Hi all!

Last week, I shared my top 10 favourite horror films (click here). Today I am back to discuss spooky television shows. These are all so worth diving into. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

REMINDER: In November, we are reading Harrow Lake by Kat Ellis forThe You’ll Read Too Bookclub. 

1.) The Haunting of Hill House 

This is hands down, my favourite horror series. I have now watched it twice, all the way through. It is loosely based on the novel: The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. I say loosely, because some fans of the book, are not happy with the adaptation. It follows a family that move into a gothic mansion, where they soon begin to experience paranormal activity. The story travels between two timelines: childhood and adulthood – dealing with the hauntings that have followed them. Not only is this show extremely scary, it’s surprisingly emotional. We witness family dynamics fall apart, when one of the siblings commits suicide. The ending will have you shook, as everything comes together and begins to make sense. I could not recommend it enough.

2.) Bates Motel

If you’re a Psycho fan, this is the show for you. This five season series, follows the origin story of Norman Bates and his eerily close relationship with his mother, Norma Bates. It begins with the two of them moving to White Pine Bay, Oregon, where they purchase the infamous Bates Motel. As the episodes progress, we notice Norman’s transformation from a kind, innocent boy into something much darker and sinister. I would recommend watching it purely for Freddie Highmore and Vera Farmiga’s acting. I loved it from beginning to end.

3.) Hannibal 

This is another show I would gladly watch all the way through again. It’s based on the novels Red Dragon, Hannibal and Hannibal Rising, with a focus on the relationship between the FBI’s special investigator, Will Graham and forensic psychiatrist, Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Similar to The Silence of the Lambs, Will is hired to locate a serial killer in Minnesota. The head of the FBI decide to have Will supervised by Hannibal (a secretly cannibalistic killer) and the pair become great friends. As Will learns to think more like a psychopath, he begins to realise Hannibal’s secret; turning their bond into a game of cat and mouse. I would recommend at least watching the first season, to witness some spectacularly creative deaths. Furthermore, there is an undeniable chemistry between Will and Hannibal, that overjoyed the fandom. Just read the fan fiction!

4.) Stranger Things 

If you haven’t heard of Stranger Things, you’ve been living under a rock! This series is a blend of science-fiction and horror, taking place in the early 1980’s. There are lot of IT tie-ins, which makes me very happy. In the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, the nearby laboratory is performing secret scientific research into the paranormal, which involves human test subjects. By accident, they create a portal into an alternate dimension, named the ‘Upside-Down.’ When one of the town’s children, Will Byers, is abducted by a creature from the ‘Upside-Down’, his friends band together to find him. At the same time, one of the lab’s human test subjects, Eleven, escapes with telekinetic powers. She encounters Will’s friends; (who hide and protect her), offering to use her abilities, in order to locate him in the alternate dimension. The soundtrack, fashion, humour, storyline, acting and more, is what made this television series one of the most popular in recent times.

5.) Marianne

I’m so glad I found Marianne on Netflix. Despite there being only one season, it’s surprisingly addictive. This show is French but dubbed in English. It may take a bit of getting used to at first, but I promise, it’s worth it. The plot follows a successful horror writer named Emma, who is haunted by her own character, Marianne. At her latest book signing, an old-friend shows up, asking her to return to their hometown, in order to investigate her mother’s strange behaviour. When Emma arrives, she realises her friend’s mother is possessed by Marianne. Together, with her childhood friends, Emma goes up against her own spooky creation, to vanquish her once and for all.

 

6.) Locke & Key 

This series began as a set of comic books, written by Stephen King’s son, Joe Hill. Earlier this year, it was adapted into a television show on Netflix. The story revolves around the Locke family, who move into the illustrious Keyhouse, after the murder of husband and father, Rendell Locke. As the children explore the grounds and hallways, they discover various strangely shaped keys, with different purposes. For example, one can open a doorway to anywhere in the world. Another can transform you into a ghost. Their discovery of the keys, awakens a spirit determined to recover them all; thus obtaining ultimate power. It’s creepy, fascinating and full of twists. 

7.) NOS4A2 

Speaking of Joe Hill, his most beloved novel, NOS4A2, was also recently adapted to screen. I’ve already read the book and watched the first season. It follows a young girl named Victoria (Vic) McQueen, who discovers a portal on an abandoned old bridge, that allows her to travel between places. Meanwhile, a vampire named Charlie Manx, drives around in an old Rolls Royce, with the license-plate: NOS4A2. He kidnaps children, taking them to a place called Christmasland, where he regains his youth by sucking the humanity out of his victims. Through a series of events, Vic learns of Charlie Manx (played by the brilliant Zachary Quinto) and uses her portal to find him. She manages to escape his clutches as a young girl. However, when Vic gives birth to her son, Charlie returns to get his revenge, by taking the boy to Christmasland.

8.) American Horror Story 

AHS is an anthology series, telling a new, terrifying story, whilst recycling the main actors into different roles. Some are better than others, but all of them are creepy and interesting. You can check out my ranking here. It’s worth watching for Sarah Paulson, Jessica Lange and Even Peters alone.

9.) The Walking Dead 

I stopped watching The Walking Dead after Season 8, because I didn’t like the direction it was going in. However, the first few seasons are so phenomenal, it’s worth being on this list. It features a large cast ensemble of zombie-apocalypse survivors, that band together, trying to restore a world gone to hell. It’s the best undead television series I’ve ever seen. Don’t get attached to anybody! There are a lot of twists, turns, blood, guts and believe it or not, plenty of drama. I definitely recommend watching at least the first three seasons.

10.) Scream 

Last but not least is the television series adaptation of the Scream franchise. It’s not particularly scary, but if you love watching annoying teenagers getting picked off one by one, it’s perfect! I really enjoyed it. I also didn’t guess the true identity of Ghostface, which made for a pleasant surprise. There aren’t many slasher shows out there, which is a shame. This is a good one!

Please share your favourite horror television shows below. I didn’t include The Haunting of Bly Manor, because I’m still watching it. I’ll do a separate review for it soon. Thanks for reading! 

Peace & Love xoxo