Saagar Kote
Netflix’s ‘Outer Banks’ is set in a coastal North Carolina town sharply divided between working-class locals known as the Pogues and wealthy residents called the Kooks. At the center is John B. Routledge (Chase Stokes), the leader of the Pogues, whose search for answers about his father’s disappearance leads him and his closest friends into a dangerous treasure hunt. Their investigation uncovers clues pointing toward the legendary Royal Merchant fortune, drawing the Pogues deeper into a mystery connected to John B.’s family. As they pursue the treasure, the teenagers face constant opposition from the affluent Kooks, while romantic bonds, group dynamics, financial elements, and family secrets complicate their mission.
With danger mounting and their rivals closing in, John B. and the Pogues must work together to uncover the truth about the treasure and John B.’s father while trying to protect their unity and survive the escalating conflict. Created by Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, and Shannon Burke, the mystery drama series is an intriguing combination of youth and curiosity. If the themes of the show appealed to you, these shows on Netflix, similar to ‘Outer Banks,’ feature complex groups and mysteries that challenge the characters at every turn.
12. Red Rose (2022)
‘Red Rose’ follows Rochelle Mason, AKA Roch (Isis Hainsworth), and her close-knit group of friends, including Wren Davies (Amelia Clarkson), as they prepare for life after finishing their GCSEs. Their carefree summer takes a sinister turn when Roch downloads the mysterious Red Rose app, which initially appears to offer exactly what she wants. The app soon begins making increasingly dangerous demands, pulling the teenagers into a situation they struggle to understand or escape. As its influence spreads through the group, the friends are forced to confront a threat that could be technological, supernatural, or something totally unexpected.
Their attempts to uncover the truth test the friendships holding them together. Michael and Paul Clarkson lend their creative voice to the British horror drama series, which explores fear, friendship, and curiosity, much like ‘Outer Banks.’ The two shows place young friends at the center of increasingly threatening situations that they must investigate on their own, while handling their own insecurities. It is available here.
11. Locke & Key (2020-2022)
‘Locke & Key’ deals with the Locke family after the murder of Rendell Locke, which forces his wife, Nina Locke (Darby Stanchfield), to relocate with her children, Tyler (Connor Jessup), Kinsey (Emilia Jones), and Bode (Jackson Robert Scott) to their ancestral home, Keyhouse. The siblings find out that the mysterious house contains magical keys capable of unlocking extraordinary powers. Their fascination with the keys takes a dangerous turn when they realize a demonic entity is searching for them as well. As the siblings explore Keyhouse and uncover secrets connected to their father’s past, they become increasingly drawn into a supernatural conflict that threatens their family.
Developed by Carlton Cuse, Meredith Averill, and Aron Eli Coleite, the fantasy drama series is based on the comic book series of the same name by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez. ‘Locke & Key’ strongly connects with ‘Outer Banks’ through its young characters becoming involved in a dangerous mystery that takes them far beyond ordinary teenage life. The Locke siblings uncover the threatening secrets of Keyhouse, while the Pogues repeatedly chase mysteries and adventures that put them in danger. Enjoy the show on Netflix.
10. Control Z (2020-2022)
In ‘Control Z,’ Sofía Herrera (Ana Valeria Becerril) is a socially isolated but highly observant student whose school is thrown into chaos when an anonymous hacker begins exposing classmates’ most private secrets. As friendships fracture and students turn against one another, Sofía takes it upon herself to identify the person behind the attacks before her own secrets are revealed. She is joined by Javier Williams (Michael Ronda), a new student who becomes involved in her investigation. Together, they navigate a school where everyone has something to hide, and anyone could be responsible.
When Sofía digs deeper, the hacker’s revelations make the mystery increasingly personal, forcing her to question whom she can trust. Carlos Quintanilla Sakar, Adriana Pelusi, and Miguel García Moreno are the creative team behind this Mexican drama series that, akin to ‘Outer Banks,’ blends mystery, suspense, friendship, and romance. The stakes get higher for the characters while they deal with hidden information that can dramatically change their lives. Access it here.
9. Baby Bandito (2024-)
‘Baby Bandito’ follows Kevin Tapia (Nicolás Contreras), a young skater whose romance with Génesis (Francisca Armstrong) inspires him to pursue a life far beyond his means. When Kevin gets hold of a dangerous gang’s plan for a major airport heist, he decides to execute the scheme himself. He assembles a crew with Pantera (Pablo Macaya), Mística (Carmen Zabala), and his best friend Panda (Lukas Vergara), setting the robbery in motion despite the other gang’s violent reputation. After the heist, Kevin and Génesis embrace an extravagant new life, but their reckless choices soon attract unwanted attention. While criminals close in and the crew begins to fracture, Kevin discovers that stealing the money was only the beginning.
‘Baby Bandito’ and ‘Outer Banks’ explore young characters who reject ordinary lives in pursuit of something bigger. Kevin turns an opportunity into a risky and unpredictable heist, while the Pogues repeatedly throw themselves into dangerous adventures in search of a better future. Directed by Julio Jorquera Arriagada, Fernando Guzzoni, and Pepa San Martín, the Chilean heist drama series is streaming on Netflix.
8. The Society (2019)
‘The Society’ is the tale of Allie Pressman (Kathryn Newton) and a group of teenagers who return to West Ham after a canceled school trip, only to discover that every adult in their town has mysteriously vanished. With no way to contact the outside world and a dense forest seemingly cutting them off from everything beyond the town, the teenagers are left to govern themselves. Their newfound freedom initially feels exciting, but resource constraints and growing tensions quickly make survival difficult. As the group divides over how to respond to the unexplained situation, alliances begin to form and break.
Allie and the others must find a way to maintain order while searching for answers about their disappearance. Along the lines of ‘Outer Banks,’ the mystery drama series explores friendships and shifting loyalties as characters navigate difficult situations. The teenagers in ‘The Society’ must cooperate to keep their community functioning, while the Pogues repeatedly depend on their group to survive their adventures. The Christopher Keyser creation can be watched here.
7. Elite (2018-2024)
Created by Carlos Montero and Darío Madrona, ‘Elite’ or ‘Élite’ chronicles the happenings at Las Encinas, a prestigious school dominated by wealthy students. Scholarship recipients Samuel García (Itzan Escamilla), Nadia Shanaa (Mina El Hammani), and Christian Varela (Miguel Herrán) enter a world far removed from their own. Their arrival disrupts existing friendships and exposes tensions between students from different social backgrounds, while romances and rivalries further complicate their lives. Marina Nunier Osuna (María Pedraza) becomes closely connected to the newcomers, but the secrets surrounding her eventually take a darker turn.
When Marina is found dead, the school becomes consumed by suspicion, forcing its students to confront how much they really know about one another. While ‘Elite’ contrasts scholarship students with the wealthy ones of Las Encinas, ‘Outer Banks’ divides its young characters between the working-class Pogues and affluent Kooks, making class conflict a major theme. The Spanish drama series can be enjoyed here.
6. High Tides (2023-2026)
Anthony Van Biervliet is the creative voice behind ‘High Tides’ or ‘Knokke Off,’ which examines the lives of Louise Basteyns (Pommelien Thijs) and Alexandre Vandael, AKA Alex (Willem De Schryver), a young couple spending summer among wealthy friends in the Belgian resort town of Knokke. Louise questions her treatment for bipolar disorder, while Alex tries to distance himself from his father’s destructive behavior. Their carefully maintained world begins to shift when Daan (Eliyha Altena) and his mother, Melissa (Anna Drijver), arrive from the Netherlands, disrupting the social circle and bringing buried tensions to the surface.
When relationships become strained and long-held secrets emerge, the glamorous lie surrounding Knokke starts to crumble. ‘High Tides’ connects strongly with ‘Outer Banks’ through its portrayal of privileged coastal communities where wealth conceals complicated relationships and secrets. Both shows use a glamorous seaside setting to expose tensions and challenge characters. You may stream the Belgian-Dutch drama series on Netflix.
5. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (2024-)
In ‘A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder,’ Pippa Fitz-Amobi, AKA Pip (Emma Myers), is a determined teenager who revisits a murder case that has remained unresolved in her mind despite being officially closed. Five years earlier, popular student Andie Bell was killed, with authorities concluding that her boyfriend, Sal Singh, was responsible before he died by suicide. Unconvinced by the accepted version of events, Pip chooses the case for her school project and begins digging into the evidence herself. Her investigation brings her closer to Sal’s brother Ravi Singh (Zain Iqbal) and exposes the secrets of Little Kilton. While Pip gets closer to the truth, she realizes that someone may be willing to go to dangerous lengths to keep the past hidden.
The British mystery thriller series is based on the eponymous novel by Holly Jackson, who co-created the show with Poppy Cogan. ‘A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder’ and ‘Outer Banks’ feature teenagers who refuse to leave a mystery to the authorities and conduct their own investigation. Pip reopens a supposedly settled murder, while the Pogues repeatedly pursue mysteries that adults have failed to resolve. The show can be found here.
4. The A List (2018-2021)
With Dan Berlinka and Nina Metivier serving as creators, ‘The A List’ centers on Mia Blackwood (Lisa Ambalavanar), who arrives at a secluded island camp expecting a summer of friendship, romance, and social excitement. Her plans change when Amber (Ellie Duckles), a mysterious and effortlessly charismatic newcomer, quickly captures the attention of the other campers. As Mia watches her social standing disappear, she becomes convinced that Amber’s influence goes beyond ordinary popularity. What begins as a rivalry gradually develops into something more unsettling as Mia starts questioning Amber’s intentions and the strange hold she seems to have over the group.
With the isolated camp providing nowhere to escape, Mia must determine whether her suspicions are justified before the situation spirals further. ‘The A List’ and ‘Outer Banks’ use attractive locations and seemingly exciting lifestyles to conceal darker realities, in addition to exploring friendships and rivalries that shift as secrets emerge. The British thriller series is accessible on Netflix.
3. Blood & Water (2020-)
‘Blood & Water’ is the tale of Puleng Khumalo (Ama Qamata), a teenager who has never stopped wondering about her sister Phume, who was kidnapped as an infant. When Puleng meets Fikile Bhele (Khosi Ngema), a popular student at the prestigious Parkhurst College, she notices an uncanny resemblance and begins to suspect that Fikile could be her missing sister. Puleng transfers to the institution to investigate from the inside, but her search soon uncovers more secrets than she expected. When she gets closer to the truth about Phume, Puleng also discovers that the people around her have been hiding things of their own.
Directed by Nosipho Dumisa-Ngoasheng, Daryne Joshua, Travis Taute, and Thati Peele, the South African teen crime drama series is a wild and unpredictable ride. ‘Blood & Water’ and ‘Outer Banks’ feature youngsters investigating mysteries rooted in their own families. The shows place their main characters in worlds where privilege creates a sharp divide between social groups, and hidden truths gradually come to light. You can find the show here.
2. Dive Club (2021)
‘Dive Club’ is a Steve Jaggi creation that delves into the lives of a group of teenage divers whose carefree existence in Cape Mercy changes when a powerful storm hits the coastal town and one of their friends disappears. Refusing to believe she is simply lost, the girls begin searching for answers themselves, retracing what happened before her disappearance. Their investigation brings Isabel (Aubri Ibrag), an engineer’s daughter, into the group as they uncover clues pointing toward secrets hidden around the town.
The search for their missing friend gradually becomes a much bigger mystery, forcing the teenagers to look beyond what they know about Cape Mercy and the people living there. The Australian drama series combines friendship, mystery, adventure, and the dangers of uncovering secrets, much like ‘Outer Banks’ does through its complex characters. Stream it on Netflix.
1. Veronica Mars (2004-2007, 2019)
Created by Rob Thomas, ‘Veronica Mars’ tells the story of Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell), a former popular student whose life changes completely after the murder of her best friend, Lilly Kane (Amanda Seyfried). The tragedy also destroys her father, Keith Mars’ (Enrico Colantoni) career as sheriff after he accuses Lilly’s wealthy family of involvement, prompting him to become a private investigator. As Veronica adjusts to life outside Neptune’s privileged social circle, she begins helping her father investigate cases involving the town’s wealthy and powerful residents. At the same time, she hones her skills and quietly pursues answers about Lilly’s murder, determined to uncover what really happened.
‘Veronica Mars’ and ‘Outer Banks’ put young characters at the center of dangerous mysteries. Both shows are set in seaside communities where seemingly idyllic lives conceal complicated histories. Neptune and the Outer Banks are populated by wealthy families, rival social groups, hidden secrets, and people whose lives become entangled with the main characters’ investigations. Enjoy the mystery drama series here.
Read More: Outer Banks Season 5 Ending Explained
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