Sweet Home Upgrades
Sweet Home is the latest Netflix k-drama to deliver a blood-soaked descent into monster VS human territory. With 10 breathless episodes of action and an agonizing cliffhanger to boot, you’re probably itching to find something to watch next.
Well, fret not! If you’re looking for something similar, we’ve got you covered. We’ve combed through the archives to bring you our top 10 picks for alternate viewing.
To keep things simple for skim-readers we’ve added what similarities these have.
Of course for all the shows we’ve reviewed, we’ve also added a handy link so you can check out our full thoughts on that series and see if it’s something you want to invest your time with.
So without further ado, we present 10 TV shows that should whet the appetite when you’ve finished streaming Sweet Home.
Kingdom
Similarities – K-Drama & Suspense
Beautifully presented and dripping in Asian culture, zombie action-thriller Kingdom is quite the thrill ride. Split across two seasons, Kingdom effortlessly blends political drama with a thrilling action plot, full of beautifully shot set pieces.
The story begins slowly, using its first episode to show off the gorgeous setting of Hanyang in South Korea as we travel back through time to the Joseon Period. Crown King Lee Chang is our protagonist and while he begins engaging in a bitter feud with the Queen, physician Seo-Bi in Jiyulheon makes a horrific discovery.
With Lee Chang by her side, the pair realize the dead are coming back to life and mercilessly hunting the living. With no guns or modern weaponry, much of the tension comes from seeing these men and women make do with the scarce resources around them.
It’s one of the few shows that balances this action with tension perfectly. The second season only builds on this, leading to the very possible prospect of a third season.
You can read our thoughts on Kingdom in our full season reviews here!
The Terror (Season 1)
Similarities – Horror & Paranoia
When it comes to outright tension and seeing a group of people forced together to survive, Season 1 of The Terror is bang on the money. While the second season switches things up to become much more of an alt-history drama, the first season remains a masterclass in suspense.
Set in 1847, The Terror follows the crews of two British naval vessels, the HMS Terror and HMS Erebus on an expedition to plot a course through the Arctic North. Interestingly, the beginning portion of this story is steeped in realism; the lost Franklin Expedition did set sail with two ships and was stuck in the ice for 8 months.
With the events following this unknown beyond bone fragments and scientific theories, The Terror dives into the horror genre, taking influence from the book of the same name to imagine a horrific scenario of just what happened to the men on board both ships.
It’s worth going into this one blind and with well written characters and a decent conclusion, this is definitely worth your time.
You can read our thoughts on The Terror in our full season review here!
Hannibal
Similarities – Horror & Unsettling Atmosphere
If you’re looking for a deliciously sinister thriller that hits all the right notes, look no further.
The story predominantly revolves around two key characters; the calculated cannibal Hannibal Lector and criminal profiler Will Graham. Interestingly, Will can “see” crimes as they happen which gives him an edge while out on the field.
Each episode has a different case to deal with but an overarching story tackles one murder in particular that brings both these characters together.
Mads Mikkelsen does an incredible job portraying Hannibal Lector and the chemistry between these two is enough to make this a unique offering in the crime drama genre.
You can read our thoughts on Hannibal in our full season review here!
The Exorcist
Similarities – Horror
The TV adaptation of The Exorcist has absolutely no right to be as good as it is. It’s also one cancellation that remains a bitter pill to swallow to this day for many fans. The series adaptation of the critically acclaimed film follows pretty much the same story but dives a lot deeper into the various characters and lore.
There’s some really creepy scenes here, including one infamous Jenga game during season 1. With two seasons to get through, The Exorcist delivers enough bang for your buck to make it worth watching both seasons.
You can read our thoughts on The Exorcist in our full season reviews here!
The Strain
Similarities – Action & Horror
Split across four seasons, The Strain combines elements of a viral outbreak with vampires in an explosive and bloody fight to the bitter end. It’s classic monsters vs humans territory but the extended run-time allows a lot of the characters a chance to shine and flesh out across the season’s run-time.
At the heart of this fight lies Dr. Ephraim Goodweather who leads a group of New Yorkers out to fight against the undead and secure the fate of humanity itself.
The Strain is a thrilling, decently paced show and although there are a few lulls along the way, does an excellent job keeping the tension high throughout.
Black Summer
Similarities – Action & Large Ensemble Of Characters
Black Summer is an interesting take on the downfall of humanity, sticking much closer to the days following the infection rather than cutting forward to a bleak post-apocalyptic wasteland straight away.
Despite some strange stylistic choices and questionable character logic, Black Summer maintains a consistent danger throughout and its large ensemble of characters are constantly thwarted by intelligent, fast zombies. There’s an extremely tense atmosphere gripping most of the season and while many people remain torn over this one, we were definitely fans of this.
You can read our thoughts on Black Summer in our full season reviews here!
Strangers From Hell
Similarities – Apartment Block & Paranoia
Split across 10 episodes, Strangers From Hell is certainly a shorter offering than the usual 16 chapter Korean dramas on the market. The story revolves around a boy called Jong-Woo who moves to Seoul and finds himself abandoned and alone inside an apartment block. Unfortunately, it’s also shared by some pretty creepy and unnerving characters.
From the maniacally laughing Deuk-Jong to the quiet and reserved Nam-Bok, every character inside this block has a secret they’re holding. Across the 10 episodes we learn exactly what that secret is, spilling over into a pretty climactic and thrilling finale.
Strangers From Hell isn’t particularly scary but it does hold up as a compelling psychological thriller. There’s some pretty gruesome scenes midway through too and a couple of genuinely shocking segments. This one is not for the squeamish but should be enough to reach those looking for a dose of anxiety and paranoia from their horror.
You can read our thoughts on Strangers From Hell in our full season review here!
Search
Similarities: Monster Hunting
OCN have a knack for creating interesting spins on sci-fi and horror tropes. Their latest in 2020 is an absolute belter in the form of a 10 episode monster hunt called Search. Drawing inspiration from other tense and suspenseful horror series, Search is set on the DMZ; the dematerialized zone between North and South Korea.
When reports of a strange creature hunting in the woods begins circulating, what ensues is a desperate fight for survival as both sergeant Koo Dong-Jin and elite officer Son Ye-Rim try to fight against this mysterious creature.
There’s some good character development too and this is definitely a suitable binge-watch, ending things with quite the dramatic conclusion.
The Cursed
Similarities – Mystery & Horror
While it would be easy to write off The Cursed as yet another horror series, the mystery and ideas presented in this one are enough to make it an engaging and absorbing watch throughout.
The main story revolves around Jin-Hee, a reporter who investigates a violent case involving Forest, the biggest IT company in South Korea. The chairman of said company happens to be a shamanist and unfortunately that also brings with it a spiritual consulting company mixed up in their affairs.
From here, the series manages to weave mystery and horror together beautifully but also has a knack for being quite slow paced at times. If you can go in with a bit of patience however, this one delivers an intriguing story worth checking out.
Parasyte: The Maxim
Similarities – Monsters
What does it mean to be human? As Agent Smith once said in The Matrix: “Humans do not form a natural equilibrium. Instead they multiply and multiply until every resource is consumed.” In that respect, humanity bears more in common with a virus or a parasite than we do the other species on our planet. So what then would happen if an alien parasite began using us as its hosts? Step forward Parasyte: The Maxim.
Adapted from the popular manga of the same name, Parasyte gained a lot of acclaim when it dropped on the small screen back in 2014 and it’s easy to see why. The animation is gorgeously rendered, the hand-drawn scenes beautifully detailed and the hybrid blend of rock and dubstep actually works quite well to give this a unique feel away from other animes of its kind.
If you’re looking for more of a human VS monster fight with shades of grey and big thematic questions, this one is definitely worth checking out.
You can read our thoughts on Parasyte: The Maxim in our full season review here!
So there we have it, our 10 TV show picks to keep you busy while you wait for a possible second season to Sweet Home.
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!