Weak Hero, the story of a physically weak but intelligent boy who becomes entangled in escalating violence from high school bullies, has gained an obsessive following since dropping on Netflix. Since it was added to the streamer in late March, the series has become one of Netflix’s most popular shows and even eclipsed Kate Hudson‘s heavily marketed original show, Running Point.
A second season is already in the works, but what are fans to do in the interim?
If you love violent, action-packed coming-of-age stories, What to Watch has three more shows you should watch until Season 2 drops in the future.
‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’ (1997 – 2003)
Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is a high school girl with an impossible task – she must protect the world from vampires, demons, and monsters. Armed with super-strength, a stake, and a group of incredibly loyal friends, she kicks butt and looks good doing it.
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Although Buffy sounds like a lighthearted show on its surface, the way it tackles love, friendship, grief and trauma will surprise you with their depth and nuance. Sure, the special effects scream “‘90s,” but the action sequences still hit and the cast is still great to watch. Gellar shines in this series, and fans were thrilled when she finally signed on for a sequel this year.
Watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Hulu.
‘The End of the F***ing World (2018 – 2019)
James (Alex Lawther), a teenage boy who is convinced he is a sociopath, runs away from home with Alyssa (Jessica Barden), a girl he plans on murdering. As their attempts to escape the grid lead them into ever more dangerous circumstances, their relationship deepens. Along the way, James starts to realize he’s not quite as emotionless as he always believed.
This violent, shocking, hilarious show, based on the graphic novel of the same name, is a quick, enjoyable watch that will make you laugh, cry and gasp in horror.
Watch The End of the F***ing World on Netflix.
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‘High School Return of a Gangster’ (2024)
If seeing bullies brought down a peg is what you like about Weak Hero, High School Return of a Gangster puts a magical twist on that premise. This Korean drama follows Song Yi-heon (Yoon Chan-young), a teenager who decides to take his own life after being bullied. In a bizarre twist of fate, the soul of a gang leader enters his body at the moment he dies.
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Kim Deuk-pal (Lee Seo-jin), the 47-year-old gang leader, always wanted to attend university, but never got the opportunity to do so. When he finds himself in the body of a high school student, he decides to seek revenge on the bullies who tormented Song Yi-heon while rising in the academic ranks of the teen’s prestigious high school.
Watch High School Return of a Gangster on Hulu.
