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10 Shows Like Riverdale For Fans Of Edgy And Suspenseful Teen Dramas

February 11, 2023
shows like riverdale

Riverdale, a television series based on the characters of Archie Comics, premiered on The CW in January 2017. The show quickly gained a large following, becoming one of the most popular and talked-about series on the network. One reason for Riverdale’s popularity is its modern and edgy take on the classic Archie comics characters. We have created a list of super entertaining shows like Riverdale to watch, check it out. The show’s creators have taken the familiar characters of Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead and put them in a dark and mysterious setting, adding elements of crime and mystery to the story. This fresh take on the characters is both captivating and intriguing, making the show stand out among other teen dramas. The show features characters of different races and sexual orientations, dealing with mature themes such as violence, drugs and mental health. The performances of the actors, particularly KJ Apa as Archie, Lili Reinhart as Betty, and Cole Sprouse as Jughead, have been widely praised by critics and fans alike.

List of TV Shows Like Riverdale

  1. Pretty Little Liars
  2. The Vampire Diaries
  3. Katy Keene
  4. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
  5. The Originals
  6. Teen Wolf
  7. Veronica Mars
  8. Gossip Girl
  9. Wednesday
  10. The 100

1. Pretty Little Liars (2010)

The show follows the lives of four friends, Aria Montgomery, Spencer Hastings, Hanna Marin, and Emily Fields, who are being stalked by an anonymous person known as “A.” The girls are trying to uncover the identity of “A” while also navigating the complexities of high school and small-town life. As the series progresses, the girls uncover dark secrets and lies, leading to a final reveal of the “A”s identity.

And similarly, Riverdale’s central mystery is a murder branching into different questions every season that keeps the audience guessing. The use of the unknown to keep audiences guessing and increase the tension and suspense is exactly why Pretty Little Liars is perfect for fans of a series like Riverdale.

2. The Vampire Diaries (2009)

The Vampire Diaries is a supernatural teen drama series based on the book series of the same name by L.J. Smith. The show quickly became a cultural phenomenon, garnering a dedicated fan base and critical acclaim for its unique blend of romance, drama, and fantasy.

In the small-town life in Mystic Falls, Virginia – the Salvatore brothers, Damon and Stefan, are both vampires and the show’s main protagonist, Elena Gilbert, a high school student becomes the object of affection for both brothers. The Vampire Diaries was so popular that it sprang into various spinoffs, among which is another well-received series called The Originals. Hence, I’d highly recommend you try The Vampire Diaries if you’re looking for TV shows like Riverdale.

3. Katy Keene (2020)

A spin-off to Riverdale called Katy Keene was created that focused on the Archie comics’ character Katy Keene (Lucy Hale) who is a fashion designer who is trying to make it in the fashion industry. In addition, Josie from the Josie and the Pussycats lineup joined this series as a supporting character after being introduced on Riverdale.

Unlike Riverdale, Katy Keene is a musical comedy-drama, which means it features original songs, choreography, and musical performances throughout the episodes. Though the show was short-lived with only 1 season to its name, it should still make a good watch for fans of shows like Riverdale.

Also Read: Romance Shows like Normal People

4. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018)

Firstly, both Riverdale and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina are based on characters from the Archie Comics universe. This series is a dark, horror re-imagining of the classic Sabrina the Teenage Witch comics, which were also created by Aguirre-Sacasa. The show follows the story of Sabrina Spellman, played by Kiernan Shipka, a teenage witch who must come to terms with her dual nature as a half-witch, and half-mortal while fighting the evil forces that threaten her and her family.

Ben Button and Billy Marlin, two Riverdale characters, made an appearance on Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Also, Sabrina travels to Riverdale in pursuit of a crown that belonged to Benjamin Blossom, Cheryl Blossom’s great-grandfather, who subsequently plays a significant role in the Blossom family history. With its unique blend of horror, fantasy and teenage drama, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is a must-watch for fans of shows like Riverdale.

5. The Originals (2013)

As mentioned previously, The Originals is a spin-off series to The Vampire Diaries and focuses on the original vampire family, the Mikaelsons, who return to the supernatural melting pot that is the French Quarter of New Orleans. If you’ve already seen The Vampire Diaries and want to see similar shows to Riverdale then you might just like this one.

The series follows some characters that were introduced in The Vampire Diaries- the Mikaelson siblings, Klaus, Elijah, and Rebekah, as they navigate their complicated relationships and politics. The show also features a rich and detailed mythology, with a mix of familiar vampire and werewolf lore and new, original elements. The show’s deep themes and well-written characters make it a fan favourite and a must-watch for anyone who wishes to see more shows like Riverdale.

6. Teen Wolf (2011)

Scott McCall is a high school student who is bitten by a werewolf and must navigate the challenges of being a teenage werewolf while keeping his secret from his friends and family.

Teen Wolf and Riverdale share many similarities in their themes, characters, and storytelling. Both shows explore the lives of teenagers and the challenges they face as they navigate through high school and the supernatural world. Teen Wolf also features a diverse cast of relatable characters, a sense of humor, and a unique take on the supernatural elements that keep the audience engaged and invested in the series similar to Riverdale.

7. Veronica Mars (2004)

Veronica Mars and Riverdale were created by screenwriter and producer Rob Thomas and are based on characters from the Archie Comics universe. The titular character Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell) solves mysteries and uncovers secrets in the fictional town of Neptune, California.

Archie Andrews, who is the main protagonist in Riverdale, in Veronica Mars is a minor character (not played by the same actor). Characters of both shows constantly uncover their town’s dark secrets and unmask the truth behind various crimes and scandals. Veronica Mars is probably one of the best series like Riverdale to watch, give it a try.

Also Read: TV Shows like HBO’s Barry

8. Gossip Girl (2007)

Before social media and smartphones were invented, the teenagers of the hit show Gossip Girl would get all of their hot gossip from online updates on a blog written by an anonymous person. The show centres around the character of Serena van der Woodsen, a beautiful and popular girl who returns to the Upper East Side after a mysterious absence. 

Her arrival causes a stir among her friends and enemies, including her former best friend Blair Waldorf, who is determined to reclaim her status as the queen bee of the social scene. Needless to say, the show discovers many scandals and dramas of love, friendship, loyalty, and betrayal between the characters and makes for a perfect option for anyone looking for TV shows similar to Riverdale. 

9. Wednesday (2022)

Wednesday is a recently released horror-comedy series based on the mysterious and spooky family- The Addams Family. Set in a small town called Shadow Hills, the story follows a teenage girl called Wednesday as she deals with the supernatural and the occult in her new Highschool. With mysterious, dark twisted horrors and great performances, this show has quickly become one of the most-watched shows on Netflix.

Shows like Riverdale and Wednesday both have a strong ensemble cast and a dedicated fan base that eagerly anticipates each new episode. Wednesday is a brilliant new show and a must-watch for fans of the horror-comedy genre, and those who love the supernatural.

10. The 100 (2014)

Set in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity is struggling to survive after a nuclear apocalypse, The 100 follows 100 teenagers who are sent back to Earth from a space station where they were living- to see if the planet is habitable again. They soon discover that they are not alone and must navigate a new world filled with dangerous enemies and unexpected allies.

Despite the vastly different settings and storylines, both The 100 and Riverdale feature a large ensemble cast of young, diverse characters. The 100 has a strong focus on mystery and suspense. The show is known for its complex and unpredictable plot twists which is exactly why The 100 is a great series similar to Riverdale for you to watch this weekend!

Honourable Mentions

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

  1. Buffy The Vampire Slaye
  2. Twin Peaks
  3. Scream Queens
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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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