The science fiction series Stranger Things, which premiered in 2016, immediately caught the attention of a sophisticated audience, as evidenced by high ratings and positive reviews from critics. The secret weapon of this television project is the secret that keeps the audience in constant tension and expectation of the denouement. The series was filmed in the style of the 80s of the last century and incorporated elements of several genres at once: from mysticism and horror to detective and drama. In the center of the plot is the story of a small American town where a 12-year-old boy disappears under mysterious circumstances. From that moment on, a chain of very unusual and frightening events unfolds, in which teenagers, supernatural powers and terrible monsters from the other world are involved. If you are a fan of such stories, we recommend paying attention to TV shows similar to Stranger Things (2016-2020). For you, we have compiled a list of the best projects with a description of their similarities.
TV series rating: KinoPoisk - 8.4, IMDb - 8.8
Twin Peaks (1990-1991)
- Genre: thriller, fantasy, detective, crime, drama
- Rating: KinoPoisk - 8.5, IMDb - 8.8
- The similarity of the two films lies in the mysterious and frightening atmosphere, in the intervention of mystical forces in the life of a small town.
This highly acclaimed series is set in Twin Peaks, a small town near the Canadian border. On the shore of the lake, locals find the body of young Laura Palmer, wrapped in plastic wrap. FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper is charged with investigating the crime. Together with Sheriff Truman and his assistants, he decisively gets down to business and has no doubts about its successful completion. But the deeper Cooper plunges into the investigation, the more confusing the story of the deceased girl becomes. In addition, during the investigation, signs of interference by otherworldly forces in the life of the local population are revealed.
Darkness / Dark (2017-2020)
- Genre: Fantasy, Thriller, Drama, Detective, Crime
- Rating: KinoPoisk - 8.1, IMDb - 8.7
- The projects have in common: the events unfold in a small town where two teenagers disappear without a trace. Further actions reveal that dark secrets of the past and even time travel are involved.
Season 3 details
This sci-fi drama series will appeal to anyone who loves exciting projects from the Netflix streaming platform. At the center of the narrative is the story of four families, tightly bound by terrible secrets. The plot begins with the mysterious disappearance of 15-year-old Erik Obendorf. And after 2 weeks, another kid, Mikkel Jonas, disappears. The police investigate and soon discover the body of an unidentified boy dressed in 80s clothes. Analyzing what happened, the heroes begin to suspect that the case smacks of mysticism and may be associated with time travel.
Riverdale (2017-2020)
- Genre: detective, drama, romance, crime
- Rating: KinoPoisk - 6.8, IMDb - 7.0
- An obvious similarity can be traced in the fact that the heroes of both series are teenagers, and the main actions, spiced with a touch of mystery, unfold in a small town.
Season 4 details
If you enjoy watching TV shows about modern teenagers, then Riverdale is just what you need. In the center of the plot is the story of the younger generation of a small American town. They get to know each other, fall in love, quarrel, reconcile and do everything that is supposed to be at their age. It seems to them that their life is calm and safe, but everything collapses in one day. After the mysterious death of high school student Jason Blossom, the heroes realize that the world around them is full of secrets and dangers. Therefore, the teenagers, led by the local handsome Archie Andrews, decide to investigate the dark secrets of the city hidden behind the festive facades.
Tales from the Loop (2020)
- Genre: Fantasy, Drama, Romance
- Rating: KinoPoisk - 7.0, IMDb - 7.5
- In common with Stranger Things: children and adolescents are at the center of most small-town events. Strange events occur with heroes that defy explanation.
In detail
This 8-episode fantasy project from Amazon tells the story of a small town. Its inhabitants are in one way or another connected with the maintenance of the underground scientific complex "Loop", built around a mysterious ball-shaped core called "Eclipse". This mysterious artifact causes strange anomalies that affect people and change their way of life. The heroes now and then find themselves in strange situations that cannot be explained from the point of view of physics.
I Am Not Okay with This (2020)
- Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Comedy, Drama
- Rating: KinoPoisk - 6.8, IMDb - 7.6
- A certain similarity between the series lies in the fact that the central characters of this fantastic project are teenagers, and the main character also has certain supernatural powers.
If you like stories like Stranger Things, check out this American project, which premiered in February this year. The series, filmed in the spirit of the pop culture of the eighties, takes place in a provincial US town. Life here is boring and uninteresting, and the only event that caused at least some outburst of emotions among the local population was the suicide of one of the residents. It is in such a sleepy environment that the main character Sidney Novak grows up, who discovers in herself the ability to telekinesis.
American Horror Story (2011-2020)
- Genre: Horror, Drama, Thriller
- Rating: KinoPoisk - 7.9, IMDb - 8.0
- The similarity of the two projects can be traced in a frightening atmosphere, mystery, the presence of the supernatural world.
Season 9 details
Speaking of TV shows that are similar to Stranger Things (2016), one cannot fail to mention this horror anthology, which has long become a cult. Viewers have now seen 9 of the 10 planned seasons, each with a different story.
The first part, called "The Murder House", tells the story of the Harmon family, who have moved into an old mansion inhabited by the ghosts of its former owners. In the second season of "Psychiatric" events unfold in a special institution for criminals with mental illness. In the next part, called "The Sabbat", the audience was told the story of witches who live in secret in New Orleans.
In the fourth episode of Freak Show, the action moved to a small town in Florida, where some dark entity has settled, terrorizing local residents, while in the fifth season of The Hotel, eerie events spiced with mysticism unfold almost in the center of Los Angeles. In the sixth and seventh parts, titled "Roanoke" and "Cult", viewers will meet the paranormal and sinister clowns-killers, while the eighth part of "Apocalypse" will talk about life in an underground bunker after a global catastrophe. In the ninth season, which received the symbolic name "1984", the action moved to the summer camp, where a killer maniac is at work.
ОА / The OA (2016-2019)
- Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Detective, Drama
- Rating: KinoPoisk - 7.2, IMDb - 7.9
- What are the similarities between the series: the main character is a young girl who became the victim of a mad scientist who conducted experiments on her. As a result of clinical death, she acquired a supernatural ability that will help open a portal to other dimensions.
Another original TV series from the Netflix platform with a rating above 7. In the center of the plot is a heroine named Prairie Johnson, who returned home after 7 years of absence. For all questions about where she was all this time, the girl gives evasive answers, claiming that she was nearby. But it is not only the theme of a wonderful return that haunts family and friends. Before her disappearance, Prairie was completely blind, but now she has seen the light and asks to call herself OA. Another oddity is that the girl befriends difficult teenagers and a school teacher.
Castle Rock (2018-2020)
- Genre: Fantasy, Thriller, Horror, Detective, Drama
- Rating: KinoPoisk - 7.3, IMDb - 6
- The obvious similarities between the two series can be traced in several directions at once. Firstly, there is a missing boy, and secondly, one of the heroines has supernatural powers. Thirdly, in the vicinity of the town where the events take place, a certain strange "guy", who is considered the embodiment of the devil, is prowling, and fourthly, the whole project is saturated with an atmosphere of mystery and fear.
In detail
The action of the series takes viewers to a small American town, in which a series of strange events take place. First, the head of the local Shawshank prison commits suicide, then in the basement of the same institution, a prisoner is found locked in an iron cage. His name is not on any list, although he calls himself Henry Deaver.
However, the whole intrigue lies in the fact that the real Deaver is a completely different person who works as a lawyer. As a child, the hero received a terrible psychological trauma, becoming a victim of a kidnapping. The shock from what happened was so great that when he was found 12 days later in the frozen forest, he could not remember any details of what happened. And now Henry is returning home hoping to find out at least some information from the stranger about those events.
Channel Zero (2016-2018)
- Genre: thriller, horror, detective, drama
- Rating: KinoPoisk - 6.3, IMDb - 7.2
- What are the common points: the scene is tiny American cities where children disappear under mysterious circumstances, teenagers play strange, frightening games, and adult aunts and uncles face otherworldly forces and parallel dimensions.
Anyone who is wondering what series are similar to Stranger Things (2016), we recommend paying attention to this project. In total, 4 seasons were filmed, each of which is devoted to one mystical secret. In the first part, the mysterious disappearances of children take place during the broadcast of a strange television program; in the second part, the characters move through a mysterious house, each room of which can drive you crazy. In the third episode, the sisters, caught in the net of dark rituals, are in the center of events, but in the fourth episode, the newlyweds in their own home will have a chilling meeting with something incredibly terrible.
The Twilight Zone (2019-2020)
- Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Thriller, Detective, Drama
- Rating: KiinoPoisk - 6.1, IMDb - 5.7
- Just like Stranger Things, this project is dominated by mysticism, horror and fairy tales.
In detail
If you're looking for TV shows similar to Stranger Things (2016-2020), be sure to check out this fantastic TV show. It is quite natural that he got into our list of the best, selected taking into account the description of similarity. The Twilight Zone is a modern reboot of the acclaimed American franchise created by Rodman Serling back in 1959. Each episode is a complete story, filled with secrets, supernatural powers and unexpected outcomes as much as possible. There was also a place for time travel, an invasion of aliens and a mysterious epidemic.
