Shows like Dark: 10 captivating dramas to fill the void

Dark just recently wrapped up its third and final season on Netflix, tying a satisfying bow on a cerebral time-travel drama, full of complex family trees and Schrodinger's finales. Now that it's over, you might be scouring your streaming services for another intriguing binge. Here are 10 options, ranging from a Peak TV classic to obscure French intrigue.

10. Better Than Us

Better Than Us takes the "regular people suddenly get their hands on futuristic tech" trope and turns it into something truly captivating. This Russian series incorporates androids into a society similar to our own and adds a layer of family drama and unexpectedly heartwarming robots. Plus, it features Kirill Käro, star of delightfully weird Netflix crime procedural The Sniffer, about a man gifted with a heightened sense of smell.

Available on: Netflix

9. Altered Carbon

Altered Carbon has all the fun world-building of Dark, plus a fun body transfer conceit that allows multiple actors to play the same character. For example, Season 2 features Anthony Mackie as Takeshi Kovacs, while in Season 1, the role was primarily played by Joel Kinnaman. The show paints an intergalactic world of classism and rebellion, the perfect universe to sink into after escaping the winding paths of Winden.

Available on: Netflix

8. Warrior Nun

Two of the selling points of Dark were secret societies and evocative biblical symbolism. Both motifs run rampant throughout Netflix's new comic adaptation Warrior Nun, which follows a young orphan who becomes the champion soldier of the Order of the Cruciform Sword, a secret society sworn to protect the Church. It's bunches of fun and borders on comedic, but the air of mystery looms large.

Available on: Netflix

7. The Chalet

The Chalet is the only entry on this list without sci-fi elements, but there are twists enough to justify its appearance. It's the quintessential French intrigue. Like Dark, it follows several timelines at once: one in 1997, another in 2017. What unfolds over the show's six episodes is a dark tale of revenge and murder, and by the end, it'll feel so mind-boggling that it may as well be a sci-fi show.

Available on: Netflix

6. Stranger Things

Dark is usually mentioned in the same breath as Stranger Things, but the shows are radically different in terms of tone. While Dark relies on time travel, Stranger Things garners its terrors with old-fashioned monsters. Still, the period setting, teen drama, and multi-generational cast are great arguments that you should check out the smash-hit series if you haven't already. If you're bummed that Dark is over and done, a fourth season of Stranger Things is still in the works.

Available on: Netflix

5. Lost

Saying Dark is a complex show is a massive understatement, and finding a show with a similarly sprawling plot and mythology is a tall task. Luckily, one of the most acclaimed series of all time did something very similar. J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof crafted Lost to be a mystery box show, and over six seasons, that box just kept growing. While initially a survival drama, Lost evolved into an examination of humanity and ethics. (And yes, there are multiple timelines.)

Available on: Hulu

4. Sense8

The Wachowskis poured every ounce of their bombastic style into Sense8, following the lives of eight strangers who struggle to discover why they've been tethered psychologically. It's reminiscent of the "everything is connected" philosophy of Dark. This Netflix original quickly became a fan-favorite, especially for its portrayal of LGBTQ+ issues. When it was unexpectedly canceled, the streaming giant released a 2.5 hour-long series finale after fan outcry. So don't worry, everything's wrapped up now.

Available on: Netflix

3. The Society

The Society is Lord of the Flies meets Riverdale. This teen drama centers on a group of high schoolers who return from a field trip to find everyone in their small town has vanished. It's up to them to form a new social order, and what follows is a surprisingly smooth blend of teen drama and actual political intrigue. Crushes and socialist football players intermingle with military coups and capital punishment. Season 1 ends on quite the kicker, but Season 2 is coming, eventually.

Available on: Netflix

2. Doctor Who

You can't mention time-travel television without Doctor Who. For nearly 57 years, this show has produced historical stories, intergalactic aliens, and quite a bit of timeline shifting shenanigans. The protagonist, the mythical Time Lord known only as The Doctor, leads her human companions on countless adventures and usually lands them in peril. The latest season of Doctor Who retconned basically everything we knew about their backstory, so there's no need to start all the way back with the 1963 episodes. Start at Season 5 of the reboot, and then work from there.

Available on: HBO Max

1. Ragnarok

Dark's core genre identity, a European sci-fi series steeped in lore, is shared with this Norwegian show. Ragnarok depicts two brothers, Magne and Laurits, who move to a small town and soon discover all is not well. While Dark used nuclear power as its framing device, Ragnarok uses climate change as the jumping-off point for a conspiracy of Norse mythological creatures. Magne's unassuming form makes for a great protagonist, but Laurits's other-ness steals the show. Season 1 sets a great foundation, and there's word Season 2 is on its way.

Available on: Netflix