Stranger Things has come to an end, and fans are already looking for a new show to fill the void. While the Stranger Things finale earned a mixed response, its mix of nostalgic adventure and beloved characters made it a show that will be greatly missed by fans. However, there are some upcoming series that might capture a similar vibe.
The popularity of Stranger Things is felt throughout the streaming world, with plenty of shows being developed that might be trying to replicate that formula. While these shows can exist as their own unique small-screen adventures, they could also be exactly what Stranger Things fans are looking for next.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
Star Trek was a beloved franchise long before Stranger Things came along, but even it might be influenced by the hit Netflix show. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will follow a group of young heroes who make up the first new class of Starfleet cadets in years.
Instead of following young characters as they confront supernatural threats, Starfleet Academy will see them exploring the final frontier of outer space. It is an inventive and clever path to take the Star Trek franchise and could introduce a new generation of fans to these stories. The show also features some exciting adult actors to back up the young newcomers, including Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti.
The Boroughs
The Duffer Brothers are wasting no time in returning to Netflix with a new series. While there are plenty of Stranger Things spinoffs in the works as well, The Boroughs is a completely new story, but one that promises to deliver more supernatural and sci-fi fun. The show is set in a retirement home and centers on an unlikely group of heroes who face an otherworldly threat.
While there will certainly be similarities to Stranger Things, it will also be fun to see them dealing with much older kids this time around. The cast is also incredible, with celebrated actors like Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, and Bill Pullman leading the show.
Netflix's Dungeons and Dragons series
Stranger Things ended with the young characters finishing up their final game of Dungeons and Dragons, so it is perfect that fans will be able to eventually jump into a series that is a direct adaptation of the iconic board game. Netflix announced it was developing its own Dungeons and Dragons live-action series Stranger Things' frequent director Shawn Levy producing.
D&D is a huge influence on Stranger Things, with the Demogorgons, Mindflayer, and even Vecna coming right from the game. It will be interesting to see what kind of overlap this new series will have, but the criminally underrated Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves highlighted how much potential this property still has.
Netflix's sea monster series
While Netflix has a lot of great shows, Stranger Things is certainly its biggest hit. It makes sense that they are searching for more shows that deliver on some monster thrills. One of the most intriguing is the upcoming untitled series starring Josh Hartnett. Set in Newfoundland, it follows a fisherman looking to protect his remote community from sea creatures.
Newfoundland offers a unique and beautiful location for the series, while Hartnett is an exciting star to have leading the show. Beyond that, the idea of monsters threatening a quiet little community sounds like it could be exactly what Stranger Things fans are looking for while still being its own interesting thing.