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9 Thrilling Shows Like Alice In Borderland To Watch If you Enjoy Survival Sci-Fi 

shows like alice in borderland

Alice In Borderland 

Developed from the manga series of the same name, Alice in Borderland is a sci-fi survival series on Netflix. Since its release, the show has had great responses from viewers who find Alice in Borderland’s incredibly well-developed narrative resonating with them. The new 2nd season that was recently released was so good that fans are desperate for more. We have curated a list of 10 thrilling shows like Alice In Borderland that you should surely check out. The show looks at a group of delinquents who are trapped in an alternative version of Tokyo, in order to survive- they have to play life-threatening games of this reality. The series is impressed many with its well-executed live-action adaptation with exceptionally well-choreographed fight sequences, engaging storylines, and breathtaking visuals.

List of TV Shows Like Alice In Borderland 

  1. The 3%
  2. Squid Game
  3. Erased
  4. Black Mirror
  5. Travelers
  6. Colony
  7. Sweet Home
  8. Kiss Me First
  9. The Uncanny Counter

1. The 3% (2016)

The 3%  follows a story where an elite group is chosen to live in virtual reality in a paradise offshore while in the distant future most of the population lives in poverty in a place called the Inland. A chance is given to young 20-year-old candidates to be able to make it to the island paradise by succeeding in various types of tests, and as the title of the show tells us, only 3% can make it. 

We look at a new and young resident of the Offshore called Michele. She is all by herself and holds a strong will.  The 3%  is an absolutely brilliant show to watch, every episode will challenge your emotional durability and take you on a journey you could never imagine. As a fan of shows like Alice In Borderland, you should not miss out on watching the incredibly beautiful show  The 3%.

2. Squid Game (2021)

Who hasn’t heard of this series? Squid Game has been one of the most-watched shows on Netflix in the past year. The series follows a contest where 456 players – all coming from massive financial troubles participate in an extremely dangerous, deadly children’s game for a chance to win ₩45.6 Billion.

An extremely addictive show, Squid Game has it all.  From action, suspense, thrill, romance, blood, adventure, comedy, insane plot twists, and most of all, emotions and horror.  Squid Game is a perfect choice for you if you are looking for a series like Alice In Borderland

3. Erased (2016)  

The fantasy-thriller Manga series, Erased looks at Satoru Fujinuma’s time-travelling escapades that take him back 18 years so that he can prevent the death of his mother and 3 of his classmates. Right from the start, the high suspense and thrill of the show are sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. 

Every single episode of the series is intense and funny and absolutely amazing to watch. Without any spoilers, I will tell you there are a few shows that can present a story in such an unpredictable way. If you love mysteries, Erased will make for a perfect show to binge on if you are looking for a series like Alice In Borderland.

Also Read: Anime like Darker Than Black

4. Black Mirror (2011)

The popular Netflix anthology series Black Mirror is recognized for its dystopian, near-future speculative tales that are fueled by the development of science and technology. Every episode features a brand-new plot, cast, and director. Even though you might not enjoy every single episode, some of them will have a lasting impression on you.

Bryce Dallas Howard, Andrew Scott, and Jodie Foster are just a few of the great creators featured in Black Mirror. Some of my personal favourites are  USS Callister, Arkangel, and Playtest- they emphasize the themes of loss, obsession/mental prison, forgetfulness, and holding on to reality. If you like watching sci-fi shows like Alice In Borderland, these kinds of episodes are well worth your time.

5. Travelers (2016) 

The show Travelers is set 100 years from now, where people who have mastered the art of sending awareness back and forth through Time. In an effort to change their fate, consciousness is transferred back to the 21st century and placed inside the bodies of those who are about to pass away. Watching Travelers is an amazing and captivating experience.

The concept and narrative style of Travelers are comparable to La Jetée (1962), which distinguishes it from other time-travel shows that have been done to death. The mystery, action, and thrill of Travelers season 3 were a standout. This is something I truly like about the program; it only gets better as the seasons go on. The way Eric McCormack portrays himself as the man in charge of a diverse group of individuals is really fantastic. If you enjoy sci-fi drama shows like Alice In Borderland, Travelers should be on your list.

6. Colony (2016)

 Colony, a science fiction program, examines a family’s struggle to survive after an unidentified alien invasion. As aliens take over the homes and humans are forced to live in the darkness, humanity faces new hardships. 

I adored this series so much. It boasts a tremendously strong cast, including Josh Holloway, Sarah Wayne Callies, and Peter Jacobson, and a really well-written plot. You’ll be so engrossed in each episode that you won’t be able to wait for the next one to start. Colony excellently illustrates human frailty and is quite binge-worthy, so if you’re looking for a sci-fi show like Alice In Borderland, give it a try.

Also Read: Shows like Lost

7. Sweet Home (2020)

As a fan of the original Webtoon, Sweet Home has become a personal favourite. While many live actions are somewhat as good as the originals, I am thrilled to say that this is definitely not the case for Sweet Home. Given that Lee Eung-bok is the director (Mr Sunshine is another one of his masterpieces, highly recommend!), It only makes sense that this show is so good.

Despite only having 10 episodes, I didn’t feel like the program significantly trimmed away any of the significant or exciting elements of the Webtoon. It moved quickly, was thrilling, and mostly stuck to the original. I didn’t mind the adjustments they made since it kept me on the edge of my seat because I didn’t know what would happen next. For shows like Alice In Borderland, surely consider watching Sweet Home.

8. Kiss Me First (2018)

The thriller series Kiss Me First follows Leila, who meets Tess while playing a virtual reality game, and they soon become friends. However, things take a turn when Tess disappears. Kiss Me First is such a refreshing joy, a truly well-done story. 

Giving the well-thought-out plot of a VR game within a real game reminded me of ‘Ready Player One’.  The casting, acting, and directing were phenomenal.  So many shows are using CGI and VR because it is the hot new tech, but when it isn’t always appropriate to the story, here it is used perfectly. There is so much I could say about the story, but trust me, after watching shows like Alice In Borderland, you’ve gotta try watching Kiss Me First

9. The Uncanny Counter (2020)

The Uncanny Counter is based on Jang Yi’s Daum webtoon Amazing Rumor. The main character, So Mun, is a disabled high school student who joins the Counters, a group of paranormal hunters who look for and fight evil spirits that escape from the afterlife to eat humans.

Truly one of the best Korean detective dramas ever. Deep and thoroughly developed protagonists and antagonists. Deep and winding plots. The supernatural elements are but a cosmetic bonus that serves to heighten the show’s experience, which peels the plot layer by layer, melodramatically filled with pain and purpose. The Uncanny Counter is the perfect weekend watch for anyone who wants to watch a series like Alice In Borderland. 

Honourable Mentions 

Here are a few fun shows like Alice In Borderland that didn’t make our list, but you can also have a look at them if you please: 

  1. Liar Game
  2. All of Us Are Dead
  3. The Purge
  4. Deadman Wonderland
  5. Lost

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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