10 Best TV Shows Like Buffy The Vampire Slayer

She's the Chosen One meant to stand against the forces of darkness while trying to finish her homework on time. 

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" first premiered in 1997, making waves with its fun, fast-paced story that offers a different take on the vampire hunting tale. The series follows Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), a teenage vampire slayer who moves to Sunnydale, California where she meets her guardian Rupert Giles (Anthony Head) and her best friends Willow (Alyson Hannigan) and Xander (Nicholas Brendon). It's up to her to fight the evil forces lurking around her new home while also navigating the high school social scene.

The fantasy series stood out on the small screen because its imaginative stories are centered around a strong female protagonist. The role of Buffy, which almost received a named change, helped turn Gellar into a household name, and her performance is still enjoyed by fans who have now passed this show down to younger generations. 

While binge-watching "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is always a good time (even though loving the series is complicated these days), there are plenty of other great fantasy shows that you can sink your teeth into. That's why we're breaking down the best shows like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." This list is comprised of shows that have similar themes about fantasy and reality while also adding a dash of campy humor, which is another thing that makes "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" stand out. 

So pop the popcorn, and take a look at these fun fantasy adventures in this list of the best shows like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

Angel (David Boreanaz) is the vampire that "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" fans have been swooning over since his first appearance on season 1, episode 1, "Welcome to the Hellmouth." He and Buffy eventually form a relationship, but after he almost kills her, Angel realizes that his presence will only hurt her. He makes the tough decision to leave Sunnydale and head to Los Angeles during season 3, episode 22, "Graduation Day: Part 2." This makes way for the spin-off "Angel," which follows him on a journey to seek redemption while running into others who want to save people from supernatural threats.

The premiere episode of "Angel" — titled "City of..." — begins with Angel trying to adjust to L.A. life. That's when Allen Doyle (Glenn Quinn), a seer, pays him a visit and directs him toward his first mission. That mission includes a run-in with Buffy's former high school arch nemesis Cordelia Chase (Charisma Carpenter) who moved to the city to become a famous actress. She becomes an integral part of the series, and it's a nice nod to the show that started it all. 

Of course, Buffy makes a few appearances, and Angel continues to make sporadic appearances on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," including during the series' finale. It's an ending that requires a good explanation, as the series came to a close amid the continuation of "Angel."  This back and forth creates a tight-knit universe that still focuses on expanding the character of Angel as the series uncovers the many layers of his past.

Juggling lacrosse, school, and managing the abilities that come with being a werewolf. It's the extraordinary circumstances that Scott McCall (Tyler Posey) must deal with after an adventure gone wrong. "Teen Wolf" begins with Scott and his best friend, Jackson Whittemore (Colton Hayes), venturing into the woods after hearing that a dead body has been discovered. Unfortunately, Scott gets a little too close and catches the attention of a nearby werewolf who bites him. His senses suddenly become heightened and flip his world upside down. Now he has to figure out how to adapt to his new abilities while learning about Beacon Hills' history with werewolves.

"Teen Wolf" is loosely based on the 1985 film of the same name. It's origin alone makes it similar to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," which is based on the 1992 film of the same name. Their storylines are also alike as both series follow teens with supernatural abilities that they use to help others and stop evil in their tracks. "Teen Wolf" is a heart-pounding adventure that will leave viewers on the edge of their seats while also showcasing characters that have plenty of heart and even offer up some laughs.

The "Teen Wolf" spin-off "Wolf Pack" offers even more suspense than its predecessor. While in the "Teen Wolf" universe, the series is also based on the first book in a series by Edo van Belkom. The show begins with a devastating wildfire that causes a group of teens to run for their lives while on their way to school. Everett Lang (Armani Jackson) and Blake Navarro (Bella Shepard) are bitten by a werewolf as they try to get to safety. Their senses and physical appearances are quickly changing as they realize that a dangerous werewolf is lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce at any moment. They feel like they can only rely on each other until they find out that siblings and school mates Luna (Chloe Rose Robertson) and Harlan Briggs (Tyler Lawrence Gray) are also werewolves. They start to form a bond as arson investigator Kristin Ramsey (Sarah Michelle Gellar) dives into what caused the wildfire, and she hopes that Everett can lead her in the right direction. 

Of course, Gellar is no stranger to supernatural series about teens with out-of-this-world powers. Her role on "Wolf Pack" is a fun one for fans of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" because it places her in a role that is actually very different from Buffy. That difference is steeped in a secret identity that has Kristin searching for her rightful place in the universe. Gellar is also an executive producer on the series, and she told The Hollywood Reporter that the appeal of the series comes from supernatural stories potentially being a gateway to examining humanity and super important topics. "Supernatural stories, in a really odd way, allow you to tell the most superhuman stories," she said.

Saving people and hunting things. That sums up the Winchester family business, which Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki) stepped away from until his brother Dean (Jensen Ackles) announced their father's disappearance during the "Supernatural" series' pilot. 

Over the course of 15 seasons, Sam and Dean travel thousands of miles taking down demons and other mythical creatures hiding in plain sight. While some encounters are contained within one episode, other storylines span an entire season. Some beings appear a few times earlier in the series before receiving a storyline of epic proportions, such as God, also known as Chuck (Rob Benedict), who is a driving force through season 15, which follows Sam and Dean as they work to defeat him in order to save the world. That final season offers an ending that can best be described as a somber closure that still allows these wayward sons to carry on. 

Like Buffy, Sam and Dean have a close-knit team behind them. It's a team that changes from time to time, but the angel Castiel (Misha Collins) is a regular member of their crew, helping connect the brothers to the angels. While Buffy tries to have a normal life amid slaying, the Winchester brothers give up any type of normality to focus on their work. However, "Supernatural" still makes time to focus on the familial aspects of the relationships between Sam, Dean, Castiel, and others who join their hunt. The amount of action is also equal to the amount of laughs thanks to Dean's bad jokes and hilarious episodes that find humor in their self aware plots.

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is all about protecting mortals from bloodthirsty vampires who could leave them for dead, but what if these vampires chose a synthetic alternative instead? The question of food source and public existence is explored on "True Blood." 

The hit HBO series is based on the "Sookie Stackhouse" book series by Charlaine Harris, and it focuses on Bon Temps, Louisiana, where vampires are now walking amongst humans once again thanks to the creation of a synthetic blood called Tru Blood. Everyone is trying to live their day to day lives in harmony, but that harmonious existence is not a goal for every resident, supernatural or not. Meanwhile, Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) is a waitress who uses her telepathic abilities to help her to truly understand her customers and their intentions. Her life is starting to feel a little too quiet until she runs into a dashing vampire named Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer), who quickly catches her attention and her heart.

While "True Blood" is steeped in mystery, suspense, and small town politics, it is truly a story focused on questions of morality, including the idea of power, what someone chooses to do with it and how those choices affect a whole community. Like Buffy (and Spider-Man), Sookie understands that with great power comes great responsibility. Despite being treated like an outcast throughout much of town, Sookie still uses her mind-reading abilities to protect those around her while helping to solve murders and other mysteries.

"The Vampire Diaries" is the popular teen drama based on the book series by L.J. Smith. The show begins shortly after Elena Gilbert's (Nina Dobrev) parents are killed in a car crash. As everyone continues to talk about her parents' deaths, she is not looking forward to the new school year. Things start to change as she forms a relationship with Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley), the new kid who just so happens to be a centuries-old vampire. The two grow close as Elena notices strange things happening in Mystic Falls, Virginia. While Stefan longs for Elena, his impulsive brother Damon (Ian Somerhalder) returns to the small town and threatens their relationship.

The CW series lasted for eight seasons and led to two spin-offs, "The Originals" and "Legacies" (more on the latter in a moment). "The Vampire Diaries" is very similar to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" because of the focus on teenage characters and supernatural beings living in the human world. However, it still has its differences, which may be refreshing after binging the adventures of Buffy and her friends. Elena differs from Buffy in her point of view at the beginning of the series. She doesn't know that vampires walk amongst humans, and this puts her in more of a detective role. The series also has a more dramatic tone given its somber opening and the deep emotional connection between Stefan and Elena, which also helps to set the tone for the series.

Buffy spends much of her time training with Giles and learning everything she can about slaying. So what would it look like if Sunnydale had a school dedicated to vampire slayers or even supernatural teens of all abilities? Chances are that it would look a lot like the school featured in "Legacies." 

"The Vampire Diaries" spin-off is told from the viewpoint of Hope Mikaelson (Danielle Rose Russell), a student at The Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted. Vampires, werewolves, witches, and those born with a combination of these powers take classes and cause drama in and outside the school's walls. That includes nearby supernatural forces that could threaten the students, their loved ones, and the school that has taught them so much.

Like Buffy, Hope is a strong female character who will stop at nothing to protect those she loves. Hope is the only known tribrid (a cross-breed of three different supernatural species), and it's a distinction that she proudly carries with her into every perilous situation. While there is plenty of focus on magic lesions and supernatural peril, "Legacies" also focuses a great deal of its storytelling on the everyday ups and downs of high school life, much like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." It proves to be a dynamic combination that offers suspenseful storytelling while expanding the supernatural world in Mystic Falls.

On "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," teamwork makes the dream work as Buffy takes down vampires and other monsters with the help of Giles, Willow, and Xander. She even gets support from her family, including her sister Dawn who is played by the late Michelle Trachtenberg. She wouldn't be successful without her family, and the same can be said for the Halliwell sisters on "Charmed." 

Following the death of their beloved grandmother, Phoebe (Alyssa Milano), Prue (Shannen Doherty), and Piper (Holly Marie Combs), move into her home. A trip up to the attic leads them to discover "The Book of Shadows," which offers incantations and a look back at their family's magical history. They soon realize that they are powerfully witches known as the Charmed Ones. Each has their own unique abilities, but put them all together and you have a force to be reckoned with.

The series first premiered in 1998 and ran for eight seasons on The WB. It would get the reboot treatment on The CW in 2018, which put a spin on the modern classic. This new chapter begins as Mel (Melonie Diaz) and Maggie Vera (Sarah Jeffrey) grieve the death of their mother amid the surprise reveal of a new sister named Macy (Madeleine Mantock). While the reboot was canceled after four seasons, it still created it's own captivating path while paying homage to the original series. 

Like Buffy, both series focus on how each hero is honing their skills while trying to make sure that those special skills don't complicate their personal lives too much.

"Sabrina the Teenage Witch" is the fun, magical adventure that started to capture the attention of families in 1996. Based on the "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" comic book series from Archie Comics, the show follows Sabrina (Melissa Joan Hart) who is starting at a new high school when she finds out that she is a witch on her 16th birthday. It's an introduction that almost mirrors "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," which begins as Buffy moves to Sunnydale and starts a new school. Both of these leading ladies are super excited about their abilities, but they soon learn that trying to juggle the supernatural, school, and a social life is much harder than they could ever imagine. 

Buffy quickly learns that her slaying activities can happen a little too close to home, even getting her classmates involved at times. In Sabrina's case, she realizes that magic requires control and understanding. Those glitches and adjustments come with their own sets of problems that get Sabrina into trouble with her classmates and even her teachers. Thankfully, her aunts Hilda (Caroline Rhea) and Zelda (Beth Broderick) are always nearby and ready to help her no matter what problem comes her way. Salem also offers his somewhat sage advice, which usually results in a giant amount of snark.

Similar to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," the series follows Sabrina's transition into adulthood, including new friendships that are made and the romance that happens along the way. It's campy humor also offers a certain charm that is complimentary to this bright, bubbly sitcom.

The Addams Family is a franchise with an already lengthy timeline, and the TV series "Wednesday" adds even more context to the family dynamic. The show follows the grim and macabre Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) as she is forcibly enrolled into Nevermore Academy, a boarding school where her parents fell in love. While Buffy really tries to adjust to her new environment, Wednesday is loathing every moment, which includes having to live with a roommate named Enid (Emma Myers) who maintains a cheery attitude. However, mystery is afoot when Wednesday learns of a deadly creature lurking in the woods near school. Of course, she can't do any of her detective work without the sentient hand Thing (brought to life with impressive special effects). 

Like Buffy, Wednesday does everything she can to hunt down clues and get to the truth. Of course, they both find out earth-shattering secrets about the people around them, and that leads them toward big clues and even more danger. Both heroes also rely on the past to help save the future. Wednesday uses her psychic abilities to connect her to an ancestor who was persecuted in Jericho, Vermont. As for Buffy, she and Giles look back at the history books to figure out how to fight the creatures that are on their doorstep. 

Throughout all of the supernatural ups and downs, both Buffy and Wednesday make discoveries about their own personalities, and those discoveries help them solve the mystery while helping them reach their full potential.