Finished ‘Squid Game’? Here’s what to watch next
Finished ‘Squid Game’? Here’s what to watch next
‘Squid Game’ isn’t easy to replace — but these picks try their best.
“Squid Game” just dropped its third and final season on Netflix, and honestly? I’m still recovering. This show has been in a league of its own since day one — intense, unpredictable, and built to mess with your nerves in the best way. Nothing else hits quite like it. From the very first red-light-green-light massacre to the slow unraveling of Gi-hun’s revenge arc, it’s been a wild, anxiety-sweat kind of ride. And now that it’s officially over, the big question is: what do you watch next? It’s not easy to find a show that matches that level of intensity, but I’ve rounded up a few that give it a run for its money (get it?). Here’s what to watch next after finishing “Squid Game.”
Squid Game
Hundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children’s games. Inside, a tempting prize awaits — with deadly high stakes.
Loved ‘Squid Game’? Watch: ‘Alice in Borderland’
If “Squid Game” had you hooked with its deadly competitions and “no one is safe” energy, “Alice in Borderland” brings a lot of that same chaos — just with a Japanese twist. Instead of a group of broke contestants, this one follows a group of friends who get mysteriously transported into an abandoned Tokyo where they’re forced to compete in life-or-death games to survive. The scale is massive, the visuals are wild, and the rules of the game world are even more unpredictable.
What makes “Alice in Borderland” feel different is that it leans more into sci-fi and world-building than social commentary. It’s less about class systems and more about survival logic, puzzle-solving, and twisted strategy. Plus, it moves faster and ramps up the action in a big way. If “Squid Game” was a slow-burn gut-punch, “Alice” is like jumping into a dystopian escape room with the difficulty set to extreme. Definitely a must-watch if you’re craving more high-stakes thrills.
Alice in Borderland
With his two friends, a video-game-obsessed young man finds himself in a strange version of Tokyo where they must compete in dangerous games to win.
Watch next: ‘The Purge’
Based on the hit movie franchise, “The Purge” takes that same terrifying concept — one night a year where all crime is legal — and stretches it across a full season. It’s not just jump scares and chaos (though there’s plenty of that), it also digs into what kind of people thrive in a system like this… and who gets crushed by it. There’s still class tension, twisted game-playing, and nonstop paranoia, all of which will make “Squid Game” fans feel right at home.
Where it differs is in tone and structure. “The Purge” is less puzzle-like and more of a slow-burning descent into mayhem. It explores the lead-up to Purge Night and how it warps people long before the violence even starts. It’s gritty, violent, and weirdly thoughtful in between the carnage. For a twisted look at America’s obsession with power, fear, and survival, this is the one.
The Purge
Set in a dystopian America ruled by a totalitarian political party, the series follows several seemingly unrelated characters living in a small city. Tying them all together is a mysterious savior who’s impeccably equipped for everything the night throws at them. As the clock winds down with their fates hanging in the balance, each character is forced to reckon with their pasts as they discover how far they will go to survive the night.
Next up: ‘All of Us Are Dead’
Nobody does high-stakes survival stories like the Koreans, and “All of Us Are Dead” proves it. This time, it’s not a deadly game — it’s a full-blown zombie outbreak at a high school, and a group of students are stuck trying to survive while everything around them goes to hell. It’s intense, emotional, and surprisingly character-driven for a show that also includes lots of running, screaming, and blood. Like “Squid Game,” it’s got that same mix of dread, social commentary, and gripping tension.
But while “Squid Game” plays out in carefully controlled arenas, “All of Us Are Dead” is pure chaos. It leans more into horror and action, with the kind of relentless pace that doesn’t let you breathe. At the same time, it taps into teen dynamics — friendship, betrayal, first crushes — and makes you care about these kids way more than you expect to. If you’re into that blend of emotional stakes and pulse-pounding survival, this one’s a no-brainer.
All of Us Are Dead
A high school becomes ground zero for a zombie virus outbreak. Trapped students must fight their way out — or turn into one of the rabid infected.
Try out ‘Panic’
If there’s one American show that feels like a straight-up cousin to “Squid Game,” it’s “Panic.” Set in a small Texas town, this one follows a group of high school grads who enter a dangerous, secret competition for a cash prize big enough to change their lives. The challenges are risky, the rules are unclear, and not everyone makes it out — so yeah, very “Squid Game” vibes.
But while “Squid Game” leans into psychological horror and massive social commentary, “Panic” is more YA-thriller meets small-town suspense. It’s about fear, freedom, and the desperation to escape the place you grew up in. There are no masks or murder arenas, but the tension still builds with every round. If you’re into high-stakes games and stories where the line between bravery and recklessness keeps getting blurrier, “Panic” is an easy next watch.
Panic
In the forgotten town of Carp, Texas, Panic is the only way out. Every summer the graduating seniors risk their lives competing in a series of challenges for the chance to win life-changing money. After the death of two players the stakes—and danger—have never been higher.
More to watch after finishing ‘Squid Game’:
‘Black Mirror’ | Netflix
Black Mirror
Twisted tales run wild in this mind-bending anthology series that reveals humanity’s worst traits, greatest innovations and more.
‘The 8 Show’ | Netflix
The 8 Show
Eight individuals trapped in a mysterious 8-story building participate in a tempting but dangerous show where they earn money as time passes.
‘3%’ | Netflix
3%
In a future where the elite inhabit an island paradise far from the crowded slums, you get one chance to join the 3% saved from squalor.
‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ | Netflix
Squid Game: The Challenge
In this reality competition show inspired by “Squid Game,” 456 players put their skills to the ultimate test for a life-changing $4.56 million prize.