If You Loved ‘Wayward’, Watch These 15 Similar Shows on Netflix

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If you, like me, were totally captivated by the unsettling mysteries, reality-bending twists, and secretive small towns of ‘Wayward’, then you’re probably looking for something similar on Netflix. I’ve put together a list of series that really deliver that same vibe. These shows all explore strange disappearances, worlds where the supernatural is just part of life, and intricate puzzles that really pay off if you’re a close watcher – trust me, you won’t want to miss the details!

For each show or movie, we tell you what it’s about, who created it, and how much content is available on Netflix. You’ll find information like the number of seasons and episodes, the main actors, and details about how it was made, so you can choose your next watch without any confusion.

‘Stranger Things’ (2016– )

The series centers around a boy who disappears, a strange research lab, and an alternate reality called the Upside Down, all set in the town of Hawkins. Created by Matt and Ross Duffer, it features Millie Bobby Brown, Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, and Gaten Matarazzo. Monkey Massacre Productions and 21 Laps Entertainment produce the show for Netflix. The story mixes science fiction elements with secrets the government is hiding and dangerous creatures that begin to terrorize the town.

The show features several seasons, offering plenty of episodes for extended viewing. Key storylines involve the arrival of Eleven, the battle against the Mind Flayer, and the development of the Hawkins group as they explore strange happenings in their town. With each new season, the show adds more characters and settings, but always returns to the central mysteries originating from under Hawkins National Laboratory.

‘Dark’ (2017–2020)

This German show follows the lives of four families in the town of Winden, all connected by a complex web of time travel. Missing children, a nuclear power plant, and hidden groups are all central to the mystery. Created by Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese, and starring Louis Hofmann, Lisa Vicari, Andreas Pietschmann, and Maja Schöne, the series is a Netflix production from Wiedemann and Berg Television. The narrative unfolds through a detailed timeline that repeats itself across multiple generations as the characters try to break the cycle.

The show lasts three seasons and tells a complete story, following characters as they grow up. The plot is complex and carefully planned. Important parts of the story include the caves around Winden, a device that allows time travel, and a family history that connects everything. Each episode has visual hints and repeated themes, so watching it again can help you understand the connections between events.

‘1899’ (2022)

This mystery takes place aboard a steamship carrying migrants from Europe to the Americas. The journey is disrupted when passengers discover a deserted ship and a cryptic message. Created by Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese, the series stars Emily Beecham, Andreas Pietschmann, Aneurin Barnard, and Miguel Bernardeau. Filmed for Netflix, it features a diverse international cast and innovative production techniques, including a virtual LED stage to simulate the ocean and changing weather conditions.

The show consists of a single season, and its storyline connects the ship’s passenger list to secret messages and a device with the power to alter reality. Each episode uncovers details about the passengers’ histories through files and symbols. The story is built on complex layers of simulated reality, and provides noticeable clues about how the ship’s rooms, hallways, and systems connect to the central mystery.

‘The OA’ (2016–2019)

The show centers around Prairie Johnson, a woman who disappeared and returns with unique powers and a goal: to locate others like her. Created by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, it features Brit Marling, Emory Cohen, Jason Isaacs, and Phyllis Smith in leading roles. Filming takes place in various locations – from quiet towns and hospitals to a hidden underground laboratory – and the series is structured with episodes presented as chapters on Netflix.

Over two seasons, the story delves into experiences near death, a group of local teens helping Prairie, and a scientist researching travel between dimensions. The show develops a complex backstory connecting movements, symbols, and a multi-layered house to the main plot. Both seasons feature suspenseful cliffhangers and storytelling techniques that offer new perspectives on what happened before.

‘Ragnarok’ (2020–2023)

This Norwegian series takes place in the made-up town of Edda, where unusual weather and industrial pollution seem linked to ancient Norse myths coming to life in a group of teenagers. Created by Adam Price, it features David Stakston, Jonas Strand Gravli, Theresa Frostad Eggesbø, and Herman Tømmeraas. The show, a Netflix production, was filmed on location, showcasing Norway’s beautiful fjords and industrial areas.

The show spans three seasons and centers on a teenager who discovers he’s destined for a legendary role, all while battling a formidable and influential family. The storyline revolves around ancient artifacts, mysterious runes, and family histories that connect the characters to gods and giants from mythology. Each episode blends the everyday experiences of high school, intense corporate conflicts, and epic mythical battles, with the stakes rising as characters form and break alliances.

‘Equinox’ (2020)

This Danish show centers around a radio personality whose sister disappeared along with an entire class of students on a graduation trip. Created by Tea Lindeburg and featuring Danica Curcic, Lars Brygmann, and Karoline Hamm, the series is based on a well-known podcast. For Netflix, the production utilizes both Copenhagen and countryside locations to highlight the difference between normal life and a mysterious, folklore-inspired story.

This season presents two interwoven storylines: the protagonist’s investigation into her sister’s case and the discovery of ancient Equinox-related rituals. The narrative features a secretive group, notebooks filled with drawings, and a key witness whose statements relate to the initial vanishing. Each episode reveals clues through both visual evidence and interviews, gradually narrowing down the list of suspects and suggesting they are all connected. The information presented slowly builds a picture of a tight-knit, closed group.

‘The Society’ (2019)

I’m really hooked on this new series! It’s about a group of teens who come back from a school trip to find that everyone – all the adults – has just vanished, and their town is completely isolated. It was brought to life by Christopher Keyser and features Kathryn Newton, Gideon Adlon, Sean Berdy, and Natasha Liu Bordizzo. What’s cool is that Netflix really went all out with the production, actually rebuilding the town to look like a place where these kids have to govern themselves.

This season follows the development of a governing document, how resources are handled, and a system of justice as it forms during challenging times. Key storylines involve keeping track of the food supply, creating power, and using historical town records to uncover important information. The season concludes with revelations about the land itself and the possibility of a world that’s a reflection of their own.

‘Locke & Key’ (2020–2022)

This series is inspired by the comic book created by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez. It centers around the Locke siblings, who relocate to Keyhouse and find enchanted keys that grant them unique abilities. Developed for Netflix by Carlton Cuse, Meredith Averill, and Aron Eli Coleite, the show features performances by Darby Stanchfield, Connor Jessup, Emilia Jones, and Jackson Robert Scott. Filmed in coastal New England, the production team utilized real, physical key props alongside visual effects.

Over three seasons, the show details a collection of keys with abilities like unlocking memories, changing who people are, and allowing travel between places. The villains want these keys to unleash evil spirits connected to the house’s past. Each episode carefully tracks the keys and provides a detailed layout of secret rooms, wells, and concealed spaces.

‘Archive 81’ (2022)

The show centers around an archivist who works to repair old, damaged videotapes. These tapes reveal a filmmaker’s inquiry into a strange apartment building. Created by Rebecca Sonnenshine, it features performances by Mamoudou Athie and Dina Shihabi. The series reimagines a popular audio podcast as a visual experience for Netflix, using tape restoration scenes and architectural plans of the building.

A single season links the building to a secretive group, a system of symbolic communication, and ceremonies performed on particular dates and in specific rooms. The story jumps between old recordings and the current archive, using matching camera shots and warped sound as hints. The season ends by changing the setting, which proves the patterns revealed in the tapes were accurate.

‘Midnight Mass’ (2021)

This limited series unfolds in a secluded island community, investigating a series of seemingly miraculous occurrences and the arrival of a new priest that happens at the same time as strange, unexplainable events. It was brought to life by creator Mike Flanagan and features performances by Hamish Linklater, Kate Siegel, Zach Gilford, and Rahul Kohli. The show was a Netflix production, emphasizing strong group acting and utilizing real-world locations.

The series consists of seven episodes that show how strange nighttime events directly lead to changes in the people living on the island. It uses scenes like church services, town meetings, and visits to the doctor to illustrate how these occurrences spread. The final episode explains the biological and religious reasons behind the crisis.

‘The Haunting of Hill House’ (2018)

This limited series is based on Shirley Jackson’s novel and tells the story of the Crain family and a haunted house. The house’s rooms shift between different points in time, showing both their sorrow and ghostly encounters. Created by Mike Flanagan, it features performances by Michiel Huisman, Carla Gugino, Victoria Pedretti, and Oliver Jackson Cohen. For its visual style on Netflix, the production team used extended shots and cleverly concealed ghosts.

The story alternates between scenes of childhood happenings inside the house and the long-term effects those events have on the siblings as adults. It details specific rooms and objects that bring back memories. Each episode centers on a different sibling and shows how the house’s design helps explain strange occurrences. Ultimately, the story comes to a conclusion by connecting the house’s Red Room to many of the experiences shared by the family.

‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’ (2020)

This series reimagines stories by Henry James, telling the story of an American nanny who looks after two children at a large country house with a dark past. Created by Mike Flanagan, it features Victoria Pedretti, T’Nia Miller, Rahul Kohli, and Amelia Eve. The show utilizes a familiar group of actors and focuses on psychological scares and character development for Netflix.

This limited series links the estate’s lake, a mysterious figure, and a locked-off section to the rules about who is allowed to enter certain spaces. Each episode features narrated flashbacks that reveal the history behind the haunting and clarify the meaning of repeating images. Ultimately, the series shows how memories and who owns the property keep spirits tied to it.

‘Hemlock Grove’ (2013–2015)

I just finished watching this series, and it’s a really compelling mystery set in a small town in Pennsylvania. It dives into some unsettling murders that seem to be connected to secret biotech experiments and, even stranger, families with a history of supernatural abilities. It was brought to life by the team of Brian McGreevy, Lee Shipman, and Eli Roth, and features some fantastic performances from Famke Janssen, Bill Skarsgård, and Landon Liboiron. Interestingly, this was one of Netflix’s first original series, and what I really appreciated was their commitment to using practical effects – they really leaned into those, and then enhanced them with digital technology. It makes for a genuinely creepy and visually interesting experience.

The story, spanning three seasons, centers on personal changes, research facilities, and a bond between friends from feuding families. The show documents traditional beliefs, like the legend of the upir, and examines medical records linking events to scientific studies. Each episode features detectives uncovering clues that connect crime scenes to the town’s history of manufacturing and industry. More details are available here.

‘Between’ (2015–2016)

This Canadian co-production tells the story of a town locked down after a disease begins killing people over a specific age. Created by Michael McGowan, it features Jennette McCurdy, Jesse Carere, and Jim Watson in leading roles. The series originally aired on Citytv in Canada, and Netflix handled international distribution.

I just finished watching this series, and it’s a really gripping look at how teenagers cope when everything falls apart. Over two seasons, it details the ingenious ways they band together to survive as essential services collapse and they’re forced to ration food and power. We get a sense of the official response too – it’s shown through things like roadblocks, emergency supply drops, and the scientists trying to figure out where this all started. What’s really interesting is *how* the story unfolds; they use maps, actual security footage, and even what look like real lab reports to chart the spread of… well, whatever’s happening. It’s a clever and unsettling way to present the narrative. Definitely worth checking out if you like dystopian thrillers. The attention to detail is remarkable. I was on the edge of my seat!

‘Travelers’ (2016–2018)

This science fiction show centers around agents from the future who transfer their minds into people just before they die, with the goal of stopping society from falling apart. It was developed by Brad Wright and features Eric McCormack, MacKenzie Porter, Jared Abrahamson, and Nesta Cooper in leading roles. Initially, the series was picked up by a Canadian network, but Netflix eventually became its exclusive streaming platform.

For three seasons, missions are sent out with specific codes and believable backstories designed to protect the life of each host. The team is made up of specialists like a tactician, engineer, and historian, and an AI Director gives them their assignments. The story tracks the consequences that spread through time whenever the team alters past events.

‘1899’ (2022)

This mystery unfolds aboard a steamship crossing the Atlantic, following passengers as they discover a derelict ship and start to wonder about the true purpose of their journey. Created by Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese, it features Emily Beecham and Andreas Pietschmann as part of a larger cast. The series was produced for Netflix using innovative techniques, including a virtual stage and conversations in multiple languages.

Throughout the season, hidden details within the cabins, specific coordinates, and repeating symbols come together to create a code that unlocks the secrets of the ship’s technology. Each episode shares the personal histories of the passengers, showing how they connect to the main experiment. Ultimately, the finale explains the rules of the simulated world and prepares everything for the ultimate revelation.

Let us know which show from the list is your favorite in the comments below! Also, feel free to suggest any other Netflix shows that you think people who enjoy ‘Wayward’ might like.

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2025-09-29 22:18