Blood & Water managed to find a global audience on Netflix despite how oversaturated the teen drama genre is these days. Viewers were intrigued by the premise and characters of the South African series. We follow Puleng, determined to solve the mystery of her sister who went missing as a child as she struggles with life at her high school, and the obstacles she encounters. With this being such a populated genre, there are plenty of alternatives to seek out if you’ve just finished binging Season 4, so here are 10 equally thrilling shows like Blood & Water also aimed at adolescents that you might also enjoy.
10 Shows Like Blood & Water
Riverdale (2017)
Based on the Archie comics from way back in the Golden Age, Riverdale is an updated version featuring all the characters from those more innocent funny books. Negotiating romance, friendship, and family problems, the characters also had to contend with the mysteries that the town of Riverdale was hiding.
Big Little Lies (2017)
HBO sh9w Big Little Lies was originally intended to be a mini-series, but it struck a nerve with viewers and the show was extended into a second season. The story follows a group of mothers who all live in Monterey and all have children that attend the same school. Drama ensues as lives converge and the stakes increase as the story unfolds.
Chambers (2019)
This teen drama has a slightly supernatural take and follows the story of Sasha, who receives a heart from a donor after she suffers a sudden heart attack. However, after the life-saving op, she starts to experience some weird happenings and reaches out to the family of the donor to try and make sense of what she is experiencing.
Pretty Little Liars (2010)
Here is a classic teen drama that ran from 2010 to 2017, following a group of teens that have to form some kind of alliance when they are targeted by a malicious unknown figure that seems to know all their darkest secrets that could only be known by one person who disappeared years ago. The ensemble cast allowed for plenty of storylines from the different characters.
Quicksand (2019)
This teen drama is based on the Swedish novel Storst av allt by Malin Persson Giolito. It follows the aftermath of a school shooting in a wealthy area of Stockholm. Maja is accused of murder but at the trial, there is a series of revelations that start to expand the story and everyone involved.
Sharp Objects (2018)
Sharp Objects features another protagonist on a quest to find the truth behind a terrible event. Camille Preaker returns to her small hometown to dig into the murder of two young girls. However, her return sends her into a psychological spiral, as she starts to find herself becoming too involved with the young victims, and having to deal with her demons.
The Night Of (2016)
This is a brilliant example of a mystery crime drama that follows the traumatic story of a young student who borrows his father’s taxi cab to go to a party in Manhattan. When he accidentally picks a girl up looking for a ride, they end up spending the night together, however, in the morning, she is dead, and he is arrested for her murder.
Nancy Drew (2019)
The teen detective has had various TV appearances, but this 2019 revival would take the children’s stories and revamp them for a young adult audience. In this adaptation, Nancy is dealing with the death of her mother. Putting college on hold, she returns to her hometown, but the murder of a local socialite leads the police to suspect Nancy and her friends of the terrible crime.
Queen Sugar (2017)
More family secrets rear their head in this long-running series that follows the story of three siblings, and a shared inheritance of their recently departed father’s sugar cane farm. Sadly the series fell into a well-known trap of multiple seasons with diminishing returns, but there’s still a lot to enjoy in the early episodes.
One of Us is Lying (2022)
The Breakfast Club is a clear inspiration in One of Us Is Lying, with a collection of high school stereotypes in trouble, however, the stakes here are raised with a murder mystery and everyone is a suspect. Based on a popular book by Karen K McManus, the story is told from the perspective of the four main characters, and if the reviews are anything to go by, it might be an idea to read the book first.
Do you have any other suggestions for shows like Blood and Water? Let us know in the comments below.
