10 Horror Series Worth Watching This Halloween

Ordered from least to greatest for your convenience.

1. Hemlock grove

This show has a solid first season. It’s a high school teen drama mixed with supernatural elements. It’s not perfect, but the performances are strong and the storytelling is interesting. Season 2 is a miss-step, but watchable. Season 3 is a mess and is unsatisfying as a conclusion, but if you’re bored and want to watch a horror-themed show, this is a unique option. Bill Skarsgård, Landon Liboiron, and Famke Janssen do an excellent job in this forgotten early Netflix series.

2. Channel Zero

This anthology series covers several different creepypastas, which are popular short-horror-themed internet stories that gained popularity in the late 2000s. There are interesting ideas here, terrifying imagery and despite the low budget, contains plenty of atmosphere. The scares are admittedly hit-and-miss. My favorite story is ‘No End House’ with an exceptional performance delivered by John Carroll Lynch.

3. Chucky

It’s what you’d expect. The infamous killer doll Chucky murders many people in hammy and fun ways. It’s wrapped around a teen drama, but don’t let that fool you; it brings gore, and tons of people die. The cool aspect of this series is that it’s a continuation of previous films, but you can start fresh here and not feel left out. So if you’re a fan, definitely check this out. It’s not scary, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s Chucky.

4. The Walking Dead

This series has its ups and downs. Notably, seasons 7 and 8 are far from great. Yet, I stand by The Walking Dead and I love its first 4 seasons. Does it lose traction after? Yes, but it remains fun and even in the worst seasons, it still has something to offer. Though, I wouldn’t blame you if you skip episodes or scrub through some of the more dragging scenes. Thankfully, the narrative picks back up in season 9 and has so far fulfilled my expectations. I treasure The Walking Dead and will continue to rewatch the entire show every couple of years for decades to come.

5. The Exorcist

This series is virtually unknown. It’s a shame because there’s an interesting story here that weaves a political/religious drama into the narrative. Geena Davis and Ben Daniels are standout performances. It’s not a stellar show, but if you’re a fan of the film and want to see a half-decent sequel, there’s probably something for you to enjoy in both of these seasons.

6. The Haunting of Bly Manor

This is not Flanagan’s best work in my opinion. As a horror show, it’s disappointing coming after The Haunting of Hill House. But don’t let that dissuade you. It’s still a Flanagan show and you’ll probably be satisfied, even if not impressed. His knack for strong character development stands the test of time, even if the scares fall flat. It’s worth a watch, at least once, if only for the brilliant character Hannah Grose depicted effortlessly by T’Nia Miller.

7. FROM

This one came out of nowhere. I had no idea what to expect going into this, but it left me enthralled and intrigued as LOST did in its first season. Thankfully, From was renewed for a second season, so maybe we’ll get some answers about the bizarre and mysterious place these characters find themselves in. There’s not much I can say without inserting spoilers. The cast and writers did a good job with this and I can’t wait for the next season. Watch this, you won’t regret it.

8. The Haunting of Hill House

This is Flanagan in top form. There are scares, thrills, and sobs. It has an excellent hook in the form of a past mystery that slowly unveils with each episode. Every character has clear goals and personal motivations. If you enjoy the realistic and natural dialogue, look no further. The performances from all involved are 10/10. For such a large cast, that’s unusual, but everybody here is pulling 150%. As far as I’m concerned, this is the first horror epic in the form of a mini-series and I hope that it’s a trend that continues on these streaming platforms. We need more horror series epics like Hill House.

9. Hannibal

Maybe calling this horror is a stretch, but all of the elements are there. Mads Mikkelson portrays a cold, calculating, and terrifying Hannibal. He’s less theatrical than Hopkins, but in my opinion, much more sinister, more akin to Satan. This is a dark series, not just in theme, but also from a cinematography standpoint and this lends a persistent atmosphere of lurking terror that might at times, catch you by surprise.

Its subject matter is also horrifying, showing brutal and graphic depictions of the worst crimes imaginable. It’s very creative. The dialogue is rich and deeply explores the minds of the main characters. There’s enough psychobabble to earn a rewatch through its deep exploration of the human mind as relating to the main characters Hannibal and Will. This show respects its audience and doesn’t hold your hand. It’s cerebral and will keep you guessing all the way through. Sadly, it prematurely concluded with season 3 but has a good enough ending to warrant it as a must-see.

10. Midnight Mass

In my opinion, this is Flanagan’s best work. The horror here isn’t in the form of a monster, though there is one, it’s primarily the religious subject matter that creates the tense atmosphere polluted with cruelty, deceit, and shock. There’s no doubt that the main commentary here is on religious extremism and Flanagan perfectly portrays this. The horror is in the human desire for power, control, and worship. I need not say more, because it’s truly better if you watch this knowing as little as possible about what to expect. As always, Flanagan picks the perfect cast who delivers with their physical portrayal and dialogue.

A version of this article was originally published by me on Medium.