Vrinda Bachchan
USA Network’s coming-of-age thriller, ‘Dare Me,’ follows the story of two super-competitive cheerleaders who are also best friends caught in a jealous rivalry as the arrival of a new coach in their dying Midwestern small town shakes things up. With themes of friendship, loyalty, jealousy, and unflinching power play, the show makes for an utterly engaging watch. Based on Megan Abbott’s bestselling crime thriller novel of the same name, the show stars Marlo Kelly, Herizen Guardiola, and Willa Fitzgerald in the lead roles. If you’ve watched ‘Dare Me’ and loved it and are now looking for something similar, we’ve compiled a list of TV shows that are similar in theme, feel, premise, and the overall mood of ‘Dare Me.’ You can watch most of these shows like ‘Dare Me’ on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.
7. 13 Reasons Why (2017 – 2020)
When high-schooler Hannah Baker tragically commits suicide, Clay (who had always liked Hannah) receives a box of tapes that she had left behind. In the tapes, Hannah describes how and why she has taken the decision to end her own life and who are the people responsible for driving her to suicide. A heartwrenching and harrowing tale of the dark realities that plague American high schools, ‘13 Reasons Why‘ is similar to ‘Dare Me’ in its portrayal of intrigue, mystery, and criminal activities that teenagers can get embroiled in.
6. Gossip Girl (2007 – 2012)
An anonymous Gossip Girl publishes tell-all on-dits about Manhattan’s elite Upper East Side residents on her wildly popular and addictive blog. At the center of the high fashion-filled drama are two best friends, Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen. ‘Gossip Girl,’ like ‘Dare Me,’ is full of intrigue and mystery that surrounds teenagers involved in serious crimes. No one is innocent in this show, and they don’t judge. Also similar are the themes of changing loyalties and volatile female friendships.
5. Greenhouse Academy (2017 – 2020)
After their mother’s untimely death, a brother and sister pair enroll in an elite Southern California boarding school, the Greenhouse, where they find themselves divided by rivaling factions and entangled in a nefarious plot. This show hinges on teen collusion and dark mysteries that threaten the safety of the high-schoolers, pretty much like ‘Dare Me.’ The series is a remake of an acclaimed Israeli TV show called ‘The Greenhouse,’ both by the same show creator, Giora Chamizer.
4. Euphoria (2019 – )
Also adapted from an Israeli show of the same name, ‘Euphoria‘ follows the harrowing life of troubled teen Rue, who is a drug addict fresh out of rehab. The story centers on Rue’s strained relationships with her peers, which include a transgender girl dealing with identity issues, a jock with anger issues that mask sexual insecurities, a star footballer who is adjusting to college life, and an insecure teen with body image issues. This Zendaya-starrer takes on teenage problems of substance-abuse, wild parties, and anxiety-filled everyday life with unsettling candor and refreshing empathy. Both ‘Euphoria’ and ‘Dare Me’ tackle similar kinds of teenage problems.
3. Get Even (2020 – )
Four girls in the elite British institute, Bannerman Independent School, band together to expose and fight back bullying, but trouble starts when their secret group is framed for a murder and the police launch a hunt for them. Based on the ‘Don’t Get Mad’ book series by author Gretchen McNeil, this BBC series is similar to ‘Dare Me’ in its basic premise – a murder mystery with female friendships at the center of it. With its British twist, this thriller show is imminently watchable.
2. Riverdale (2017 – )
The iconic and rather beloved comic book characters of Archie, Jughead, Betty, and Veronica are given an eerie twist and are shown growing up in a town that is crawling with criminals and teeming with sinister happenings in the smash-hit teen mystery show, ‘Riverdale.’ The dark, oppressive feel of this show (and the many murder mysteries) are resonant with the setting of ‘Dare Me.’ A teenage soap full of intrigue and chilling drama, ‘Riverdale’ remains a rating juggernaut for the CW.
1. Pretty Little Liars (2010 – 2017)
The lives of four estranged friends and all their secrets unravel when they start getting threatening messages from an anonymous source a year after their fifth friend disappeared. This long-running teen mystery thriller is the forerunner of shows like ‘Dare Me,’ with a focus on most of the same things – teenage girls, lifelong friendships strained by tragedy, and dark secrets spilling out. The storyline may be convoluted, yes, but it’s extremely engaging and will keep you hooked to the fates of Aria, Spencer, Hanna, and Emily.
Read More: Is Dare Me a True Story?
