Horror is an immensely popular genre, but it’s usually restricted to movies; for some reason, it just doesn’t always work in a serial format, but that hasn’t stopped television from trying. Fortunately, a bunch of shows have managed to be pretty good, bringing new takes on the genre and delivering scares in a way that cinema could never do. There have been a lot of these shows over the years, and though many are good, some are just downright amazing.
Fans of horror movies usually flock to these shows in droves to satisfy their hankering for fear. Whereas horror movies end, TV shows are something that can scare people again and again before they come to a close. The worlds of horror cinema and horror television are vastly different but equally worth exploring, especially the best horror series of all time. These horror shows are among the best on television, offering compelling narratives enhanced by genuinely chilling frights.
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‘The Strain’ (2014–2017)
Guillermo del Toro is a filmmaker known for his fantasy horror films like Pan’s Labyrinth, but what many might not know is that he also wrote a book, with the help of Chuck Hogan. This book morphed into a trilogy of books, in fact, eventually making the leap from the page to the screen thanks to the intervention of its own authors. That’s right: Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan aren’t just responsible for writing the book version of The Strain, but for its TV adaptation, too.
This is reassuring because this means it is almost guaranteed to be faithful to its source. Right away, The Strain knows how to get people hooked, as a plane is about to take off from JFK International Airport, but suddenly stops in its tracks and goes silent. Investigators check it out to find that almost everyone on board is dead. It is then discovered that aboard the plane is a virus that turns the infected into vampires, which rapidly begins to spread throughout the city. Fans of Guillermo del Toro’s other works simply have to check this show out, because it has never gotten the attention it deserves.
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‘Teacup’ (2024)
In spite of Teacup‘s good reviews and universal acclaim from both fans and critics, Peacock canceled it after only one season, without providing any explanation as to why. One of the reasons is that it is generally seen as good, but nothing groundbreaking or revolutionary, which, unfortunately, isn’t enough to interest a lot of people, so it didn’t boast a very high viewership. Critics did enjoy it, though, commending it for being genuinely scary throughout.
The series is set in rural Georgia, where a group of feuding farmers must put aside their differences and help each other survive when they fall under the shadow of an enigmatic and deadly threat. Not only is tension high because of this newfound aggressor, but because of the farmers working together, too, because they don’t always see eye to eye, to put it mildly. It might be a little niche, but horror superfans should definitely give Teacup a try.
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‘The Last of Us’ (2023–)
The Last of Us is the hit HBO series based on the video game of the same name, which is set during a zombie apocalypse. The zombies in this series are of an unusual nature—they are not created from some airborne virus, but rather due to a very real fungus called cordyceps. In real life, cordyceps only affects ants, but in the show, it can infect any type of animal, including humans. The show stars Pedro Pascal as Joel, a smuggler who lost his daughter on the day the infection broke out, 20 years ago.
During a routine job, he is assigned the cargo of Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and is asked to take her out of the city. The two form an inseparable bond, but must see Ellie safely to the militant group called the Fireflies. The Last of Us was praised for being very faithful to its source material, along with its action, unique world, and heart-wrenching drama. It’s not scary in the traditional sense, but it definitely fits the bill of horror due to its visuals and content.
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‘The Fall of the House of Usher’ (2023)
Mike Flanagan is a true master of horror and has created tons of movies and miniseries, some being adaptations of books, some being concepts that are wholly original. His recent miniseries, The Fall of the House of Usher, is based on a short story of the same name by one of the most famous Gothic writers in history: Edgar Allen Poe. Though this miniseries isn’t the best one he’s ever made, it’s very interesting and really creepy, true to Flanagan’s form.
Flanagan prefers to creep his audience out rather than utilize jumpscares or anxiety-inducing crescendos of sharp violins, and The Fall of the House of Usher follows this pattern. Story-wise, it’s a narrative about a family in turmoil, as a pharmaceutical CEO loses all six of his children in two weeks, causing him to confide in a friend, telling him about his family’s dark history. With Flanagan’s signature style and some heavy-hitting actors making guest appearances, The Fall of the House of Usher has a lot going for it and will surely be appreciated by horror lovers for its modern take on a Gothic story.
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‘The Outsider’ (2020)
The Outsider is a horror miniseries based on a novel of the same name by the one and only Stephen King, who has established himself as one of the greatest horror authors ever. Adaptations of Stephen King stories can generally be a little hit or miss, but this HBO original is undoubtedly one of the best out there. The series starts out pretty average: there’s a murder mystery and detectives involved, and they’re having trouble solving the case. Business as usual for a lot of thriller shows.
However, things change when detectives realize that a supernatural force of some kind may be involved in the case, prompting them to seek the help of a paranormal investigator. Critics were huge fans of The Outsider‘s slow-burn narrative, culminating in a truly terrifying payoff that oozes the quality of many classic King stories. If you’re a Stephen King fan, a fan of mystery shows, or a fan of horror in general, The Outsider is most certainly for you.
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‘Gyeongseong Creature’ (2022–2024)
Gyeongseong Creature is a South Korean show that takes place during the Japanese occupation of the Korean Peninsula in World War II. In these already trying times, investigators find evidence that biological matter is being secretly experimented on and amassed into a terrifying monster straight out of an H. P. Lovecraft story. This monster begins wreaking havoc in the city of Gyeongseong, causing many disappearances and untimely deaths.
Though its run was pretty short-lived, Gyeongseong Creature stands as one of the most underrated horror series ever made, bringing a unique concept and displaying the boundless creativity of the showrunners by mixing the supernatural with the historical. It’s not overly scary, and there are plenty of light-hearted action sequences, which makes it a perfect pick for those who are easily frightened by most horror movies or shows.
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‘Bates Motel’ (2013–2017)
Bates Motel is a prequel series to the classic Alfred Hitchcock slasher film, Psycho. In this series, Freddie Highmore stars as the serial killer Norman Bates, who later becomes the antagonist of the film. He and his mother own the eponymous Bates Motel, a quaint hilltop establishment set in the picturesque Oregon countryside. But beneath Norman’s outwardly friendly appearance towards his guests, he secretly fantasizes about murder, paving the way for a revolutionary film that changed the horror genre forever.
Highmore is often known for his innocent, more friendly roles, but in Bates Motel, he proves his versatility as an actor, effectively portraying the sinister mind of Norman Bates, as well as what goes on beneath the surface. Bates Motel is definitely more of a psychological thriller rather than a slasher, but this doesn’t matter much because it’s super creepy, and even if it isn’t as “in your face” as most horror tends to be, its subtlety and morbid content are sure to get the skin crawling.
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‘Chucky’ (2021–2024)
Chucky follows the killing spree of the living doll of the same name, first introduced in the 1988 slasher flick Child’s Play. In this series, the doll is voiced by Brad Dourif, who reprises his role as the iconic killer doll from the 80s. But by far the best thing about the show is the return of the original creator of Child’s Play, Don Mancini, which meant the series had much of the same charm and pretty much everything that made the original movie great.
Chucky is a show that doesn’t take itself too seriously and comes as both a comedy and a horror. Let’s be honest, seeing a kid’s doll swearing its little head off is actually pretty funny, and the show knows this and wants people to laugh at it. Chucky has all of the 80s cheese that is associated with the original, so the show is not only a nostalgia trip for many who grew up watching the films, but also a great introduction for audiences who haven’t seen the movies before.
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‘Ash vs Evil Dead’ (2015–2018)
Although given its comedic elements, Ash vs Evil Dead is not your conventional scary TV show, the Sam Raimi series still fits into the category and is understandably a fan-favorite. The highly rated horror-comedy follows Bruce Campbell‘s Ash, who has become a total loner who avoids responsibility thirty years after the events of Evil Dead. That is, until a Deadite plague emerges and threatens to wipe out the whole human race, and he is forced to get back to action.
Despite not being considered horror to some for its somewhat lighthearted and comical premise, Ash vs Evil Dead still falls under the category and ranks among the best in the genre—especially if you’re a fan of the franchise. However, we’re sad to say that Ash vs Evil Dead was prematurely canceled, even though it succeeded in appealing to most audiences and fans of the fictional universe, whether that was thanks to its performances or its high nostalgic value.
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‘Archive 81’ (2022)
In Netflix’s Archive 81, an archivist (played by Mamoudou Athie) accepts a job repairing damaged videotapes only to find himself sucked into a case involving a demonic cult and a missing director (Dina Shihabi) who was uncovering it in the first place.
Like Ash vs Evil Dead, Archive 81 came to a premature ending. Unfortunately, this was the fate of many canceled Netflix series in 2022. Still, the haunting Marc Sollinger horror show makes it worth your while, with worldwide not being able to recommend it enough. With plenty of psychological thrills, supernatural elements, and a genuinely unsettling mystery narrative at its center (it will have audiences biting their nails throughout), Archive 81 is guaranteed to send chills down the audience’s spine.
