With news of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot on the way, fans are getting hyped. It’s hard to blame them, though we sadly probably have a while yet to wait for any real content to dive into. After all, we’re still in the writing and casting part of production. Still, even years later, it’s hard to deny the void left by Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Fans fell in love with this show and all its spin-offs. The show had a lot to offer, including compelling characters that were easy to root for. So while we’re eagerly awaiting any and all news about the reboot, why not kill some time trying to find another fantasy series to fall in love with? Thankfully, there are hundreds of other worthwhile fantasy series out there, including several perfect for Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Buffy the Vampire Slayer was an amazing series that ran for seven seasons, not counting spin-offs and the graphic novels (which are worth reading). The story defied all genres, bringing supernatural, horror, coming-of-age, teen drama, and even comedy into the same script for an utterly unforgettable series. While it’s not going to be possible to find an exact match for this series, there’s nothing stopping viewers from trying. Alternatively, we could just binge-watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer for the millionth time. Whatever works.
1) What We Do in the Shadows
Originally based on a movie of the same name, What We Do in the Shadows is a comedy horror series following a group of strange vampires. The story is told in a mockumentary format, making it a strange mixture of elements. Based in Staten Island, this unlikely group of vampires is meant to be taking over the country, but usually, they’re too busy dealing with their own antics.
The characters are, without a doubt, the heart of this series. Nanor the Relentless (Kayvan Novak) is the bloodthirsty leader who hasn’t caught up with the times. Lalzo Cravensworth (Matt Berry) is a British noble who enjoys creepy science experiments. His wife, Nadja of Antipaxos (Natasia Demetriou), is a Greek Romani vampire who is intentionally aggressive and nostalgic, at times. Colin Robinson (Mark Porksch) is an energy vampire who thrives on boring the tears out of people. And finally, there’s Guiller de la Cruz (Harvey Guillén), the familiar (read: human) responsible for keeping this irresponsible lot of vampires alive.
Fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer will appreciate the strange mixture of horror and comedy, which in this case is exceptionally self-aware and witty. They’ll also probably find reasons to enjoy the flawed and creative characters, even while acknowledging that Buffy would have particular opinions about them.
What We Do in the Shadows is available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu.
2) Being Human
Being Human is a supernatural drama based on the original British version (which is also worth checking out). The story combines comedy and horror with drama, as a group of supernatural beings are all stuck sharing the same home in an attempt to be more “normal.” Whatever that means. The show ran for four seasons, with three roommates running central to the story. Aiden (Sam Witwer) is an ancient vampire, Josh (Sam Huntington) is the werewolf, and finally, Sally (Meaghan Rath) rounds out the paranormal trio as a ghost.
Despite their differences, Aiden, Josh, and Sally work together to try and pass for human while navigating this complex and sometimes chaotic world. In other words, the series is full of heart and compelling characters. Buffy fans will appreciate how Being Human uses monsters as a metaphor for humanity, while likewise enjoying the more character-driven drama and adventures. Finally, Being Human has a strong sense of found family, making anyone feel at home. It’s the perfect series to binge-watch while waiting for new Buffy, or if you’re feeling a little out of place.
Being Human is available to stream on Pluto TV and Amazon Prime Video.
3) The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is a relatively newer series, which ran from 2018 to 2020. The show took the iconic adventures of Sabrina the Teenage Witch and made them spooky. More accurately, the story is based on the Archie Comic book series (of the same name). In this version, Sabrina Spellman is still a witch, but she’s not the light and fluffy version that Melissa Joan Hart portrayed.
Portrayed by Kiernan Shipka, Sabrina’s character is quickly thrown into the world of the occult. She’s half-witch and half-mortal, and that means she’s going to have to learn how to strike a balance between the two. Her education can get somewhat dark, but at least she has her aunts to help. Sort of. Sadly, there are only two seasons of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina available, but fans who really love the concept can at least follow it up by reading the Archie Comics.
Buffy fans will find many different elements of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina appealing, including the whole “teenage girl trying to balance the paranormal and normal parts of her life” bit. Likewise, the show combines supernatural lore and teenage drama, which is in keeping with Buffy fans. Other familiar elements include horror, the power of friendships, and the occasional romantic subplot.
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is available to stream on Netflix.
4) Stranger Things
Given how Stranger Things took the world by storm in 2016, most people have probably at least heard of it. The show follows a group of teens and preteens as they unintentionally protect the world from unspeakable horrors. It all begins when one of their own goes missing, but it quickly transforms into a much larger adventure, complete with a hostile alternate dimension, strange creatures, and even a few powers to play with.
Stranger Things is set in the 1980s and follows one core group of friends, Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), and Will (Noah Schnapp). The latter of whom goes missing early in the first season. Max (Sadie Sink) joins the crew in season two, while Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) joins earlier and quickly proves to be one of the focal points of everything strange happening in this town.
There are a lot of reasons to love Stranger Things, so it’s not surprising that so many fans are taken with it. The show has very strong found family themes, which Buffy fans can appreciate. There’s also the more obvious connection: teens/preteens battling evil in their hometown. Sound familiar? Likewise, each character brings their own story, motivations, and complexity into the mix, creating a richer tale for all.
Stranger Things is available to stream on Netflix.
5) Wednesday
Fans of the classic Addams Family immediately made note of Wednesday, a newer Netflix series following the famous Wednesday Addams. Portrayed by Jenna Ortega, the story has Wednesday setting off on her own, sort of. She’s heading off to boarding school, but the Nevermore Academy is a special place for students of the supernatural. It should be the perfect place for Wednesday, right?
The first season threw Wednesday into a murder mystery, forcing her to race against the clock to understand who’s behind the killing. She does all this while beginning to face down her family history, something she had previously been loath to do. Currently, there’s only one season of Wednesday available, but season two is expected to begin releasing on Netflix this August, so new fans won’t have long to wait.
Wednesday offers a strong and sarcastic female lead, which is something that any Buffy fan can appreciate. The setting of Nevermore Academy should be compelling enough to keep any Buffy fan entertained, especially as it combines the supernatural with teenage drama (again, this should sound familiar). Finally, there’s the coming-of-age theme running central to Wednesday‘s plot.
Wednesday is available to stream on Netflix.
6) iZombie
Viewers wanting a bit more zombie in their supernatural comedy should consider checking out iZombie. The show is based on the DC Comics series created by Chris Robertson and Michael Allred. The story follows Liv Moore (Rose McIver), a medical student turned zombie, which sort of messes up her whole life plan. On the bright side, Liv isn’t turning into a mindless zombie…as long as she keeps up a healthy diet of brains.
Liv quickly becomes a sort of new private eye working for the police, helping them solve crimes when possible. iZombie lasted for five seasons total and has an expansive cast for viewers to enjoy. Buffy fans will appreciate Liv’s attempt to make the best of her new life and how she effectively turns it into an excuse to solve crimes and bust criminals. It has a bit more of a monster-of-the-week style format, which is perfect for Buffy fans.
iZombie is available to rent on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.
7) Supergirl
Supergirl is one of many shows created by The CW to fit into the Arrowverse. The story follows Zara Zor-El (Melissa Benoist), aka Supergirl. She’s Superman’s cousin, and yes, that does mean she hails from Krypton. She was lucky enough to be adopted, much like her cousin, but a kind and caring family. She quickly grew to embrace her powers and become a superhero in her own right.
There are six seasons of Supergirl‘s adventures available to binge, and fans can always choose to go into the rest of the Arrowverse after if they’re feeling determined (it’s a lot of content!). Supergirl combines a lot of fun themes and tropes, including a lot of classic rom-com tropes. She has to balance the whole superhero/teenage girl life, which is familiar for Buffy fans, as is the whole found family vibe. Finally, the more hopeful tones of the series make it perfect for any Buffy fan, as Supergirl is all about idealism and doing what’s right.
Supergirl is available to stream on Netflix.
Most Viewed
-
Image courtesy of Marvel -
Image courtesy of Netflix -
Disney Plus
