Since 2020, Netflix’s drama series Outer Banks has captivated audiences with its beautiful beachy setting and strange mysteries, but those seeking a strong follow-up should look no further, as the following ten shows are the best alternatives. For four seasons now, Outer Banks has centered on the socially divided teenagers of Outer Banks, North Carolina, and in particular, John B., who is searching for his missing father. Thus far, the series has garnered fairly positive reviews, with audiences quickly becoming invested in the show’s mystery and melodrama. Yet, once Outer Banks ends, viewers may not know what to watch next.
Outer Banks is a somewhat unique show. Though it definitely can be labeled as a teen drama, the show is not completely defined by its interpersonal problems. At the heart of Outer Banks is a mystery which pushes the plot forward and keeps audiences invested. On top of that, Outer Banks boasts a very distinct setting that almost acts as a separate character. It’s not a coincidence that the series is named after its setting. All in all, these details can make it difficult to find a good show like Outer Banks, but it is far from impossible.
10The Society
Teenagers In A Small Town Are Left To Their Own Devices
One day in West Ham, Connecticut, the students of the local high school return from a field trip to find the rest of the town’s population gone. With a dense forest surrounding the town and no way to contact the outside world via phone or internet, the teenagers must formulate their own rules to maintain their own society and survival.
One Netflix show that easily compares to Outer Banks is The Society. In this Lord of the Flies retelling, teenagers from a small Connecticut town are on their way to a school camping trip. However, when a storm intercepts their travels, they head back home. Things only get stranger when the teens realize that all the adults in their town are gone, leaving them completely alone and without many answers.
Although The Society lacks the warm beachy tones of Outer Banks, other elements of the show are very similar. For one thing, both The Society and Outer Banks focus on teenagers and the ways in which they take their lives into their own hands. Outer Banks is not completely devoid of adults, but they aren’t nearly as important as the teens. Plus, the biggest commonality of all is that The Society also hinges on a major mystery that the teens need to work together to solve.
9Looking For Alaska
Teens Come To Terms With A Mysterious Tragedy
Looking for Alaska is a coming-of-age drama series based on John Green’s novel. It follows Miles “Pudge” Halter, a teenager who enrolls in a boarding school to seek a deeper understanding of life. There, he forms a bond with enigmatic student Alaska Young, whose impact on his world is both profound and transformative. The series explores themes of friendship, love, and loss.
Another show with a big central mystery is Hulu’s Looking for Alaska. Based on the John Green novel of the same name, this series follows Miles, a young man who enrolls in boarding school to try and shake up his boring life. There, he befriends his fellow students and falls in love with a girl named Alaska Young. Yet, when tragedy strikes, Miles and his friends must come to terms with what has happened and the fact that they may never understand the truth.
Looking for Alaska forces audiences to live with unanswered questions while also appreciating life and the wonderful things around us.
Once again, a major part of Looking for Alaska is the central mystery. However, unlike Outer Banks, audiences should not expect any clear answers. In fact, that is the entire point of the show. Looking for Alaska forces audiences to live with unanswered questions while also appreciating life and the wonderful things around us. But like Outer Banks, the show emphasizes the relationships between teenagers and how they make big choices in their lives.
8Blood And Water
A Young Girl Tracks Down Her Missing Sister
A series that is underrated but is a perfect Outer Banks follow-up is Blood and Water. Released in 2020, this show is about Puleng, a teen girl from Cape Town, South Africa who is determined to find her sister, who was abducted at birth. Puleng’s search suddenly gets too close to home when she meets a girl at a party and becomes convinced that she is her lost sister. In the midst of seeking the truth, Puleng discovers even more secrets that she never knew about before.
As a South African drama, Blood and Water is not as well-known as the other series on this list, but it absolutely should be. The first season earned a solid 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, and over the course of its four seasons, the show has won various accolades. It presents a story that is riveting and fast-paced. Plus, like Outer Banks, Blood and Water is an edgy teen drama that takes on important topics and a compelling central mystery.
7The O.C.
Wealthy Teens Have Intense Family Drama
When troubled teen Ryan (Benjamin McKenzie) is taken in by his public defender (Peter Gallagher), he suddenly finds himself on the right side of the tracks. The O.C. follows as Ryan tries his best to fit into the affluent California community while navigating the relentless drama of teen life, but his new home of Newport Beach is a town filled to the brim with secrets and scandal.
For those who don’t mind watching older shows, a great series from 2003 that has solid ties to Outer Banks is The O.C. In this series, teenager Ryan is taken in by a wealthy family after living on the wrong side of the tracks. However, Ryan’s new life is more complicated than he expected, as he quickly becomes entangled in family drama and the catty realities of a wealthy high school.
In Outer Banks, the Kooks are wealthy summer visitors while the Pogues are Outer Banks locals.
The O.C. defined teen dramas when it came out, and has remained in the public consciousness for decades now, and for good reason. The show is soapy, dramatic, and entertaining. The best connection between The O.C. and Outer Banks is the focus on class. Like the Kooks and the Pogues, The O.C. is divided by those who are wealthy and those who are not. Ultimately, this makes for a very compelling and relatable story.
6Elite
Class Differences Lead To Murder
Created for Netflix, Elite is a teen drama series set in a fictional privileged high school. The story follows three working-class teenagers — Samuel, Nadia, and Christian — who transfer there after their school is burned down. Culture and economic clashes ensue, but things get much more terrifying and dramatic after a murder of a fellow schoolmate thrusts the status quo into disarray.
Speaking of class in teen dramas, another show that centers on wealth among young people is Elite. This Spanish drama follows three working-class teenagers who begin attending school at the prestigious Las Encinas. Though this is the opportunity of a lifetime for these characters, they struggle with their rich classmates. Eventually, these clashes between rich and poor lead to a violent murder, and even more crime and mystery.
Of all the series on this list, Elite may be one of the longest-running. With eight seasons under its belt, the show has proved time and again that it can balance teenage drama with real-life issues. In many ways, Elite could be considered a forebearer to Outer Banks. Two years before Outer Banks premiere, Elite took on the same storylines and premises. Those who enjoy the social issues in Outer Banks will definitely get invested in Elite as well.
5One Of Us Is Lying
Four Students Are Suspects In A Murder
Based on the mystery novel by Karen M. McManus, One of Us Is Lying follows a group of high schoolers who are all given detention when suddenly one of them dies due to an allergic reaction. The show unfolds the mystery around the death of this student, who was a major gossip and negatively impacted the lives of the other four, casting suspicion on the lot.
Yet another teenage murder mystery show is One of Us is Lying. Based on a novel of the same name by Karen M. McManus, the series centers on five teenagers who are given detention one afternoon. However, the typical after-school program suddenly goes awry when one of the teens, a gossip columnist, dies of an allergic reaction. All the other teenagers had a reason to kill their classmate, so the only question that remains is who did it.
Despite being canceled after two seasons, One of Us is Lying is a great short alternative to Outer Banks. There is crime, mystery, and a group of teenagers who must overcome their differences to get to the bottom of the story. In general, this will be a fast watch, especially for those who find themselves getting obsessed with whodunnit-type tales.
4On My Block
A Group Of Friends Faces Changes As They Take On High School
On Block is a coming-of-age comedy about a group of friends living in South Central Los Angeles. The series first premiered in 2018 before wrapping up its four-season arc on Netflix in 2021. Throughout the series, the friends must traverse the struggles of high school, face gang life in their gritty city, and experience blossoming romances as teenagers.
A truly wonderful show that deserves more hype is On My Block. Released in 2018, this series follows a group of four neighborhood friends who are navigating the highs and lows of high school. However, their lives become even more complicated by outside factors, including gang violence and racism. There is also a treasure buried somewhere in town that gives the teens a glimpse at a new, better life.
On My Block has many of the same trappings as Outer Banks, but it’s the show’s differences that make it a fantastic watch. Although Outer Banks tackles issues like class, On My Block goes deeper, taking on systemic racism and very real violence. The show successfully balances these heartbreaking topics with fast-paced comedy, leading to a very vibrant show that will leave audiences feeling truly touched.
3Friday Night Lights
A High School Football Team Seeks Victory
Based on the book of the same name, Friday Night Lights is a sports drama series that centers around the Dillon Panthers, a high school football team in Texas. The show focuses on the small town and the community they share, tackling major social and political issues and the players’ challenges as they go through an increasingly difficult season.
A show that is surprisingly similar to Outer Banks that audiences may not be thinking about is Friday Night Lights. The 2006 drama is based on the true Friday Night Lights story, and is set in Dillon, Texas, where football reigns supreme. With the help of their talented coach, the Texas high schoolers must struggle to prove themselves on the football field. Meanwhile, their personal lives cause problems that could seriously hurt their futures.
Like Outer Banks, Friday Night Lights takes on various different themes, from class and family to obsession and abuse
During its run, Friday Night Lights garnered a dedicated fan base in the same way that Outer Banks has one now. The show was praised for its poetic storytelling and its surprisingly beautiful visuals. Like Outer Banks, Friday Night Lights takes on various different themes, from class and family to obsession and abuse. Today, Friday Night Lights still remains on many lists as one of the best series of its time, and that is as good a reason as any for Outer Banks fans to give this show a try.
2Surviving Summer
An American Teen Is Cast Out To Australia
Surviving Summer is an Australian drama series created for Netflix and follows a rebellious teenager named Summer Torres who is forced to relocate to Australia. When Summer is expelled from her Brooklyn high school, her family arranges for her to stay in Australia with a family friend, hoping the experience will do her some good. However, her troublesome nature creates more chaos when Summer falls in with a group of competitive surfers.
The show that is most like Outer Banks in terms of setting is probably Surviving Summer. This Australian show centers on Summer Torres, a New York teenager who is expelled from school, and thus, is sent to live with a family friend in Australia. However, rather than starting fresh, Summer becomes friends with a group of competitive surfers and finds herself getting into even more trouble.
Surviving Summer definitely has strong elements of Outer Banks, especially when it comes to how the show looks and feels. Australia is definitely not North Carolina, but both shows are reliant on their summery beach settings. Furthermore, Surviving Summer has a dangerous edge to it that also appears in Outer Banks. Viewers are in for adventure and a hint of darkness with this 2022 show.
1The Summer I Turned Pretty
A Young Woman Realizes Her Feelings For Family Friends
The Summer I Turned Pretty, based on Jenny Han’s novel, is a coming-of-age romantic drama series centered on Isabel “Belly” Conklin, played by Lola Tung. The story unfolds as Belly spends her summers at a beach house with her family and longtime friends, exploring themes of love, friendship, and discovery amid the transformative period of adolescence. The series premiered in 2022 and captures the essence of youth and summer.
CastLola Tung , Christopher Briney , Gavin Casalegno , Jackie Chung
Release DateJune 17, 2022
Seasons3
Main GenreRomance
Finally, one of the best shows to watch after Outer Banks is The Summer I Turned Pretty. Based on books by Jenny Han, this series revolves around Belly, a teenage girl who spends every summer at Cousins Beach alongside her mother, brother, and their family friends. One summer, Belly arrives and discovers that the crush she has been harboring on her family friend may finally be returned, leading to a carousel of emotions and difficult moments.
What The Summer I Turned Pretty lacks in adventure, it makes up for in truly heartfelt moments. Rather than being a soapy and cliché series, the 2022 show taps into some very real emotions and issues that not only plague teens but adults as well. The Summer I Turned Pretty covers it all, from friendship to romance to family dynamics. To top it all off, it takes place at the beach. Overall, Outer Banks has a number of amazing alternatives.
