It’s Halloween week, that famously Americanised celebration of all things creepy and crawly.
If you’re looking for something to do whilst hiding from pint-sized shakedown artists, you could do worse than binge these brilliant horror TV shows.
Not all of them are readily available on streaming services right now, so you might need to rent the odd series or – the horror! – buy a piece of physical media.
But each is a prime example of serialised spookiness. There’s a fair amount of variety in our list too, despite the horror theme.
We’ve got live action miniseries, an animated schlock-fest, some prestige drama, and even a riotous parody. That’s right, you can crack a smile this Halloween – IF YOU DARE...
The 10 best horror TV shows of all time
1. Stranger Things
Stranger Things has become such a mainstream behemoth, enjoyed by young and old alike, that it feels slightly odd referring to it as a horror series. But it’s a series that’s positively saturated in the scary movies (and movies in general) of the ‘80s, from its young cast of high school archetypes to its synth-heavy theme tune and references to early nerd culture.
Its scares are somewhat second hand, to be sure, but they’re no less effective for that fact – especially in the first (and still best) season.
2. True Blood
2008 was the year in which the first Twilight movie gave the vampire genre a YA love bite, turning it into a virginal dullard. Thankfully, this was also the year of True Blood, a lascivious HBO series that (for much of its seven-season run at least) successfully restored the genre’s lustful lustre.
Based on Charlaine Harris’s The Southern Vampire Mysteries novels, it’s set in a world where vampires live openly among humans, and thus must contend with a whole new fight for legitimacy as a hated minority.
3. Castle Rock
We’d feel bad letting this list pass without at least a nod to the most prolific writer in horror, Stephen King. And, boy, does Castle Rock nod to Stephen King.
The whole 20-episode run (across two seasons) is like the most extravagant piece of fan service imaginable, effectively setting out to tie together many of King’s works through the author’s titular Maine town. It’s more than just a ‘spot the reference’ affair too, with plenty of genuinely scary moments.
4. The Walking Dead
Yes, yes, we know. This TV adaptation of Robert Kirkman’s long-running comic book series rather came to resemble one of its titular zombies —shuffling along interminably and refusing to die. But it’s worth remembering what a hugely influential and downright unmissable show it was in its early years.
At a time when it was still considered unthinkable for a show to kill off its main characters unless there were major issues behind the scenes (Game of Thrones was still a year away), The Walking Dead thought nothing of sending its cast out to be chomped on.
5. Midnight Mass
Mike Flannagan’s Netflix output either serves as an example of what’s possible in the streaming era, or an indictment of all of the algorithm-driven slop that surrounds it. Whatever the case, Midnight Mass is an outstanding piece of work – a fresh spin on classic vampire lore set on a remote New England island.
The show expertly deals with matters of guilt, grief, loss and faith, as a suspiciously youthful new priest arrives to revitalise his dwindling flock in the most unorthodox of manners. The build up to the show’s bloody climax is perfectly pitched to extract maximum pathos.
6. Garth Marenghi’s Dark Place
This lost TV show from fictional author and “dream weaver” Garth Marenghi (Matthew Holness) only lasted one short series of six episodes, but it cast a long shadow – and not of the supernatural variety.
The 2004 UK show introduced many of us to the talents of Richard Ayoade and Matt Berry, for which we should all be very grateful. But it’s also a work of parodic genius in its own right, incisively sending up the auteur-driven horror adaptations of the ‘80s, as well as the barrel-scraping ‘DVD extra’ culture of the early 21st century.
7. The Last of Us
The Last of Us has become such a vital piece of mainstream prestige drama, and a standout example of the often maligned video game adaptation. But we shouldn’t forget what a solid slice of horror it is at its heart.
There are plenty of moments of abject terror right from the opening moments of season one, as a zombie-adjacent plague ravages the world and sends humanity into full on post-apocalyptic fight-or-flight mode. Our only hope: a bratty kid with a valuable talent and her mean-hearted guardian, who might just be the biggest monster of all.
8. The Strain
What’s this? A horror series created by the modern master of the macabre himself, señor Guillermo del Toro? Yes please, with an extra side-order of gore.
Based on the Mexican director’s own 2009 novel, and adapted by the man himself, The Strain concerns the modern outbreak of a mysterious new disease that makes its infected members turn suspiciously bitey and blood-sucky. Yep, it’s vampires again, but this time with a decidedly modern edge.
9. American Horror Story
This brilliant FX anthology series has been running for 12 seasons and 132 episodes across 14 years – a seriously impressive run for a horror show.
Each season addresses a new plot with a fresh cast of characters. Naturally, there have been peaks and troughs, but the series is willing to go to some unexpected places in a bid to shock. And with an admirable taste for blood, it’s lost none of its capacity to make you feel a bit queasy.
![Castlevania | Teaser: Vengeance [HD] | Netflix - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/iIMrFnl5NiA/maxresdefault.jpg)
10. Castlevania
Video game adaptations have taken a massive turn for the better of late, but we’d argue none have been as miraculous as Castlevania. Unlike The Last of Us, there was no solid narrative baseline provided by Konami’s series of adventure platform games – just a sketchy Japanese spin on European vampire lore.
Somehow, Warren Ellis and Shankar Animation produced four seasons of utter brilliance, grounded in a richly realised medieval world filled with wanton brutality and maniacal superstition. The action set pieces, characterisation, and vocal performances are all straight out of the top drawer.
- The best horror movies through the ages
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