TV shows any horror fan should be obsessed with
Some see Halloween as a time to throw on a comfy skeleton sweater, grab movie theater butter popcorn, hand out candy to cute kids and pop something scary on a nearby TV.
If you’re one of those people, why not binge-watch one of the following five TV shows—a selection any true horror fan will enjoy.
QUIZ: Which horror movie monster are you?
1. Dead Set (2008)
Dead Set is a BAFTA-nominated British miniseries and could be the perfect choice for this Halloween. Why? Well, at five episodes—all 30 minutes except the hour pilot—it’s totally feasible to finish in one night. Not only that, but the plot line is an interesting and fun twist on the zombie outbreak archetype. Here’s the idea: Zombies overrun the set where a fictional version of Big Brother is filmed. Previously, the Big Brother house was fortified to keep crazed fans out—now it protects from a sprinting horde of flesheating monsters. And…let the chaos ensue.
2. Black Mirror (2011-present)
Created by Charlie Brooker—the same person behind Dead Set—Black Mirror is not necessarily gory, but it will definitely crawl under your skin. The anthology series chronicles a different story each episode, usually reflecting the dark consequences of today’s technological society. Because the story isn’t continuous, you’ll never be left on a cliffhanger—but that doesn’t mean you’ll stop Netflix from auto-playing the next episode. And the next…and the next.
3. Tales From The Darkside (1983 – 1988)
Also an anthology series, Tales From The Darkside grew from the anthology film Creepshow. Made by George A. Romero—who conjured up 1968’s iconic Night Of The Living Dead—the stories regularly end with a plot twist. But it’s actually Tales From The Darkside’s intro, which sees a monotone monologue played over serene nature scenes, that makes the show standout. Setting up each episode perfectly, it’s weird and creepy—a pretty good characterization of Tales From The Darkside itself.
4. Bates Motel (2013-present)
While an obvious choice, Bates Motel needed a place on this list for its connection to Alfred Hitchcock’s trailblazing slasher Psycho. Psycho details Norman Bates—a young man who owns a small roadside motel, which sits down the hill from his creepy-ass house. Unsurprisingly, it turns out Norman isn’t the sweet, harmless guy he seems to be—in fact, he’s hiding a big secret. Enter: Bates Motel—the prequel to Psycho—and the story of Norman’s neverending descent into madness.
5. Scare Tactics (2003-2004, 2008-2013)
Okay, we’ve given you enough real scary—here’s one where you can watch others be scared out of their minds. Scare Tactics is a hidden camera show in which people think they’re in a terrifying, horror movie-style situations. However, it’s actually just the show’s producers and their friends setting them up, and, let me tell you, it never gets old. Laugh at the reactions or everyone’s frosted tips from 2004—either way, you’ll be satisfied with your comedic Halloween choice.
Popular runner-ups that you could always dive into as well: The Walking Dead, Stranger Things, American Horror Story, Tales From The Crypt, Twilight Zone
Watch more: “The Back Issue” starring CREEPER // Part One
