Motherland: Fort Salem is currently in its last season, and in only a couple of months, the show will be finished. Fans flocked to the show for its unique take on alternative history, considering the realistic responses the world would have to magic being out in the open and powerful women controlling much of the government.
Between the show's concept and the impressively complex bonds between the characters, Motherland: Fort Salem is a show that won't soon be forgotten. No other show does such a good job integrating magic with the real world, and few can make such convincing political commentaries. Unfortunately, the end is coming and fans have to find other shows to fill that void. These are the top ten shows for fans of Motherland: Fort Salem, crossing a variety of genres to hit on every major theme and strength the show offers.
Salem
Stream on Hulu
Salem does an excellent job presenting a dark take on magic, while also handling the same historical grounding as Motherland: Fort Salem. Both shows agree that there truly were witches in Salem, but while Motherland shows them revealing themselves to claim a higher status in society, Salem suggests that the witches were the aggressors, not the victims.
An important thing to note, however, is that this show goes far beyond Motherland: Fort Salem in its presentation of nudity, violence, and gore. Keeping that in mind, Salem is perfect for the watch-list of those fascinated by the Spree and the Camarilla, who want to see more from ruthless witches and gruesome methods of witch-hunting.
A Discovery Of Witches
Stream on AMC+
A Discovery of Witches is one of the best supernatural romance shows currently running. It follows Diana, a scientific historian/witch who has discovered a document that may detail the origins of all supernatural creatures. As many of these beings attempt to acquire the manuscript and uncover its secrets, Diana and her vampiric love interest risk throwing their divided world into chaos.
Motherland: Fort Salem established a thorough historical grounding for the militaristic system witches live in, and that level of detail comes into play here too. Both shows deal with the political angles of supernatural visibility, while also addressing issues of significance in the real world. A Discovery of Witches has magic, romance, and politics, all of which should be appreciated by fans of Motherland.
Utopia Falls
Stream on Hulu
On a futuristic Earth, a group of teenagers is selected to compete in the Exemplar, a performing arts competition intended to spread the city's pro-government propaganda. When a few members of the group discover a secret archive with information on various styles of music and dance that have been suppressed, they end up starting a rebellion they may not be able to control.
While Utopia Falls may not have direct connections to Motherland: Fort Salem, it has many of the same core themes, especially concerning the conflict between free expression and totalitarianism. Both also demonstrate how teenagers can change the world if they're willing to take the risk.
Make It Or Break It
Stream on Hulu
Make It Or Break It was originally aired when Freeform was still ABC Family, but it has many of the same elements that fans have come to expect from the best Freeform shows. The show focuses on a group of elite gymnasts competing to make the Olympic team. As they work to make all of their training pay off, life has other plans.
The gymnasts on Make It Or Break It form a similar bond to the one Tally, Raelle, and Abigail create during their training. With a combination of perfectionists and rebels, the group figures out their own balance between rule-breaking and structure in order to build a better future for others on the same path.
The Secret Circle
Stream on The CW
After Cassie's mother dies, she encounters a group of teenagers who inform her that she is descended from witches and is meant to be a member of their coven. While the group tries to gain a better understanding of their powers, they stumble into nearly every major supernatural teen trope, practically guaranteeing any fan can find something to love.
The Secret Circle's focus on magic and powerful women is similar to Motherland: Fort Salem, but in a world where young witches have no structure in place concerning their abilities, forcing them to learn through trial and error. Though it is only one season long, The Secret Circle is required viewing for those who love shows about witchcraft.
The Magicians
Stream on Netflix
The Magicians presents the worlds of Hogwarts and Narnia through a darker lens, where magic is carefully restricted and villains are willing to cross any lines. While the students at Breakbills expect the magical world to be everything they dreamed of, the cruelest members of society having access to tremendous power often has disastrous effects.
Those who love Motherland: Fort Salem will love the unique take on magic The Magicians has. Where Motherland shows magic through song, The Magicians uses tutting. Both shows also demonstrate the difficulty in trusting authority figures to solve problems, instead relying on uniquely talented young adults bending and breaking the rules to build a better future.
The Gifted
Stream on Hulu
The Gifted has the most similar concept to Motherland, examining the world through the eyes of mutants in a society that viewed their very existence as treason. The Strucker family joins the Resistance to protect their children, and each member struggles with the best way to make the world safe: through following the law, moving mutants to safe havens, or even engaging in terrorism.
Though witches are theoretically honored in the world of Motherland: Fort Salem, they face similar threats as the mutants in The Gifted. Both groups are taken advantage of by the government for their abilities and are prosecuted if they refuse to comply. Morality becomes complicated when their lives are at stake, as both shows get uncomfortably close to real-world problems in their depiction of bigotry and ignorance-fueled hatred.
Shadowhunters
Stream on Hulu
Another Freeform show, Shadowhunters follows Clary Fray as she learns that she is descended from angels and meant to hunt other supernatural creatures (downworlders). While Clary quickly finds a place in the Shadowhunters, secrets about her origins and unique abilities make her a threat to the carefully-controlled balance between Shadowhunters and downworlders.
This series comes the closest to the supernatural military elements that make Motherland: Fort Salem so unique, as Shadowhunters are trained from childhood as warriors within a strict hierarchy. While the supernatural world is hidden from the mundane world, keeping it out of US politics, there is plenty of political maneuvering involved for fans who love that element of Motherland.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Stream on Hulu and Prime Video
Though Buffy the Vampire Slayer turned 25 this year, it is still one of the best supernatural television shows of all time. The series follows Buffy and her friends as they try to stop vampires and demons, while simultaneously navigating the challenges of being a teenager and young adult.
There's something for everyone with Buffy, but here are a few of its highlights for Motherland fans: powerful female characters, sapphic witches, questionable morality, found family, and nuanced takes on being the chosen one. For any fan who loves supernatural television and hasn't watched Buffy, it definitely needs to be next on their list.
Lost Girl
Stream on The CW
Lost Girl follows Bo, a succubus who was raised in the human world. After learning about her true nature, she gets brought into the fae world, where she is told she must choose the Light or the Dark. She resists the binary system and builds a strong found family from both sides, as well as from the human world, to change the hierarchy of the fae world and protect humans from those who view them as little more than food.
Lost Girl was one of the most progressive supernatural shows out there, openly discussing issues of gender, sexuality, and power in a more nuanced way than most television dares. Those who love the bond between Tally, Raelle, and Abigail, those who are intrigued by the power dynamics at work, and those who want to see those with unique abilities upending a flawed system will find a lot to enjoy in Lost Girl.