Fouzia Ashfaq 
If you have finished binge-watching Stranger Things and feel a void in your life, you are not alone. This guide is for fans who miss the perfect mix of 80s nostalgia, supernatural mysteries, and the bond of a close-knit group of friends. Whether you love the spooky “Upside Down” vibes or the heartwarming coming-of-age stories, there is a show out there waiting for you.
People fell in love with Stranger Things because it felt like a classic adventure movie. It combined scary monsters with real human emotions. The show made us care about the characters while keeping us on the edge of our seats with government conspiracies and parallel dimensions.
The “Kids on Bikes” Adventure Vibes
These shows capture that specific feeling of a group of young friends solving mysteries that the adults can’t see.
1. Paper Girls Based on a popular comic book, this show follows four young girls delivering newspapers in the late 80s. They accidentally get caught in a war between time travelers. Like our friends in Hawkins, these girls have to lean on each other to survive a world that has suddenly become very strange and dangerous.
2. Ghostwriter This is a great pick if you want something family-friendly. It follows a group of kids who are brought together by a mysterious ghost in a neighborhood bookstore. The ghost releases fictional characters into the real world, and the kids must solve the mystery. It captures that sense of teamwork and neighborhood wonder.
Dark Supernatural Mysteries
If you enjoyed the “Upside Down” and the more intense, scary elements of Hawkins, these shows will keep you hooked.
3. Dark Often called the “adult version” of Stranger Things, this German series starts with a child going missing in a small town. However, it quickly turns into a mind-bending story about time travel and family secrets across generations. It is moodier and more complex, but the atmosphere is incredibly thick and gripping.
4. Locke & Key After their father is murdered, three siblings move into their ancestral home, “Keyhouse.” They soon discover magical keys that unlock various doors and abilities. Much like the Demogorgon, there is a sinister force after the keys. It balances high-school drama with creative, dark fantasy elements.
5. Yellowjackets This show is for those who liked the survival and horror aspects of Stranger Things. It follows a high school girls’ soccer team whose plane crashes in the wilderness. The story jumps between their time in the woods and their lives 25 years later. It’s gritty, mysterious, and explores how trauma bonds people together.
Nostalgia and Retro Settings
If the 80s setting was your favorite part, these shows recreate specific eras with amazing detail.
6. GLOW While not supernatural, GLOW is a love letter to the 1980s. It’s about a group of women who start a professional wrestling circuit. The costumes, the music, and the neon lights will give you that same retro “high” that Stranger Things provides, wrapped in a story about finding your place in the world.
7. Everything Sucks! This one takes us to the 1990s. It’s a quirky, short-lived series about the AV and Drama clubs in a boring high school. It captures the awkwardness of being a teenager and the importance of finding “your people,” much like Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Will did.
Superpowers and Secret Experiments
One of the best parts of Stranger Things is Eleven’s journey. These shows focus on young people with extraordinary, often dangerous, abilities.
8. The Umbrella Academy This show follows an estranged family of adopted siblings with superpowers who reunite to solve their father’s death and stop an impending apocalypse. It has a great soundtrack, unique powers, and a lot of heart. The “found family” dynamic is very strong here.
9. I Am Not Okay With This This series focuses on a teenage girl dealing with the usual trials of high school—while also discovering she has telekinetic powers. It feels very grounded and raw. If you liked the scenes of Eleven learning to control her anger and her strength, you will find this very relatable.
10. Sweet Tooth Set in a post-apocalyptic world, this show follows a boy who is half-human and half-deer. He searches for a new beginning with the help of a grumpy protector. It has a beautiful, cinematic feel and focuses on the innocence of a child in a world that has grown very dark and suspicious.
Conclusion: Which One Should You Watch First?
Choosing your next show depends on what you miss most about Hawkins.
- If you want heavy mystery and time travel, go with Dark.
- If you want more kids on adventures, start Paper Girls.
- If you miss superpowered teens, The Umbrella Academy is your best bet.
No matter which one you pick, each of these shows carries a piece of the magic that made Stranger Things a global hit. Happy watching!
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