Cinopsys
Stranger Things works on three things at once: a genuine mystery, a group of friends worth caring about, and a very specific nostalgia. Most shows manage one. The ones below manage at least two.
If you want the closest match in tone, watch Dark — a missing child, a small town and a conspiracy that goes much deeper than it first appears. It is slower and much bleaker, but it is the one Stranger Things fans consistently rate highest.
If you loved Stranger Things, watch these next
Dark2017A German small-town mystery that begins with a missing child and becomes something far larger.
From2022A town nobody can leave, and something in the woods after dark. Pure dread.
The OA2016A missing woman returns with an impossible story. Strange, sincere, divisive.
Wednesday2022Lighter and funnier, but the same mix of teenage friendship and small-town horror.
Fringe2008Parallel worlds and fringe science, with a much warmer heart than it lets on.
Twin Peaks1990The original strange-small-town show, and the ancestor of everything here.
Paper Girls2022Four girls on a paper round in 1988 fall into a time war. Cancelled too soon.
Locke & Key2020Siblings, a rambling old house and keys that do impossible things.
The X-Files1993The monster-of-the-week format that Stranger Things owes a great deal to.
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Frequently asked questions
What show is most like Stranger Things?
Dark is the usual answer — same missing-child premise and small-town conspiracy, told far more seriously. From is the closest on pure atmosphere.
Is there anything like Stranger Things for younger viewers?
Paper Girls and Locke & Key both centre on younger characters and are lighter than most of this list, though still firmly in the teen-and-up range.
How can I keep track of the shows I am watching?
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