Even as a professional entertainment writer, I still totally fangirl over an amazing show like Stranger Things. Its unique blend of action, heart, humor and nostalgia—oh, and some scary sci-fi monsters—was unmatched, and I felt a part of pop culture history as I watched the finale in the movie theater on New Year’s Eve.
But now that it’s over, I admit I’m deep into that disoriented, empty feeling, like a book hangover but for a decade-long story. There’s nothing stranger than a TV show that’s been part of our lives for 10 years disappearing quicker than Will Byers into the Upside Down. So what now? You (and I!) need a way to get that sci-fi fix in the Rightside Up!
I came up with a list of Stranger Things–like shows you might have missed. They each promise nostalgia, science-fantasy elements, kid-led adventures or a combination of all these aspects to fill the void. Some of these shows have already ended their run, but I made sure to include only those whose storylines were satisfactorily wrapped up—no cliffhanger cancellations here (sorry, The OA and I Am Not Okay with This)!
Read on for my picks of the best TV shows to watch when you’re in the mood for something like Stranger Things. I promise they’ll have you equally addicted!
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Dark
Aired: 2017–2020
A child who goes missing in the woods in a town with many secrets, an old nuclear power plant … and a cave that disappears people into 1986. Focusing on four families, this complex, twisty show braids together three time periods as generations of the families try to unravel the mysteries of the town’s hidden past. Although Dark is a bit, well, darker than Stranger Things, it satisfies cravings for mysteries, an eerie atmosphere, sci-fi elements, depth of characters and, of course, the 1980s. Plus, the central plot puzzle is thoroughly thrilling. It is a German series, but viewers can choose to watch it with the original subtitles or dubbed in English.
The best part: Dark is jam-packed with twists, and they make up some of the best parts of the show. But spoiling the details would just be mean. So I’ll point to a good part and let you discover the best for yourself. In the first episode, the scene in which the teens are exploring the woods and first spot the cave gives that fun “Uh-oh, you shouldn’t be there!” feeling as the kids’ flashlights start to flicker. Chills.
It: Welcome to Derry
Aired: 2025
A prequel to Stephen King‘s It (the 2017 movie adaptation starred Stranger Things‘s Finn Wolfhard), this supernatural show features the origin story of scary clown Pennywise. It: Welcome to Derry‘s nostalgia reaches further back than the recent flick set in the 1980s—this one introduces viewers to Derry circa 1962. But some of the familiar tropes of the scary movie genre make “welcome” appearances. Add some missing kids, a haunted house and a villain to rival Vecna, and you’ve got your next can’t-miss obsession.
With the first season just concluding on Dec. 14, the show hasn’t officially been green-lit for a second season. Still, given its ratings success, it seems likely that HBO will proceed with the planned second and third seasons.
The best part: There’s a shocking yet poignant death in the penultimate episode, with the finale really bringing that home for viewers. No spoilers, but did you ever think a horror show could elicit that kind of emotion?
The Umbrella Academy
Aired: 2019–2024
If you thought Stranger Things‘s Papa was bad, you should see The Umbrella Academy‘s Sir Reginald Hargreeves, the “father” who took seven children with superpowers and raised them (well, experimented with and trained them) to be an elite crime-fighting team. Now grown and estranged, the siblings come together after their father dies and eventually discover the truth of their past—and save the world in the process. There’s also some time travel involved in the show’s four seasons, with the siblings venturing back to 1963, forward into the future and sideways into other dimensions. Curiously, although they do have actual names, they’re also known by numbers one through seven (except Five, who’s just Five).
The best part: There must be something about characters named after numbers because like Stranger Things‘s Eleven, this show’s best character is Five. Although in a child’s body, he has the mind of an adult (it’s a long story, but when he came back from the future to the “present,” a calculation error returned him to his young form). Played by Aiden Gallagher, Five is precocious, hilarious and completely convincing as a sardonic 50-something trapped in a 13-year-old’s body.
American Horror Story: 1984
Aired: 2019
The title of this one tells you immediately you’re in for some ’80s nostalgia, AHS-style. Although its plot is not as deep, nor the characters as developed, as in Stranger Things, this season of the anthology series pays perfect homage to the decade’s summer slasher flicks. Because, of course, American Horror Story: 1984 takes place at Camp Redwood, where a repeat of a string of earlier murders is about to ensue. Don’t think too much about it—just watch for the 1980s references, music, aesthetic and campy (get it?) fun.
The best part: Don’t skip the intro—its synth music and retro style rival the iconic opening of Stranger Things.
Everything Sucks!
Aired: 2018
No, it’s not about vampires, and there aren’t any superheroes or sci-fi monsters, but like Stranger Things, this 1990s-set TV comedy sports a fabulous sense of nostalgia. In aptly named Boring, Oregon, a group of outcasts in the AV Club (just like Dustin and the gang!) decide to make a movie. With episodes that clock in at less than 30 minutes, Everything Sucks! is light and sweet, and features a young Sydney Sweeney.
The problem? It was canceled after a single season. At least it wrapped up (most of) its storylines satisfactorily. Like the one-season wonder Freaks and Geeks, its brand of reminiscence and the universality of high school rings true.
The best part: Kate’s (Payton Kennedy) exploration of her sexual identity and her burgeoning relationship with Emaline (Sweeney) is nuanced and well-acted. It normalizes the LGBTQ+ experience, just as Will’s and Robin’s storylines do in Stranger Things.
Hysteria!
Aired: 2024
Hellfire lives! Just as Stranger Things depicted the Satanic Panic of the 1980s, so does Hysteria!, a comedy thriller in which an ’80s high school heavy metal band of outcasts exploits the potential satanic connection to their town’s missing teen. The only problem? Real monsters are lurking there too. Modern Family‘s Julie Bowen leads the grown-up cast as a mom with blond feathered hair to rival Karen Wheeler’s; Evil Dead‘s Bruce Campbell is the town’s earnest chief of police. This dark comedy is another one-and-done show, but the story wraps up pretty neatly at the end of its only season, so it’s worth a quick binge.
The best part: The focus on the ’80s is more satire than nostalgia, but that’s to the show’s credit. Plus, anyone longing for Eddie’s cover of Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” will love the show’s metal music.
Goosebumps: The Vanishing
Aired: 2025
If you’re looking for another show like Stranger Things that hits the sweet spot for parents and their older kids to enjoy together, Goosebumps: The Vanishing is it. Two teens move to their dad’s childhood home when strange things begin happening. Somehow, it’s all connected to four teens—including their dad’s older brother—who went missing in 1994 while exploring an abandoned fort called Camp Nightmare. This second season of the anthology series (which released in 2023 with Goosebumps) introduces viewers to a new cast and story.
The best part: Dad Anthony is played by Friends alum David Schwimmer, who’s great to see in a new series after quite some time. Nineties kids will also appreciate the nostalgia the Goosebumps series invokes, hearkening back to the original R.L. Stine books and classic TV show from the 1990s.
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