‘Stranger Things’ Fans Should Watch 2-Season Mystery Thriller ‘Les Revenants’ (And It’s Streaming Free)

February 23, 2026

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While it feels like a long time has passed since the credits rolled on its final episode, Stranger Things came to its conclusion only six weeks ago. Fans are still feeling blue after the series wrapped up in a truly emotional ending, and they’re also awaiting news of what’s next for the Netflix phenomenon, but nothing will compare to the culture-defining original. Even though nothing will replace the original, fans of Stranger Things already have access to a major catalog of series that capture the same vibe of the horror-fantasy juggernaut. From Dark to From, many could fill that void, but if you closely follow the genre, these are likely already checked off the list of future binges. That said, there’s more out there, and we have the perfect answer to their needs. The best thing about it? This one’s streaming for free on the ad-supported platform, Tubi.

In 2012, only a few years before Stranger Things aired its pilot episode, Canal+ premiered a supernatural horror series that was unlike any other. Les Revenants was based on Robin Campillo’s 2004 film They Came Back (its original French title is also Les Revenants), but the TV adaptation is strikingly different. The series is a small-town mystery that slowly unravels at a perfect pace and tone, and delivers the goods when it has to. While Stranger Things feels like a PG-13 gateway horror opportunity, Les Revenants is a deeply unsettling and sometimes melancholic horror approach that feels inspired by one of Stephen King’s most memorable lines of text ever written: “Sometimes dead is better.”

‘Les Revenants’ Is One of the Best “Zombie” Shows in Modern Television

A woman speaks to victor in Les Revenants

Canal+

In Les Revenants, a small town gets unexpected visitors. People who have been presumed dead knock on the doors of loved ones completely unscarred and with no memory of what has happened to them. Their return coincides with several eerie events, but the reason behind their reappearance is revealed slowly and proves even more mysterious. Trust us when we say this one works better if you go in blind.

The winner of the International Emmy for Best Drama show, Les Revenants was critically acclaimed upon release. Audiences and critics celebrated the more serious approach to what’s essentially a fancy “zombie” show that never tones down its horror elements, and doesn’t depend on gnarly makeup effects. Season 1 of the show holds a whopping 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, while Season 2 sits at 95%. Horror master Stephen King was a loyal fan of the series, and he tweeted the following back then:

The Series Puts a New Spin on a Familiar Concept

If the premise for Les Revenants sounds familiar, you’re on the right track. Three years after the original premiered, A&E was entering the realm of scripted dramas. The network teamed up with Lost co-creator Carlton Cuse to make the U.S. version of the French mystery series. For the title, they stuck with a literal translation of the word “revenants” and titled it The Returned (although the original French word is also a fancy word for ghosts).

However, the premise for Les Revenants is strangely similar to other books and shows. It is the curious case of a concept that was replicated and there were no legal repercussions over similarities. Jason Mott published a novel called The Returned in 2013, and the plot is notably similar to that of Campillo’s original movie. Mott’s novel was adapted for the small screen in 2014’s Resurrection (we’re guessing The Returned was already taken as a title), a two-season ABC series that ended up being more engaging than Cuse’s effort, but was sadly canceled over poor ratings.

In terms of the “returned from the dead” theme, there are also several movies that stand out and deserve a mention. Not to confuse you further, but 2013’s feature film The Returned is a brilliant take on what would happen if zombies could be cured of their condition. Also, 2024’s Handling the Undead is the absolute best in this horror microcosm. Based on John Ajvide Lindqvist’s (Let the Right One In) novel of the same name, this slow-burn mystery horror film will make you lose sleep for a few weeks with its unique portrayal of the “undead” returning to end some business.