Spooky season has arrived, and it’s the perfect time to curl up in a blanket, hold a pumpkin spice latte, and binge-watch a horror TV show. Considering the hype and glowing reviews, many will head to Hulu to stream all 12 seasons of American Horror Story. While the show has standout seasons, notably Season 1 and 3, its overall track record is somewhat inconsistent. Luckily, there are better horror shows available.
From hidden gems to creepy classics, the list of horror TV shows to stream is quite extensive. Interestingly, many of the best genre series are less than four seasons long, and there’s something for everyone—whether you’re a scaredy-cat, a hardcore gore fan, or somewhere in between.
50 States of Fright Is Criminally Overlooked
Dave talks to Heather as she wears a golden glove in 50 States of FrightImage via Quibi
Fans of American Horror Stories will love this underrated anthology series. Each episode highlights a different U.S. State, exploring an unimaginable nightmare or urban legend. Sam Raimi, the filmmaker behind the Evil Dead franchise and Drag Me to Hell, served as an executive producer. It is one of the best horror shows in the last five years. Like American Horror Story, it boasts an impressive cast, including Asa Butterfield, Christina Ricci, Ron Livingston, and Taissa Farmiga.The show launched on the streaming service Quibi, which only existed for six short months in 2020. However, 50 States of Fright is now available to stream on streaming platforms such as Plex and Mubi. Prepare to change your travel plans after watching, because each episode is better than the last.
Marianne Is One of the Best Shows About Witches
Emma from Marianne (2019)Image via Netflix
It’s unfortunate that some people are deterred from excellent movies and shows just because of subtitles. They end up missing shows like Marianne. Available on Netflix, the show is about a novelist named Emma Larsimon (Victoire Du Bois) who follows a trail to a rural village to investigate her friend’s death by hanging. As she explores the area, she discovers that the stories she writes are actually coming to life.
Many considered American Horror Story: Coven to be a return to form for the series. The focus on witchcraft evoked all the spooky Halloween vibes, and the female characters were strong and interesting. Marianne, a short-lived show from France, is the perfect comparison. Unlike AHS, the show manages to maintain its eerie atmosphere and immersive setting throughout. All eight episodes are currently available on Netflix.
The Fall of the House of Usher Is Beautifully Gothic
Ruth Codd gasping The Fall of the House of UsherImage via Netflix
Going into business with a family member can be a recipe for disaster. Roderick and Madeline Usher experience that firsthand in the phenomenal adaptation of The Fall of the House of Usher. Created and co-directed by Mike Flanagan, the miniseries follows the siblings as members of the family die in horrific ways while they try to maintain their pharmaceutical empire.
Love it or hate it, American Horror Story is beautifully shot with excellent production design. The Fall of the House of Usher is just as, if not more, gorgeous to look at. The miniseries also boasts strong performances and solid writing. Anyone who enjoys the darkness of Edgar Allan Poe but can’t get past the antiquated writing style should definitely add this series to their watchlist.
Tales from the Crypt Is Campy Horror With a Creepy Host
The Crypt Keeper in HBO’s Tales From the Crypt.Image via HBO
Tales from the Crypt is an anthology series that is a treat for any horror lover. Whether it’s a restaurant with a unique steak recipe, a malicious fraternity, or an art studio with a morbid painting, viewers get to explore a new sinister place and story with each episode. Some episodes are better than others, but regardless, each is worth watching for the cheeky introduction by the wisecracking Cryptkeeper.
Part of the appeal of American Horror Story is that the theme changes each season. Tales From the Crypt does the same, only it’s every episode instead of every season. Introduced by the famous pun-spewing Cryptkeeper, the episodes are more campy than they are outright scary. Think of them like grown-up versions of campfire tales
The Creep Tapes Makes Viewers Feel Really Uncomfortable
Peachfuzz in a wolf mask and wielding an axe in The Creep Tapes.Image via AMC
Anyone who doesn’t yet have a Shudder subscription should get one just to watch The Creep Tapes. The show could be seen as a prequel or sequel, picking up where the two movies left off. An unnamed man (Mark Duplass) who wears a wolf mask and calls himself Peach Fuzz lures unsuspecting people to their doom through a series of ruses.
Creators Patrick Brice and Mark Duplass have a distinctive vision, skillfully blending comedy, horror, and mumblecore into The Creep Tapes. A rotating cast of eerie characters appears throughout American Horror Story, such as Twisty the Clown, Piggy Man, Sister Jude Martin, Fiona Goode, and the Minotaur. Yet, none of them will make viewers feel as unsettled as Peach Fuzz.
Twin Peaks Is a Cult Classic That Still Holds Up
Kyle MacLachlan as Special Agent Dale Cooper alongside Frank Silva as Killer BOB screaming/laughing in the red room from the TV series Twin PeaksImage via ABC
Twin Peaks is a ’90s horror series with enduring appeal. Created by the legendary David Lynch, the show follows an FBI agent investigating the murder of a homecoming queen in a small town. Of course, it’s not an open-and-shut case, and things get really weird fast.
Many people love American Horror Story because it dares to get weird and avant-garde. The same can be said for Twin Peaks, a surreal horror series that aired for 3 seasons between 1990 and 1991. Like the best episodes of AHS, the show offers viewers a compelling mystery to solve. It’s more character-driven, however, and truly makes the most of its characters.
The Haunting of Hill House Builds Dread and Tension
Victoria Pedretti as Nell standing in front of the mysterious red door in Hill HouseImage via Netflix
No monster in American Horror Story compares to the terrifying Bent-Neck Lady in The Haunting of Hill House. Horror powerhouse Mike Flanagan created the Netflix original series, which is the first of The Haunting anthology. Based on the 1959 Shirley Jackson novel, the show follows a family of seven who move into a haunted mansion during the summer of 1992. Years later, following a mysterious and devastating family death, they reunite to confront their trauma.
The first season of American Horror Story is arguably the strongest. Viewers enjoyed exploring the haunted mansion in Los Angeles. The Haunting of Hill House also follows a family inside a mansion full of ghosts, only it’s presented as a drama rather than a sadomasochist nightmare. Grief is at the center of each episode of Hill House, and it makes the series much stronger overall.
The Twilight Zone Is the Greatest Horror Show of All Time
A woman looks out of her car window, scared, while sitting on a train trackImage via CBS
The Twilight Zone features 156 episodes of pure horror and sci-fi delight. Viewers will encounter many of their favorite scares — evil dolls, ventriloquist dummies, demented household appliances, creepy masks, aliens, and even the devil — across various episodes of the series. The show offers a variety of terrors, with something for every taste.
It’s remarkable that a horror TV series from the 1950s remains just as terrifying today as it was then. The Twilight Zone inspired every scary show that followed, including American Horror Story and the many anthologies listed here. Lady Gaga wasn’t even born yet when this show was terrifying its audience. Even after all these years, it still outshines AHS.