10 shows like Outer Banks on Netflix, Prime Video & more

Outer Banks follows John B, a teen who embarks on an adventure with his friends to find a treasure that has something to do with his father’s disappearance. This treasure could change their lives forever.

Outer Banks is a teen drama that has been popular among fans of the genre. Apart from the usual elements of a teen drama, the show involves a treasure hunt that not only makes it different but also engaging.

Young adults yearn for freedom and adventure. Outer Banks is a show that sees teenagers going on a dangerous adventure without adult supervision. Additionally, the journey sees the birth of new romances and long-lasting friendships.

Here are 10 shows like Outer Banks involving young adult protagonists who find themselves facing dangers, as they become part of a mystery. However, they are not alone, as they end up finding new friends and partners along the way.

1. The Society (2019)

Available on: Netflix

Cast: Kathryn Newton, Gideon Adlon, Sean Berdy, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Jacques Colimon, Olivia DeJonge

When a field trip gets canceled, the students of a local high school come home to find that everyone in their town has disappeared. The town is now surrounded by a forest, and the teenagers are left with no way to contact the outside world.

They must learn to live on their own. As communities need laws to survive, they must also form rules and regulations to ensure that things run smoothly with limited resources at hand.

Created by Christopher Keyser, The Society explores the idea of the creation of a unique society with people of a particular age group. The teenagers are forced to grow up and replace the adults; they need to do everything that the adults did, without having their experience, to sustain their small community.

2. Riverdale (2017 – Present)

Cast: KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes, Cole Sprouse

Available on: Netflix

Inspired by the characters of Archie Comics, the show follows a group of friends in the town of Riverdale. The town seems to be like any other ordinary town, but underneath the surface, there is danger and evil.

After the death of a high school student, Jason Blossom, a group of teenagers come together to discover the truth behind his death. In the process, they end up unraveling the mysteries of the town.

Riverdale is one of Netflix’s most popular shows. The engaging mystery in the first season made it a fan favorite. The show’s seventh and final season is set to release in 2023.

3. The A List (2018 – 2021)

Cast: Lisa Ambalavanar, Ellie Duckles, Rosie Dwyer

Available on: Netflix

The A List follows Mia, a popular teenager. She goes to a summer camp on an island. Contrary to her expectations, Mia’s summer is not enjoyable; she gets dethroned as the most popular girl by a girl named Amber.

Amber seems to be the perfect girl, but Mia soon realizes that Amber is anything but normal; there is something strange about her. Amber turns everyone against Mia, who cannot leave the island, as there is no way to contact the outside world.

The plot of the show goes beyond Amber and Mia’s rivalry; Mia forms an unlikely bond with another student, Alex. Surrounded by danger, the two work together to discover Amber’s secret and find a way to leave the island.

4. The Order (2019 – 2020)

Cast: Jake Manley, Sarah Grey, Matt Frewer, Max Martini, Louriza Tronco 

Available on: Netflix

The Order follows a college freshman named Jack Morton. Jack joins a secret society of practitioners of magic known as the Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose, where he is taught to wield magic.

There is a creature out there killing the society’s new recruits. Jack must do everything in his power, including risking his life, to stop the creature. Soon, Jack starts discovering dark secrets and ends up in the middle of a war.

The show starts off slow, but it eventually gets better; there are twists and turns that make the second half of the plot interesting. It has its flaws, but the premise of the show and the direction make up for it.

5. Elite (2018 – Present)

Cast: María Pedraza, Itzan Escamilla, Miguel Bernardeau, Miguel Herrán, Jaime Lorente, Álvaro Rico, Arón Piper, Mina El Hammani, Ester Expósito, Omar Ayuso, Danna Paola

Available on: Netflix

Elite is a Spanish drama that sees three working-class students enrolling in an elite educational institution through a scholarship program. The show tries to highlight issues like classism through the interactions between these three students and the other rich ones.

The arrival of these three students and the following conflicts result in the murder of a student. During the murder investigation, every student becomes a suspect. As the students tell their stories, the audience gets closer to the identity of the murderer.

Elite is an entertaining teen drama that gets the audience invested in the stories of different characters. It also depicts the specific issues it takes up in an engaging manner, as they become an important part of the stories of the characters.

6. Tierra Incognita

Cast: Pedro Mauriz, Mora Fisz, Tomás Kirzner, Carla Pandolfi

Available on: Disney+

Tierra Incognita follows a teenager, Eric Dalaras, who lost his parents eight years ago; they mysteriously disappeared one day. Now, Eric, along with his sister, lives with his maternal grandparents.

Eric goes back to the town where he lived as a child to find out the truth behind his parents’ disappearance. He needs to visit Tierra Incógnita, an abandoned amusement park, which might hold clues related to their disappearance.

Eric is not alone in his search for answers; his aunt and his sister help and support him reach the truth that is much darker than he expected. There is mystery, thrill, and horror in the show, but not without a little romance on the side.

7. The Midnight Club (2022)

Cast: Iman Benson, Igby Rigney, Ruth Codd, Annarah Cymone, Chris Sumpter, Adia, Aya Furukawa, Sauriyan Sapkota

Available on: Netflix

Based on a novel of the same name by Christopher Pike, The Midnight Club tells the story of a teenager named Ilonka. When she is diagnosed with thyroid cancer, she goes to Brightcliffe Home hospice, which houses terminally ill young adults.

These teenagers form the Midnight Club; they meet every night and tell each other ghost stories. The group also agrees that the first one to die will communicate with the others to tell them the secrets of the afterlife.

Strange incidents and experiences bring to light the various mysteries surrounding the hospice, urging the teenagers to find out more about it. The Midnight Club is a show that combines horror, mystery, and thriller.

8. Greenhouse Academy (2017 – 2022)

Cast: Ariel Mortman, Finn Roberts

Available on: Netflix

Based on the Israeli television series The Greenhouse, the show revolves around two siblings, Alex and Hayley, who lost their astronaut mother in an explosion a few months ago.

The siblings turn into rivals when they enroll at a private boarding school and end up joining competing houses. However, mysterious events at school bring them together, and they come across a scheme that poses a threat to several people.

Apart from exploring sibling rivalry and uncovering the mystery, Greenhouse Academy also focuses on Alex and Hayley’s loss, recovery, and the new relationships they form at school.

9. The Boarding School: Las Cumbres

Cast: Asia Ortega, Carlos Alcaide, Daniela Rubio, Albert Salazar

Available on: Prime Video

Las Cumbres is a boarding school, isolated from the rest of the world, for troubled children. As the school forces the students to follow stifling rules, Manuel, Amaia, Paúl, and his sister Adele decide to run away from there.

However, when the time comes, Adele cannot do it, which results in Paúl also backing out and Amaia and Manuel leaving on their own. They never make it out safely, as Manuel gets taken by a mysterious figure.

While the adults dismiss Amaia’s account, Paúl, Adele, and their other friends come together to figure out who took Manuel. The series was praised for the performances by the cast, the mystery that it depicts, and the horror that comes with it.

10. One of Us Is Lying (2021 – 2022)

Cast: Mark McKenna, Annalisa Cochrane, Chibuikem Uche, Marianly Tejada, Cooper van Grootel

Available on: Netflix, Peacock

Based on a novel of the same name, One of Us Is Lying sees five very different students entering detention that will forever change their lives. One of them, Simon, dies mysteriously, resulting in an investigation.

All four of them had a reason to kill Simon, and all of them are hiding something. As the investigation progresses, the case becomes more and more complicated, raising the question of who can be trusted.

While the show’s characterization needs work, the central mystery and the pace of the show keep the audience engaged. It’s a binge-worthy murder mystery with a little drama on the side.


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