary J. Blige, Cameron Britton, John Magaro
- Seasons/Episodes: 4/36
- IMDb/Rotten Ratings: 7.8/78%
The Umbrella Academy may not be as popular as Stranger Things, but believe me, it’s an awesome show that features some amazing band of characters. In Stranger Things, we have one or two superhero kids, and in The Umbrella Academy, every character has some sort of superpower.
The film centers around the Hargreeves siblings, who reunite after the death of their adoptive father. Each one of them has some ability, and one way or another, the siblings are dragged into tackling issues like alternate timelines and the end of the world. Of course, The Umbrella Academy might’ve disappointed many of us fans in the end, but if you can digest an underwhelming end, it’s for sure an amazing show to watch.
4. Alice In Borderland
Image Credit: Robot Communications (via Netflix)
- Release Date: February 15, 2019
- Director: Shinsuke Sato
- Cast: Kento Yamazaki, Tao Tsuchiya, Nijirō Murakami, Ayaka Miyoshi, Aya Asahina, Dori Sakurada, Sho Aoyagi, Riisa Naka
- Seasons/Episodes: 3/22
- IMDb/Rotten Ratings: 7.8/78%
Honestly, if you have Netflix and you still haven’t watched Alice in Borderland, then you are seriously missing out on one of the best TV shows like Stranger Things. Alice in Borderland is a Japanese show that centers on a group of people stuck in what we’ll call an alternate dimension. These people have to take part in a variety of deadly games to make it out alive.
Yeah, in a way, Alice in Borderland is a mix of Squid Game and Stranger Things. But of course, don’t expect to see any flesh-eating monsters in this one. Still, the mystery around Borderland and the people running this place is as great as the mystery of Upside Down .
5. Archive 81
Image Credit: Atomic Monster (via Netflix)
- Release Date: January 14, 2022
- Director: Shinsuke Sato
- Cast: Mamoudou Athie, Dina Shihabi, Evan Jonigkeit, Julia Chan, Ariana Neal, Matt McGorry, Martin Donovan
- Seasons/Episodes: 1/8
- IMDb/Rotten Ratings: 7.3/87%
Compared to Stranger Things, Archive 81 is a slow-burning horror that leans more towards a serious side. The show is basically Dan Turner, who is trying to restore the videotapes recorded by Melody Pendras. The events recorded in these videotapes lead Turner on a mystery hunt where he comes across threats like alternate dimensions, occult rituals, and a cult.
Sure, Archive 81 may take some time to grab your interest, but once it does, you stay in it until you see it to the very end. It not only entertains you with a variety of characters, but it also questions you on every stage by making you question what’s real or not.
Aparna is a Senior Entertainment Writer at Beebom with 4 years of experience in the industry. Specializing in Jujutsu Kaisen and everything horror, she brings in-depth insights and a passion for storytelling to her coverage. Recently, she has interviewed Abby Trott, the voice actress behind Demon Slayer’s Nezuko and Dandadan’s Momo. She has also interviewed Adam McArthur, the one to voice Yuji Itadori in JJK, delivering exclusive content for fans. Previously, she contributed her expertise to some notable publications including Sportskeeda, Dexerto, and Forever Geek, honing her craft in entertainment journalism.
Add new comment
Name
Email ID
Δ
Squid Game was the first survival TV show to become hugely popular in 2021. It quickly surpassed even the most popular shows on Netflix and became the most-watched series on the platform. Now that the saga has ended on a tear-jerking note, I’m pretty sure there are fans who would want to know what other shows have the audacity to give the same feel. Well, here, I’ve listed five of the best TV Shows like Squid Game that can fill the void.
1. Alice in Borderland
Image Credit: Robot Communications Inc. (via YouTube/Netflix, Screenshot By Aparna Ukil/Beebom)
- Release Date: December 10, 2020
- Director: Shinsuke Sato
- Cast: Kento Yamazaki, Tao Tsuchiya, Nijirō Murakami, Ayaka Miyoshi, Aya Asahina, Dori Sakurada, Sho Aoyagi, Riisa Naka, Yuri Tsunematsu, Hayato Isomura
Alice in Borderland is one of the must-watch shows for everyone who liked Squid Game. Despite boasting a different narrative style and themes, this survival thriller drama series shares way more similarities with Squid Game than any other show in existence.
Like Squid Game, Alice in Borderland also forces its characters to participate in deadly games. However, the only difference here is that the one to survive in the Squid Game will go home with the huge cash prize that will give them financial freedom, while in Alice in Borderland, the characters get to extend their visas by winning the game. Squid Game makes players play some childhood games with deadly twists, and Alice in Borderland makes its characters go through some of the most complex games that test their intellect, physical strength, decision-making, and more.
Alice in Borderland Season 1 was released before the pilot season of Squid Game, but it didn’t receive the initial traction it deserved due to a lack of marketing. However, the success of Squid Game popularized the genre, and AIB got the attention it deserved. It has blessed us with two seasons so far, and the third season is set to be released on September 25, 2025.
2. The 8 Show
Image Courtesy: Netflix
- Release Date: May 17, 2024
- Director: Han Jae-rim
- Cast: Ryu Jun-yeol, Chun Woo-hee, Park Jeong-min, Lee Yul-eum, Park Hae-joon, Lee Joo-young, Moon Jeong-hee, Bae Seong-woo
In Squid Game, we see 456 players forced to play the life-or-death games; on the other side, The 8 Show features only eight players who must do everything to win the game of survival. With each round, they are rewarded with more time to live. Both TV shows shed light on wealth disparity and human desperation. They particularly illustrate what extreme pressure does to an ordinary person.
The thriller series was released in 2024 and mostly garnered positive reviews. It also remained on Netflix’s Top 10 chart for three consecutive weeks.
3. Death’s Game
Image Credit: Saram Entertainment (YouTube/ Prime Video Singapore, Screenshot by Aparna Ukil/Beebom)
- Release Date: December 15, 2023
- Director: Ha Byung-hoon
- Cast: Seo In-guk, Park So-dam
Death’s Game and Squid Game are polar opposites, but again, it is a television series that comes from a South Korean production, and it also explores themes of societal pressure, survival, and morality. When the main protagonist Choi Yee-jae loses all hope and tries to commit suicide, Death itself stops him.
The invisible supernatural entity then punishes him by giving him 12 chances to live his life. If he fails to survive in even one of his lives, he will be sent to hell, and if he prevents his death, even if in his one lifetime, he can continue living his ordinary life.
4. All Of Us Are Dead
Image Credit: Kim Jong-hak Production (YouTube/Netflix, Screenshot By Aparna Ukil/Beebom)
- Release Date: January 28, 2022
- Director: Lee Jae-kyoo and Kim Nam-soo
- Cast: Park Ji-hu, Yoon Chan-young, Cho Yi-hyun, Lomon
Regardless, All of Us Are Dead and Squid Game are both set in Korea, which allows international fans to become familiar with the country’s culture.
5. 3%
Image Credit: Boutique Films (YouTube/ Netflix, Screenshot by Aparna Ukil / Beebom)
- Release Date: November 25, 2016
- Director: César Charlone, Daina Giannecchini, Dani Libardi, Jotagá Crema, Philippe Barcinski
- Cast: João Miguel, Bianca Comparato, Michel Gomes, Rodolfo Valente, Cynthia Senek, Vaneza Oliveira, Rafael Lozano, Viviane Porto
The first season of 3% was released in 2016, and it was the first Portuguese-language original television series on Netflix. Like Squid Game, this series also explored the themes of classism, wealth disparity, and survival.
3% takes place in a dystopian world that is divided into two parts: ‘Inland’ and ‘Offshore’. The former side includes the poor class, while the latter consists of the elite. So, the 20-year-olds of the Inshore are pushed to go through some tests that will decide their fate. Only 3% who pass the tests get to join the rich, while the ones who fail stay behind to spend their lives in poverty and face dire situations.
Aparna is a Senior Entertainment Writer at Beebom with 4 years of experience in the industry. Specializing in Jujutsu Kaisen and everything horror, she brings in-depth insights and a passion for storytelling to her coverage. Recently, she has interviewed Abby Trott, the voice actress behind Demon Slayer’s Nezuko and Dandadan’s Momo. She has also interviewed Adam McArthur, the one to voice Yuji Itadori in JJK, delivering exclusive content for fans. Previously, she contributed her expertise to some notable publications including Sportskeeda, Dexerto, and Forever Geek, honing her craft in entertainment journalism.
Add new comment
Name
Email ID
Δ
