If you’re sad that there will be no more seasons of “Stranger Things” to binge on Netflix, you might be tempted to go back and watch the series all over again — or else rewatch any of the nostalgic ’80s classics “Stranger Things” pays homage to. While that is a perfectly valid response, you needn’t limit yourself to rewatches. There are plenty of new TV shows you can watch that hit the same sweet spot as “Stranger Things.”
On paper, some of these shows may sound like knockoffs of “Stranger Things.” On the contrary, each of these sci-fi shows is impressive in its own right, and in fact they may even improve upon the popular Netflix show. Heck, one of these series was so influential to television that “Stranger Things” could have never existed without it. Here are five TV shows that could be described as “Stranger Things, only better.”
The most obvious companion show to “Stranger Things” is an underrated sci-fi show also streaming on Netflix. Both shows share a near-identical premise: Children start going missing in a small town, and it turns out they are the victims of a top-secret experiment that threatens to tear the fabric of reality apart. But it’s what the showrunners do with that premise that makes all the difference, and “Dark” arguably does it better. For starters, “Dark” takes that same set-up and takes it in an unexpected direction. By the end of the first episode, the characters find a body, but it doesn’t belong to any of the missing kids — it belongs to a boy who went missing 33 years ago.
In atmosphere alone, this lesser-known Netflix show leaves “Stranger Things” in the dust. With its towering nuclear power plants and deep forests, the town of Winden is far more eerie and iconic than Hawkins, Indiana. “Dark” also does a better job interweaving the stories of the teenagers and grown-ups. And while the opening credits of “Stranger Things” are pretty memorable, they don’t hold a candle to the title sequence of “Dark.” The show’s opening credits are a kaleidoscopic head trip that will send shivers down your spine.
It’s worth noting that showrunner Jantje Friese actually embraces any comparisons between her show and “Stranger Things.” She told Deadline, “If all those people who watched Stranger Things will at least think about watching Dark, I think that’s a great opportunity for us … So keep comparing it.”
I Am Not Okay With This
If the sweet coming-of-age story was your favorite part of “Stranger Things,” then we’ve got another TV series that delivers that in spades. “I Am Not Okay With This” follows a teenage girl named Sydney (Sophia Lillis, who may look familiar to horror fans) who is still mourning her father’s sudden death and has a secret crush on her best friend (Sofia Bryant). On top of all these normal growing pains, Sydney also discovers that whenever she becomes upset or anxious, she starts moving things with her mind. Together with her weird neighbor (Wyatt Oleff), she needs to figure out how to control her dangerous new abilities before someone gets hurt.
If you felt like “Stranger Things” got too bloated and ambitious in later seasons, you needn’t worry about that here. “I Am Not Okay With This” keeps the story simple and the pacing tight. The romantic subplots in “I Am Not Okay With This” are far more passionate than those in “Stranger Things” — Sydney’s repressed desires here are so intense they’re almost palpable. Sydney might actually remind fans more than a little of Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), another traumatized teenager grappling with violent powers that she can’t control. While “I Am Not Okay With This” certainly has plenty to offer for fans of genre television — including blossoming superpowers and exploding heads — at its heart is the story of a teenage girl learning to deal with strange new emotions. More than “Stranger Things,” this series strikes the perfect balance between the supernatural and the mundane.
Paper Girls
While most of the shows on this list are serious adult dramas, “Paper Girls” is a more lighthearted rmp that captures the ups and downs of being a tween — just like “Stranger Things” (at least before the actors became too old to pass as tweens). “Paper Girls” is a coming-of-age story that gives us a glimpse of what our teenage heroines look like after they have come of age. The girls get to time travel and meet their future selves, and along the way they reflect on childhood, adulthood, and what paths they are going to take.
With its ’80s nostalgia, and imagery of four kids riding their bikes, “Paper Girls” will definitely give you “Stranger Things” vibes. But what sets this show apart is its cast of all-female leads and its upbeat, wacky energy. (Did we mention this time-travel story includes a dinosaur?) While the time-war storyline is fun, it’s the chemistry between the girls that’s the real highlight of this series. If you enjoyed listening to the boys in “Stranger Things” bicker about Dungeons & Dragons, then you’ll love seeing these girls talk about their pets and learn how to use a tampon for the first time. The genuine friendship and solidarity between them will rival even that of the “Stranger Things” cast. Wholesome yet still loads of fun, “Paper Girls” will bring a smile to your face.
Alien: Earth
While the first TV series in the “Alien” franchise may not be the first comparison that comes to mind, we think it has plenty to offer to fans of “Stranger Things.” Scientists messing with mysterious forces they don’t understand? Check. Grotesque body horror? Check. Iconic otherworldly monsters that will give you nightmares? Double-check. (We think the xenomorph and the Demogorgon would get along swimmingly.)
Although “Alien: Earth” doesn’t involve kids pedaling around suburbia on their bikes, the themes of childhood are still a huge part of this show. Since Wendy (Sydney Chandler) was a child when she became a Hybrid (a human mind uploaded to a synthetic body), she and the other Lost Boys are essentially kids in adult bodies, something the show doesn’t let us forget. The pacing of “Alien: Earth” is a bit better than “Stranger Things,” as showrunner Noah Hawley knows how to expertly harness suspense. Both series explore the consequences of scientific hubris, though “Alien: Earth” takes more time to delve into the real-world parallels. Boy Kavalier (Samuel Blenkin), the arrogant man-child at the helm of Prodigy Corp, is particularly terrifying because of how much he resembles real-life tech billionaires. In that respect, he makes an even more compelling villain than Dr. Brenner (Matthew Modine).
Twin Peaks
It’s safe to say that “Twin Peaks” changed TV forever and every prestige TV show owes it a debt. “Stranger Things” is among those shows, and when you hold the two series side-by-side, the influence of “Twin Peaks” on “Stranger Things” is plain as day. Anything that “Stranger Things” did well, “Twin Peaks” did first.
Both shows start with a missing-person case, but the image of Laura Palmer’s (Sheryl Lee) body wrapped in plastic is a bit more striking than the vanishing of Will Byers. “Twin Peaks” helped popularize the trope of a small suburban town with a dark underbelly and layers upon layers of secrets. Without it, there would be no Hawkins. Meanwhile, the Black Lodge is basically the original Upside-Down, (with both being an eerie alternate dimension that looks vaguely like ours but is actually the dwelling place of something evil.) Arguably, the Black Lodge is even creepier. And where do you think Season 1 of “Stranger Things” got its famous cliffhanger ending, where audiences think Will (Noah Schnapp) is home free until he looks in the mirror? The resemblance is uncanny to the chilling cliffhanger at the end of “Twin Peaks” Season 2 — which also features a character looking in the mirror as audiences realize the trouble is far from over. With these same ingredients, “Twin Peaks” creates something more mature, more unsettling, and more unforgettable.
