15 Must-Watch TV Shows for Buffy The Vampire Slayer Fans

Summary

Buffy the Vampire Slayer still remains one of the most popular supernatural shows even 20 years after its end, praised for its strong female lead.

Streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have been increasingly creating and producing a greater number of supernatural shows in the past few years, albeit with differing tones compared to Buffy. Titles like Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Riverdale, Stranger Things, among others, are able to fulfill the craving for supernatural dramas.

Twenty years after its conclusion, Buffy the Vampire Slayer remains a prominent and cherished supernatural show. Despite ending in 2003 after seven seasons, the franchise continued to thrive with its spin-off Angel, which wrapped up the following year. Buffy the Vampire Slayer garnered constant acclaim for its empowering female lead and continues to enjoy immense popularity even two decades later.

In recent years, the supernatural drama genre has experienced a surge in popularity, fueled by streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video commissioning a plethora of shows in this realm. It is important to note that these shows differ from Buffy in tone, often exploring more serious and darker themes. While no show can replicate its unique charm, there are several series available that can provide a similar fix for fans longing for the Buffy experience.

10 Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018-2020)

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

October 26, 2018 marks the release date of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. The cast includes Kiernan Shipka, Ross Lynch, Lucy Davis, Chance Perdomo, Michelle Gomez, Jaz Sinclair, Tati Gabrielle, Adeline Rudolph, Richard Coyle, and Miranda Otto. This thrilling show combines elements of horror, fantasy, and drama. It currently has one season available for purchase at $9.99.

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina premiered on Netflix in 2018 and came to an end after four seasons due to COVID in 2020. This gripping adaptation of the sitcom Sabrina the Teenage Witch delves into a darker narrative, following the journey of Sabrina (portrayed by Kiernan Shipka) as she embraces her half-witch identity and battles against the forces of darkness to protect her loved ones. Much like Buffy, this thrilling series introduces a unique array of mythical creatures and adversaries, including warlocks and demons.

9 American Horror Story (2011-)

American Horror Story

American Horror Story is a horror anthology series created by Ryan Murphy, known for Glee. Each season of the show delves into a dark and supernatural plot, with a recurring cast that portrays different roles in each season. The series premiered in 2011 and has aired a total of eleven seasons, with season 12 set to air in September 2023. Each season of American Horror Story explores various supernatural elements or locations, including covens, freak shows, and cults.

8 Riverdale (2017-2023)

Riverdale

Cast Camila Mendes, Marisol Nichols, Ashleigh Murray, Cole Sprouse, Ross Butler, Madelaine Petsch, K.J. Apa, Luke Perry, Lili Reinhart, casey cottGenres DramaRating Not Rated

Teen drama Riverdale, which aired on Netflix from 2017 to 2023, is an adaptation of the Archie Comics series of the same name. Despite facing criticism for its incoherent storylines, the show managed to run for six seasons. It began as a simple murder mystery and evolved into an alternate universe, time travel extravaganza. Similar to Buffy, Riverdale revolves around a group of high school students who find themselves in a constant battle against dark forces.

7 Stranger Things (2016-)

Stranger Things

Release Date: July 15, 2016

Cast: Finn Wolfhard, Joe Keery, Jamie Campbell Bower, Brett Gelman, Caleb McLaughlin, Maya Hawke, David Harbour, Matthew Modine, Priah Ferguson, Gaten Matarazzo, Winona Ryder, Charlie Heaton, Sadie Sink, Millie Bobby Brown, Joseph Quinn, Dacre Montgomery, Natalia Dyer, Noah Schnapp

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Drama

Seasons: 4

Stranger Things, one of Netflix's most popular shows, is set in the 1980s and follows a group of preteens in a small Midwestern town. The town is plagued by a dangerous alternate dimension. The show has already aired four seasons, but the filming of season 5 has been delayed due to the WGA strikes. As a result, Stranger Things fans are eagerly waiting for a confirmed release date for the fifth season. Similar to Buffy, Stranger Things introduces a female lead named Eleven, who, like Buffy Summers, struggles to lead a normal life while dealing with her supernatural abilities.

6 Wednesday (2022-)

Wednesday is a TV-14 comedy and fantasy film set to be released on November 16, 2022. The movie features an ensemble cast including Jenna Ortega, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzman, Gwendoline Christie, Riki Lindhome, Jamie McShane, Christina Ricci, Hunter Doohan, Emma Myers, and Joy Sunday.

5 Locke & Key (2020-2022)

Wednesday, inspired by the character Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family, premiered on Netflix in 2022 with Jenna Ortega in the lead role. The show offers a fresh take on The Addams Family universe, highlighting Wednesday's struggles within her own family and utilizing her psychic abilities to solve a murder. Following overwhelmingly positive reviews, Wednesday was renewed for a second season in January 2023.

Locke and Key

Release Date: February 7, 2020

Cast: Petrice Jones, Darby Stanchfield, Jackson Robert Scott, Emilia Jones, Griffin Gluck, Laysla De Oliveira, Connor Jessup

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Drama

Seasons: 3

Locke & Key, the fantasy horror drama series from Netflix, has concluded after three seasons. The show's writers had planned for this ending. After their father's murder, the Locke children, along with their mother, move into a new house where they discover a mysterious set of keys. These keys have the power to open different doors, but the siblings soon realize that their home is being haunted by a demonic entity that is also in search of these keys. Filled with supernatural and eerie elements, Locke & Key is a perfect binge-watch for Halloween.

4 First Kill (2022)

First Kill premiered on Netflix in 2022. It is based on the short story "First Kill" by Victoria Schwab. The story revolves around Juliette, a teenage vampire (played by Sarah Catherine Hook), who is on the path to adulthood. However, in order to reach this milestone, she must commit her first kill. Her plans take an unexpected turn with the arrival of Cal (played by Imani Lewis), a vampire hunter. As they spend time together, Juliette and Cal develop intense feelings for each other, which complicates their already complex situation. Similar to the iconic series Buffy, First Kill also explores a lesbian relationship and the challenges that come with being involved in a cross-species romance, reminiscent of Willow and Kennedy.

3 Shadowhunters (2016-2019)

Shadowhunters

Release Date: January 12, 2016

Cast: Dominic Sherwood, Katherine McNamara

Genres: Fantasy

Seasons: 3

Shadowhunters, based on Cassandra Clare's book series The Mortal Instruments, aired on Netflix for three seasons from 2016 to 2019. Clary (Katherine McNamara), after mistakenly believing she's committed murder on her eighteenth birthday, joins forces with the Shadowhunters—a group of half-angel half-human beings—to rescue her abducted mother. Throughout the series, Clary becomes immersed in a world teeming with werewolves, warlocks, and vampires, all while uncovering her own extraordinary supernatural abilities.

2 Julie and the Phantoms (2020)

"Julie and the Phantoms" is a fantasy, family, comedy series that premiered on September 10, 2020. The show features an ensemble cast including Jeremy Shada, Madison Reyes, Sonny Bustamante, Booboo Stewart, Sacha Carlson, Carlos Ponce, Jadah Marie, Cheyenne Jackson, Charlie Gillespie, Owen Patrick Joyner, Alison Araya, and Savannah May. Currently, there is one season available.

1 School Spirits (2023-)

Julie and the Phantoms, a musical comedy-drama, premiered on Netflix in 2020, and is a remake of the Brazilian series Julie e os Fantasma. With only one season, the story revolves around Julie (Madison Reyes) inadvertently summoning the spirits of the deceased boyband Sunset Curve. Alongside dealing with the loss of her mother, Julie finds solace and musical inspiration in the ghostly band. Unlike other supernatural shows, Julie and the Phantoms leans towards a lighter, more lighthearted tone, reminiscent of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

School Spirits

Release Date: March 9, 2023

Cast: Kristian Flores, Milo Manheim, Spencer Macpherson, Kiara Pichardo, Sarah Yarkin, Nick Pugliese, Rainbow Wedell, Josh Zuckerman

Genres: Drama, Mystery, Supernatural

Seasons: 1

School Spirits premiered on Paramount+ in March 2023. The show revolves around Maddie (played by Peyton List), who embarks on a quest to uncover the truth behind her own mysterious vanishing while adapting to her new high school in the afterlife. Maddie forms friendships with fellow deceased students, and as she uncovers more secrets, she becomes tangled in a web of deception and darkness. Perfect for fans of Buffy, School Spirits quickly garnered success and was officially renewed for a second season in June 2023, slated for an early 2025 release.