There have been such incredibly exciting developments in the television industry these past few years, one of them being an especially strong embracing of the horror genre. The advent of streaming services and other alternative distribution models has allowed television to take greater risks and indulge in more niche programming.
As a result, there’s been some extremely ambitious and fulfilling television to come out this generation with even more on the way. There is still a polarizing response to horror, but television has become a reliable home for genre filmmakers. There are some truly fantastic horror programs that are currently on television.
10 Slasher Brings Brutal Theatrics To Television (6.7)
Slasher has flown under the radar for several seasons, but it’s recently been picked up by the horror streaming service, Shudder, and it’s set to become even more brutal than before if the show’s gruesome fourth season is any indication. Each season of Slasher concocts a fresh serial killer whodunnit that manages to engage in worthwhile social commentary as it executes extremely violent executions. Slasher has a clear love for the genre, and it’s shocking what the show has been able to get away with throughout its run.
9 Creepshow Is A Passionate Tribute To Genre Storytelling (7.1)
Creepshow started as a series of anthology horror films from George A. Romero and Stephen King, but it’s blossomed into one of the more satisfying horror anthology series that is currently on television. Creepshow is faithful to its B-movie and stylized genre roots, with each episode delivering two stories that feel like they’re straight out of a pulpy comic book. Creepshow finds the right balance between fun and freaky, plus it’s assembled an impressive stable of directors and writers who have a clear passion for the material.
8 Servant Properly Channels M. Night Shyamalan’s Mysterious Energy (7.5)
M. Night Shyamalan’s career has become a bit of a mixed bag, but he’s still capable of horror greatness. Some of the storyteller’s most impressive work over the past few years can be found in Apple TV+’s Servant. Servant is a masterpiece in slow-burn tension, and it crafts a captivating mystery that continually subverts the audience’s expectations.
It’s still not entirely clear what’s going on in Servant, but it grows more fascinating with each episode and demands to be seen. It’s a confident, challenging plunge into psychological horror.
7 Evil Is A Twisted Take On Faith And Supernatural Forces (7.7)
Evil wrapped up its second season on Paramount+, and it has at least one more on the way. The procedural series begins as a familiar riff on The X-Files as a believer and skeptic attempt to investigate and debunk supernatural cases. The show’s first season is somewhat restrained and allows logical explanations for its bolder images, but Season 2 becomes delirious, unpredictable television. Evil starts to tell bigger stories and leans into more unhinged ideas, which works in its favor. There’s a master plan at play that’s difficult to decipher, but it’s established its unusual voice in the horror genre.
6 You Puts A Serial Killer At The Center Of A Love Story (7.7)
You is a fascinating exercise in tone and perspective as it tells a story that could easily be viewed as a lovely romantic comedy, only it’s completely manufactured from a stalker serial killer. You presents warm visuals with flowery voice-over that lives inside the head of its extremely skewed narrator. The series is incredible for how it creates sympathy for this monster and puts the audience in a very complicated position. You becomes an even more stressful story once Joe descends further into normalcy, convinced that he can live this double life.
5 American Horror Story Has Built Its Own Connected Universe Of Madness (8.0)
Love it or hate it, Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story is one of television’s biggest horror institutions, and it helped repopularize anthology storytelling in a major way. Each season of the series embraces a different subsection of horror, whether it’s mental institutions, witches, vampires, ghosts, aliens, and everything in between.
The series routinely creates promising ideas and disturbing visuals, but many seasons have a tendency to go off the rails by the end. Nevertheless, American Horror Story has established an exaggerated style that horror fans still flock to, even if it’s out of morbid curiosity.
4 The Walking Dead Successfully Put Zombies Back On The Map (8.2)
The zombie sub-genre of horror has become incredibly overpopulated, and the rampant success of The Walking Dead has a lot to do with this trend. The Walking Dead broke new ground upon its debut, and for years, it was one of the most popular shows on television and proved that horror series can be major hits. The original Walking Dead is in its final season, but there is a herd of spin-offs that flesh out the larger Walking Dead universe. Many fans may have deserted the series seasons ago, but it’s still a popular mainstream hit.
3 Chucky Is A Gleeful Celebration Of Horror’s Favorite Killer Doll (8.5)
Admittedly, the new Chucky series that continues the Child’s Play horror franchise has only just debuted, but it’s already become one of the most popular horror series of the year. The Child’s Play movies have evolved in surprising ways and benefit from having the same creative force, Don Mancini, behind them all. Mancini is also present for the new Chucky series, and it’s a very satisfying recreation of the absurdist carnage that’s present in the movies. Chucky is off to a strong start with fans, which hopefully won’t change as the series continues.
2 What We Do In The Shadows Finds The Endless Humor In Horror (8.5)
What We Do in the Shadows, a perfect extension of Taika Waititi’s 2014 mockumentary movie, might be one of the least frightening horror series, yet it’s still easily one of the most entertaining. Firmly set within the world of vampires and other supernatural creatures, What We Do in the Shadows embraces comedy over horror. The series has been able to subvert many stereotypes of the genre in hilarious ways, and the incredible cast guarantees that even the more laid-back moments are delights. The series only improves as its scope expands and more supernatural creatures are examined.
1 Stranger Things Embraces Nostalgia For A Retro Horror Hit (8.7)
Nostalgia has become the new normal this past decade, but Netflix’s Stranger Things arrived at the perfect time to tap into that Amblin innocence. The kid-focused series has become one of Netflix’s biggest hits, and it’s led to the launch of countless imitators. Stranger Things may sometimes struggle with its lengthy gaps between seasons and its rapidly aging cast, but its influence cannot be denied. Stranger Things is a thoroughly touching mix of coming-of-age archetypes and Lovecraftian creatures. It’s always a television event when a new season drops.
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