Stranger Things is heading into its last run and Netflix keeps hinting the vibe will be big-screen level. When the Hawkins hangover hits, you are going to want something to fill the Demogorgon-shaped hole. Consider this my post-Halloween care package: a batch of Netflix originals that scratch similar itches across sci-fi, horror, and a few curveballs.
"It is going to be a theatrical experience."
- Dark (IMDb 8.7/10, Rotten Tomatoes 95%) — German sci-fi thriller, 3 seasons (2017–2020). It starts with two missing kids in a small town and spirals into time travel, tangled family trees, and the kind of puzzle-box plotting that makes you question your own timeline. Created by Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese; stars Louis Hofmann, Lisa Vicari, Gina Stiebitz, Maja Schone, and Oliver Masucci.
- The Umbrella Academy (IMDb 7.8/10, Rotten Tomatoes 78%) — A superhero misfit saga with a Stranger Things-adjacent tone (less buddy group, more messy individuals). Loosely adapted from the comic by Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba, published by Dark Horse Comics — the same publisher that has handled Star Wars and Avatar: The Last Airbender comics, and home to creator-owned staples like Hellboy and 300. Cast includes Elliot Page, Tom Hopper (yep, Dickon Tarly from Game of Thrones Season 7), and Aidan Gallagher.
- Alice in Borderland (IMDb 7.8/10, Rotten Tomatoes 78%) — Japanese sci-fi thriller based on the manga. Now at 3 seasons and widely praised, it drops you into a deadly, game-ified parallel Tokyo. Tonally, it sits somewhere between Stranger Things and Squid Game. Directed by Shinsuke Sato; starring Kento Yamazaki, Tao Tsuchiya, and Aya Asahina.
- Black Mirror (IMDb 8.7/10, Rotten Tomatoes 83%) — The king of tech-dread anthologies. No episode continuity; just standalone near-future nightmares about where our devices might drag us next. Across 7 seasons since 2011, you will spot familiar faces like Hayley Atwell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Cristin Milioti, Jesse Plemons, Jon Hamm, and Toby Kebbell.
- Love, Death + Robots (IMDb 8.4/10, Rotten Tomatoes 89%) — Season 4 dropped recently, and the anthology format means every episode swings for a different fence. Expect sci-fi horror, ancient myth riffs, and a sleek cybernetic sheen. Mostly animated, but you will catch live-action turns from Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Topher Grace, and Michael B. Jordan.
- Altered Carbon (IMDb 7.9/10, Rotten Tomatoes 75%) — Neon-drenched, body-swapping, hardboiled sci-fi that will hit the spot if Blade Runner is your comfort movie. No spoilers here: just know Season 1 stars Joel Kinnaman, and Season 2 switches leads to Anthony Mackie.
- BoJack Horseman (IMDb 8.8/10, Rotten Tomatoes 93%) — Not sci-fi, but if you like your existential crises with a side of razor-sharp, deeply human comedy, this is the one. Six seasons of an animated washout actor (who happens to be a horse) trying to make sense of a mess of a life. Voices: Will Arnett (yes, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles guy), Aaron Paul, Alison Brie.
- Squid Game (IMDb 8/10, Rotten Tomatoes 85%) — Premiered in 2021 and became a global juggernaut. A secret contest pulls in 456 people drowning in debt and runs them through lethal children’s games. Cast includes Lee Byung-hun (Storm Shadow in G.I. Joe) and Lee Jung-jae.
- All of Us Are Dead (IMDb 7.6/10, Rotten Tomatoes 89%) — South Korean coming-of-age horror based on a webtoon: a zombie outbreak traps students in their high school. Released in 2022 with one season so far; stars Park Solomon, Park Ji-hu, and Cho Yi-hyun. And yes, that metal-as-hell mantra gets name-checked here.
"Kill or Become."
- Ozark (IMDb 8.4/10, Rotten Tomatoes 84%) — Not sci-fi, but easily one of Netflix’s darkest dramas. Jason Bateman plays a financial advisor who drags his family from Chicago to the Missouri Ozarks and straight into cartel quicksand. Launched in 2017 and wrapped at 4 seasons. Also stars Julia Garner, Skylar Gaertner, and Laura Linney.
Bonus picks
Adolescence — A new mini-series on Netflix that digs into a young mind with such blunt force that you may find yourself reevaluating how you parent. Psychological, raw, and not exactly gentle.
Rick and Morty — Not a Netflix original, but if dark comedy is your thing, it is required viewing.