Horror TV shows are a dime a dozen nowadays, especially with the rise of on-demand viewing and digital streaming platforms. Many of these platforms often create their own original series, as an enticement for people to subscribe and access the shows that they couldn’t find anywhere else. Some of these, expectedly, are horror, as it’s a pretty popular genre. So, in the digital age, with its endless sea of horror TV, how does one know where to start?
Which shows are good and which aren’t? Which ones are essential, and which can safely be skipped? If the amount of choices seem overwhelming to you, or if you’re just in the mood for something spooky to watch next, have no fear (or at least, until you start watching these shows), because these are the best, most necessary watches in the realm of horror TV that any fan of the genre must see.
10
‘Penny Dreadful’ (2014–2016)
Penny Dreadful may not be the most popular horror TV show on this list, but it’s something that any self-described horror fan ought to see. There are a couple of reasons for this. Number one, its title, Penny Dreadful, actually borrows its name from short detective or horror novels that used to be sold for a penny in the Victorian Era. Number two, with it being centered around this time, it typically features all the greatest monsters and cryptids from Gothic and Victorian literature.
From the notorious vampire, Count Dracula (Christian Camargo), to the split personalities of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Shazad Latif), and even to Frankenstein’s Monster (Rory Kinnear), this show presents a universe where all of the classic horror characters exist together, albeit not exactly in harmony. Because of this, the horror TV masterpiece that is Penny Dreadful is a return to the roots of the genre and depicts its origins in a whole new way, which makes it a truly necessary watch.
9
‘American Horror Story’ (2011–)
Typical anthology series like to have their own self-contained stories, usually focusing on one story and setting per episode. American Horror Story is a little bit different in this regard, as instead of every episode being different, each season follows its own arc, usually with one story per season. This gives more time to the complex plots to develop, as well as gives its viewers a chance to let everything that’s happening sink in so that they can enjoy it that much more.
American Horror Story is one of the flagship horror-themed TV shows out there, and is probably the first thing a lot of people think of when they are asked to name a horror show. While the quality of seasons is inconsistent and can fluctuate from time to time, that doesn’t change the fact that American Horror Story should definitely be seen by anyone who calls themselves a horror fan. After all, if a series is still running after 14 years, they’ve got to be doing something right.
8
‘The Haunting of Hill House’ (2018)
Mike Flanagan‘s The Haunting of Hill House only resembles the original novel by Shirley Jackson in name, and not at all in substance. Aside from a few shared character names, there is absolutely nothing similar between the two. That said, this terrifying horror miniseries is still an excellent show, and one that is sure to creep you out with its ghostly tales and deadly premonitions, all centred around one family who grew up in the eponymous Hill House.
The series alternates between two different points in time, those being the present and the past, where the main characters are shown in their childhood. The episodes are presented in a non-chronological format, meaning viewers will have to play detective a bit in order to grasp the full story. But still, this is one of the most revolutionary horror TV shows ever made. It received fantastic reviews and is widely considered to be one of the scariest shows ever made.
7
‘The Last of Us’ (2023–)
Based on the award-winning video game of the same name, The Last of Us takes place in a post-apocalyptic wasteland affected by a zombie infection. Except, this is no viral infection, but is instead a mutation of the real-life cordyceps fungus, allowing it to spread to humans, turning them into fungal zombies. The show stars Pedro Pascal as Joel as he smuggles a girl named Ellie (Bella Ramsey) to a rebel group so they can determine the cause of her immunity to the fungus.
The main reason this is an absolutely crucial show to watch is that it’s one of the few video game adaptations that broke the curse of terrible video game adaptations and was a deeply faithful reimagining of its source material. This is largely due to the game’s creator having a hand in the show, too. In any event, both the game and the show have become huge cultural phenomena, and both are likely to go down in history, which is why it’s totally essential to watch.
6
‘The Outer Limits’ (1963–1965)
The Outer Limits is an anthology series that, unfortunately, fell victim to comparison, often confused with other, similar shows that were being released at the time. But this is a fate that was ultimately undeserved, as it proved to be perfectly independent and more than capable of telling a good story on its own. The Outer Limits may have been an anthology, but each episode was about aliens, meaning the show never went too far off the rails and always stuck to a consistent theme.
True, when the practical effects are looked at nowadays, they look pretty cheesy, but for the time, this was a pretty big deal. Moreover, the series went on to inspire other, more modern horror shows, even if that inspiration isn’t always clear or acknowledged. The Outer Limits changed a lot in the world of television, and for that reason, one should absolutely check it out if they haven’t already—they certainly won’t regret doing so.
5
‘Stranger Things’ (2016–2025)
Stranger Things is one of Netflix’s most popular original series, and likely doesn’t need a whole lot of introduction. Most people know of it, if they haven’t already seen it by now. This sci-fi horror series is about extraterrestrial beings and is set in the 1980s. But a simple plot about a missing child and a ragtag band of kids rapidly grows into a really complex plot spanning multiple in-universe years, involving supernatural powers, alternate dimensions, and beings from beyond.
While the show’s final season is expected to air this November, this is because it’s simply done with its story, and is not being prematurely cancelled or anything. The success of Stranger Things was so massive that it bears an enormous presence online, filled with millions of fans, and the show has proven to be a breakout opportunity for many of the young actors at its heart, some of whom have become household names now. Judging by the fact that this show will probably become part of history, it’s crucial to watch it.
4
‘The X-Files’ (1993–2018)
The X-Files is an alien-themed show that became a staple of the 1990s, and in recent years has been given the meme treatment due to its iconic theme music. A series centered around alien visitation to Earth, coverups, and government conspiracies, The X-Files lasted for quite a long time, and even saw a few revivals later on down the line. With each season, the plot surrounding the mysterious aliens only grows more and more complex, often bearing some daunting implications for humanity.
The main characters are two agents sent to investigate various alien appearances, who bring a lot to the show with their impeccable chemistry and bond. The X-Files is definitely more partial to creeping the audience out rather than outright scaring the pants off of them, but its slow-burn tension and uncomfortable narratives serve it well. It’s a show that will leave the viewer with a lot to think about, one that ventures to horizons that other TV shows wouldn’t dare touch. That’s why it’s such an important piece of horror television history.
3
‘Twin Peaks’ (1990–2017)
David Lynch is sort of known for creating some really mind-bending pieces of fiction, usually exploring his artistic style in films. Twin Peaks is no exception to his bizarre, yet enticing flair, and is an unforgettable bit of auteurship that really shook the world of television. Though it was prematurely cancelled, its impact was so huge that it eventually prompted a revival in 2017, nearly three decades after the second season aired.
Like many David Lynch projects, things start off deceptively simple, but get wildly convoluted as time goes by. What begins as a murder mystery evolves into supernatural forces and sinister conspiracies, which often prompts multiple viewings in order to really get what’s going on. Twin Peaks is psychedelic horror 101, and isn’t just entertainment—it’s something to get the gears turning and the brain working as audiences seek to read between the lines and understand the plot. It’s a revolutionary masterpiece that must be seen to be believed.
2
‘The Twilight Zone’ (1959–1964)
The Twilight Zone is arguably the greatest horror show of all time and was one of the first TV shows to utilize the anthology format. Basically, every episode is different and features its own self-contained story with its own characters and setting. Each episode also features an incredibly unnerving or disheartening plot twist, which leaves the show consistently exciting. The entire series is narrated by Rod Serling and describes itself as depicting ordinary people in extraordinary situations.
The show dives into everything from fantasy, sci-fi, and even horror, so long as whatever’s happening is supernatural or abnormal in nature. While likely not as scary today as it once was, it’s a show that’s highly thought-provoking and is an exercise in some of the best storytelling the world has ever seen. The original version of The Twilight Zone remains a staple of the horror genre and ought to be first on every horror fan’s watchlist, if they haven’t seen it already.
1
‘Kingdom’ (2019–2021)
Kingdom is a South Korean fantasy/horror series based on a webtoon-turned-graphic novel. The show is set in a fictionalized version of 16th-century Korea, when the land was still known as the Kingdom of Joseon. Amidst feuding noble families, the tyrannical Haewon Cho Clan accidentally unleashes a zombie horde in their efforts to usurp the throne. A zombie series might not sound super terrifying, but make no mistake—this is unlike any other zombie show you will have seen before.
The zombies in this show make The Last of Us look like Sesame Street. Their behavior isn’t just uncanny, but absolutely terrifying. They only come out at night, for one, but the moment they reanimate from corpses is super creepy, as is their ravenous appetites and propensities to swarm one person. This often results in a mass of dozens of zombies consuming a person at once, which is truly horrifying to watch. On top of that, they can’t be killed by traditional means and must be burned in order to truly die. Kingdom isn’t just a fantastic political thriller or fantasy, but a truly unnerving horror show too, that demands to be seen by all fans of the genre.
