“Kaos” is quickly shaping up to be one of Netflix’s biggest hits of the year. Since its release on August 29, this mythological dark humor series has held firm in the Netflix Top 10 Shows list. It’s already on track to becoming one of the best fantasy TV shows on Netflix to date.
It’s not hard to see why. This sprawling series from Charlie Covell (who brought us another darkly hilarious Netflix show, “The End of the F***ing World”) imagines a modern world where the key players in Greek mythology are not only alive and well but living among us — and truth be told, they kinda suck. Unfortunately, with only one season of “Kaos” so far and that finale ending on a major cliffhanger, it’s left viewers eager for season 2.
Thankfully, there are plenty of shows that can fill the void in the meantime. Read on to discover our top picks of shows to add to your watchlist if you loved Netflix’s “Kaos.”
‘Good Omens’
Nei Gaiman has made a name for himself in part through his works about modern mythology, so don’t be surprised to see his name appear more than once on this list. Based on Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s novel of the same name, “Good Omens” is like “Kaos” in that they’re both all-too-human looks at divine beings. Only instead of Greek gods, “Good Omens” follows some of the lesser-known players in the Bible, namely the angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and demon Crowley (David Tennant), proxies to an overly bureaucratic Heaven and Hell that live on Earth.
The two have grown fond of humanity (and each other) after millennia on the job, and once they realize the end of days is finally upon them, they form an unlikely alliance to keep Armageddon from taking place. Though in way over their heads and with barely a brain cell to share between them, they set out to prevent the coming of the Antichrist and the end of the world as they know it … much to the chagrin of both Heaven and Hell.
Watch on Prime Video
‘What We Do in the Shadows’
For those who enjoy a heavy dose of dark comedy in their fantasy shows, “What We Do in the Shadows” is the perfect show to binge after “Kaos.” Formatted as a comedic mockumentary, it follows a household of blood-sucking vampires fumbling through modern life in New York’s often-forgotten borough: Staten Island.
The vampiric cast includes Kayvan Novak as Nandor the Relentless, a once-ruthless and powerful vampire now floundering as a drama-prone man-child who can’t wrap his head around modern society, along with his roommates Laszlo (Matt Berry) and Nadja (Natasia Demetriou), a married couple constantly at each other’s throats. Jemaine Clement created the show based on his and Taika Waititi’s movie of the same name. While “Kaos” and What We Do in the Shadows” may seem drastically different in terms of format, they both share a similar tone that leans heavily into gallows humor and feature once-powerful beings fallen from grace and forced to reconcile with a world that’s leaving them behind.
Watch on Hulu
‘The Sandman’
Netflix’s The Sandman is a must-watch for comic book fans, and it’s the second Neil Gaiman creation on this list. The dark fantasy series follows the trials and tribulations of Morpheus (Tom Sturridge), the brooding embodiment of dreams, after he’s imprisoned by an occult ritual that leaves him trapped in the human world. After a century of captivity, he breaks free and embarks on a journey to find what was stolen from him, regain his power and restore order to the realm of dreams.
Along the way, he crosses paths with his siblings, other members of The Endless, cosmic beings and immortal embodiments of nature, like Desire (Mason Alexander Park), Despair (Donna Preston), and Death (Kirby). Dream’s mission stretches across human history, leading him to encounter — and clash with — some of the most powerful entities the Multiverse has ever known.
Watch on Netflix
‘Blood of Zeus’
Like “Kaos,” “Blood of Zeus also borrows from ancient Greek mythology to tell a gripping original story about the hierarchy of the Gods, their own personal drama, and the humans who get caught in the middle. The adult animated fantasy series follows Heron (voiced by Jason O’Mara), a commoner-turned-demi-god living in ancient Greece who discovers he’s the son of Zeus.
Once he uncovers his lineage, he sets out on a mission to save Heaven and Earth, though the machinations of a vengeful goddess and her army of demonic hordes make his journey increasingly difficult. “Blood of Zeus” and “Kaos” are similar in a lot of ways: both employ strong worldbuilding that’s impressive to watch play out over the course of a season; both tackle similar themes, particularly the question of determinism versus free will; and both stories include a rebel faction aiming to overthrow the gods.
Watch on Netflix
‘The Decameron’
“The Decameron” is a very loose adaptation of Italian author Boccaccio’s most infamous work, a collection of short stories of the same name about nobility entertaining each other with stories of their lives to pass the time while sheltering from the plague. Netflix’s medieval black comedy takes these original characters and throws them into darkly hilarious situations brimming with sharp social satire that falls somewhere between “White Lotus,” “Bridgerton,” and “Love Island.”
While you won’t find any living deities here, like “Kaos,” “The Decameron” is filled with gallows humor and gorgeous sets that make for a fun contrast with the dark narrative elements. As the nobles throw an absolute rager to wait out the plague, their dream getaway soon turns into a nightmare as the villa descends into chaos. Facing shifting power dynamics from within and fresh threats knocking down their door, they eventually must fight for their survival.
Watch on Netflix
