Top 10 TV Shows That Are Perfect to Watch During Autumn

They may be vampires, but Nandor the Relentless and his merry band of undead ghouls are not as scary as they try to be. Despite the wisdom of centuries, they’re surprisingly incompetent. “What We Do in the Shadows” is based on the 2015 mockumentary by Taiki Waititi and expands on its outlandish premise of vampires living in the modern world. They’re equally mystified and disgusted by contemporary life. The show indulges in all the tropes and iconography of gothic horror, but at the end of the day, it employs everything you love about sitcoms. This brood of vampires reads more like a group of irritable roommates than vicious blood-drinkers of the night.

Longtime collaborators Steve Martin and Martin Short co-lead this homey murder mystery series with Selena Gomez. In it, they play residents of the same New York apartment building who start a podcast covering the murder of one of their neighbors. As a result, they end up right in the middle of the mystery. The fall vibes are strong throughout. Featuring some of the coziest costuming in TV, the coat and hat budget alone must be astronomical. It’s the perfect autumn watch for people who have a low tolerance for scary stuff but love to sleuth. “Only Murders in the Building” delivers as many laughs as it does thrills. Just don’t think too hard about why no one has moved out of this building despite the high crime rate.

Ryan Murphy’s anthology series blends hardcore horror thrills with campy performances and some of the most twisted narrative developments on TV. Each season tells a new, self-contained story in one iconic American setting or another. “American Horror Story” is set in places as far flung southern California to New England, centering monsters as varied as demons, killer clowns, and even aliens. While every season has its fans, the third installment, “Coven,” has some of the strongest autumn aesthetics. Where else can you get series regulars Jessica Lange and Sarah Paulson stomping the streets of New Orleans dressed as witches? Sign us up.

The heart and originality that fuels this transcendental and surreal series cannot be overstated. “Twin Peaks”, co-created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, centers the murder of Laura Palmer, a teenager whose double life and tragic end exposes the ugliness bubbling up underneath a northwestern logging town. Full of zany nonsequiturs and genuinely moving, earnest, and over-the-top scenes of grief, the show is truly one of a kind. Talk to any “Twin Peaks” fan and you’ll realize just how much of a grip its distinctive feeling and striking, orange- and blue-toned images has on anyone who’s seen it.

If you know nothing else about this long-lasting series, you know the theme song. “The Twilight Zone” has been revived several times since its 1959 premiere, most recently by Jordan Peele in 2019. But, it’s hard to beat the original. The show wasn’t designed just to creep you out. Creator and on-screen narrator Rod Serling conceived it as a palatable yet censor-friendly way to cover social issues such as racism on primetime TV. Its stories about outsiders and the existential threat of greed, war, and poverty are as profound as they are engaging. Known for its twist endings and foreboding atmosphere, “The Twilight Zone” is just the thing to get you in the spooky-season mood.

Phoebe, Prue, and Piper Halliwell are just ordinary women before they discover their magical lineage. Then, all hell breaks loose on them and their fellow San Fraciscans. This WB classic sees the three sisters using their newfound witchcraft to protect the world from myriad demons and evil entities. Given its premise, new viewers might be shocked with how surprisingly warm and comforting “Charmed” is. Legions of fans still start their annual rewatch as soon as the first leaf falls. Even the iconic image of the sisters’ Victorian house is synonymous with the season for many.

If being a teenager wasn’t complicated enough, this classic sitcom sees sixteen-year-old Sabrina Spellman discovering she’s a witch. She lives with her two eccentric aunts, hilarious witches who take her under their wing. Then there’s Salem, the sassiest talking cat you’ve ever seen. Merging teen issues with magical mishaps, “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” remains a seminal show for an entire generation. While the Netflix update took the Archie Comics character in a more chilling direction, for audiences who prefer more lighthearted fall fare, it’s hard to beat the sitcom.

“The Addams Family’s” lovably sadistic daughter is given new life in this 2022 Netflix adaptation. The show finds Wednesday Addams attending a school for teens who share her difficulty fitting in, although even that’s putting it lightly. She’s soon thrown into a murder mystery involving monsters and paranormal abilities. Carefully toeing the line between horror, comedy, and teen drama, “Wednesday” went viral for actress Jenna Ortega’s ‘60s-inspired novelty dance. But there are a lot more wicked and whimsically spooky delights to enjoy. The show is also set in Jericho, Vermont, and there’s nothing like the sight of a cozy New England town in the fall time.

Buffy Summers may be from Sunnydale, but things aren’t all sunshine and rainbows on this WB fantasy series. Sarah Michelle Gellar plays the eponymous slayer, whose duty to hunt vampires and other mythological monsters really gets in the way of her having a normal teenage experience. Even by today’s standards, Buffy is a total badass. She and her friend group, nicknamed the Scooby Gang, deal with a host of monsters, from the classic vamps to literal demons to gym class. Its gloomy atmosphere, charming special effects, and heartstopping storylines make it an essential October binge watch.

Between all that small-town charm, the copious cups of coffee, and the love between its central mother and daughter pair, it’s hard to not feel all fuzzy inside when you watch “Gilmore Girls.” It doesn’t matter how much Lorelai Gilmore loves snow. This show is fall incarnate. The title screen is literally a shot of the fictional Stars Hollow, Connecticut engulfed by orange and red foliage. Outside of Rory and Lorelai’s relationship, the show is full of eccentric and lovable characters who feel reel despite their various quirks. If you’re not careful, you can burn through a whole season of “Gilmore Girls” faster than a pile of leaves. The stakes are low, the vibes are good, and it’s as warm and comforting as some freshly baked pumpkin-spice muffins.