The summer has arrived with a heatwave of Demogorgons, crime-fighting teens, and unfortunate 80s hairdos. Hawkins, Indiana has turned upside down, and the crash course in monster fighting is officially in session. Stranger Things Season 4 part 2 is now coming to Netflix, and after nearly three years we are finally back in the strange little town where paranormal entities live amongst the rose bushes and white picket fences. The mega-hit Netflix original series unlocked the formula to create the ultimate, bulletproof supernatural series steeped in small-town mystery, magic, and 80s nostalgia, and it's hard to believe the end is here.

Split into two volumes with the first seven episodes debuting on Netflix on May 27 and the remaining two arriving a month later on July 1, there’s plenty of downtime to visit other places where the paranormal thrives during the hot, sunny days to come. They may not have Demogorgons in them, but here are some other wild, small-town adventure series like Stranger Things to watch this summer. Happy binging!

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Image via Netflix

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The Leftovers (2014-2017)

Nora and Kevin standing side by side in The Leftovers
Image via HBO

The Leftovers is a dreamlike odyssey of biblical proportions centering around a story of loss and grief. Based upon the Tom Perotta novel of the same name, the series follows the aftermath of a catastrophic tragedy called the “Sudden Departure,” an explicable event in which 2% of the world’s population inexplicably disappears from the earth one day.

Fast-forward three years later into the bleak town of Mapelton, New York, and Justin Theroux stars as the depressed, alcohol-guzzling chief of police Kevin Garney Jr. Margaret Qualley and Chris Zylka play his troubled children, and he struggles to maintain a hold on them and Mapelton as the nihilistic, chain-smoking cult The Guilty Remnant causes unrest amongst town members. Carrie Coon co-stars as Nora Durst, a wife and mother who lost her entire family in the Sudden Departure, and she falls in love with Kevin while determined to find out what happened to her family. The Leftovers gets more inventive with each passing season, and it transforms into an even weirder, trippier version of Twin Peaks and Lost as the gritty series explores the unknown. You can stream The Leftovers on HBO Max.

Outer Range (2022-Present)

Royal Abbott frowning and looking to the distance in the show Outer Range.
Image Via Amazon Prime Video

Another fantastic series that takes on the task of exploring the unknown is Outer Range, the new supernatural neo-western series on Amazon Prime Video. Served on a hot plate of cowboys, time travel, and the Wyoming mountains, a murder mystery is sprinkled on top as it follows the Abbott family during a time of crisis. Josh Brolin stars as Wyoming rancher Royal Abbott in a standout performance, and he and his family battle to keep hold of their property as the neighboring Tillerson ranch plots on stealing it away. That may have something to do with the strange appearance of a magical, massive black hole that materializes on the outskirts of the Abbott ranch one day, and Royal attempts to keep it a secret despite blossoming interest in its existence.

If you want a wacky, supernatural Yellowstone that also features character actor Will Patton as an unhinged, fur coat-wearing cowboy and Noah Reid (Schitt’s Creek) as his jukebox, Fleetwood Mac-singing son, Outer Range is yours to ride off into the sunset with. You can stream Outer Range on Amazon Prime Video.

Chucky (2021-Present)

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Image via Syfy

Beware of dolls at garage sales. They may have a mind of their own and a fascination for knives. Enter the serial killer doll Chucky (voiced by Brad Dourif), the titular character in the darkly comedic USA series, Chucky. While revivals and reboots often receive backlash on TV these days, Chucky is the exception to the rule thanks to its brand-new band of misfit tweens who fight Chucky in their quiet suburban streets after he’s accidentally re-activated. Zachary Arthur stars as eighth-grade loner Jack Wheeler, and when he buys Chucky at a local garage sale he invites mayhem into his town, home, and school. Chucky begins murdering anyone he can get his hands on, and Jack is forced to get out of his comfort zone and befriend fellow nerds and cool kids to help him stop Chucky as he goes on a murderous rampage. The series is available for streaming on Peacock.

Dark (2017-2020)

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Image Via Netflix

The German Netflix original science fiction series Dark follows the Stranger Things formula to a T while taking the twisted genre to new heights with even darker tones, scarier monsters, and time travel. Strange things have been happening in the little quiet town of Winden. A local high school student has been missing for two weeks, and when another child disappears after going into the woods with his friends one night, it sets in motion a series of events that invite supernatural phenomena into everyone’s lives. The series evokes nostalgia for the 80s and other flashy decades as it travels through time where the missing children are held prisoner, and it also doubles down as an engrossing mystery series as the local cops, parents, and kids in Winden attempt to solve the confounding case. You can stream Dark on Netflix.

Midnight, Texas (2017-2018)

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Image via NBC

Midnight, Texas is a quirky fantasy series dripping with vampires and weretigers and is based upon the book series of the same name written by Charlaine Harris. Harris knows her way around a vampire or two and is also notably the author of the mega-popular book series, The Southern Vampire Mysteries, which was then adapted into the HBO hit series, True Blood. Running for two seasons on NBC, the series takes place in the magical town of Midnight, Texas, a kind of sanctuary for magical creatures who need a place where they can truly be themselves. Things get shaken up when the psychic newcomer Manfred Bernardo (François Arnaud) arrives in town as he tries to outrun his past, and he brings dangerous ghosts and demons with him. Manfred befriends various magical creatures while staying in town, and often finds himself running into trouble while solving various crimes in Midnight. The show is available for streaming on Peacock.

Midnight Mass (2021)

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Image via Netflix

Hailing from the twisted mind of Mike Flannagan (Haunting of Hill House) comes Midnight Mass, another spooky tale full of reckonings in a small, sleepy town. Set on the isolated Crockett Island, an enigmatic young Priest (Hamish Linklater) arrives in place of the old one and raises both hell and miracles as he introduces new, dangerous practices. Zach Gilford co-stars as Riley Fylnn, a depressed alcoholic returning to his hometown after years away, and he finds himself falling under the Priest’s spell as he meets him for his weekly Alcoholic Anonymous meetings. The Netflix original limited series quickly became a smash hit on the streamer thanks to Flannagan’s status and Linklater’s dramatic performance as a priest harboring dark secrets that unleashes demonic curses upon the town members in Crockett. You can stream the series now on Netflix.

Swamp Thing (2019)

2019 TV show adaptation of DC Comics' Swamp Thing
Image via Warner Bros.

Inspired by the DC comic series, CDC doctor Abby Arcane (Crystal Reed) is brought back to her Louisiana hometown of Marias after a mysterious illness spreads throughout town after a man is exposed to strange elements at the Bayou Swamp. As Abby investigates the alarming case, she works with the biologist Alec Holland (Andy Bean) in search of answers, but he meets a gruesome demise when he arrives at the Bayou Swamp only to be overtaken by it and transform into the Swamp Thing. The series is more horror-oriented than any other superhero series out there, and each episode is spiked with pure adrenaline as Abby contends with corrupt sheriffs, mad scientists, and political figures as she tries to save the mossy monster who lives in the swamp. You can't stream the show anywhere right now but it is available for purchase on iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play.

NOS4A2 (2019-2020)

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Image via AMC

Christmastime has never looked so wrong in NOS4A2, a coming-of-age horror series adorned with candy canes and monstrous killers. The series is based upon the novel of the same name written by Joe Hill, son of horror maestro Stephen King. Set in the working-class Massachusetts town of Haverhill, Vic McQueen (Ashleigh Cummings) only cares about riding her motorcycle and drawing art with dreams of escaping her small-town life. Coming from a broken home, she takes her motorcycle out for a ride one day in the woods and happens upon a bridge that can take her anywhere she wants, from different cities to secret universes. That comes in handy when a never-aging vampire-like kidnapper, Charles Manx (Zachary Quinto), begins kidnapping children in his old Rolls-Royce and takes them to Christmasland, a secret world he’s created that only Vic can enter. Vic then makes it her mission to rescue the children while batting a disruptive home life, fellow burnouts, and Christmas carols. You can watch the show on Hulu and AMC+.

Castle Rock (2018-2019)

Bill Skarsgaard as The Kid looking confused in Castle Rock.
Image via Hulu

From the mind of Stephen King comes Castle Rock, a series based in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine, the setting for several of King’s books including Cujo, The Body, and The Dead Zone. A multiverse to end all multiverses, the series combines various characters, places, and themes from King’s work while also creating new monsters and horror stories. Season 1 of the Hulu original series follows the shocking discovery of a supernatural inmate (Bill Skarsgård) that’s been hidden underground at the Shawshank prison for decades, and when he’s brought back up to the main floor he wreaks havoc. Season 2 follows the origin story of Annie Wilkes, one of King’s most feared villains and portrayed by a captivating Lizzy Caplan as she and her daughter set camp in Castle Rock and cause mayhem. The show is streaming on Hulu.

Related:'Stranger Things': Robert Englund on Misfiring His Season 3 Audition But Scoring the Perfect Role in Season 4

Shining Vale (2022-Present)

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Image via Starz

The dysfunctional Phelps family moves from the hustle and bustle of New York City to the quiet Connecticut town of Shining Vale, a place where nothing is supposed to happen. Courteney Cox shows off her comedic chops as matriarch Pat Phelps, a one-hit-wonder novelist who's suffering from writer's block as she raises her two children and is trapped in a loveless marriage to her husband Terry (Greg Kinnear). It turns out the old house they move into is haunted by ghosts, and Pat begins to wonder if she’s crazy or should accept the impossible while the ghosts take over her mind and family. A mischievous Mira Sorvino steals the spotlight as Rosemary, a posh, cigarette-smoking fifties-era housewife who once lived in the house in this classic, haunted house tale. The series is now streaming on Starz.

The Outsider (2020)

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Image via HBO

Based upon the 2018 Stephen King novel, The Outsider is a disturbing murder mystery set in the sweltering heat of an Oklahoma small town where an unspeakable act of violence occurs. 12-year-old boy Frank Peterson is found murdered in the woods, and police quickly find enough evidence to arrest beloved family man and baseball coach Terry Maitland (Jason Bateman). A stunned Maitlan maintains his innocence to local detective Ralph Anderson (Ben Mendelsohn) and even has an alibi that shows him on a video camera at a different location during the crime. This begs the question of how a person can be in two places at once, and the answer is a supernatural entity. Bateman directs the first two episodes, and as Anderson brings on the savant-like private investigator Holly Gibney (Cynthia Orivo) to help, she makes disturbing paranormal revelations concerning the murder. You can stream the show on HBO Max.

Under the Dome (2013-2015)

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Image via CBS

Another Stephen King entry on this list is the CBS thriller series Under the Dome, based on his 2009 novel of the same name. Considered to be one of his most underrated works, a strange event in Chester’s Mill, Maine, causes an invisible dome to form over the entire town and entraps everyone inside. The citizens must learn to survive in the suffocating conditions, and quickly butt heads as opposing leaders rise in the ranks fighting for both democracy and authoritarianism. While attempting to figure out what could have caused the dome to take form, conspiracy theories are born as alliances are made and people are driven crazy by confinement. Dean Norris plays nasty councilman James “Big Jim” Rennie, and he goes on a power trip as he hides secrets of his own that may have to do with the creation of the dome. The show is now streaming on Paramount+.

Limetown (2019)

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Image via Facebook Watch

Jessica Biel stars in this hard-boiled investigative thriller series based upon the viral, fictional podcast series Limetown. Breathing life into the audio mystery, Biel plays Lia Haddock, a radio journalist obsessed with the confounding case known as Limetown, an event that occurred years earlier when the whole population within the titular town disappeared. It’s been an unsolved cold case with no leads, and Haddock has a personal stake in solving it as her Uncle Emile (Stanley Tucci) lived in Limetown and is now one of the disappeared victims. Haddock decides to cover a whole story dedicated to the case by traveling back to the town which unlocks even more questions as she hungrily hunts down answers and becomes hunted herself by the town’s past. Stream the series now on Peacock.

Emergence (2019)

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Image via ABC/Virginia Sherwood

Want another story about a gifted child with mysterious supernatural powers? Try the thriller series, Emergence. A plane crash echoes through the quiet town of Southhold, and the wreckage falls down onto its shores on Peconic Bay. Police Chief Jo Evans (Allison Tolman) responds to the site, and there are no survivors except a girl who miraculously has no injuries and claims to have no memory of who she is. Choosing to go by the name Piper, Jo takes her in and raises her alongside her family while she’s hunted down by mysterious men determined to steal her back. There are clear nods to the iconic character of Eleven as Piper’s fleeting memories and inexplicable powers hint that she’s escaped an institution where she was tested like a lab rat. As Piper immerses herself in the real world, the series emanates Firestarter as her rollercoaster emotions bleed into her powers and cause destruction. The show is available for purchase on iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play and streaming on CW Seed.

Twin Peaks (1990-1991)

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Image via Showtime

Without Twin Peaks there would be no Stranger Things. It was the first of its kind as it introduced weird, supernatural elements into a small-town murder mystery setting where everyone has something to hide. Created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) enters the mystical town of Twin Peaks after 17-year-old homecoming queen Laura Palmer is found dead, wrapped in plastic on the shores of a riverbank. He teams up with local sheriff Harry Truman (Michael Ontkean) to solve the case and gets entangled in the lives of local townies who’re all harboring secrets while grieving the loss of Laura. Agent Cooper also discovers mythological creatures in town and underworlds hiding in the woods where red rooms are inhibited by backward-talking demons. The series became a pop culture phenomenon as the entire country asked who killed Laura Palmer and enjoyed a new type of television that introduced supernatural twists accompanied by piping hot cups of coffee. You can stream the show on Showtime.

The OA (2016-2019)

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Image via Netflix

The OA is one of the most imaginative, totally bonkers series out there courtesy of parallel universes, modern-dance resurrections, and an all-knowing walking octopus. Created and written by creative partners Zal Batmanglij and Brit Marling, Marling stars as Prairie Johnson, a blind woman who disappeared seven years ago only to reappear on a highway with the ability to see. As she returns to her drab hometown in a repressed Michigan suburb, she hides the truth of where she went from both her parents and cops while secretly planning an agenda of her own. Deemed a weirdo, she enlists the help of an under-appreciated English teacher (Phyllis Smith) and five lost, troubled boys in town to help her on her top-secret journey, and she reveals to them what really happened to her when she disappeared. The crew of outsiders explores various theories over its two adventurous, dreamlike seasons, and in another tragedy, Netflix canceled the series despite its diehard fan base and critical acclaim. The series is still available for streaming on Netflix.

True Blood (2008-2014)

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Image Via HBO

Is anyone in the mood for a bite? It’s hard to explain the cultural phenomenon that was the steamy, HBO romance horror series True Blood. A southern small-town thriller set in Bon Temps, Louisiana, Anna Paquin stars as telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse and her powers are more of a curse than a gift. In this modern world, vampires are no longer secret and live out in the public now that the blood alternative product, “true blood,” has been invented. But many vampires still enjoy the hunt for the kill, and Sookie finds herself falling for the old southern vampire Bill Compton as they contend with other demonic creatures and murder mysteries in town. Alexander Skarsgård got his breakout role as Eric Northman, a thousand-year-old sultry vampire who takes an interest in Sookie which causes a complicated love triangle that became a national obsession for millions of viewers. Lasting for seven years, the trio and other townies battle various werewolves, witches, and monsters while serving up burgers and blood. You can stream the series on HBO Max.

Wayward Pines (2015-2016)

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Image via Fox

If you want more of the Duffer Brothers, go with Wayward Pines. The brothers served as writers on multiple of the series episodes, and it's clear they already had a knack for the supernatural. Based upon the horror series of the same name written by Blake Crouch, Matt Dillon stars as U.S. Secret Service agent Ethan Burke, and he finds himself trapped in the idyllic town of Wayward Pines when he awakes in the woods after a terrible car crash. The town is not all that it seems, and Burke soon discovers that no one is able to leave. Melissa Leo co-stars as a sadistic nurse alongside Carla Gugino as another imprisoned Secret Service agent, and Terrence Howard slithers across the screen as the murderous ice-cream-eating town sheriff Arnold Pop. When Crouch wrote the Wayward Pine novels, he cited Twin Peaks as an influence, and it shines through as hungry monsters hide in the woods and hot coffee is served in cute little diners. The series is available to stream on Hulu.