One of the latest AppleTV+ shows, Shining Girls follows Kirby (Elisabeth Moss), an archivist that has been brutally attacked, and tries to find the truth about what happened to her. It's the kind of premise that immediately grabs viewers. Inspired by a novel, the series mixes elements of science fiction and detective dramas, reminiscing popular titles in the same genres.
From typical sci-fi shows to case-solving and detective-story dramas, viewers who enjoy Shining Girls have compelling options when it comes to what to watch next.
The OA (2016-2019)
Stream On Netflix
For fans of The OA, Shining Girls might be the next hot ticket and vice-versa. The Netflix original drama followed a blind woman called "the OA" who goes missing but suddenly reappears, inexplicably being able to see. Like Shining Girls, the show mixes elements of science fiction and mystery, and similar to Kirby, "the OA" seeks the truth about what happened to her.
However, given Netflix's flair for canceling shows, the show couldn't reach its conclusion, becoming a major disappointment to loyal fans. That is a problem AppleTV+ hasn't had so far, which can be a relief to The OA fans interested in Shining Girls.
Devs (2020)
Stream On Hulu
A 2020 miniseries, Devs focuses on the story of a woman whose boyfriend went missing mysteriously. As an employee in a quantum computing company, she tries to find out what happened, like Kirby in Shining Girls.
Unlike the AppleTV+ series, this show presents a philosophical debate that involves free will and determinism, having a different objective from the new drama. Nonetheless, fans of science fiction might enjoy Devs for the questions it posits.
Foundation (2021-)
Stream On AppleTV+
Similar to Shining Girls, Foundation is in the science fiction category, being a high-budget adaptation of Isaac Asimov's novel. Dealing with subjects such as religious authoritarianism and including stellar actors like Jared Harris and Lee Pace, the show is classic sci-fi.
While there are many world-building differences between the two shows, since they're on the same streaming service, Foundation might be a convenient choice for those who are after another sci-fi drama.
True Detective (2014-)
Stream On HBO Max
Unlike Foundation, Shining Girls also includes elements that are typical of detective stories. Because of that, True Detective is a compelling option for those looking for less science fiction and more case-solving. The acclaimed HBO show follows detectives in different cases, and it got popular already in its first season, which includes Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey.
If seeing Elisabeth Moss and Wagner Moura trying to crack a case in Shining Girls is entertaining, viewers will also enjoy seeing Harrelson and McConaughey playing complex characters in the series.
Severance (2022-)
Stream On AppleTV+
While Severance doesn't share many similarities with Shining Girls narratively-wise, the series is also an excellent sci-fi thriller, and that's why it's on this list. Part of the same streaming service as the new drama, Severance is the ultimate proof that AppleTV+ strives for quality.
Written by Dan Erickson and directed by Ben Stiller, Severance follows the life of Mark S. and other employees who have chosen to undergo the severance procedure, a way to split work and personal memories. For any sci-fi fan, the series is a fresh delight and one of the best shows on the Apple platform, along with Shining Girls.
Mare Of Easttown (2021-)
Stream On HBO Max
In Mare of Easttown, Kate Winslet plays a detective that tries to balance work and personal life as she seeks to solve a mystery in her town. Despite Kirby not being a detective in Shining Girls, both women are at the center of puzzles with the narratives surrounding the same idea.
This HBO show doesn't offer elements of science fiction, but it offers a more realistic detective story, which can be an unusual choice for viewers of the new AppleTV+ series.
Perry Mason (2020-)
Stream On HBO Max
HBO's Perry Mason is a renewed detective story of an old TV show of the same name. While it doesn't share the same elements of science fiction that are featured in Shining Girls, it does involve whimsical, eerie elements in its narrative.
Mason is a private detective working in 1930s Los Angeles. Starred by Matthew Rhys, viewers of Shining Girls might be drawn to this drama for its detective approach and might be surprised at what the series can offer.
Invasion (2021-)
Stream On AppleTV+
While Invasion isn't the best AppleTV+ show, it might be what a viewer of Shining Girls is looking for in the streaming platform: more traditional sci-fi. While the new drama involves several science fiction features, it mixes them with a detective-story approach.
For those looking for more elements of the sci-fi genre, Invasion offers a story about ordinary people surviving an alien attack in different parts of the planet. Like Foundation, it's a convenient choice for being available on the same platform, and it involves a broader sci-fi perspective.
Roar (2022)
Stream On AppleTV+
One of the latest additions to the AppleTV+ catalog, Roar not only offers one narrative but rather presents several different stories all motivated by the same idea: a woman dealing with circumstances in her life, whether that's an abusive partner or the complexities of motherhood. Each episode is a metaphor about issues women face, told from a magical realistic perspective.
That idea rings true to the concept of Shining Girls and the situation Kirby finds herself in. One episode of Roar that is particularly similar to the new drama is "The Woman Who Solved Her Own Murder," starred by Alison Brie. In the episode, Brie plays a woman who was brutally killed and tries to solve her murder, like Kirby tries to find the truth about who attacked her.
The Leftovers (2014-2017)
Stream On HBO Max.
Shining Girls has psychological trauma at its core, and that's an aspect that The Leftovers understood well. In this show, 2% of the global population disappears, and the remaining are left to deal with grief and the religious chaos that surrounds them.
Including Justin Theroux, Liv Tyler, and Christopher Eccleston, this series is one of the best sci-fi shows on HBO. Fans of the genre that appreciate excellent writing will likely enjoy what The Leftovers has to offer, similar to the new drama series on AppleTV+.