Top 20 Horror TV Shows
#20: “Dark” (2017-20)
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Written in German, a title card reads “The distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.” This is a quote by Albert Einstein, and the opening words of Netflix’s “Dark.” They ominously set the stage for the show’s spooky sci-fi premise which, throughout its three seasons, sees its ensemble cast of characters travel through a variety of different eras and dimensions. Although the series’ dramatic location hopping can be seen as too complex or even disorienting to some viewers, to those who stick with it, it is an incredibly rewarding ride. Its central mystery is compelling to watch unravel, and its expertly crafted score is eerie enough to unsettle even the toughest of horror fans.
#19: “Masters of Horror” (2005-07)
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Are you in the mood to watch a film about Edgar Allan Poe’s run-in with an evil cat? Or a darkly comedic body horror romance about two women who become bugs? Maybe you’re even feeling brave enough to watch the controversial Takashi Miike film deemed too extreme for Showtime. Regardless of your taste, it’s likely that there’s an episode of “Masters of Horror” for you. The anthology series comprises twenty-six hour-long episodes, all by different horror directors and all self-contained. This means that each episode is basically its own mini movie, and the series’ director lineup includes some pretty big names in the genre - including John Carpenter, Dario Argento, and Tobe Hooper.
#18: “Servant” (2019-23)
Since the success of “The Sixth Sense” in 1999, M. Night Shyamalan has been a reliable hit at the box office. In 2019, he decided to bring his unique brand of horror to the small screen, acting as showrunner and executive producer on “Servant.” The series tells the story of a young couple who suffer a tragic loss and begin to cope with their resulting trauma in an unconventional way. They end up going so far as to hire a nanny for their doll, inexplicably causing a strange (and seemingly supernatural) series of events in their home. It’s a creepy tale with some major twists that has been praised by the likes of Stephen King and Guillermo del Toro.
#17: “Tales from the Crypt” (1989-96)
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If you’ve ever thought puppets were just for kids, we’re sure the Cryptkeeper could persuade you to reconsider. An early HBO production, “Tales from the Crypt” pushed the boundaries of what could be shown on TV, including more violence, more profanity, and more nudity than many of its contemporaries. It did so in an anthology format, with the Cryptkeeper acting as the show’s creepy wisecracking host. The unprecedented creative freedom offered by the series’ network and premise attracted several big names to its director’s chair, including Richard Donner, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Tom Hanks. Unsurprisingly, people loved it, and it soon became popular enough to receive an animated spin-off, and a toned down run in syndication on basic cable.
#16: “Penny Dreadful” (2014-16)
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If you’ve been on the lookout for really great gothic horror, look no further than “Penny Dreadful.” With a name derived from cheaply made 19th century serials, the Showtime series resurrected classic characters like Victor Frankenstein, Dracula, and Dorian Gray for a new generation. Like its namesake, the show employs plenty of clever foreshadowing, flowery language, and grisly crimes, but thankfully subverts the term’s association with poorly made products through its breathtakingly beautiful locations and set designs. Though the show’s seemingly abrupt ending left some fans disappointed, its acting is considered to be just as consistently good as its visuals, with Eva Green’s performance in particular making its three short seasons a worthwhile watch for any horror fan.
#15: “Lovecraft Country” (2020)
Horror has always been considered a refuge for marginalized outsiders but, until recently, the genre’s mainstream representation on-screen has been troublingly whitewashed. “Lovecraft Country” is, in many ways, the antithesis of this problematic history - a horror series that is directly impacted by the race of its protagonists at every turn. Set in the segregated American South, the show consistently pairs gnarly Lovecraftian creature designs with horrific instances of racism and implores viewers to decide which is more terrifying: humanity or monsters. And with historically influenced stories of assault, murder, and even illegal experimentation, it’s often hard not to choose humanity.
#14: “Ash vs Evil Dead” (2015-18)
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Blood, guts, and a groovy good time. Over two decades after “Army of Darkness” hit theaters, Sam Raimi caved to fan demands for more “Evil Dead” and finally brought Ash Williams to the small screen. Hitting its stride in its second season, “Ash vs Evil Dead” is as fun as it is frightening, expanding on both its cocky lead character and its unique mythology in a series of darkly comedic half-hour episodes. Bruce Campbell propels the series forward as its title character, stepping back into his iconic role with ease. For fans of the film series, the show’s only real caveat is its untimely cancellation… but we’re holding out hope that the animated revival is still on the table for the near future!
#13: “Bates Motel” (2013-17)
A boy’s best friend is his mother. Or, at least, this boy’s certainly is. “Bates Motel” puts a modernized spin on “Psycho,” primarily acting as a prequel to the Hitchcock film, with Norman Bates as the show’s troubled protagonist. Introducing a new cast of characters, and an old town with dark mysteries, the series attempts to explain Norman’s mental deterioration and turn towards violence leading up to the events of “Psycho.” Events which the show cleverly subverts in a fifth season episode starring Rihanna as Marion Crane. Of course, the show’s most interesting exploration isn’t of Marion, but of the codependent relationship between Norma and Norman Bates, a mother and son often too close for comfort, who viewers know will eventually become one.
#12: “True Blood” (2008-14)
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“The Vampire Diaries” is entertaining, but it pales in comparison to the bloody violence and biting satire of “True Blood.” For starters, “True Blood’s” vampire conceit has real purpose - acting as a timely metaphor for the real-world plight of LGBT people. A metaphor which thankfully never feels hollow, by virtue of the show’s numerous queer characters, introduced throughout its seven-season run. For horror fans, “True Blood” also provided a much needed reprieve from the “Twilight”-inspired teen vampire phenomenon of the time, frequently depicting mature themes and unrestrained depictions of beastly brutality. Sure, the show’s later seasons have been called “trashy” by its dissenters, but sometimes “trashy” can be fun! And that’s certainly the case here.
#11: “The Walking Dead” (2010-22)
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Zombies are grotesque. Their flesh is slowly rotting to reveal the bones underneath, and their lifeless eyes seem to stare at nothing as they stumble towards their next victim. So how did “The Walking Dead” manage to break into the mainstream and get ten million viewers hooked on its apocalyptic narrative? “Night of the Living Dead” director George Romero has hypothesized that it’s because “The Walking Dead” was TV’s most gruesome soap opera. Love triangles, fake-out deaths, big personalities, and a healthy dose of teen angst all compelled audiences to continue watching, even as the show’s quality declined. It’s as melodramatic as it is morbid, and always undeniably entertaining to watch play out. We wouldn’t have it any other way!
#10: “Supernatural” (2005-20)
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We get it. If you were on Tumblr in the days of the Mishapocalypse, or just happened to see the posts about “Super Hell” following the show’s finale, “Supernatural” probably seemed like one big joke. But there’s a reason it stayed on air for fifteen years, and it wasn’t because of Internet memes. “Supernatural” is everything you could want in a horror TV show. It has monstrous villains designed to haunt your nightmares, and often refrains from unnecessary romance plots that would distract from the show’s mysteries. It also, importantly, has a good sense of humor, and a likable cast of characters, making it easily approachable to newcomers of the genre. The perfect gateway horror show!
#9: “The Last of Us” (2023-)
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From “Super Mario Bros.” to “Uncharted,” a long series of critical failures caused some to question whether a good video game adaptation was ever possible. Fortunately, “The Last of Us” has turned the tide in a major way. The show tells the story of a smuggler named Joel, who is entrusted with the care of a teenager with an incomprehensible immunity during a deadly pandemic. The unlikely pair’s journey often mirrors that of their video game counterparts, but it’s when the show adds on to its source material that it goes from good to great. Even the villains of “The Last of Us” are afforded extra depth in its small-screen adaptation, building up a three-dimensional world that becomes impossible to tear yourself away from.
#8: “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” (1955-65)
With revolutionary works like “Rope” and “Rear Window” already under his belt, Alfred Hitchcock made the move from film to television with the anthology series “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.” The show was hosted by the Master of Suspense himself, and features thrilling tales of betrayal, murder, and obsession, with the occasional clever twist. In spite of his success in the field, however, Hitchcock actually only directed a handful of the series’ episodes, often depending on the work of acclaimed directors like Robert Altman, Ida Lupino, and William Friedkin to make up the show’s thirty-six-plus episode seasons. This decision, along with the show’s frequent use of pre-existing stories, allowed for a healthy mix of mysteries and moral tales that kept the show’s audience captivated for ten seasons.
#7: “Hannibal” (2013-15)
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An FBI profiler, Will Graham is an expert in the psyche of serial killers. Unfortunately, he fails to realize his own psychiatrist is a cannibalistic murderer until it’s too late. Based on Thomas Harris’s novels, “Hannibal”' portrays an elaborate game of cat and mouse between its title character and protagonist, increasing in intensity with each season. While its unique kills and hauntingly beautiful cooking scenes are visual treats, the show’s true power is always in its portrayal of this complex central relationship. Will and Hannibal play off each other in a way that’s immediately enthralling, with each being fascinated by the other’s way of thinking. They pick each other’s brains apart until there’s nothing left.
#6: “American Horror Story” (2011-)
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Riding off of the success of “Glee,” Ryan Murphy took a turn towards the macabre with “American Horror Story.” An anthology series, “American Horror Story” focuses on a new story each season, often reusing a core cast of actors for its leading roles. Evan Peters and Sarah Paulson are its most frequent collaborators and, alongside the rest of the show’s phenomenal recurring cast, they act as genre chameleons - switching from darkly comedic to harrowingly dramatic characters with ease. The first three seasons of the show are often considered its best, providing a stable foundation of thematically varied but equally well-written stories. But with famous guest stars, surprising musical numbers, and witty satire, you really can’t go wrong with any of the series’ terrifying tales.
#5: “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (1997-2003)
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For Buffy Summers, high school is Hell… literally! In the first season of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” the titular protagonist learns that her school is built on top of a portal known as the Hellmouth, and it’s up to her to save the world from the mystical forces it unleashes. As the show’s title implies, this primarily results in fights with vampires, but demons, werewolves, and other malevolent creatures are also fair game. With frightening foes, and plenty of interpersonal dramas, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” is the best high school horror - turned young adult horror - that TV has to offer. Of course, if you’re in the mood for something a bit darker, the show’s spin-off, “Angel,” is an equally worthy alternative.
#4: “The Haunting” (2018-20)
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With only two seasons, “The Haunting” is one of TV’s shortest horror anthologies - but it’s also one of its best. The first entry, titled “The Haunting of Hill House,” initially presents itself as a typical ghost story, but quickly unravels into an atmospheric exploration of grief and trauma. In just ten episodes, audiences are invited not only into a haunted mansion, but into the layered lives of its residents through harrowing flashbacks and modern day visits from beyond the grave. The second season, “Bly Manor,” is similarly complex in its approach to a specter-based story, this time telling a tale of sapphic love born from mutual understanding. It’s at once devastating and charming, and sure to leave an impact on anyone who watches it.
#3: “The X-Files” (1993-2002; 2016-18)
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The truth is out there! And the truth is “The X-Files” is one of the most terrifying horror shows on TV. Although the show is most commonly associated with the Greys, a race of admittedly goofy looking little grey aliens, the extraterrestrials are far from the only creatures encountered by Mulder and Scully on their quest for the truth. One of the show’s most horrifying creations, the Flukeman, is introduced in the show’s second season, while its fifth season shows off a real monster of a boss. Ironically though, some of the show’s most spine-chilling stories have human adversaries. From menacing kidnappers to backwoods families, “The X-Files” often shows humans, not beasts, to be the most dangerous monsters of all.
#2: “Twin Peaks” (1990-91; 2017)
David Lynch is nothing short of an innovator, and “Twin Peaks” is his masterpiece. The genre-defying series is campy, melodramatic, and refreshingly surreal. It tests its audience’s patience with the unprecedented length of its murder mystery plot, and intrigues them with its strange cast of characters. It’s also a tonal rollercoaster, with funny quips giving way to some of the most unsettling sequences captured on film. After it aired, TV was never the same. The series’ significant impact on pop culture eventually led to its revival, with “The Return” airing almost three decades after its second season finale. With the additional season, Lynch proved he still had what it takes to make an impact, solidifying the show’s themes and going out with a bang.
#1: “The Twilight Zone” (1959-64)
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Picture this: a television series that debuted in 1959 inspiring a theme park ride thirty-five years later. Now imagine that that same show is rebooted multiple times, in 1985, 2002 and 2019. You don’t have to travel to another dimension for this to be a reality. That show is “The Twilight Zone.” In the decades following the popular anthology series’ end, its groundbreaking narratives would remain in the popular imagination, inspiring the next generation of horror. And it isn’t all talking dolls and robot baseball players. Many episodes of the show have metaphorical meaning, subtly (or not so subtly) commenting on current events and the complexities of human nature.