It takes a lot to scare a seasoned horror fan. For people who have seen every movie under the sun, from classics to every film that came out in the past few months, these stories can fall flat. But just like there are some terrifying horror movies that surprise even the fans who swear that nothing makes them bat an eyelash, there are several horror TV shows that have impressive concepts, well-drawn characters, and an incredibly creepy tone.
From Mike Flanagan’s Netflix series to a cool anthology series, there are several great horror TV shows that are available to stream, and there are definitely a few moments in each show that will make even the toughest horror fans jump.
RELATED:Why Scream Queens Is Ryan Murphy’s Best TV Show
Slasher (2016)
Slasheris available to stream on Shudder, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video.Slasheris a great horror TV showand in season 1 is perhaps the scariest, making this the best group of episodes to watch.
Sarah Bennett (Katie McGrath) and Dylan Bennett (Brandon Jay McLaren) move to Waterbury, which stirs up awful memories and negative emotions for Sarah, whose parents were murdered when her mom was pregnant with her. This time around, they hope that it’ll be more positive for them, but right away, there’s a serial killer targeting the town. This storyline is just as frightening as thescariest slasher moviesas there are seemingly random murders, a small town full of dark secrets, and main characters who get right into the action.
Into The Dark (2018)
Fans ofpopular Blumhouse horror movieswill want to check outInto The Dark, which Jason Blum produced for Hulu. There are two seasons in this anthology series, and every episode is a brief, self-contained horror story. The situations in each episode will definitely feel chilling.
Some stand out season 1 episodes include “Flesh & Blood” when a teenage girl stays home after her mom passed away and wonders if something scary is there and “School Spirit” when high schoolers get detention and figure out that the scary stories about their school are real. The season 2 premiere, “Uncanny Annie,” sees college students trapped in a board game, which is also pretty terrifying.
The Haunting Of Hill House (2018)
It’s possible to argue that every episode ofThe Haunting Of Hill Houseis scary… or even every moment. The brilliant and impressive Netflix series from Mike Flanagan is adapted from Shirley Jackson’s gothic novel and looks at the Crain family, whose lives were essentially destroyed when they began living in a haunted mansion. The supernatural presence in this home is too great for anyone to get out alive… and if they do, they don’t ever really escape.
The big twist that Victoria Pedretti’sThe Haunting Of Hill Housecharacter Eleanor (Nell) Crain is also thehorrifying Bent-Neck Ladyis still fascinating and haunting. In episode 5, fans learn that Nell was married to Arthur Vance (Jordane Christie) and he died of a brain aneurysm. Nell became this mysterious yet chilling figure and she was there to frighten her childhood self.
You (2018-Present)
On the one hand, Netflix’sYoumight not seem terrifying or freaky. There are somefunny Joe Goldberg memesbecause Penn Badgley’s character can be as silly as he can be unnerving. But the premise ofYouis really creepy and also feels like it could really happen, which makes it one of the scariest shows available to stream.
When fans get to the part of the show where Joe and Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti) fall in love, things get even wilder and creepier, as they manipulate one another and fans aren’t sure who is going to win out in the end. Joe is powerful because he’s cute and he charming and he seems to be able to make anyone fall under his spell.Youis a very complex series because Joe has moments of humanity, as he helps Paco and Ellie (scream queen Jenna Ortega). This makes viewers question just how bad he really is… and since Joe commits murder on a regular basis, that’s a dangerous thing. While the murder scenes might be a little predictable and the tone is campy fun, there’s no doubt that Joe’s story will get under people’s skin.
Midnight Mass (2021)
Mike Flanagan’s Netflix seriesMidnight Massis simply really good TV. There is every element here that fans of horror are looking for: the creepy small town setting (in this case, it’s Crockett Island, where everyone has lost people or had dreams die), a character who changes it all, and some twists.
As Father Paul (Hamish Linklater) fills in for an older priest who seems to be sick, Riley Flynn (Zack Gilford) comes back home after a traumatic incident. The characters all connect with the new priest quickly, learning that nothing is as it appears to be. The show is incredibly well-shot and the turns that the story takes are enough to make fans want to watch it more than once. Most of all, though, the series is super scary. There are creatures that seem to be in the shadows and Father Paul has unleashed something on this tiny island that can’t be contained or stopped.
