10 Sci-Fi Shows That Are Almost As Good as 'Stranger Things'

Soon after Stranger Things' premiere, the series exploded into a pop-culture hit that once again broadened the sci-fi genre. With its stunning blend of small-town eeriness, 80s nostalgia, supernatural horror, and heartfelt coming-of-age plot, the series delivers an epic sci-fi watch about friends and family banding together to take on monsters from another dimension while tackling evil scientists. But while Netflix is often the topic of conversation in sci-fi circles, there are quite a few compelling series that almost match its brilliance.

Sci-fi epics like Heroes, which stood on top of the science fiction genre as a pre-streaming-era phenomenon, and Raising Dion, which may not have lasted very long, but stands as a heartfelt parent-child supernatural experience, are simply two series that prove that sci-fi greatness goes far beyond the town of Hawkins. Compiled on this list are intriguing sci-fi shows that may not wear the crown as the absolute best in their genre, but are still a close step away from perfection.

10 'Wayward Pines' (2015–2016)

This eerie small-town mystery watch is a fantastic and highly unsettling sci-fi thriller rife with shocking reveals and a twisted mythology. Wayward Pines follows Secret Service agent Ethan Burke (Matt Dillon), who gets into a car accident and unexpectedly wakes up in the seemingly idyllic town of Wayward Pines, Idaho– but he is quick to notice that something just isn’t right.

Wayward Pines may start as a mysterious small-town tale, but it eventually evolves into a thrilling dystopian sci-fi experience that thoroughly captivates. The series’ first season is quite engaging, wielding a haunting sci-fi suspense and compelling mystery that delivers a lot of what fans enjoy about Stranger Things. Wayward Pines comes close to matching Stranger Things mostly for its first season, but unfortunately, beyond that, the series falls terribly short compared to the Netflix icon. If viewers are willing to look past a less-than-satisfying continuation and dive deep into Wayward Pines’ journey, then the series stands as an ideal watch.

9 'Manifest' (2018–2022)

Manifest is a mystery sci-fi drama that features a life-altering phenomenon. With a Twilight Zone-esque premise, the series centers around passengers of Montego Air Flight 828, which takes off in 2013 and, after a brief bout of turbulence, lands in 2018. Unchanged, the passengers are greeted by a world with a five-year change that happened without them.

Manifest is a great watch for those who adore a complex TV puzzle with a sound emotional core. Where Stranger Things has a parallel dimension, Manifest has a bold time warp that’s affecting people globally. Manifest is only “almost” as good as Stranger Things because, while it does match the Netflix sci-fi series in terms of intrigue, it can be a bit uneven in its themes, with a much looser plot. Even though the series does fall short in comparison to Stranger Things, Manifest stands as a great twisty mystery with intriguing sci-fi elements and great emotional depth.

8 'Heroes' (2006–2010)

Heroes is a superhero drama that once succeeded in becoming a pop culture phenomenon. The series sees ordinary people around the world spontaneously developing extraordinary abilities.

Heroes may be older than the Stranger Things series, but its earlier seasons still rival many of the Netflix drama’s emotional highs. Very few shows have done what the sci-fi superhero hit has—making audiences believe in miracles. With comic-book-style mythology and cliffhangers with grounded, emotional stories viewers tend to get rather invested in, Heroes masterfully dominated the sci-fi field, right up until it didn’t. The series took a big dip in quality as it went on, whereas Stranger Things remained just as intriguing and quite cinematic. While Heroes’ first season is its strongest, the once-sci-fi phenomenon still remains worth a watch, especially for audiences who are curious about what pre-Netflix pop icons looked like.

7 'The OA' (2016–2019)

This American mystery drama, featuring both sci-fi and fantasy elements, delivers a brilliant mesh of real-world drama and metaphysical lore. The OA follows a young blind woman, Prairie Johnson (Brit Marling), who, after 7-years missing, resurfaces, calling herself “The OA” and is also able to see.

Those who appreciate Stranger Things' intrigue of secret experiments and telekinetic teens are likely to enjoy The OA, which delivers some of the same, only in a more poetic, arthouse fashion. The series is “almost” as good as Stranger Things, thanks to its emotional depth and bold originality. However, The OA never seemed to gain the same mainstream momentum as a sci-fi series like Stranger Things, regardless of its compelling intrigue. Despite this, The OA does wield a daring story that is lauded for its sheer imagination and stands as a fantastic sci-fi watch worth checking out.

6 'Misfits' (2009–2013)

This British sci-fi comedy-drama is a memorable cult classic that deserves far more attention than it's received. The 2009 series Misfits focuses on five young delinquents who, while serving community service, are caught in a freak storm that gifts them all unique abilities.

With a rebellious spirit and tons of dark humor, Misfits came onto the scene with an almost instant captivating flair. While the series stands as the more raunchy and chaotic sci-fi teen watch, Stranger Things and Misfits both thrive on the chemistry and growth of their cast. The bold series may not be the most well-known sci-fi gem, but it did see success in its first few seasons. Unfortunately, as the show went through several cast changes during its later seasons, and the storylines got messier, Misfits faltered terribly in its perfection, dubbing it a great addition to this list of shows that are just almost as good as Stranger Things.

5 'Paper Girls' (2022)

Blending sharp coming-of-age drama, complex time-travel paradoxes, and ’80s nostalgia, the 2022 sci-fi series Paper Girls delivers quite the thrilling adventure. The show follows four paper girls, who on their morning route discover a war between time travelers. In a fantastic twist of things, the girls are accidentally zapped into the future, arriving in 2019 and meeting their adult selves.

Paper Girls is both epic and intimate. The series has a lot of the same ingredients that fans adore seeing in the Stranger Things series: supernatural sci-fi, 80s kid adventure, and strong bonds between friends. The only major flaw that keeps the series from ranking alongside Stranger Things is the fact that it was unfortunately cancelled with a dreaded cliffhanger ending. If sci-fi lovers aren’t afraid of diving into an amazing tween series that is likely to never make a return, then Paper Girls is the perfect choice with its wonder and camaraderie.

4 'Raising Dion' (2019–2022)

Raising Dion is a family-friendly superhero drama that masterfully wields a warmth and wonder not many sci-fi shows are able to. The story follows widowed mom Nicole Warren (Alisha Wainwright) as she does her best to raise her 7-year-old son Dion (Ja’Siah Young) after the death of her husband, Mark (Michael B. Jordan). With an already challenging life, Nicole then realizes that her son is manifesting mysterious abilities ranging from elemental control to telekinesis.

For fans who adored the parent-child bonds in Stranger Things, Raising Dion offers a similar yet fresh perspective, mixing supernatural woes with a touching emotional core. The series is truly wholesome, and a bit heartbreaking, but just as fun as Stranger Things in terms of sheer sci-fi epicness. Though Raising Dion can’t truly match up to Stranger Things' brilliance, with its lighter and permanently unfinished story, the series remains an exciting and lovely watch that fans of the beloved sci-fi drama would definitely appreciate.

3 'The Midnight Club' (2022)

This horror-mystery series, created by Mike Flanagan, brilliantly blends heartbreaking emotion with genuine horror. Set at Brightcliffe Hospice in the 1990s Pacific Northwest, The Midnight Club centers on eight teens with terminal diagnoses who come together every midnight to swap scary stories in the library. With the arrival of a newcomer, new and strange discoveries are made that could lead to miraculous healing.

Like Stranger Things, The Midnight Club sees a band of misfits coming together, united against the depths of the unknown. The show beautifully balances youthful drama that has a touch of emotional dread, and classic ghost story chills that make it truly captivating. Sadly, the moving series met its end after only a single season, stubbing out its potential and its chance to stand alongside a number one hit like Stranger Things. Despite that, The Midnight Club is the ideal sci-fi experience for those searching for an eerie and incredibly heartfelt watch.

2 'The Society' (2019)

The Society is a one-season Netflix sci-fi teen drama that turns a small town into an experiment in survival. The eerie mystery series chronicles the return of a high school class from a cancelled field trip—only for them to discover that every adult in their town seems to be missing.

The Society is a genuinely compelling character-driven study of youth in an “adults-are-gone” scenario. With its brief life, the series never got to showcase its true potential, but the little given to audiences was enough for the show to grow a dedicated following. While some viewers adored the mystery and slow-burning plot, others found it a hindrance—a feeling that proved justified when the series met its cancellation without delivering any real answers. But even with just one season under its belt, The Society still remains almost as good as Stranger Things due to its Lord of the Flies energy and captivating lasting impression.

1 'Black Spot' (2017–2019)

Black Spot, or originally titled Zone Blanche, is a brilliant supernatural thriller filled with tons of unique sci-fi elements that truly elevate its story. The series kicks off with the arrival of a prosecutor who comes to investigate why the story’s isolated community has a murder rate six times the national average.

From sci-fi concepts such as time distortions to psychic phenomena and altered consciousness, Black Spot does wield the same menacing and terribly claustrophobic small-town feel that Stranger Things does. The series is incredibly fascinating, but it only counts as “almost,” as good as Stranger Things, because of the lack of crowd-pleasing energy due to its pacing and focus. While Black Spot may not be to everyone’s taste, the compelling series stands as a criminally underrated sci-fi gem with a moody atmosphere that truly rivals the well-liked series Stranger Things.