I can’t speak to the psychological implications of my lifelong horror obsession, but I can say that I always have plenty of recommendations for sinister shows, movies, and podcasts — all of which come in handy this time of year. From mild, tongue-in-cheek-creepy to some truly terrifying stuff, these are some of the best shows to binge watch during spooky season. (Plus one movie and one podcast, for good measure!)
*Please note that, due to the nature of the genre, some of the trailers included here contain graphic material that may be disturbing for some.
SHOWS
Marianne
Where to Watch: Netflix
Number of Seasons: 1
I get asked pretty often, “What’s the scariest thing you’ve watched lately?” Four years after watching it for the first time, it’s STILL Marianne. This is a French series, but even watching with subtitles or English dubbing, it’s still captivating and completely terrifying. The plot follows a horror author who is forced to return to her hometown when she realizes the entity that haunted her as a child has returned — and it seems her popular works of fiction may not be as fictional as she originally believed.
From
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime + AppleTV + YouTube + Paramount+
Number of Seasons: 3
I’m currently making my way through Season 2 of this series, and I’m totally hooked. From is by the same creators of Lost, and in many ways, it’s similar. Our lead characters find themselves stranded in a mostly deserted town that they’re unable to leave, where they’re pursued nightly by sinister creatures. All roads lead back to town, and being caught outside after dark is unthinkable.
Also reminiscent of The Walking Dead‘s storytelling style, the characters’ backstories unfold slowly, but each episode is packed with plenty of action to keep you invested.
The Haunting of Hill House
Where to Watch: Netflix
Number of Seasons: 1
The Haunting of Hill House is one of several excellent horror shows from creator Mike Flanagan that feature roughly the same cast of actors — and in my opinion, it’s the best. Loosely based on the 1950s novel of the same name, the series centers around a family’s shared trauma after living in a haunted house. The story jumps timelines often, unfolding the details of the haunting – which, for some of the characters, is ongoing.
Other Mike Flanagan shows include The Haunting of Bly Manor, The Fall of the House of Usher, and Midnight Mass, all available on Netflix.
Evil
Where to Watch: First two seasons on Netflix; Later seasons on Amazon, Paramount+, Apple TV
Number of Seasons: 4
If you enjoy procedural crime shows where a new case is solved in each episode, you’ll probably enjoy Evil. The smart and darkly comedic series centers around a priest and a psychologist who tackle new challenges in each episode, but the ongoing plot follows their ultimate goal of protecting society from a Satanic takeover.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Where to Watch: Netflix
Number of Seasons: 4
Most folks are familiar with the ’90s sitcom Sabrina the Teenage Witch, but this iteration pays homage to Sabrina Spellman’s first appearance in the 1950s Archie comics. Set in an ambiguous timeline that is somehow both modern and nostalgic, the series follows a band of misfit characters facing — you guessed it — just lots and lots of evil.
While a few episodes of this series could actually be considered “scary,” it’s mostly just a fun, creepy watch for lovers of the macabre.
Bates Motel
Where to Watch: Amazon,
Number of Seasons: 5
Bates Motel offers a deeper look at the universe of roadside hotelier Norman Bates and his mother, made famous by Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 film Psycho. The show follows a teenage Norman Bates, and his mother, Norma. You can probably guess where the pair end up, but the winding before-and-after is both unsettling and surprisingly compelling.
What We Do in the Shadows
Where to Watch: Hulu
Number of Seasons: 6
What We Do in the Shadows is most definitely not a horror show. It’s a documentary-style account of a group of vampire housemates struggling to navigate the modern world on Staten Island. It’s laugh-out-loud hilarious and a great binge if you hate scary stuff but still want to lean into the season.
Penny Dreadful
Where to Watch: Apple TV
Number of Seasons: 3
A clever mingling of classic horror characters like Frankenstein, Dracula, and Dorian Grey, Penny Dreadful centers around a psychic medium who has enlisted the help of a group of “experts” in their fields on a mysterious quest — an explorer, a gunslinger, and a scientist. Both together and separately, the group is pursued by some seriously dark forces.
The acting and production value are both fantastic, but fair warning, the series ends abruptly after its third season.
Salem
Where to Watch: Amazon, Apple TV, Disney+
Number of Seasons: 3
Salem is a lesser-known dramatization of the witch hunts and trials in 17th-century New England. The show includes many of the real historical characters and places you’ll recognize from other tellings, but the show’s main character is, indeed, a witch. This is one of my favorite witchy watches, but if you enjoy witchy content, you should also check out Mayfair Witches (based on the Anne Rice series) and A Discovery of Witches, both available on Netflix.
Cabinet of Curiosities
Where to Watch: Netflix
Number of Seasons: 1
From the dark and wildly creative mind of Guillermo del Toro, Cabinet of Curiosities is a collection of eight episodes, each with a unique story to tell (though there are some recurring themes). Each episode is uniquely terrifying, but all share del Toro’s visual style, which is both beautiful and unsettling.
This one reminds me of a more traditionally macabre version of Black Mirror, also available on Netflix. If you’re not familiar, Black Mirror focuses more on modern-day themes, often related to the potential dangers of technology. Definitely spooky in a different way.
BONUS PICKS
Movie and podcast recommendations are two totally separate rabbit holes for another day, but I couldn’t resist including at least one of each.
Movie: Oddity
Where to Watch: Apple TV, Amazon, Shudder
This is, hands down, the most creative horror film I’ve seen in a while and the most disturbing, in the best kind of way — mission accomplished. The story begins with a mysterious death in a big, scary house in the Irish countryside. From there, the victim’s twin sister, a blind medium and oddity shop owner, seeks justice (and maybe a little revenge).
The filmmakers also released another film back in 2020, Caveat, which I have not seen but looks equally terrifying.
PODCAST: Spooked
Where to Listen: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, and More
I listen to a lot of true crime (a lot of true crime) and a variety of dark history podcasts, but my absolute favorite spooky season podcast is —appropriately — Spooked. Hosted by outstanding storyteller Glynn Washington of Snap Judgment Radio, the podcast features real-life supernatural tales told by the people who experienced them.
It’s not a unique concept in the podcasting world, but the stories are carefully chosen and beautifully told. I suggest starting with the earlier episodes and working your way forward!
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Looking for more of the best shows to binge-watch? Check out our picks from earlier this summer!
