When tales of the paranormal and apocalyptic storylines get the heart all a-flutter, then it might be time to branch out a little bit and discover what other fantastical TV shows lie beyond Supernatural.
Luckily for us, it’s not just the Winchester brothers who are saving people and hunting things, there’s a veritable legion of occult-themed shows just waiting to be watched. Even better, many of them are available to binge-watch on Netflix from start to finish!
Updated on February 1st, 2022, by Shawn S. Lealos: Supernatural ended its run, sending Sam and Dean Winchester into the sunset, while also taking away one of the most popular supernatural primetime shows from fans. With the series featuring angels, demons, and hunters coming to an end, fans might need a new series to dig into.
Whether finding something brand new to television or going back in time to a classic, there is plenty of great supernatural television to watch for anyone who misses Supernatural. This also includes plenty of options that are very similar, with angels, demons, gods, and plenty of monsters of the week to satisfy anyone who misses Sam and Dean’s hunting trips.
- Streaming now on Paramount+
Premiering in 2019 on CBS, Evil is a great show for Supernatural fans because it takes the same general idea, but adds a nice little twist to it. Instead of two demon-hunting brothers, it has a priest, a forensic psychologist, and a tech guy setting out to find out if reported demon possessions are real or not.
If they are real, it is up to this team to deal with the problem and eliminate the demons. However, the fun part here is watching the team interact and figure out what is real and what is not. The show moved to Paramount+ for its second season and a third is on the way.
- Streaming now on Prime Video and Hulu
For Supernatural fans who miss the Biblical horror aspects of the show, Preacher might be the perfect replacement series. The best news is that the show has already concluded, so fans can sit down and watch the complete story from start to finish.
The AMC series is about a preacher who ends up with a force from Heaven taking residence in his body that gives him immense powers. This paints a target on him, with everyone from supernatural killers, religious fanatics, and angels from Heaven all wanting him for their own reasons.
- Streaming now on Hulu
Salem was a supernatural horror series that ran from 2014 through 2017 on WGN America. It was a period drama that was based around the Salem Witch Trials and took into consideration that it wasn’t just mass hysteria, but that there were real witches on hand during this time.
Fans of Supernatural got their fair share of witches throughout its run. It also had plenty of magic, although mostly from angels and demons. The idea in Salem is that one of the witches wanted to summon the Devil himself, which caused a lot of problems fans of Supernatural might recognize.
- Streaming now on ABC
There was a lot to love about every season of Supernatural, but one of the things that fans liked best was the brotherly relationship between Sam and Dean Winchester. This allowed the supernatural series to add in a lot of humor to the horrific elements.
For fans who loved the humor found in Supernatural and want a replacement, the supernatural comedy Reaper might give them what they are looking for. Instead of Lucifer tormenting Sam and Dean, this series has the Devil trying to get to know his son a little better while priming him to take over the job.
- Streaming now on Starz
While shot in a much more elaborate and colorful manner than Supernatural, the Starz series American Gods shares a lot in common with the supernatural series. Based on the novel by Neil Gaiman, his series focuses on a man named Shadow Moon who is taken in by Odin to do his bidding.
This leads to Shadow meeting all sorts of supernatural beings, from elder gods to Leprechauns, all with the idea that a war is coming with the new gods of the world. The first season is still the best, but there were three seasons of the godly series for fans who want more supernatural action.
- Streaming now on Prime Video and Hulu
Between Angel and Buffy, the former leans toward the feel of Supernatural. Angel is both dark and funny, it changes themes and locations, and it wasn’t afraid of stretching its limits.
Granted, Angel is frustrating when it comes to formats. Those who only watched the first and last seasons would probably be confused. Still, the core of the show involves either a mystery of the week or, as the seasons progressed, multi-episode arcs where the gang dealt with supernatural beings of every shape and size.
While it has no connection to the movie series of the same name, this 1987-1990 show certainly had its moments of horror. However, they were mixed with fantasy and humor to make the syndicated program easier to digest for viewers.
Friday the 13th: The Series focuses on a pair of antique shop owners. Along with their friend Jack, they work to recover cursed antiques so they can be returned to a shielded vault. It was popular enough to garner several Emmy nominations.
- Available to stream on Peacock+
SyFy’s Warehouse 13 took the concept of Friday the 13th: The Series one step further. Instead of a vault, the recovered pieces are stored in an enormous warehouse that keeps growing as its inventory increases. On top of that, most of the artifacts were once used by historic figures.
The show is a mix of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. It’s also quite funny. Each of the Warehouse’s agents has unique characteristics and abilities. For instance, Agent Lattimer gets vibes similar to Spider-Man’s Spidey-Sense. In another example, former ATF agent Steve Jinks is a human lie detector. Both are efficient tools when it comes to recovering supernatural items.
- Available to stream on Tubi, Hoopla, Pluto TV, and Prime Video
Airing from 1966 to 1971 on ABC, Dark Shadows told the story of the wealthy Collins family from the town of Collinsport, Maine. Thanks to Stephen King, the state is a hotbed of supernatural activity.
Among those living in the town are the vampire Barnabas Collins, as well as various ghosts, monsters, and werewolves. The town even had a doorway to a parallel universe. In a way, it was the precursor to Buffy’s hometown of Sunnydale.
- Available to stream on Netflix
A list of shows similar to Supernatural isn’t complete without a mention of Netflix’s Stranger Things. The program, a mix of comedy, horror, science fiction, and the supernatural is widely anticipated whenever a new season is announced.
Set in the 1980s, Stranger Things revolves around the quirky goings-on in Hawkins, Indiana. A core group of teenagers investigates the disappearance of one of their friends. What they don’t know is a nearby “scientific” laboratory has opened a portal to another dimension, called the Upside Down. As a result, paranormal and supernatural beings are starting to appear in Hawkins, taking over the personalities of some of its citizens in the process.
- Available to stream on Netflix
Lucifer is a great option for all the Supernatural lovers out there. Although the show was dropped by Fox due to low ratings, it is now available to stream on Netflix.
The show, which is based on the DC comic book series The Sandman, follows Lucifer Morningstar (the Devil) as he abandons Hell, runs his own LA nightclub, and becomes a consultant to the LAPD. Thanks to its DC comics background, it’s got a pretty solid cult following and is well worth the watch.
- Available to stream on Disney+
It’s hard to think of anything more supernatural than Once Upon A Time, a show based on Disney characters, folklore, and fairy tales.
Like Supernatural, this show’s fandom is pretty strong, and it’s only a matter of time until viewers are a part of it. With a deluge of whimsical characters, wild storylines, and unexpected plot twists, this show will suck fans right back into the supernatural world they long for.
- Available to stream on Hulu
Most Supernatural fans were pretty young when The X-Files first aired if they were born at all, so it’s easy to forget that this show is easily the real MVP, but it’s got all the elements of a supernatural masterpiece.
Before binging, make sure to set aside ample time, because this show spanned nine seasons, with 202 episodes (not to mention the two “bonus” seasons between 2016-2018). Viewers just love watching a good-looking duo tackle unsolved cases of paranormal phenomena. Sounds familiar, right?
- Available to stream on Netflix
Unlike some of these other shows, American Horror Story is an anthology series where each season is self-contained and stands alone, following a different set of characters and storylines. For example, the first season takes place in LA and focuses on a family living in a haunted house, but the eighth season, subtitled Apocalypse, focuses on witches as they battle the Antichrist.
No supernatural stone is left unturned in this show. The series is still being broadcast on FX, but the first seven seasons are available to stream on Netflix.
- Available to stream on Netflix
Many people don’t realize it, but The Vampire Diaries is based on a popular book of the same name written by L.J. Smith. The show premiered in 2009 during the height of the Twilight craze and surprised everyone by lasting for eight seasons.
At first glance, the show might seem like ground zero for eye-rolling (a teenage girl falls in love with an ancient vampire), but don’t worry, additional storylines pop up throughout the series that will have Supernatural fans hooked. Werewolves, witches, hybrids, ghosts, the whole nine yards!
- Available to stream on Prime Video
Grimm was inspired by the darker side of Grimm’s Fairy Tales, but it’s actually a cop drama about a homicide detective who discovers he is a Grimm. A “Grimm” is the latest in a line of guardians who are sworn to keep the balance between humanity and mythological creatures, known as Wesen.
Watch as the detective (and his partner) constantly battle against dangerous, mythological creatures who are out to destroy the world and everyone in it. Interested yet?
- Available to stream on Netflix
The Originals is a spin-off series that follows the Mikaelson siblings as they make a life for themselves in New Orleans; a city that they originally built.
Although the show’s promo pictures leave something to be desired, this show is definitely worth streaming on Netflix, particularly for those who are already fans of The Vampire Diaries.
- Available to stream on Netflix
Imagine it. After the Earth is destroyed by a devastating nuclear apocalypse, human survivors take refuge on a spaceship called “The Ark” for 97 years. After three generations are born in space, The Ark risks the chance of overpopulation, so 100 juvenile delinquents are sent to the surface in a last attempt to determine whether Earth is habitable or not.
So, will they survive? If so, what kind of adversity will they face? Stream all five seasons of The 100 on Netflix and find out.
- Available to stream on Hulu
Like The X-Files, this is an oldie but a goodie. For those who slept through the nineties (or just graduated out of Pampers), Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a paranormal cult classic that followed vampire slayer Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) as she battled against vampires, demons, and other forces of darkness.
This show was originally marketed for teens, so don’t think Buffy doesn’t have time for some sweet romance and a squad of loyal friends in her life, too (also known as the “Scooby Gang”). Seriously, watch the original before they create a reboot.
- Available to stream on Netflix
Crazyhead is like a cross between Supernatural and Hot Fuzz. The show chronicles the lives of Amy, a bowling alley worker, and Raquel, a pilates-loving goofball, as they discover their mutual demon-hunting destiny while still in their early 20’s.
Like Supernatural, the heroes are both young and born into their roles, but unlike Supernatural, the comedy and sheer absurdity in this series will have Supernatural fans roaring with laughter.