Pratik Handore
‘Red Rose’ is a British horror drama series created by Michael and Paul Clarkson and released on Netflix internationally. It tells the story of a group of smartphone-obsessed teenagers from Bolton, Greater Manchester, whose lives turn upside down after their introduction to the titular app. As a result, the teens are forced to band together and uncover the mysteries of the app’s creation. If you enjoyed the show’s take on social media and internet-obsessed teenagers, you must be looking for content like ‘Red Rose’ to binge. In that case, we have hand-picked some exciting teen horror dramas for you!
8. Hemlock Grove (2013–2015)
‘Hemlock Grove’ is a horror drama series created by Brian McGreevy, based on his 2012 book of the same name. It stars Famke Janssen, Bill Skarsgård, Landon Liboiron, and Joel de la Fuente in the lead roles. The series is set in the titular Pennsylvania small town and follows its peculiar residents as they uncover its deepest and most terrifying secrets. The series is a mixture of horror tropes and teen drama combined with some poignant social commentary, similar to ‘Red Rose.’ Although the show is set in a fictional town, Hemlock Grove shares aesthetic and thematic similarities to Bolton from ‘Red Rose,’ making ‘Hemlock Grove’ worth checking out.
7. Archive 81 (2022)
‘Archive 81‘ is a supernatural horror series developed by Rebecca Sonnenshine. It is based on the 2016 podcast of the same name by Daniel Powell and Marc Sollinger. The series stars Mamoudou Athie and Dina Shihabi in leading roles as Dan and Melody. It follows Dan as he is tasked with recovering footage of Melody’s documentary project. However, it soon leads him into the world of a mysterious cult and supernatural threats. The premise is loosely similar to ‘Red Rose,’ as the protagonist is pulled into a series of twisted events through technology while trying to solve a mystery. Moreover, the characters in both shows have some interesting interactions with video footage that test their psychological strength.
6. The Pact (2021-)
Created by Pete McTighe, ‘The Pact‘ is a British thriller series presented in an anthology format. It tells the stories of a group of people who are bonded together by their secrets. The first season centers on four friends dealing with the mysterious death of their boss. The second installment follows three siblings whose loyalties are tested after a mysterious stranger’s arrival. The series follows similar British sensibilities and aesthetics as ‘Red Rose.’ Furthermore, it explores how far a person will go to protect their loved ones. Therefore, viewers will see similarities between the show’s characters and the Dickheads from ‘Red Rose’ as they deal with similar emotional conflicts.
5. Dark Net (2016–2017)
‘Dark Net’ is a documentary television series created by Mati Kochavi. It explores the often-disturbing and darker side of the internet. While the series lacks the thriller of the fictional story present in ‘Red Rose,’ both shows are similar in their exploration of how humans interact with modern technology, especially the internet. The docu-drama explores serious themes such as biohacking, cyber-kidnapping, digital warfare, online cults, and pornography addiction in a raw and scathing fashion. If ‘Red Rose’ piqued your interest in the dark web and you are looking for a more realistic look into the darker side of the internet, we highly recommend ‘Dark Net.’
4. The Midnight Club (2022)
‘The Midnight Club‘ is a horror mystery-thriller television series created by Mike Flanagan and Leah Fong. It is loosely based on the 1994 novel ‘The Midnight Club’ by Christopher Pike but also borrows elements from the author’s other works. The series follows eight close young adults residing in the Brightcliffe Home. The friends are all terminally ill and share a fondness for the occult and supernatural. They make a pact that compels the first one among them to die to interact with others from beyond the grave. The series drastically differs from ‘Red Rose’ in narrative composition and themes. However, both shows feature young adults dealing with unprecedented situations threatening their lives. Horror fans who enjoy social commentary sprinkled with spooky storytelling will appreciate ‘The Midnight Club.’
3. Gossip Girl (2021-)
Horror fans might want to look away for a moment as we dip into the hardcore teen drama genre with ‘Gossip Girl.’ The 2021 reboot of The CW series of the same name is loosely based on Cecily von Ziegesar’s book series. It is created by Joshua Safran and follows a group of teenagers studying at the Constance Billard St. Jude’s School. However, the group’s lives are unended after the re-emergence of the anonymous social media blogger named Gossip Girl. Similar to ‘Red Rose,’ the series explores teenagers’ relationships with social media and how their online personas shape their personalities. However, in stark contrast, ‘Gossip Girl’ follows some of the most privileged teens from New York City, giving viewers a fresh change of scenery and cultural context.
2. The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)
The second Mike Flanagan creation on our list is ‘The Haunting of Bly Manor.’ The horror series is based on the 1898 novella ‘The Turn of the Screw’ by Henry James while borrowing some elements from the author’s other works. It follows the events unfolding in the eponymous countryside manor after the arrival of a young American woman who looks after two children who live there. The Clarkson twins, creators of ‘Red Rose,’ served as co-producers and first made a name for themselves in the horror genre with the series. Arguably one of the best British horror shows of the 21st century, viewers of the genre will walk away from ‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’ completely satisfied.
1. Scream (2015-2019)
‘Scream’ is an anthology slasher series developed for television by Jill Blotevogel, Dan Dworkin, and Jay Beattie. It is loosely based on the film franchise of the same name by Kevin Williamson and Wes Craven. The first two seasons follow Emma Duval, a teenager who finds herself at the center of a murder mystery in the town of Lakewood. The third season focuses on Deion Elliot, a teen football star from Atlanta, targeted by the nefarious Ghostface. Similar to ‘Red Rose,’ the series explores teenagers dealing with life-threatening situations with mysterious antagonists playing twisted psychological games with them. The original film series has been cited as an influence on ‘Red Rose,’ giving its television counterpart the top spot on this list!
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