Outer Banks is considered by many as one of the best teen Netflix originals out there, and they aren’t wrong! The series is an action-packed adventure with so much happening that sometimes even viewers must stop to catch their breath. Now that season 2 has hit the streaming service, Outer Banks fans will be able to take in all the twists and turns in John B. (Chase Stokes) and Sarah’s (Madelyn Cline) mission to hunt down the gold in the Bahamas as international fugitives. While they try to get a hold of the 400-million-dollar treasure, the rest of the Pogues in The Cut will have to undergo many struggles until they can reunite with their partners-in-crime. Given that the episodes are just so gripping, it probably won’t take long to watch the whole season on Netflix. For this reason, we have hand-picked some ideal suggestions for you to check out next.
From sun-kissed teenagers dealing with social class battles like The O.C., to mystery-led narratives like Locke and Key, here are seven ideal recommendations to watch after you finish binging Outer Banks.
The O.C.
Whenever we think about current teen shows that turn out to be a huge success, we can’t help but compare them to their outstanding predecessors. Taking that into consideration, The O.C. is the ideal early-2000s hit to watch after Outer Banks. Created by Josh Schwartz, The O.C. is centered on Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie), a poor and troubled teenager who is adopted by a wealthy pro-bono lawyer. As he moves into a house in Newport Beach, far from the place he grew up in, Ryan befriends his socially awkward foster brother Seth Cohen (Adam Brody) and falls for the girl-next-door Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton).
It might sound like a cliché plot, but I guarantee you that a lot happens in this show! If Ryan were in Outer Banks, he would probably be destined to live in The Cut as a Pogue. However, like John B. right after the accident in season 1, Ryan has the chance to understand what it is like to live as a Kook. His relationship with Marissa will also draw some parallels to John B. and Sarah’s.
Riverdale
If you are looking for a new teen mystery drama series that doesn’t shy away from insane storylines, Riverdale is it! Loosely based on the Archie Comics, Archie (K.J. Apa), Betty (Lili Reinhart), Cheryl (Madelaine Petsch), Veronica (Camila Mendes), and Jughead (Cole Sprouse) couldn’t be any more different from each other. Yet, they join forces to uncover all the mysteries below the surface of Riverdale, as well as all the dark hidden secrets about the small town’s past.
Even though the type of mystery and the feel of Riverdale aren’t the same as Outer Banks, there are a lot of similarities in both shows’ dynamics. For instance, in Riverdale, Archie and his friends stick together to investigate the crimes that are happening in their community, much like the Pogues go through thick and thin to understand the mystery behind the Royal Merchant and its gold. There is also tension in both shows regarding social class and lifestyle. In Riverdale, the Southside Serpents are the gangsters that no one wants to mess with. Similarly, the Pogues are always looked down upon by the Kooks and the police.
The Wilds
Here is another teen show to add to your list! The Wilds is focused on Fatin (Sophia Ali), Dot (Shannon Berry), Martha (Jenna Clause), Rachel (Reign Edwards), Shelby (Mia Healey), Nora (Helena Howard), Toni (Erana James), and Leah (Sarah Pidgeon), a group of teenage girls from contrasting backgrounds that end up on a deserted island after a plane crash. As they try to adapt to a survivor-mode lifestyle, they seek love and hope past the trauma that they experienced. However, little do they know that their reality is none other than a social experiment that was orchestrated with the consent of their families and close friends.
The Wilds combines the hustle and the emotional pressure that the characters in Outer Banks deal with. While the circumstances are different, the girls in this Amazon Prime original are constantly trying to do whatever it takes to make it through. There are also a lot of flashbacks and flashforwards that enhance the storyline and help the viewers understand the characters’ complexities.
Spinning Out
You might be wondering why an ice-skating series would end up on this list. Surprisingly, Spinning Out has some important elements in its story that relate to Outer Banks. Kat Baker (Kaya Scodelario) is a figure skater, who is forced to back down from her pursuit of the Olympic medals after she suffers from an injury. Once Kate has the chance to go back to competitive skating, alongside her partner Justin (Evan Roderick), she must tackle mental health battles and family issues of her own.
Even though it isn’t the focus of Outer Banks, mental health is a prevalent theme throughout the series. For instance, Rafe (Drew Starkey) is constantly trying to please his father and his head is always geared towards gaining his father’s approval at all costs. This really impacts his decision-making ability and plays an important role in his psychotic breakdown. We also witness J.J. (Rudy Pankow) and Pope (Jonathan Daviss) facing some mental health struggles regarding their families and underprivileged backgrounds.
Locke & Key
This next one has the mysterious factor that makes Outer Banks so addictive, combined with fantasy. Locke & Key is another Netflix original that you might want to see after Outer Banks. When their father dies under mysterious circumstances, Tyler (Connor Jessup), Kinsey (Emilia Jones), and Bode (Jackson Robert Scott) move to Massachusetts and reside in a mansion properly known as Keyhouse. Right away, the children notice that there are various keys throughout the house that can unlock rooms in supernatural ways. However, the very fact that they know where these keys are located is what makes them a target of a demonic entity that wants to use the keys for their own cruel intentions.
Much like John B., the Locke siblings are also unaware of what really happened to their father. When they find keys in their new home, they also get the chance to understand the truth behind their father’s death.
Get Even
Here is another female-driven show to keep in mind after you finish Outer Banks. This British thriller follows Kitty (Kim Adis), Bree (Mia McKenna-Bruce), Margot (Bethany Antonia), and Olivia (Jessica Alexander), who join forces to create the Don’t Get Mad (DGM) group. Together, they are willing to expose all the bullies at their school. Yet, when one of their targets is found dead with a note written DGM in it, the girls believe that someone is trying to frame them for a crime they didn’t commit.
Towards the end of season 1, John B. is wrongfully accused of murdering Sheriff Peterkin (Adina Porter). Even though we all know who the true murderer is, the Pogues seek ways to show that John B. is innocent, much like the DGM crew.
Bloodline
Unlike the previous recommendations, this one isn’t a teen drama, but it definitely has the Outer Banks it-factor. Also set on the east coast, Bloodline is made up of fights, dark secrets, and a lot of family disputes. When Danny Rayburn (Ben Mendelsohn) returns to his hometown in Florida for the anniversary of his parents’ hotel, he is eager to stay for good to help manage the inn. However, given that Danny is considered the black sheep of the family, his siblings feel unsettled by his sudden reappearance in their lives and are instantly confronted by the untold truth about their past.
Packed with a stellar cast, Bloodline might strike as the adult version of Outer Banks with a tinge of True Detective.