Saagar Kote
Created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, Netflix’s horror drama series ‘Wednesday’ follows the spooky life of Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega), a member of the mysterious and gothic Addams Family, known for its involvement with the supernatural. The narrative explores the protagonist’s teenage years as she uncovers the secrets lurking behind and around Nevermore Academy, a school that caters to the needs of unique individuals. The young girl discovers herself while dealing with monsters, werewolves, secrets, conspiracies, and more.
Based on the characters created by Charles Addams, the scary drama features a rich and colorful atmospheric vibe, while also containing sequences of terror and mayhem. The cast also includes Gwendoline Christie, Percy Hynes White, and Emma Myers in important roles. If you enjoyed watching the thrills, mysteries, performances, and horror of the series, these shows on Netflix are similar to Wednesday and will keep you entertained and curious.
10. Dead Boy Detectives (2024-)
Netflix’s ‘Dead Boy Detectives’ is a fascinating tale created by Steve Yockey. It delves into the lives of teenagers Charles Rowland (Jayden Revri) and Edwin Payne (George Rexstrew), two ghost sleuths who choose not to ascend beyond death and continue to unravel supernatural mysteries in the human world. The horror drama series follows the two main characters as they dive deep into the unknown secrets surrounding them while being aided by a girl with psychic abilities. However, they soon find themselves threatened by a witch seeking to destroy them.
Based on the eponymous DC comic characters by Neil Gaiman and Matt Wagner, the show, akin to ‘Wednesday,’ contains the journey of young people and their quest to find meaning. Both shows feature mind-bending mysteries that are accompanied by elements of horror and darkness. The protagonists in the narratives also exhibit similarities in terms of not fitting into social expectations or norms, while also battling their own souls. The show can be streamed here.
9. Riverdale (2017-2023)
‘Riverdale’ on Netflix navigates the lives of Archie Andrews (KJ Apa), Veronica Lodge (Camila Mendes), Jughead Jones (Cole Sprouse), Cheryl Blossom (Madelaine Petsch), Betty Cooper (Lili Reinhart), and Kevin Keller (Casey Cott). The young students investigate the complexities of love, family, and mysteries, while also navigating the truth about themselves in this mystery thriller series. The creation of Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is based on the characters of Archie Comics.
Akin to ‘Wednesday,’ it features the inexperience and curiosity of youth, while also dealing with the hidden secrets of the world. The main characters in both shows undergo emotional crises and an obsession with the unknown as they seek to uncover them. The narratives are connected as they are centered around school settings and bring other young and anxious characters into play. You can watch the show on Netflix.
8. The Midnight Club (2022)
Mike Flanagan and Leah Fong’s ‘The Midnight Club’ on Netflix is a horror drama series that delves into the lives of eight patients who meet daily at midnight to narrate scary stories. While they dive into the tales, they also seek to unravel the secrets that come from the unseen world. Based on the eponymous novel by Christopher Pike, the show explores the themes of secrecy and the supernatural, while also dealing with the deeper idea of death and the existence beyond it.
It features a cast that includes Ruth Codd, Iman Benson, and William Chris Sumpter, who portray Anya, Ilonka, and Spencer, respectively. In ways similar to ‘Wednesday,’ the narrative explores the angst of teenagers, while also featuring scary stories that go beyond the laws of the world. The main characters in both shows obsess over unsolved mysteries and also challenge the perspectives of the viewers. The element of death and life is also prominent in both stories. ‘The Midnight Club’ can be watched here.
7. The Umbrella Academy (2019-2024)
‘The Umbrella Academy’ follows the trials and tribulations of seven children who are adopted by Sir Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore) in 1989, as members of the titular school for people with special abilities. Seventeen years later, when one of the members of the group foresees an impending doom, the siblings attempt to save the world from a great threat after their adoptive patriarch passes away. Based on the eponymous comic book series by Gerard Way, Netflix’s comedy-drama series, created by Steve Blackman and Jeremy Slater, delves into the ideas of family, supernatural powers, and legacy. Like ‘Wednesday,’ it features intense action sequences, while also dealing with the issues of young people who find it difficult to fit into the expectations of society. Both shows explore familial ties and the way they impact the lives of individuals, and also the importance of memory of the past and the present that plays a role in decisions related to the use of superpowers. The series can be experienced on Netflix.
6. I Am Not Okay With This (2020)
Netflix’s mystery drama series ‘I Am Not Okay With This’ delves into the experiences of a teenage girl named Sydney (Sophia Lillis) who undergoes the difficulties of school, while also navigating deep questions about her inexplicable superpowers. In the tumultuous journey, she is also challenged by issues of sexuality and familial bonds. The Jonathan Entwistle and Christy Hall creation is based on the eponymous graphic novel by Charles Forsman. The show shares similarities with ‘Wednesday’ because of its exploration of the teenage phase of a girl’s life, but also due to its nuanced commentary on the idea of social norms and the issues surrounding them. While dealing with inexplicable superpowers, both shows also stay grounded in genuine human emotions. You can stream the teenage drama here.
5. Stranger Things (2016-)
Created by Matt and Ross Duffer, Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things’ is an atmospheric thriller drama series that explores the lives of Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo), Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin), Will Byers (Noah Schnapp), and others as they navigate the mysterious happenings in the fictional town of Hawkins. The show deals with parallel dimensions, secret experiments, supernatural abilities, disappearances, propaganda, and small-town life.
The themes of friendship, love, loyalty, life, death, and teenage angst are depicted poignantly in the series. As the young characters dig deep into the secrets surrounding Hawkins, they find themselves in greater danger than they expected. Similar to ‘Wednesday,’ the drama features characters who experience social isolation, while also dealing with institutional secrets that threaten to destroy the outside world. The spooky tonality of the shows also enables them to reference pop culture and seamlessly integrate it into the narratives. The “Upside Down” drama is available on Netflix.
4. Lockwood & Co. (2023)
Based on the eponymous book series by Jonathan Stroud, Netflix’s ‘Lockwood & Co.’ is a thriller drama series created by Joe Cornish. In the narrative, a girl named Lucy (Ruby Stokes), who has superpowers, bonds with George Karim (Ali Hadji-Heshmati) and Anthony Lockwood (Cameron Chapman). The trio works at the titular hunting agency, protecting London from vengeful souls and inexplicable supernatural forces. The show deals with potent issues like teenage mental health, friendship, loyalty, and the unknown.
In ways similar to ‘Wednesday,’ it features young characters who struggle to comprehend their powers within the reality of the world around them. Despite the presence of supernatural elements, both shows stay grounded in genuine human feelings. Lucy’s tale is spiritually connected to Wednesday’s life as both girls show courage, curiosity, and skill in the face of danger. The British drama can be experienced here.
3. Locke & Key (2020-2022)
Netflix’s mystery drama series ‘Locke & Key’ follows the lives of the Locke family, consisting of Nina (Darby Stanchfield), Tyler (Connor Jessup), Kinsey (Emilia Jones), and Bode (Jackson Robert Scott). The mysterious family relocates to their ancestral home after the untimely murder of Nina’s husband. As they move on with their journey to the new house, they find out that it contains magical keys that might help them solve the case of Rendell Locke’s (Bill Heck) murder. The Carlton Cuse, Meredith Averill, and Aron Eli Coleite creation is based on the eponymous book by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez.
Akin to ‘Wednesday,’ it features a family that is the nucleus of the narrative. Just like the Addams family, the Locke family also has secrets of its own, which it has hidden from the outside world. The main characters in both shows struggle to comprehend their identity with the complications imposed by social factors. The exploration of the unknown and the obsession with solving mysteries are central to both narratives. The family drama is available to stream here.
2. The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself (2022)
‘The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself’ or ‘Half Bad: The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself’ follows the life of Nathan Byrne (Jay Lycurgo) as he explores his magical roots, while the rival clans around him threaten to destroy his legacy. As the son of an infamous witch, he struggles to address questions about his identity and purpose in the world. Eventually, he figures that his powers can be a force for change. Created by Joe Barton, the fantasy drama series is based on the novel ‘Half Bad’ by Sally Green.
Akin to ‘Wednesday,’ it deals with troubling questions on familial history, while also dealing with powers and threats that drive the choices of the main characters. Just like Wednesday Addams, Nathan faces a difficult time while discovering his roots and reconciling his past with the present. The atmospheric tonality of the shows also connects them on a visual and thematic level. Byrne’s journey can be watched here.
1. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018-2020)
Based on the eponymous Archie comic book by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Robert Hack, Netflix’s teenage mystery drama ‘Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’ chronicles the experiences of Sabrina Spellman (Kiernan Shipka) as she struggles to navigate her identity as both a witch and a girl. The series delves into the supernatural and the unknown through the eyes of a young girl who intends to counter the evil that targets her. The narrative explores the themes of identity, teenage anxiety, familial history, and morality.
The modern-day take on ‘Sabrina the Teenage Witch’ contains elements of suspense and horror in equal measure. In ways similar to ‘Wednesday,’ the drama dives deep into the mind of a young girl who dares to face the world with her abilities. Essentially, both shows are coming-of-age dramas that portray the growth of strong female characters who balance their morality and powers. Sabrina’s courageous tale can be experienced here.
Read More: Netflix’s Wednesday: Where Was the TV Show Filmed?
You must be logged in to post a comment.