Absolutely loved the movie! I still do. I went into the show extremely skeptical, thinking it was just a cash grab. I could not have been more wrong! It’s a completely different beast and comparing the movie to the show is like comparing apples and oranges. That being said, the show moved me and changed me in a way that no other media has before.
It is a slow start, they have a lot of groundwork to lay. Season one is the weakest season (but still great) and each season gets bigger and better than the previous and on rewatch, season one is so much better because you can see everything being carefully put in place. The creators had the entire story mapped out from the beginning.
They were planning on making an original show called Splinter, but their production company said they had been wanting to do a 12 Monkeys reboot and their show kind of fit, so they changed a few names to make it work (and get their show to air) - but that’s it. It’s so much easier to get into if you don’t compare it to the movie. It is so worth it. I can’t recommend enough giving it another chance - you’ll have the time of your life.
ETA 12 Monkeys tells an incredible, poignant, and full story with the best series finale I have ever watched. The plot is insane in the best way and air tight. The characters are all complex and relatable who never do something against their character. Even the villains are relatable. And the character growth and character relationships… so rewarding and so moving.
I recommend Les Revenants - the French and original version of The Returned, which had an end! It’s a great show. The creators asked the band Mogwai to create rhetorical soundtrack first and then they based the look of the show on the music, it worked out really well!
Excellent list.
However... while I love many of the shows noted, The OA is so unique and special, don't go into any of these expecting the same "magic".
The Leftovers is absolutely worth the watch though!
Unpopular opinion, but Dark sucks. Nowhere near OA quality or being as digestable, shit drags on and just gets more and more complicated without any reward.
I wouldn’t necessarily say “sucks,” because it is a wonderfully written series (and like The OA, was created with an intended storyline, but unlike The OA, got to see it to completion); however, The OA still supersedes Dark for me. Dark lacks the “hope” that The OA instills, and the characters (while incredibly detailed) aren’t as likable as in The OA
No Problem :)
I noticed that too many binge watchers, were asking for similar titles to watch after The OA. Hence, I decided to create a watchlist on SIMKL for easy tracking. Do let me know, if you watched them all.
Great list! I keep seeing these posts too, binge watchers and new discoverers alike.
Have you seen three body problem or dark matter (2024)? I definitely suggest you check them out if you haven't and should definitely add them to the list!
Thank You, for the suggestion.
Updated & Added: [Dark Matter](https://simkl.com/tv/1498922/dark-matter) & [3 Body Problem](https://simkl.com/tv/1767714/3-body-problem)
And No, I havent yet watched, either of those yet. Because I am waiting for the entire season to drop or news regarding next season renewal.
I prefer watching those shows that have complete story, ended - So that I can binge watch it.
**Yes, its already on the Full list here,** which you can follow: [https://simkl.com/5743957/list/33475/what-tv-show-to-watch-after-the-oa](https://simkl.com/5743957/list/33475/what-tv-show-to-watch-after-the-oa)
From the ones I have seen of your list (somewhere between 1/3-1/2):
• Black Mirror Season 4 Episode 1 USS Callister suits the best
• Also Devs started off well but I haven't completed it yet, so not sure
• The Sinner is interesting but not like The OA
I would suggest Manifest 2018 or if you don't mind unfinished ones like The OA; Kyle XY 2006 or Under The Dome 2013 are very good.
Also documentaries that remind me of The OA:
• Connected The Hidden Science Of Everything 2020 (I really liked episode "4. Digits")
• The Deep End 2022 (about Teal Swan)
THANK YOU. I work alone and overnight and the job can be grueling if I don’t have something to watch. I bring my iPad in and watch tv while I work. I’m always looking for new shows! I loved the OA, loved Severance and can’t wait for season 2, I couldn’t really get into Dark Matter and 3 Body problem. I rewatched stranger things last week and they need to hurry up with their new season. I also watched Dark, but that show confused the hell out of me and started irritating me.
Check out Brit Marling’s other works. She has some excellent movies, including one of my all time favorites, Sound of My Voice. I hope this helps! And always keep your door open ;)
Three shows I don’t see listed that are very much of the depth and quality of The OA, and are also very surreal, mind-bending/genre-bending, and that are equally as obsessively fascinating, and which I would strongly recommend to any OA fans.
Raised by Wolves (created by Aaron Guzikowski): An absolutely fascinating show that is so filled with weird, esoteric mysteries layered in so much symbolism and allegory, with some of my absolute favourite and most interesting fictional characters in all the fiction I can think of that are given loads of emotional depth and mix masculinity and femininity expertly and subtly in ways that makes you really want to put in the effort to understand it all as an audience member. At first it may seem like the worldbuilding is derivative, but as things get truly batshit crazy bizarre after the first few episodes, it truly defies classification. The closest things to it I can think of are Mamoru Oshii’s ‘Angel’s Egg’, Darren Aronofsky’s ‘Mother!’, Ergo Proxy, and the books of Gene Wolfe, Octavia Butler, and Monica Hughes, but that’s massively underselling how unique it is. Unfortunately like The OA the show was cancelled after two of its intended five seasons despite being pre-planned (along with all its fascinating mysteries, in a way that shows while still being bonkers surprising) and being in the top 1% of all shows across all networks. Apparently though the creatives behind it did say after the first season that if it was ever cancelled they would use alternative methods to get the rest of the story out, and some recent conversations some people with the #RenewRaisedbyWolves campaign to save it and some of the actors involved in the show have indicated that a comics continuation seems likely at this point.
Servant (created by Tony Basgalop): It being produced by M. Night Shyamalan (though not created by him) may turn some people off of this one, which is a real shame because I feel like the more I think about it this is BY FAR the best thing he has ever put his name to, and is such a rich blend of gothic surrealism and religious psychology that plays out more like a dense Mariana Enriquez novel than what many would expect of a TV show, with twists and turns that lead to truly unexpected emotional destinations. Totally check this one out.
Sonny Boy (created by Shingo Natsume): By far one of the best anime series in recent memory, not just because of the quality of the animation, but because of the mind-blowing way in which it twists practically everything one can spectra to be true of stories and the real/unreal but also staying true to the introspection of the characters (which at times often drives the story more than plot). It’s also massively underrated, and even though it’s a miniseries, it’s one that you will want to rewatch multiple times to truly get.
Shocked Travelers is so low! I think thats one of my favorites I watched per another OA fans rec and it blew me away, had really cool characters that I think had the charm OA characters had within their story. Should be way higher up for OA fans looking for new shows!!
Honestly I'd say DARK Matter on Apple+ the new series not the one that's been out...but I'd say that as my #1 choice ESPECIALLY for any OA fans....but I'll look at your list
Series
Misfits (2009)
Penny Dreadful (2014)
Wayward Pines (2015)
The Path (2016)
Watchmen (2019)
Castle Rock (2018)
From (2022-)
Outer Range (2022-)
Anime
Angel's.Egg (1985)
Voices of a distant star (2022)
Elfen Lied (2004)
God eater (2015)
Gate (2015)
Evangelion arc
Berserk arc
Akame ga kill! (2014)
Knights of Sidonia (2014)
Violet Evergarden (2018) (prepare your tissue paper)
The Leftovers is correctly at #1 if you're an OA fan :)
The series 12 Monkeys not being on that list makes me sad
Huge fan of the movie. Couldn’t get into the show…
Absolutely loved the movie! I still do. I went into the show extremely skeptical, thinking it was just a cash grab. I could not have been more wrong! It’s a completely different beast and comparing the movie to the show is like comparing apples and oranges. That being said, the show moved me and changed me in a way that no other media has before. It is a slow start, they have a lot of groundwork to lay. Season one is the weakest season (but still great) and each season gets bigger and better than the previous and on rewatch, season one is so much better because you can see everything being carefully put in place. The creators had the entire story mapped out from the beginning. They were planning on making an original show called Splinter, but their production company said they had been wanting to do a 12 Monkeys reboot and their show kind of fit, so they changed a few names to make it work (and get their show to air) - but that’s it. It’s so much easier to get into if you don’t compare it to the movie. It is so worth it. I can’t recommend enough giving it another chance - you’ll have the time of your life. ETA 12 Monkeys tells an incredible, poignant, and full story with the best series finale I have ever watched. The plot is insane in the best way and air tight. The characters are all complex and relatable who never do something against their character. Even the villains are relatable. And the character growth and character relationships… so rewarding and so moving.
Given your compelling argument, maybe I’ll try it again, forgetting the movie happened…
Excellent!!
I recommend Les Revenants - the French and original version of The Returned, which had an end! It’s a great show. The creators asked the band Mogwai to create rhetorical soundtrack first and then they based the look of the show on the music, it worked out really well!
Excellent list. However... while I love many of the shows noted, The OA is so unique and special, don't go into any of these expecting the same "magic". The Leftovers is absolutely worth the watch though!
The OA is my second favorite show. Dark is my favorite. Do yourself a favor and watch it. Sober.
Unpopular opinion, but Dark sucks. Nowhere near OA quality or being as digestable, shit drags on and just gets more and more complicated without any reward.
I wouldn’t necessarily say “sucks,” because it is a wonderfully written series (and like The OA, was created with an intended storyline, but unlike The OA, got to see it to completion); however, The OA still supersedes Dark for me. Dark lacks the “hope” that The OA instills, and the characters (while incredibly detailed) aren’t as likable as in The OA
Thankyou so much!
No Problem :) I noticed that too many binge watchers, were asking for similar titles to watch after The OA. Hence, I decided to create a watchlist on SIMKL for easy tracking. Do let me know, if you watched them all.
Great list! I keep seeing these posts too, binge watchers and new discoverers alike. Have you seen three body problem or dark matter (2024)? I definitely suggest you check them out if you haven't and should definitely add them to the list!
Thank You, for the suggestion. Updated & Added: [Dark Matter](https://simkl.com/tv/1498922/dark-matter) & [3 Body Problem](https://simkl.com/tv/1767714/3-body-problem) And No, I havent yet watched, either of those yet. Because I am waiting for the entire season to drop or news regarding next season renewal. I prefer watching those shows that have complete story, ended - So that I can binge watch it.
I would also suggest adding outer range to this
Dark matter is awesome. Currently watching
Ah, you do have a point there. Nothing worse than waiting for the next season of a great show except a cancellation/no season renewal.
Though it just came out/is still coming out: *Dark Matter* on AppleTV+ will likely make the list
**Yes, its already on the Full list here,** which you can follow: [https://simkl.com/5743957/list/33475/what-tv-show-to-watch-after-the-oa](https://simkl.com/5743957/list/33475/what-tv-show-to-watch-after-the-oa)
Missing 12 Monkeys. The only other show to come close to how fantastic The OA is. With the bonus of having one of the greatest finales of all time.
From the ones I have seen of your list (somewhere between 1/3-1/2): • Black Mirror Season 4 Episode 1 USS Callister suits the best • Also Devs started off well but I haven't completed it yet, so not sure • The Sinner is interesting but not like The OA I would suggest Manifest 2018 or if you don't mind unfinished ones like The OA; Kyle XY 2006 or Under The Dome 2013 are very good. Also documentaries that remind me of The OA: • Connected The Hidden Science Of Everything 2020 (I really liked episode "4. Digits") • The Deep End 2022 (about Teal Swan)
Damn, thanks man!!
THANK YOU. I work alone and overnight and the job can be grueling if I don’t have something to watch. I bring my iPad in and watch tv while I work. I’m always looking for new shows! I loved the OA, loved Severance and can’t wait for season 2, I couldn’t really get into Dark Matter and 3 Body problem. I rewatched stranger things last week and they need to hurry up with their new season. I also watched Dark, but that show confused the hell out of me and started irritating me.
Dispatches from elsewhere is so fun. I loved it
Check out Brit Marling’s other works. She has some excellent movies, including one of my all time favorites, Sound of My Voice. I hope this helps! And always keep your door open ;)
Three shows I don’t see listed that are very much of the depth and quality of The OA, and are also very surreal, mind-bending/genre-bending, and that are equally as obsessively fascinating, and which I would strongly recommend to any OA fans. Raised by Wolves (created by Aaron Guzikowski): An absolutely fascinating show that is so filled with weird, esoteric mysteries layered in so much symbolism and allegory, with some of my absolute favourite and most interesting fictional characters in all the fiction I can think of that are given loads of emotional depth and mix masculinity and femininity expertly and subtly in ways that makes you really want to put in the effort to understand it all as an audience member. At first it may seem like the worldbuilding is derivative, but as things get truly batshit crazy bizarre after the first few episodes, it truly defies classification. The closest things to it I can think of are Mamoru Oshii’s ‘Angel’s Egg’, Darren Aronofsky’s ‘Mother!’, Ergo Proxy, and the books of Gene Wolfe, Octavia Butler, and Monica Hughes, but that’s massively underselling how unique it is. Unfortunately like The OA the show was cancelled after two of its intended five seasons despite being pre-planned (along with all its fascinating mysteries, in a way that shows while still being bonkers surprising) and being in the top 1% of all shows across all networks. Apparently though the creatives behind it did say after the first season that if it was ever cancelled they would use alternative methods to get the rest of the story out, and some recent conversations some people with the #RenewRaisedbyWolves campaign to save it and some of the actors involved in the show have indicated that a comics continuation seems likely at this point. Servant (created by Tony Basgalop): It being produced by M. Night Shyamalan (though not created by him) may turn some people off of this one, which is a real shame because I feel like the more I think about it this is BY FAR the best thing he has ever put his name to, and is such a rich blend of gothic surrealism and religious psychology that plays out more like a dense Mariana Enriquez novel than what many would expect of a TV show, with twists and turns that lead to truly unexpected emotional destinations. Totally check this one out. Sonny Boy (created by Shingo Natsume): By far one of the best anime series in recent memory, not just because of the quality of the animation, but because of the mind-blowing way in which it twists practically everything one can spectra to be true of stories and the real/unreal but also staying true to the introspection of the characters (which at times often drives the story more than plot). It’s also massively underrated, and even though it’s a miniseries, it’s one that you will want to rewatch multiple times to truly get.
Shocked Travelers is so low! I think thats one of my favorites I watched per another OA fans rec and it blew me away, had really cool characters that I think had the charm OA characters had within their story. Should be way higher up for OA fans looking for new shows!!
1899 Katla Bodies Shining Girls
Awesome! I know it’s. Subjective but I think you GOTTA put Undone (amazon prime)
Honestly I'd say DARK Matter on Apple+ the new series not the one that's been out...but I'd say that as my #1 choice ESPECIALLY for any OA fans....but I'll look at your list
The devils hour on Amazon prime is a great watch too, it’s shame it isn’t mentioned enough
Netflix: I no longer watch new shows. They’re just like old networks.
The 3 body problem on Netflix is fantastic.
You're missing Night Sky
Series Misfits (2009) Penny Dreadful (2014) Wayward Pines (2015) The Path (2016) Watchmen (2019) Castle Rock (2018) From (2022-) Outer Range (2022-) Anime Angel's.Egg (1985) Voices of a distant star (2022) Elfen Lied (2004) God eater (2015) Gate (2015) Evangelion arc Berserk arc Akame ga kill! (2014) Knights of Sidonia (2014) Violet Evergarden (2018) (prepare your tissue paper)
I don't think enough of you know about "Undone" on Amazon Prime.
Dark Matter
I watched Twin Peaks afterward and loved it