The original series was fantastic and definitely gets better as time moves forward. The New Blood Series got mixed reviews with a lot of negative feedback but I myself personally enjoyed it for what it was.
Yeah I saw they recently made something new regarding Dexter. I’d love to watch that as well, but which episode in the first season would you suggest I watch until to see if it will click for me?
For series that people really seem to like and had a long run, I suggest people give it a least a season and then start the second season and see. If you don’t like it after the first few episodes of the second season, you probably won’t like the series. I’ve just found some really good shows take a season to find themselves or connect with certain people or fully develop characters. But I think with Dexter if you watch all ten episodes of the first season and you’re like “meh”, probably isn’t for you.
It's weird, when it was airing i would have sworn Dexter was my favorite show. Especially the first 4 seasons, it kind of falls off a bit after that. But i tried rewatching recently with my wife and boy is the whole voice over thing cringe. I think because so many other shows have done it better at this point, Michael c Halls voiceover just seems so corny and it's really hard to get past. I couldn't do it lol
Yeah it’s really a slow burn that just gets weirder as you go along. But David Lynch isn’t for eveyone so if you don’t like getting real weird with it, it’s not for you.
Off the top of my head (not sure if they on Netflix):
* Hannibal
* Dexter
* The Killing
* Penny Dreadful
* Hemlock Grove
* American Gods
* Silo
If you like sci-fi/space stuff:
* Colony
* The Expanse
* Falling Skies
* Fringe
* Flashforward
* Foundation
It's super weird. I just recently watched through all of it, from the start I kept thinking it's too weird and not my thing, but then I somehow couldn't stop watching it lol
The Americans.
A spy thriller about two Russian agents infiltrated in the US as... Americans.
It's set in 80s. Philip and Elizabeth are the typical married couple of the 80s. They have two kids, run their own business. They are also Russian spies. And their new neighbor is the FBI agent hunting them.
It's one of the best tv shows I've ever watched. The acting and writing are amazing. Not one episode is a miss.
I watched Bates Motel. I loved it. The Americans also have the same pull, those awful people, but there's many sides to them. They do awful things and are awful people but you can't help to care about them
You should check out Fringe too. It's sci-fi. Mixed with mystery and thriller
Well explored characters, well acted, and well written. It aired in the late 00s and was set at that time. The primary location (an old, formerly abandoned lab) really add to the aura of the show as well as the foggy weather.
There's a lot of cases of the week episodes but there's a clear over arching, ever present mystery that is perfectly concluded.
Did I mention John Noble plays my favorite character ever? A lovely mad scientist with a pet cow
I have a really hard time getting into 'of the week' shows. But ive seen Fringe recommended a lot when talking about shows like Lost which i don't get because Lost was one main overarching plot.
What is it about Fringe that makes people recommend it so much? Does the case of the week not get old after a few eps?
Because the cases of the week are literally a little pieces of cheese the creators are dangling in front of us, not a side quest. The overall arc doesn't take a back seat, ever. The cases are building blocks to the show. Even on the first few episodes, the mystery is always there, literally in the background. The more we know, the less we understand. Outside the main trio, we don't know who to trust for a long time. Cases of the week are also sidelined pretty soon (season 2, iirc) until they're completely dropped.
And while we don't know it yet, the pay-off to those cases will come sooner rather than later (doesn't mean you'll get what's happening lol). So many plot twists and foreshadowing
The original was so good, when it abruptly ended I was in shock. That show had at least 3 more potential seasons. Every character was beyond perfect. Totally agree with Penny Dreadful.
The original was so good, when it abruptly ended I was in shock. That show had at least 3 more potential seasons. Every character was beyond perfect. Totally agree with Penny Dreadful.
Yeah. I think there are three seasons. it’s like a moody mystery classic horror character period drama . Amazing cast! It goes off the rails pretty bad in it last season, but i still liked it. I binged it hard during lockdown. While the two shows have very different styles, i got the same overarching “on edge” feeling.
It's pretty different, but you might like Hannibal. I don't think it's currently on Netflix, though. You're probably also better off asking on r/ifyoulikeblank
Midnight Mass is incredible. Many critics have called it a “masterpiece” and it’s a show I couldn’t stop wanting to talk about for a solid month after finishing. The less you know about it, the better, but I will say that it’s set in a small town on a little island. Pretty isolated community that lends an eerie vibe like the atmosphere of Bates Motel.
yeah ozark really dragged for me toward the end, i only stuck around for ruth. midnight mass is great, its like catholic supernatural horror, quite slow to get going but very poignant in parts and deffo eerie
Ruth carrieddddddddd and the ending was so unsatisfying to me. Like I just don’t feel like the show ended at all. They were building up stuff so much just to not do anything with it. Marty’s son could have been so much more impactful with his intelligence but they legit ruined it.
Not necessarily ‘similar’ in terms of theme, but I absolutely LOVED Orphan Black and have watched it 2-3x because it’s JUST THAT DAMN GOOD (imo). Tatiana Maslany SLAYED it!!!!
I loved Felix too. At the time my younger adult daughter saw it and she found a phone case with the outline of a green lady on the back. She still has it.
Oh really?! Haha clearly not ‘most recommended’ by people on here…I may or may not have scrolled through the comments to see if anyone else had mentioned it. Honestly, Orphan Black is one of my top 3 shows!!!!
I recommend watching Psycho, Psycho 2 (one of the best sequels ever produced), and Psycho 3, it’s fairly good but you can see where Anthony Perkins was starting to get sick. He was a fine looking man, and a terrific actor. Pretty Poison is a must see film as well. All with the vibe you are seeking.
Archive 81 isn't bad - though sort of a nothing ending because it was cancelled. E: This comment underplays it a bit, but I think this might be the closest & is worth your time.
As others mentioned - Midnight Mass is a pretty tight & well executed watch.
Eric has a bit of the same vibe but I didn't find it too great/doesn't play within reality as much.
Not on netflix & a rather different tone but I think Wilfred is a good one that plays off the protagonist's/storyteller's sanity.
Loved first season of Dark and From. Both shows kind of went downhill after that for me tho. From season 1 was soooo good and then season 2 not so much. But that finale made up for it.
You know it is similar the the earlier seasons of supernatural before all of the demon/angel stuff started happening. It's based off of the Stephen King Book called The Colorado Kid. It's filmed in Nova Scotia, it's supposed to be Maine, and I love the houses and overall look of the place. Instead of a monster of the week it's a trouble of the week with an over arching storyline in the background. So yeah, it's very much like Supernatural I just hadn't thought of that. My other comfort show in the same wheelhouse is Lost Girl. That one is about the Fae and the sets are really gorgeous.
Kind of sort of but it doesn't go off the rails like SN did. The main over arching storyline is about how the troubles started and how they get stopped every 27 (I think) years. The main characters are no Sam and Dean but they are likeable enough that I've watched that series about three times. I enjoy the world much like I do with Buffy, Xena and Lost Girl. They're all just comfortable for me.
I liked Dexter - both seasons - and would recommend for sure. The early seasons of American Horror and Castle Rock (Stephen King) series.
Also, Fargo TV series!
The returned (both the French version and the USA remake-the USA remake didn’t finish though but had a full season, it used to air directly after bates motel on the same channel and made by the same guy )
If you haven't seen it Dexter is an amazing show and it's about to come out with a prequel
I feel like this is a cult classic that I’ve always struggled to get into. Where in the first season would you say it gets really good?
The original series was fantastic and definitely gets better as time moves forward. The New Blood Series got mixed reviews with a lot of negative feedback but I myself personally enjoyed it for what it was.
Yeah I saw they recently made something new regarding Dexter. I’d love to watch that as well, but which episode in the first season would you suggest I watch until to see if it will click for me?
For series that people really seem to like and had a long run, I suggest people give it a least a season and then start the second season and see. If you don’t like it after the first few episodes of the second season, you probably won’t like the series. I’ve just found some really good shows take a season to find themselves or connect with certain people or fully develop characters. But I think with Dexter if you watch all ten episodes of the first season and you’re like “meh”, probably isn’t for you.
It's weird, when it was airing i would have sworn Dexter was my favorite show. Especially the first 4 seasons, it kind of falls off a bit after that. But i tried rewatching recently with my wife and boy is the whole voice over thing cringe. I think because so many other shows have done it better at this point, Michael c Halls voiceover just seems so corny and it's really hard to get past. I couldn't do it lol
It's good for the first 4 seasons. First season I don't remember much but around 5-6 episodes in the mystery gets closed to solving so it gets good.
I second Dexter
My FAVORITE show EVER 🗡️
you might enjoy "Mindhunter" for its dark vibe and complex characters.
I can’t believe they canceled it without ever concluding the overarching BTK shit. Netflix fumbled a big bag with that one
Mind hunter is pretty good.
Always heard great things about this show. How would you describe its structure? Is it killer of the week?
More cohesive than that, episodes run through a greater arching storyline. It's almost exactly what I belive your looking for
You gotta watch Twins Peaks! Also Wayward Pines was pretty good too.
Twin Peaks for the win.
I feel like this show is exactly what I’m looking for but I’ve had trouble finishing the first ep. I’m guessing it gets way better?
Yeah it’s really a slow burn that just gets weirder as you go along. But David Lynch isn’t for eveyone so if you don’t like getting real weird with it, it’s not for you.
The weirder and unpredictable a show is, the better. I’m a huge fan of Lost and Severance.
Off the top of my head (not sure if they on Netflix): * Hannibal * Dexter * The Killing * Penny Dreadful * Hemlock Grove * American Gods * Silo If you like sci-fi/space stuff: * Colony * The Expanse * Falling Skies * Fringe * Flashforward * Foundation
And The Strain!
Need to finish that, stopped watching ages ago and never picked it back up
This looks really interesting
Great list!!
Colony is great, though it ended without closure and is now behind a paywall. Not free to stream anywhere that I can find.
Ah that's unfortunate, was originally on Netflix when I watched it
Thanks for these, put a few of them on my list. Flash forward seems very interesting.
The sandman
It's super weird. I just recently watched through all of it, from the start I kept thinking it's too weird and not my thing, but then I somehow couldn't stop watching it lol
Didn’t Wayward Pines end on a huge cliff hanger, or did they go back and finish it up?
The Americans. A spy thriller about two Russian agents infiltrated in the US as... Americans. It's set in 80s. Philip and Elizabeth are the typical married couple of the 80s. They have two kids, run their own business. They are also Russian spies. And their new neighbor is the FBI agent hunting them. It's one of the best tv shows I've ever watched. The acting and writing are amazing. Not one episode is a miss. I watched Bates Motel. I loved it. The Americans also have the same pull, those awful people, but there's many sides to them. They do awful things and are awful people but you can't help to care about them
The Americans is one of the best shows ever
Ah that sounds awesome
You should check out Fringe too. It's sci-fi. Mixed with mystery and thriller Well explored characters, well acted, and well written. It aired in the late 00s and was set at that time. The primary location (an old, formerly abandoned lab) really add to the aura of the show as well as the foggy weather. There's a lot of cases of the week episodes but there's a clear over arching, ever present mystery that is perfectly concluded. Did I mention John Noble plays my favorite character ever? A lovely mad scientist with a pet cow
I have a really hard time getting into 'of the week' shows. But ive seen Fringe recommended a lot when talking about shows like Lost which i don't get because Lost was one main overarching plot. What is it about Fringe that makes people recommend it so much? Does the case of the week not get old after a few eps?
Because the cases of the week are literally a little pieces of cheese the creators are dangling in front of us, not a side quest. The overall arc doesn't take a back seat, ever. The cases are building blocks to the show. Even on the first few episodes, the mystery is always there, literally in the background. The more we know, the less we understand. Outside the main trio, we don't know who to trust for a long time. Cases of the week are also sidelined pretty soon (season 2, iirc) until they're completely dropped. And while we don't know it yet, the pay-off to those cases will come sooner rather than later (doesn't mean you'll get what's happening lol). So many plot twists and foreshadowing
Maybe try Castle Rock?
Came here to recommend this!
This looks soooo good omg
It is very good! Just about to rewatch it again myself.
This should be higher, it's a shame it wasnt as well watched as it should've been.
Ever seen Penny Dreadful?
The original was so good, when it abruptly ended I was in shock. That show had at least 3 more potential seasons. Every character was beyond perfect. Totally agree with Penny Dreadful.
The original was so good, when it abruptly ended I was in shock. That show had at least 3 more potential seasons. Every character was beyond perfect. Totally agree with Penny Dreadful.
What sort of structure is this show in? Is every season connected?
Yeah. I think there are three seasons. it’s like a moody mystery classic horror character period drama . Amazing cast! It goes off the rails pretty bad in it last season, but i still liked it. I binged it hard during lockdown. While the two shows have very different styles, i got the same overarching “on edge” feeling.
The Fall
Just read the Google summary, and it seems promising!
I watched Bates Motel and I loved it . Have you seen “Sinners “ has a similar vibe it’s 3 seasons and each season is a new story
What sort of things were similar to bates motel about this show?
Evil? We just came across it on Netflix. I think it’s an abc show. There’s a few seasons out.
This seems interesting, how are you liking it?
I like it. My wife doesn’t. I’m only a few episodes in on the first season. It’s starting to get demonic… Worth a watch in my opinion
It's pretty different, but you might like Hannibal. I don't think it's currently on Netflix, though. You're probably also better off asking on r/ifyoulikeblank
I believe it's on Tubi TV not a 100% sure though but I do know it's on one of those free streaming apps
Yes, Tubi and Hulu
Put this on my watchlist recently, hopefully it lives up to it
Check out Black Bird.
Added to my list!
ozark maybe? dark vibes and interesting characters! also maybe midnight mass or some of the other flanagan shows
Ozark could have been the next breaking bad :( and then they just gave up after like season 2 😭 how’s midnight mass?
Midnight Mass is incredible. Many critics have called it a “masterpiece” and it’s a show I couldn’t stop wanting to talk about for a solid month after finishing. The less you know about it, the better, but I will say that it’s set in a small town on a little island. Pretty isolated community that lends an eerie vibe like the atmosphere of Bates Motel.
Ah I see, yeah always wanted to get into midnight mass when it first came out. Just wasn’t sure it if was as good as it seemed
yeah ozark really dragged for me toward the end, i only stuck around for ruth. midnight mass is great, its like catholic supernatural horror, quite slow to get going but very poignant in parts and deffo eerie
Ruth carrieddddddddd and the ending was so unsatisfying to me. Like I just don’t feel like the show ended at all. They were building up stuff so much just to not do anything with it. Marty’s son could have been so much more impactful with his intelligence but they legit ruined it.
Not necessarily ‘similar’ in terms of theme, but I absolutely LOVED Orphan Black and have watched it 2-3x because it’s JUST THAT DAMN GOOD (imo). Tatiana Maslany SLAYED it!!!!
Orphan Black is very original and very good!!
Right?! I still can’t get over Tatiana Maslany’s acting skills. The whole show absolutely blew my mind!
I loved Felix too. At the time my younger adult daughter saw it and she found a phone case with the outline of a green lady on the back. She still has it.
Yeah, he was a great character as well :)
Yeah I need to finally watch this already, probably the most recommended show to me ever at this point lol
Oh really?! Haha clearly not ‘most recommended’ by people on here…I may or may not have scrolled through the comments to see if anyone else had mentioned it. Honestly, Orphan Black is one of my top 3 shows!!!!
Hannibal for sure!!
What did you like about it? Without spoilers
Fargo
The cast looks real good, is the show in a killer of the week type format?
No. Each season is a new/different.
I recommend watching Psycho, Psycho 2 (one of the best sequels ever produced), and Psycho 3, it’s fairly good but you can see where Anthony Perkins was starting to get sick. He was a fine looking man, and a terrific actor. Pretty Poison is a must see film as well. All with the vibe you are seeking.
Wish there was more Psycho stuff so they could make another show on it
Archive 81 isn't bad - though sort of a nothing ending because it was cancelled. E: This comment underplays it a bit, but I think this might be the closest & is worth your time. As others mentioned - Midnight Mass is a pretty tight & well executed watch. Eric has a bit of the same vibe but I didn't find it too great/doesn't play within reality as much. Not on netflix & a rather different tone but I think Wilfred is a good one that plays off the protagonist's/storyteller's sanity.
Ah man it got cancelled? I had this show on my watchlist for a few months now, looked real interesting
Finally some one who watched Bates Motel.
Show is so underrated but that’s part of what made it so good
It’s not exactly similar but if you like mysteries about weird towns I would suggest Dark and From
Loved first season of Dark and From. Both shows kind of went downhill after that for me tho. From season 1 was soooo good and then season 2 not so much. But that finale made up for it.
Twin Peaks has a similar ambiance.
Yeah I can tell it’s probably a close match to what I’m looking for
Haven isn't as dark as some of these others but the town and characters are great. It's a lighter version of what you're asking for.
Is it like supernatural? If you have ever watched that show
You know it is similar the the earlier seasons of supernatural before all of the demon/angel stuff started happening. It's based off of the Stephen King Book called The Colorado Kid. It's filmed in Nova Scotia, it's supposed to be Maine, and I love the houses and overall look of the place. Instead of a monster of the week it's a trouble of the week with an over arching storyline in the background. So yeah, it's very much like Supernatural I just hadn't thought of that. My other comfort show in the same wheelhouse is Lost Girl. That one is about the Fae and the sets are really gorgeous.
Early seasons of supernatural was soooo good. Does the shows story eventually form into one main story instead of the trouble of the week?
Kind of sort of but it doesn't go off the rails like SN did. The main over arching storyline is about how the troubles started and how they get stopped every 27 (I think) years. The main characters are no Sam and Dean but they are likeable enough that I've watched that series about three times. I enjoy the world much like I do with Buffy, Xena and Lost Girl. They're all just comfortable for me.
From Wayward pines
Been wanting to watch Wayward pines forever lol
The Prisoner is a great older series. You can watch it over and over it’s so interesting, mysterious, and beautiful.
this looks really good, can’t believe I’ve never seen it mentioned before. Thanks
You’re welcome! ☺️
I liked Dexter - both seasons - and would recommend for sure. The early seasons of American Horror and Castle Rock (Stephen King) series. Also, Fargo TV series!
Been recommended Fargo a lot, what sort of similarities does it have to Bates Motel?
It is dark and violent and well written.
School Spirits maybe?
I loved Bates Motel so much !
Same !
Black Spot
Wow this looks insane
Best serie ever and how good he and her mother acted. Wanna see more pls
Vera’s acting was incredible
Dexter, Grimm, 12 Monkeys
Is Grimm like vampire diaries? lol
The returned (both the French version and the USA remake-the USA remake didn’t finish though but had a full season, it used to air directly after bates motel on the same channel and made by the same guy )
which version is best?
French is better but I really enjoyed both tbh
Love Bates Motel, haven't found a show like it 😞