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9 Shows Like True Blood For Vampire And Supernatural Fans

January 5, 2023
shows like true blood

True Blood is a show about vampires and other supernatural creatures who lived in the Southern town of Bon Temps, Louisiana, which struck a definitive chord with viewers. The show chronicled the vampires’ struggle for equal rights and assimilation while anti-vampire organizations began to gain power. If you’re also a fan of this series like us, then we have curated a list of gripping shows like True Blood that you can check out! Alan Ball’s True Blood was a supernatural murder mystery, vampire soap opera, shock value guilty pleasure, and occasionally a great allegory about bigotry against minorities in America, even amidst all the ridiculousness. The show was widely popular during its run as it brought horror and fantasy into the era of Prestige TV.

List of TV Shows Like True Blood

  1. The Vampire Diaries
  2. Buffy The Vampire Slayer
  3. Angel
  4. Penny Dreadful
  5. The Originals
  6. Supernatural
  7. Dracula
  8. Midnight, Texas
  9. A Discovery of Witches

1. The Vampire Diaries (2009)

The Vampire Diaries is a popular supernatural teen drama based on novels of the same name. Upon release, the show caused such a stir that fans across the globe couldn’t get enough! The sort of love triangle between the 3 main characters Elena, Stefan, and Damon basically sprung out of the whole ‘shipping’ culture we see today.

Set in a fictional town called Mystic Falls, Virginia, the town has folk tales of being connected with the supernatural. Like True Blood, The Vampire Diaries focuses on a teenage girl who falls for a vampire. The series has everything you like about shows like True Blood (and more!). I would highly recommend you give The Vampire Diaries a try.

2. Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Buffy The Vampire Slayer is a show about Buffy and her friends fighting against the bad (vampires and vengeance demons) to save themselves and others. The story involves friendships, lovers, heartbreaks, and everything. As a young woman, Buffy is destined to slay vampires, demons, and other infernal creatures, with the help of her high school friends.

This is a great show, and even being about 20 years old, it still stands strong today. It has great writing and timeless humour. Buffy The Vampire Slayer is an imaginative series and is much more than a show about an ass-kicking demon fighter, it’s a cultural phenomenon, one that redefined TV. So, if you want to see TV shows like True Blood, you cannot go wrong with Buffy The Vampire Slayer. 

Also Read: Shows like The X-Files

3. Angel (1999)

Angel is a spinoff series to Buffy the Vampire Slayer where the vampire Angel, cursed with a soul, goes to Los Angeles and helps people with supernatural-related problems while seeking his own redemption. This is a terrific show with an amazing story. Maybe not as light-hearted as other shows, but it’s meant for mature audiences. 

Angel is good in its own right, and in my opinion, has a better overall arc than Buffy, and showcases the internal philosophy of the show better as well. This show is about as character-driven as it gets. If you have already seen shows like True Blood and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, then I will highly recommend you watch Angel.

4. Penny Dreadful (2014)

The horror series Penny Dreadful’s title refers to British publications of the 19th century called Penny Dreadfuls– popular and cheap literary publications sold to the general population of the time. The publications focused on characters like Sweeny Todd and Varney the Vampire. This psychological thriller series Penny Dreadful takes inspiration from fictional writings.

The series gives a nod to popular Victorian Gothic Horror characters like Dr Victor Dracula, Frankenstein, Frankenstein’s monster, and Abraham Van Helsing. Eva Green’s portrayal as Vanessa Ives was a force of nature. Penny Dreadful is a great option if you’re looking for shows similar to True Blood.

5. The Originals (2013)

Spoiler warning if you haven’t seen The Vampire Diaries.
The Originals is a spin-off to The Vampire Diaries series. It takes place after the original family of vampires settles in New Orleans, a city they helped construct for decades. The show follows the characters, namely Klaus, Elijah, and Hayley, as they encounter old friends and confront new enemies. 

The Originals is a dark series compared to The Vampire Diaries but one you will thoroughly enjoy. The actors in the show are extremely talented and charming: and the story is so engrossing that it might just become your new favourite if you’re a fan of series like True Blood. 

6. Supernatural (2005)

Supernatural is a brilliant and highly popular show that follows the Winchester brothers Sam and Dean, as they fight against evil, many of them based on folklore, legends, and iconic supernatural creatures such as vampires and werewolves. It’s the job of the two brothers to save humans and put things right.

The show feels ridiculous at first, but the dialogues and the phenomenal acting of the cast are highly dynamic, enough to make you feel a spectrum of emotions! A fan favourite dark fantasy, Supernatural is one of the best shows like True Blood. Check it out!

7. Dracula (2020)

Dracula is a drama-horror television serial developed by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat, based on the 1897 novel of the same name by Bram Stoker. This Dracula does not stick to the original, but it is a welcome breath of fresh air, and I love the twists and turns so far! Agatha Van Helsing, a blinking stroke of genius, I’d say!! Lots of humour, too, and for me, it works the elements of horror are scary and gruesome, and this Dracula is suave, sophisticated, witty, and bloody scary!

The story was told so beautifully. It re-imagined certain aspects, which breathed new life into an otherwise painfully familiar story. The focus of this series isn’t so much on the gore and violence that Dracula inflicts onto people, but rather an exploration into the legends and myths perpetrated over the years surrounding Count Dracula. If you are looking for more series like True Blood, then you must check this one out.

Also Read: Shows like The OA

8. Midnight, Texas (2017)

Midnight, Texas is based on the same-titled book series by Charlaine Harris and explores the peculiar lives of locals in a remote tiny town.  Midnight provides a home for outsiders with unique histories, including vampires, witches, psychics, hitmen, and more.

The residents of the supernatural town come together to establish a strong and unexpected family as they use their combined abilities to live, despite the fact that they are considered misfits outside. In spite of getting canceled only after 2 seasons, Midnight, Texas is a great and gory weekend watch if you are looking for TV shows similar to True Blood. 

9. A Discovery of Witches (2018)

The supernatural series A Discovery of Witches follows Diana Bishop, a historian and hesitant witch, who unintentionally comes across a cursed text. In order to uncover the mysteries it hides about magical beings; this revelation drives her back into the magical world. A fascinating geneticist and vampire named Matthew Clairmont offer to help her.

Consisting of all the usual themes, like good-looking vampires meeting a fair witch and love at first sight. The show is full of intrigue, darkness, and monsters. It’s such a great show, the setting of the castles and landscapes are breathtaking. A Discovery of Witches has just the right amount of love and thrill. If you want to see something that somewhat resembles a series like True Blood, then A Discovery of Witches might be the right option for you. 

Honourable Mentions

Here are a few supernatural shows like True Blood that didn’t make the list, but you can try watching them as well:

  1. Legacies
  2. The Gifted
  3. Lucifer
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When Lost aired over a decade ago, its successful narrative created a pop culture impact and changed the landscape of television. If you are a fan and want to watch shows like Lost then you can have a look at this list we made just for you.

Lost

The hugely successful television series Lost aired in 2004. The premise, as we know, deals with a group of people surviving a commercial passenger plane crash on a remote island. The show masterfully explores supernatural and sci-fi elements on this mysterious south Pacific island. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTu8iDynwNc

The use of cliffhangers at the end of each episode of Lost kept the viewers on the edge of their seats, desperately craving for the next episode to come. Even though it's a large ensemble cast, most of the characters receive a justifiable personal arch. Lost was inspired by the movie Castaway and became one of the most expensive pilots to be shot at the time! Lost continues to be appreciated for its originality in storytelling and dynamic character arcs. 

List of TV Shows Like Lost

  1. The Leftovers
  2. Manifest
  3. Lost Room
  4. Twin Peaks
  5. The Prisoners
  6. Battlestar Galactica
  7. The New People
  8. Flight 29 Down
  9. Fringe
  10. Alcatraz
  11. Under the Dome
  12. Dark

1. The Leftovers (2014)

IMDB ratings: 8.3/10

Cast: Carrie Coon, Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman and Margaret Qualley

Creator: Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta

The director of Lost, Damon Lindel also created a supernatural drama series called The Leftovers. The show begins 3 years after an unexplainable global event called ‘Sudden Departure’  where almost 2 per cent of the population, nearly 140 million people, disappear. The Leftovers isn't about WHY people are gone, it's about how the ones who remain dealt with their loss, people often try to comfort themselves with dreams, angels, gods, or even death.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLT3YUALJno&t=8s

The Leftovers will leave you with so many questions but beyond words, you have to feel it and savour its unanswered questions to find peace. The Leftovers is an incredible television series that starts incredibly well but loses its way by the series's end. I have to say though, Carrie Coon has brilliant moments in the end. The Leftovers is so weird, fragmented and nonsensical at times that it reminds me of Lost. If you are looking for shows like Lost, I recommend that you give The Leftovers a try.

2. Manifest  (2018) 

IMDB ratings: 7.1/10

Cast: Melissa Roxburgh, Josh Dallas and J.R. Ramirez 

Creator: Jeff Rake


The Manifest is a supernatural drama show about a bunch of people who discover that they lost 5 years of their lives when they landed in New York after their aeroplane faced severe turbulence. All the people on the plane were presumed to be dead. Now, these people have to find a way to adjust themselves to a new life around their loved ones. Mild spoiler! They learn their loved ones and the rest of society is not as they left it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1hNAIzkQWY

I found that the show’s premise was very intriguing and the actors give a very convincing performance. The narrative details of the show, however, in my opinion, are a bit sloppy and inconsistent. The writers surely have room for improvement but their concept is incredibly thrilling. Every episode of Manifest keeps you on your toes. Manifest has completed 3 seasons up until now and continues to be on air. Manifest is a pretty good choice if you want to watch TV shows like Lost.

3. Lost Room (2006)

IMDB ratings: 8.1/10

Cast: Peter Krause, Julianna Margulies and Peter Jacobson

Creator: Christopher Leone, Laura Harkcom

This lesser-known show The Lost Room is an American Sci-fi television miniseries which only had 3 episodes of 90 mins each and no follow-up seasons. The show was based on a very unique idea where the room in question (known as the ‘Lost Room’) and the objects in the said room had supernatural powers. This strange room is set in a 1960s motel along the iconic U.S. Route 66. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfWrECLnFYU

One day the protagonist (Peter Krause) Joe Miller’s daughter disappears inside the room. Joe, with the help of objects present in the room, tries to find his daughter Anna (Elle Fanning). The story of Lost Room was intensely engaging. I found the direction and the actor’s performances to be absolutely brilliant. It baffles me that the creators did not return to make another short season within the same concept. If you have been searching for TV series like Lost then I can assure you that Lost Room will be worth a watch.

4. Twins Peaks (1990) 

IMDB ratings: 8.8/10

Cast: Kyle MacLachlan, Mädchen Amick, Sherilyn Fenn and David Lynch

Creator: David Lynch

David Lynch, the well-known director of weird and captivating films such as Eraserhead and Blue Velvet created an iconic show called Twin Peaks. It is a hauntingly eccentric show about the investigation of the mysterious murder of a small-town homecoming queen named Laura Palmer. Believe me, as odd as the show may seem at first, you will grow to love it, after all, it is considered to be one of the best mystery shows ever created. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zwn9ou_nf-I

With the mysteries, the supernatural elements and the list of bizarre characters, Twin Peaks has it all. In my opinion, the cinematography of the show was truly ahead of its time. Kyle’s Dale Cooper was especially entertaining. Twin Peaks’ experimental formula of the satirical soap opera is extremely unsettling yet rewarding to watch, I must warn you, it’s not for the faint-hearted!  If you are in search of TV shows like Lost then Twin Peaks won’t disappoint you.

The Prisoners (1967)

IMDB ratings: 8.5/10

Cast: Patrick McGoohan, Angelo Muscat and Geroge Markstien

Creator: Patrick McGoohan


The Prisoner centres around an unnamed British agent (Patrick McGoohan) who tries to flee his country after abruptly quitting his high-ranking government job. He is abducted and held captive in a strange ‘sea-side’ village that is isolated from the rest of the world. This village is a highly secure and monitored place filled with weird technology. There are only 17 episodes to this late 60s show but it manages to bring up such surreal surprises, it's sure to leave a great impact on the viewer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JrNr85fPms

The Prisoner’s unique concept influenced many popular shows including Lost. The creators of Lost even cited the show. I was very impressed by how ahead of its time The Prisoners proves to be. If you want to watch more shows similar to Lost the Prisoners should definitely be on your list.

6. Battlestar Galactica (2004)

IMDB ratings: 8.7/10

Cast: Katee Sackhoff, Edward James Olmos and Tricia Helfer 

Creator: Glen A. Larson

The 2004 Battlestar Galactica is a reboot of the original 1978 miniseries of the same name. Do not be mistaken by the title, the show is not related to Star Trek.  Battlestar Galactica is set in the 7th millennium AD and follows Cylons, the robot enemy of humanity that resurfaces to destroy the 12 colonies of Mankind. Only a few survive and are able to escape on ships led by a powerful warship called Battlestar Galactica. Mankind struggles to fight the Cylons and work their own political agendas and disputes while finding their long-lost 13th colony Earth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnYsf2Yv8i8

The show is a dark, intense and gritty socio-political commentary with EPIC cinematic value. The script is especially clever and as a huge fan of sci-fi shows, this show ticks the boxes in all the right categories. When the show was released, it blew the viewers and critics away. As far as an obsessive and gripping story goes, Battlestar Galactica is one of the most similar to shows like Lost. 

7. The New People (1969)

IMDB ratings: 7.3/10

Cast: David Moses, Zooey hall and Tiffany Boiling

Creator: Larry Gordon Aaron Spelling

The New People is an American Tv series that aired only for 1 season and is focused on a couple of college students who survive a plane crash. The incident takes place while they were returning from a trip to Southeast Asia, their plane crashes on an island in the south of the Pacific ocean. 

By now this show must already be sounding a lot like Lost to you, and it surely is. The remaining group of people discover an unusual truth about the island: there’s an above-ground unused nuclear test site filled with supplies for the survivors. If you want to see more plane survival stories like Lost then The New People should definitely be on your list.

8. Flight 29 Down (2005)

IMDB ratings: 7.2/10

Cast: Allen Alvarado, Halle Hirsh and Corbin Bleu

Creator:  Stan Rowgow D. J. MacHale

The show Flight 29 Down is a drama series about a group of pre-teens/teens who are stranded on a South Pacific island after their plane crashes in a tropical storm while they were flying from an eco-adventure camping trip in Palau. The show is in many ways a younger version of the Adult-centred show Lost but sans the supernatural elements. I’d say that the show draws inspiration from the show The New People.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLeG0w3kL8k

Flight 29 Down uses the technique of a video diary as a plot device for the viewers to keep up with the story of these children. It was very engaging to watch young intelligent characters finding their way on the island. The first two seasons of the show are quite engaging but I seemed to lose interest in its 3rd and final season. Regardless, Flight 29 Down is a really good series to watch if you want to see TV shows like Lost.

9. Fringe (2008)

IMDB ratings: 8.4/10

Cast: Anna Torv, John Noble and Joshua Jackson

Creator: J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci

Fringe is a popular Sci-fi crime drama television series. It may seem like a standard procedural drama at first, but the show actually explores the parallel universe, alternate versions of people filled with crazy scientific experiments. I personally had a great time watching this show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29bSzbqZ3xE

Fringe is actually inspired by shows like Lost, The X-files and The Twilight Zone. The 3 main characters of the show work with a special division called Fringe. There are so many brilliant twists and turns in Fringe that in my opinion, the show is at the top of its category. If you are searching for TV series like Lost, I strongly recommend you watch Fringe. 

10. Alcatraz (2012)

IMDB ratings: 6.9/10

Cast: Sarah Jones, George Garcia and Jonny Coyne 

Creator: Elizabeth Sarnoff, Steven Lilien, Bryan Wynbrandt

This American fiction show is based on the infamous Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary built on Alcatraz island in San Francisco Bay. The prison is now closed but once kept some of the most dangerous criminals of America. The show takes the liberty to make a show around the conspiracies of the place.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V514ACIGp_k

In the interesting premise we see that under unknown circumstances, 256 inmates and 46 guards of the prison disappear without a trace. Later the disappeared ones start to appear one by one without ageing a day and resume their criminal activities with no realisation of disappearance. A special government unit is dedicated to finding and putting those criminals back in prison. If you are looking for mystery shows similar to Lost, try watching Alcatraz. 

11. Under the Dome (2013)

IMDB ratings: 6.5/10

Cast: Alexander Koch and Rachelle Lefevre

Creator: Stephen King

Based on a novel written by the sci-fi legend Stephen King, Under the Dome tells the story of the residents of the fictional small town called Chester's Mill, when a huge, transparent and indestructible dome suddenly cuts them off from the rest of the world. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Y5YeYrqUk

Now the trapped residents try to find a way to discover the truth, origin and purpose of these domes. This journey forces them into situations where they learn more about each other than they ever knew. Under the Dome may not be on the top of this list but it’s quite a decent watch if you’re looking for mystery shows similar to Lost. 

12. Dark (2017)

IMDB ratings: 8.7/10

Cast: Louis Hofmann, Lisa Vicari and Gina Stiebitz

Creator: Baran bo Odar, Jantje Friese

The German-language Netflix series Dark is an interesting blend of Science fiction and Mystery. Truly a compelling and mind-bending story to watch. At the beginning of Dark, many children suspiciously start disappearing in the German town of Winden. The dark past of generational mysteries of 4 families living in the town namely, Kahnwald, Nielsen, Doppler, and Tiedemann is brought to light.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrwycJ08PSA

After the discovery of a wormhole, the lives of the families intertwine more than one can imagine. I believe every element of the show is top-notch, especially Dark’s cinematography, which is a TRUE masterpiece. If you are looking for TV series similar to Lost then the intense and gripping story of Dark is sure to keep you engrossed.

Honourable Mentions

Here are a few TV shows like Lost that didn’t make the list, but you can check them out nonetheless: 

  1. Carnivale
  2. Yellowjackets
  3. Game of Thrones
  4. Black Mirror
  5. Flashforward
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