A Trip Through Time
There will never be another show like Dark. This German mystery series has carved a unique slice of the time travel pie that’s unlikely to be surpassed. However, that’s not for the want of trying. We’ve combed through the archives and saved you the hassle of having to try and find something similar with our top 10 picks for alternate viewing. To keep things simple for skim-readers we’ve added what similarities these have. Of course for all the shows we’ve reviewed, we’ve also added a handy link so you can check out our full thoughts on that series and see if it’s something you want to invest your time with. So without further ado, we present 10 TV shows that should whet the appetite when you’ve finished streaming Dark.
The Ministry Of Time
Similarities – Time Travel & Characters
First up is an underrated gem; Spanish drama Ministry Of Time serves up 70 minute long episodes about a secret society operating in Madrid. With a headquarters housing portals to numerous different time periods through history, this show really shows off some fascinating time periods through Spanish history. Everything from the Armada to important aristocrats are explored and all of this falls to a trio of unlikely but lovable protagonists to prevent time from collapsing. You can read our thoughts on The Ministry Of Time in our full season reviews here!
The OA
Similarities – Sci-Fi & Tone
The OA’s recent cancellation caused quite the stir online. That should tell you all you need to know about the loyal fan-base rallying around this one. And for good reason too. The OA is undeniably weird and its mystery does so well to keep you glued to find out what happens next. The main story revolves around a missing blind girl called Prairie returning home. Now in her twenties, she suddenly has her sight restored and no one can explain why. It’s a weird, atmospheric and moody drama with just enough sci-fi to keep you watching. However, it does end with quite the cliffhanger. With no more episodes, this could be a deal-breaker for some. You can read our thoughts on The OA in our full season reviews here!
The King: Eternal Monarch
Similarities – Time Travel & Parallel Worlds
This wildly popular Korean drama kicked up quite the storm online when it dropped on our screens earlier this year. With parallel worlds and a complicated story spread across multiple timelines, The King: Eternal Monarch is sci-fi at its best. There’s some lovely foreshadowed teases early on and a lot of mystery surrounding this one that’ll keep you gripped. All of this combines to make for a highly accessible (and highly recommended) Korean drama that expertly blends romance, drama and sci-fi. You can read our thoughts on The King: Eternal Monarch in our full season review here!
The Missing
Similarities – Mystery & Crime
The Missing, unsurprisingly, is a series about a missing child. It’s every parent’s worst nightmare and the way The Missing captures this in its rawest essence is partly why the show works as well as it does. Suspenseful, gripping and split across two seasons, The Missing really hits that character-driven essence of what makes this scenario so frightening. It also makes for quite the engrossing watch that we highly recommend checking out.
Lost
Similarities – Time Travel, Tone & Mystery
Back in 2004, a tiny show called Lost went way over-budget with its pilot episode. The consequences of that saw several people fired. Little did they know this mishap would help grow Lost into a worldwide phenomenon that completely changed the way people watched TV. This highly engrossing, mystery series revolves around a group of plane-crash survivors washing up on shore and fighting for survival on a very weird island holding many, many secrets. Across 7 seasons the show does lose its way a little late on but my gosh what an engrossing and unmissable journey it is. If you haven’t seen it already, Lost is a must-watch show.
Westworld
Similarities – Time Travel, Big Themes & Sci-Fi
While the later seasons do become too complicated and convoluted for its own good, season 1 of Westworld is near perfection on the small screen. It’s a show that balances some stunning performances and themes with a heavy dose of sci-fi and morality. There’s plenty of theories and allure surrounding this first season and Anthony Hopkins is phenomenal in his position. Not to discredit the later seasons, Westworld’s first is certainly a must-watch and the later seasons do enough to maintain an air of mystery and drama. You can read our thoughts on Westworld in our full season review here!
Broadchurch
Similarities – Mystery & Crime Drama
Broadchurch is not a sci-fi thriller. There’s no time travel, crazy twists or particularly big themes hanging over this one. What it does have though is an incredibly gripping mystery. With 3 seasons full of shady characters, intriguing mystery and solid investigative work, Broadchurch is crime dramas at its best. You can read our thoughts on Westworld in our full season review here!
Fringe
Similarities – Sci-Fi & Mystery
Fringe feels like a modern day X-Files. It’s a show that takes what made X-Files so great and adds a scientific edge to proceedings. The later seasons are absolutely fantastic and add some really shocking twists to the fold that breathe new life into this show. I won’t spoil anything here but the dynamic between the characters really grows and evolves over time. This is sci-fi at its absolute best. You can read our thoughts on Fringe in our full season review here!
Stranger Things
Similarities – Alternate Worlds, Characters
The little gem on Netflix, Stranger Things is undoubtedly one of the biggest Originals on the platform. It’s also probably the only one safe from being cancelled any time soon. With some intriguing ideas about parallel worlds and some great throwbacks to the 80’s, Stranger Things is a solid choice and with plenty of story to get through, there’s enough here to whet the appetite ready for season 4. You can read our thoughts on Stranger Things in our full season review here!
12 Monkeys
Similarities – Story & Complicated Time Travel
When it comes to under-rated sci-fi, 12 Monkeys must be near the top of the list. This incredibly thrilling show completely surpasses its big screen brother to produce something really special. The story itself is relatively unchanged from the film; a time traveler jumps back to stop a plague from wiping out Earth. Only, the lore and ideas go so much deeper than that. After an enjoyable first season, 12 Monkeys introduces a shadowy group called the Army of the 12 Monkeys. What ensues from here is an incredible journey that’s about as close as you’ll get to substituting Dark. You can read our thoughts on 12 Monkeys in our full season reviews here! So there we have it, our 10 TV show picks to keep you busy while you try to shake off the void left behind by Dark. What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!
Click Here To Check Out More TV Show Recommendations!
