Waiting for the return of Stranger Things is, frankly, like being stuck in the scary world of the Upside Down in Hawkins, holding onto a single walkie-talkie and hoping that someone can hear you. If you cannot wait to have more scary mysteries, secretive government, and groups of heroes made up of the most unlikely people, the TV world has no shortage of options. Here are 10 shows that can make you forget that your watchlist has a void in the shape of Hawkins until the gang is back in action.
10. All of Us Are Dead
Imagine Stranger Things, but replace the Demogorgons with zombies. This Korean thriller leaves a group of teenagers stranded in the midst of a dreadful outbreak, where survival is far from certain. It’s bloody, sentimental, and gets that same blend of adolescent melodrama and round-the-clock peril that Stranger Things enthusiasts devour.
9. Alice in Borderland
This Japanese show leaves a group of friends stranded in an abandoned Tokyo, where survival is determined by solving deadly games. It’s a taut mix of sci-fi, puzzle-solving, and unadulterated survival instinct—sort of like if the Hellfire Club’s D&D sessions got real and deadly.
8. Mortel
Teenage French voodoo-granted superpowers? Yes, please. Mortel tests what occurs when teen angst and superpower mix, with friendships and loyalty strained at every corner. If you enjoyed Eleven and crew figuring it out by the seat of their pants, this series has that same frenetic energy.
7. Dark
If Stranger Things is a rollercoaster, Dark is a brain-twister. This German phenomenon begins with a missing child but soon escalates to time travel, family secrets, and mind-bending plots. It’s atmospheric, creepy, and every bit as addictive for those who prefer their mysteries extra complicated.
6. Safe
For viewers who were stuck on Joyce Byers’ frantic search for Will, Safe packs an equivalent emotional wallop. The series tracks a father who is frantically searching for his lost daughter in what appears to be an unassuming suburban area that contains way too many secrets. It’s taut, suspenseful, and ideal if you enjoyed the parental viewpoint in Stranger Things.
5. Archive 81
Creepy videotapes. A dark cult. A decades-long mystery. Archive 81 is the type of slow-burning supernatural thriller that creeps under your skin and won’t quit. With its eerie vibe and supernatural puzzle pieces, it’s a natural fit for Hawkins fans.
4. Locke & Key
Think of what if the Hawkins children, instead of the Upside Down, had a house full of magical keys. Locke & Key marries fantasy and horror with family drama, presenting us with a coming-of-age tale shrouded in supernatural intrigue. Like Stranger Things, it’s an adaptation from a comic book and lives as much on the relationships between characters as on its creepy turns.
3. Raising Dion
What if Eleven’s narrative was presented through her mom’s eyes? Raising Dion covers that ground, tracking a widowed mom as she keeps her super-abled son protected from evil forces. With its themes of family, identity, and clandestine enemies, it’s an obvious companion to Stranger Things viewers.
2. The Umbrella Academy
Superpowered outcasts, dysfunctional family life, and the occasional apocalypse—it’s not Hawkins, but it gets at the same itch. The Umbrella Academy is snarky, killer soundtracked, and high-stakes, making it a binge-watch substitute for anyone missing the Hawkins crew’s dysfunctional charm.
1. Dead Boy Detectives
For a new spin on the supernatural teen genre, Dead Boy Detectives steals the show. Based on Neil Gaiman’s Sandman universe, they are two ghostly best friends cracking paranormal cases along with the living. It’s creepy, hilarious, and touching—pretty much the type of supernatural buddy mystery that Stranger Things enthusiasts will gobble up.
So get your Eggos, turn off the lights, and line up these episodes. Hawkins might be on hiatus, but the spooky fun doesn’t have to be.