Premiering last month on Apple TV+, Surfside Girls makes for a fun family-friendly watch as it blends coming-of-age tropes with paranormal comedy. The narrative deals with two friends who blend their opposing perspectives of imagination and science after they are confronted by a ghost. This eventually leads them down a rabbit hole of cursed treasures and pirate ships.

With such an imaginative premise, the show is bound to impress fans of adventure comedies, especially the ones that delve into similar themes of ancient treasures and ghost sightings. While the pantheon of animated shows is filled with several examples, fans of Surfside Girls can also binge on plenty of live-action recommendations.

Ghosts (2021-)

Stream On Paramount Plus

Utkarsh Ambudkar and Rose McIver smiling and standing together in Ghosts

A remake of the British series of the same name, Ghosts stars Rose McIver and Utkarsh Ambudkar star as a couple who convert an old estate into a bed-and-breakfast inn. But little do they know that the mansion is haunted by the ghosts of previous residents that only McIver's character can see.

While the premise of a haunted house is overused in horror movies and shows, Ghosts still attempts to subvert the overused elements with some harmless, satirical fun. This would impress Surfside Girls' viewers as the Apple TV+ original also offers a fresh spin on familiar pirate and treasure adventure gags.

SpongeBob SquarePants (1999-)

Stream On DIRECTV

SpongeBob and the Flying Dutchman shouting

One of the best Nickelodeon cartoons of all time, SpongeBob SquarePants needs no introduction. The surreal and bizarrely funny adventures of a sponge and his underwater friends can take the viewers' imagination to zany levels and incorporates elements from genres as diverse as historical fiction to sci-fi.

Given its marine setting, there are several pirate-centric episodes particularly the ones that include the Flying Dutchman, a ghost pirate who serves as a restless soul and haunts the inhabitants of Bikini Bottom. But unlike the titular protagonists in Surfside Girls who approach all sorts of marine ghosts with caution, this pirate has to face the brunt of SpongeBob and Patrick's annoying tricks!

Casper The Friendly Ghost (1945)

Stream On Indieflix

Casper sleeping in Casper the Friendly Ghost Cropped

While the 1940s was obsessed with pulpy horror movies on creatures of the night, there was one cartoon that aimed to present ghosts in a new light. As is evident from the title, Casper is a friendly and rather naive ghost who struggles with humans. Even though he wishes to befriend them, he ends up unintentionally haunting them.

Even though Casper spawned his own multi-show and movie franchise later on, this would make for a classic watch for viewers of Surfside Girls, another show that continues to explore the friendly ghost angle decades later with the cursed pirate soul Remi.

Gortimer Gibbon's Life On Normal Street (2014-2016)

Stream On Prime Video

Three children standing togethr and looking sideways in Gortimer Gibbon's life on Normal Street

Gortimer Gibbon along with his close friends leads a normal pre-teen life in a normal neighborhood - or so he thinks until he discovers magic in everyday things. With enough heart and humor, the sitcom does include fantasy elements, but its main narrative also focuses on relatable coming-of-age experiences.

It is perhaps this touch of magical realism combined with familiar growing pains that makes Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street a 'more than normal' watch. Surfside Girls similarly deals with a magical conspiracy that includes ghosts and hidden treasure, but ultimately it is about the friendship that the lead characters share despite their different personalities.

Jake And The Neverland Pirates (2011-2016)

Stream On Disney+

Jake stepping on a treasure chest and raising a wooden sword in Jake and the Neverland Pirates Cropped

When it comes to kid-friendly pirate shows, Jake and the Neverland Pirates would serve as a good option. Building up from the events of Disney's Peter Pan, the Disney Junior series features Captain Hook as the primary antagonist as he pursues the titular protagonists.

From discovering treasures to protecting Neverland, Jake's crew try their best to escape Hook who is supported by cult favorite characters like Mr Smee and that notorious crocodile who ate up his hand. Even though the cartoon is intended for preschool audiences, watching an episode or two can be a light-hearted break even for older viewers of Surfside Girls. There are pirates, hidden treasure, and Peter Pan himself making a cameo. What's not to love!

Blue Water High (2005-2008)

Stream On Freevee

The cast of Blue Water High flocking together in a beach Cropped

Surfing is no cakewalk as several16-year-olds battle it out among themselves to join a prestigious surfing academy called Solar Blue. Once selected, the students then spend a year perfecting their skills on the waves of Sydney's Bilgola Beach. The Australian tween-centric series on Freevee also throws in a healthy dose of romance and melodrama to spice things up.

Blue Water High is perfect if viewers need a non-fantasy option after Surfside Girls. As the latter too is set on seashores and underwater scenarios (it's in the very name), a show on a literal surf academy would serve as a good follow-up.

The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy (2001-2007)

Stream On HBO Max

Billy hanging from the Grim Reaper's scythe while he walks with Mandy in Billy and Mandy

Mandy is too mature for her age while Billy is a simpleton. When the unlikely friends cross paths with the Grim Reaper, they wreak enough havoc for the ghoulish Reaper to crave his hellish past once again! While it is common for ghosts to haunt kids in such shows, The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy finds the children torturing Death instead.

This just goes on to show the multiple ways screenwriters can adapt while penning narratives centering on the interactions between children and ghosts. Surfside Girls takes a more friendly and mystery-solving approach with ghosts while one of the best Cartoon Network shows of the 2000s depicts how kids can downgrade a supernatural figure to just being an assistant to their everyday shenanigans.

Gravity Falls (2012-2016)

Stream On Disney+

The cast of Gravity Falls posing together

When a brother-sister duo visit their eccentric grandfather in the middle of nowhere, they discover a foster with its own fair share of supernatural secrets. Encountering all kinds of strange phenomena ranging from Bigfoot to Kraken-like sea monsters, the Pines twins solve several supernatural mysteries on the way.

The tone and humor might differ between Gravity Falls and Surfside Girls, but the premise is interestingly similar in both cases. Both shows include young characters with opposing personalities on a path to solving unsolved paranormal phenomena. Hence, this critically-acclaimed Disney show is a must-watch after Surfside Girls.

Just Add Magic (2016-2019)

Stream On Prime Video

Three girls opening a spellbook in Just Add Magic Cropped

The three protagonists of Just Add Magic are close friends who spend their time baking after school. But when they accidentally become the custodians of an ancient cookbook, they cook up not only culinary delicacies but spells that lead them to some unexpected fantasy adventures that include witchcraft and even time travel.

Just Add Magic, much like Surfside Girls, proves how the children's fantasy genre can be explored in new ways to keep present-day viewers engaged. Otherwise, it is not every day that one would come across a show that so passionately blends magic with baking out of all activities.

Next: 10 Great Sci-Fi & Fantasy Concepts From Kids TV Shows