10 gripping sci-fi shows you should watch if you loved Stranger Things

I’m just pre-warning you that this two-season show does end on a cliffhanger, but it’s packed with supernatural elements and alternate dimensions that feel very Stranger Things-esque. The show follows a missing blind woman who mysteriously returns to her hometown after seven years with her sight restored and mysterious abilities, recruiting a team of locals to help her uncover the truth about her disappearance and save others like her.

You certainly won’t run out of episodes to watch before Christmas if you want to give this long-running sci-fi gem a go. While you can’t go wrong with any season, I recommend starting with the 2005 revival if you want a balance between supernatural fun and genuine spookiness (does anyone else think the Weeping Angels are scarier than Vecna?).

I’ve previously raved about this show, and although it’s more a dystopian horror than sci-fi, its period elements and tense atmosphere – not to mention a gang of kids tackling all the horrors – feel very reminiscent of Stranger Things. The show follows a trio of teen ghost-hunters in a haunted version of modern London, and although it was cancelled after one season, there’s five books that are just as good.

This hit Netflix series follows a dysfunctional family of adopted siblings with extraordinary abilities who reunite after their father’s death, only to discover an impending apocalypse and a tangle of secrets that force them to work together – reluctantly – to save the world. With its blend of super-powered misfits and retro goodness, it’s a perfect fit for the Stranger Things obsessed.

Labelled a “masterpiece” by the cinema fans of Reddit, this mind-bending German thriller kicks off with the disappearance of two children in a small town – and as we’ve learned from Will Byers, that’s only the beginning of what’s lurking beneath the surface. The show was the first German original series Netflix made, and its creators are also behind 1899, which is just as eerie.

While it makes sense to call this one an “all-girl Stranger Things”, as it follows a quarter of tweens in the ‘80s who end up reckoning with the supernatural, it’s also a thrilling show in its own right that feels incredibly fresh. Although Prime cancelled this gem after one season, it’s worth watching for a fun time-twisting mystery full of excellent pacing and heartfelt character arcs.

Quite literally the blueprint for modern sci-fi, you seriously need to give this legendary show a watch if you haven’t already – or a rewatch if you have. Stranger Things’ creators, the Duffer Brothers, were big fans of this series, and fans have pointed out similarities between the two, from the dynamic chemistry between Mulder and Scully to endless monsters and government conspiracies.

A cult classic that wrote the rulebook for the “small American town with big secrets” genre, Twin Peaks begins with the murder of high schooler Laura Palmer but quickly spirals into something far more surreal. It delivers the same unsettling, otherworldly vibe of Stranger Things, and has inspired legions of sci-fi shows, so why not give this addictive classic a go?

This is the first of my final two one-and-done Netflix series (sorry in advance), but this one is just too fun to not mention. Following two ghostly teens who run a supernatural detective agency, it leans more towards the supernatural – set in the same universe as The Sandman – but its period embellishments and quirky undertones are very Stranger Things adjacent.

Another bingeworthy horror from The Haunting of Hill House creator Mike Flanagan, this chilling series follows a group of terminally ill teens who live together in a hospice and tell each other spooky tales every night. The friendships and eerie secrets that begin to unravel make this a must-watch for Stranger Things fans, and although the show was cancelled after one season, the creator uploaded a post to Tumblr outlining what would’ve happened in season two.