You know that feeling when you finish a series and the silence that follows actually hurts? That’s exactly what happened when the Freeridge crew finally walked away. On My Block wasn't just another teen show; it was this weird, beautiful, chaotic mix of "will they/won't they" romance, literal buried treasure, and the very real threat of neighborhood violence. It felt dangerous and hilarious at the same time. Finding shows like On My Block is surprisingly hard because most networks try too hard to be "gritty" or too hard to be "CW-glossy."
The magic of the show was the chemistry between Monse, Ruby, Jamal, and Cesar. If you’re looking for that specific vibe—where the stakes are life-and-death but the dialogue is lightning-fast—you have to look beyond the standard "high school" category.
The Core DNA: What Actually Makes a Show Feel Like On My Block?
People usually recommend Riverdale or Gossip Girl when someone asks for teen drama. Honestly? Those are terrible recommendations if you actually liked the core of On My Block. Those shows live in a vacuum of wealth or supernatural nonsense. On My Block lived in the dirt. It lived in the reality of the "inner city" without making the characters feel like caricatures or tragedy porn.
To find something similar, you need three specific ingredients. First, a ride-or-die friend group that actually feels like they’ve known each other since diapers. Second, a balance of high-stakes tension (like the RollerWorld mystery or the Santos drama) and absurd comedy. Third, a setting that feels like a character itself.
Reservation Dogs is the Spiritual Successor Nobody Mentions Enough
If you haven't watched Reservation Dogs on Hulu/FX, stop whatever you're doing. Seriously. It is the closest thing to the Freeridge energy that exists in modern television. Created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi, it follows four Indigenous teens in rural Oklahoma.
Like our Freeridge favorites, these kids are grieving. They’re trying to figure out how to get out of their town while simultaneously being deeply rooted in it. The humor is dry—really dry—but the heart is massive. You get these surreal episodes that feel like a fever dream, much like Jamal’s various conspiracies, but then it hits you with a scene about poverty or systemic neglect that leaves you reeling. It doesn't sugarcoat the "tough" parts of their lives, but it also doesn't let those parts define the characters' entire personalities. They’re still just kids who want to eat meat pies and steal delivery trucks.
Why "Freeridge" Might Have Missed the Mark for You
It’s the elephant in the room. Netflix tried to give us a direct spin-off. Freeridge had the same universe, the same cursed boxes, and even some cameos, but for a lot of fans, it didn't click. Why?
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Maybe it was the lack of immediate physical danger. Or maybe the chemistry just wasn't as seasoned. While Freeridge is technically the most similar show on paper, it leaned a bit too far into the "zany" and lost that grounded, scary reality that made the original so compelling. If you wanted more of the On My Block world, it’s worth a watch, but don't expect it to fill the void entirely.
All American vs. All American: Homecoming
All American is often cited as a natural next step. It deals with the "two worlds" trope—Crenshaw versus Beverly Hills. It’s definitely more of a traditional soap opera than On My Block, but the early seasons capture that sense of community and the pressure of trying to make it out.
Spencer James is a great protagonist, but the show sometimes loses the "comedy" side of the equation. If you’re here for the laughs, you might find All American a bit too heavy-handed. However, the stakes regarding gang culture and neighborhood safety are handled with a similar level of respect. It doesn't treat these issues as "after-school special" topics; they are the air the characters breathe.
Exploring the "High Stakes" Teen Experience
Sometimes what we’re actually looking for isn't the setting, but the feeling of being a teenager when the world is actually trying to break you.
Top Boy (Summerhouse): This is the gritty, British older brother of On My Block. It’s much more intense and significantly more violent. But if the part of On My Block that fascinated you was Cesar’s struggle with the Santos and the cycle of street life, Top Boy is a masterclass in that narrative. It’s about survival.
The Get Down: Gone too soon. This Netflix original by Baz Luhrmann is a vibrant, musical, stylized look at the Bronx in the 70s. It’s expensive, it’s flashy, and it’s deeply concerned with the friendship of young people trying to find their voice through hip-hop and disco. It captures that "us against the world" feeling perfectly.
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Grand Army: This one is tough. It’s raw. It deals with sexual assault, racism, and terrorism in a Brooklyn high school. It lacks the "fun" of Jamal’s treasure hunts, but it nails the authentic voice of modern Gen Z students in a way very few shows do.
The Mystery Element: When Kids Become Detectives
Let's talk about Jamal. He was the secret weapon of the show. His obsession with the RollerWorld money gave the series a "Goonies" vibe that kept it from becoming too depressing. If you liked the mystery-solving aspect of shows like On My Block, you should look toward Outer Banks.
Now, Outer Banks is ridiculous. Let’s be honest. The physics don't make sense, the "teens" look like 30-year-old models, and the plot is essentially a treasure hunt on steroids. But it shares that "Pogue" mentality—the working-class kids fighting against the "Kooks" (the rich kids). It’s high energy, it’s sun-drenched, and it keeps you clicking "Next Episode" because the cliffhangers are relentless.
Then there is Wayne. Originally a YouTube Premium show (now on various streaming platforms), it follows a gritty, violent teenager and his girlfriend as they bike from Massachusetts to Florida to get back his father's stolen car. It’s darkly funny and incredibly punchy. It has that same "underdog" spirit that made Ruby so easy to root for.
Don't Overlook Sex Education
Wait, hear me out. Sex Education is British and mostly takes place in a weirdly aesthetic school, but the friendships are the closest thing to the Freeridge four. The relationship between Otis and Eric is gold. It’s that same level of "I will judge you for your terrible decisions but I will also help you hide a body if I have to" energy. It’s incredibly inclusive and handles heavy topics with a light, humorous touch that never feels disrespectful.
The Cultural Impact of the Freeridge Aesthetic
One thing On My Block did better than almost anyone was representing Afro-Latino culture without making it a "diversity checkbox." It was just life. The quinceañeras, the family pressures, the language—it was all baked into the script.
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Gentefied is another show that does this brilliantly. It’s more about young adults than teenagers, focusing on three cousins trying to save their grandfather’s taco shop in a rapidly gentrifying Boyle Heights. It’s funny, it’s frustrating, and it feels real. It deals with the "is it selling out to be successful?" question that Cesar and Monse often grappled with.
The Problem With Modern Teen Dramas
The reason we are even searching for shows like On My Block is because the genre is currently obsessed with "aesthetic." Shows like Euphoria are beautiful to look at, but they don't feel like a community. They feel like a collection of lonely people.
On My Block was the opposite of lonely. Even when characters were at odds, they were physically and emotionally cramped together. That's what people miss. They miss the "fam."
Actionable Steps for Your Next Binge-Watch
If you’re staring at your Netflix home screen and can't decide, use this quick guide to narrow it down based on what specifically you liked about the Freeridge crew:
- If you loved the humor and the "kids on a mission" vibe: Start Reservation Dogs immediately. It’s the highest quality show on this list.
- If you loved the treasure hunt and the adventure: Go with Outer Banks. Just turn your brain off regarding the logic and enjoy the ride.
- If you loved the grit and the gang politics: Top Boy or the early seasons of All American.
- If you loved the "neighborhood" feel and the Latino culture: Gentefied is your best bet, followed by The Get Down.
- If you want something short and punchy: Wayne is only one season but it’s a perfect, high-octane journey.
The reality is that there might never be another show that balances a "gnome conspiracy" with a drive-by shooting as effectively as On My Block did. It was a lightning-in-a-bottle moment for Netflix. But the spirit of the show—that fierce, desperate loyalty between friends who have nothing else—is alive and well in these other titles.
Start with Reservation Dogs. The transition from the streets of Freeridge to the plains of Oklahoma is smoother than you’d think, and you’ll find yourself falling for Bear, Elora, Willie Jack, and Cheese just as hard as you fell for the original crew.
Check your streaming regions, as many of these move between Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max (Max) frequently. Most are currently available on the major platforms as of early 2026. Catch them before the licensing deals shift again.