5 Dark Real-Life Fairy Tales for Those Still Waiting for The Wolf Among Us 2

5. Once Upon a Time (2011 – 2018)

Here’s a question that sounds very familiar to anyone who’s played The Wolf Among Us: what if fairy tale characters and creatures were to live in modern-day America? Let’s call it not Fabletown but Storybrooke this time. And, of course, we need an equally fairy-tale antagonist — but it will be the Evil Queen, not the Crooked Man.

Once Upon a Time is probably as close to The Wolf as it gets in terms of its premise, and it features a metric ton of characters from fairy tales, from Snow White to Rumplestiltskin and more. Admittedly, the one thing it’s lacking is that special noir vibe from the game…but hey, we’ll surely take it after ten long years of waiting.

4. Grimm (2011 – 2017)

Now, picture another thing altogether: the protagonist is not a fairy tale guy but a descendant of the most famous fairy tale authors, the Grimm brothers. He’s still a detective, mind you, and he works with the Portland Police Department, but his true enemies now are not petty criminals: he needs to protect the world from Wesen.

While not as close to The Wolf Among Us as the previous show on our list, Grimm offers a refreshing perspective amid all other fairy tale entries. You won’t see a Rapunzel in this series, but there’s a more than significant presence of evil mythological creatures called Wesen. Not all fairy tales are happy, you know?

3. Beauty & the Beast (2012 – 2016)

A modern reiteration of the classic tale, Beauty & the Beast won’t follow the familiar path. Instead of bringing these gold old characters into the real world, they start in it: she is an NYPD detective, and he is a former soldier on the run, a werewolf not magical but fury and tech-fueled. They work together to uncover their dark past.

Admittedly, fairy tales work very well with police procedurals…which may sound weird to anyone but The Wolf fans. While our favorite Bigby still can’t turn that corner and keep unveiling Fabletown’s mysteries, there’s a chance you’ll also like to see a different kind of werewolf. This mechanically enhanced Beast is quite menacing, too.

2. Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (2013 – 2014)

If something felt off to you in the original Once Upon a Time series, it was most likely the distinct lack of the Cheshire Cat. Worry not, though: this spin-off show focuses solely on Lewis Carroll’s iconic novels, bringing Alice and all her friends and foes into the modern world. This is just what you need after all those Cinderellas.

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland is very similar in its idea and atmosphere to the original show, and if you loved that one, you should definitely give Wonderland a go. Obviously, it won’t be as close to The Wolf Among Us, but come on: have you never wanted to see the White Rabbit deal with taxes? Of course, you have!

1. Tell Me a Story (2018 – 2020)

The youngest show on this list, Tell Me a Story, once again, does just what you’d expect: it takes classic fairy tale stories and places them in modern America. But this one is an anthology series with a dark psychological thriller twist, so you won’t be bored by yet another Little Red Riding Hood riding a bus to her Grandma.

Unfortunately, the show was canceled after only two seasons, but they’re still well worth your time. The first one retells the stories of The Three Little Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood, and Hansel and Gretel, and the second follows Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Beauty and the Beast. As you can imagine, Big Bad Wolf comes with the package.