25 horror TV shows that will make you really scared

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The most creepy, bloody and mystical projects for fearless horror lovers.

25. Behind the Walls

• France, 2016.
• Horror, detective, drama.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 7, 0.

A young French woman inherits an old mansion from a certain stranger. During the visit, she breaks one of the walls in the bedroom, finding herself in a trap in the style of "Alice in Wonderland" with an endless maze of rooms and demons hiding in the corners.

The three-part French horror film combines the story of a haunted house and elements of a portal to another dimension.

24. Secrets of Silverhoeid

• Sweden, Finland, Great Britain, Norway, 2015-2017.
• Fantasy, thriller, drama.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 2.

Police officer Eva Thornblad, whose daughter went missing seven years ago, returns to her hometown for her father's funeral. There, she learns that another child has recently disappeared, but the local police have denied a possible relationship between the two tragedies.

The Mysteries of Silverhoeid is not just a detective story: it combines the work of a detective with supernatural elements from Swedish folklore. The viewer's task is to piece together a story that affects the interests of timber processing enterprises, a government conspiracy and centuries-old forces of nature.

23. Atonement

• Japan, 2012.
• Horror, detective.
• Duration: 1 season.
• IMDb: 7, 2.

A little girl is found murdered at school. Four of her best friends were nearby during the incident, but cannot remember the killer's face. The victim's mom gives them an ultimatum: find the attacker or be punished for letting him escape. After that, the story leaps forward 15 years and tells about the nightmare life of the grown-up girlfriends.

The horror in Atonement is purely psychological and very Japanese. Director and screenwriter Kiyoshi Kurosawa infused this miniseries with endless tension and feelings of sadness.

22. Scream

• USA, 2015 - present.
• Horror, thriller, drama, detective.
• Duration: 3 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 2.

A killer in a white mask tracks down and kills high school students in a small town. But it turns out that the maniac has reasons for such actions.

The series is based on the cult film of the same name by Wes Craven. However, the authors of the TV adaptation did not just stretch the plot, but added new interesting lines to it. Moreover, in the third season, the story was restarted, telling about completely different characters.

21. Zero channel

• USA, 2016–2018.
• Horror, thriller, drama.
• Duration: 4 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 2.

An anthology series, each season of which is dedicated to one of the horror stories found on the Internet. They are called creepypasta, and are usually published on anonymous imageboards.

In the first season, child psychologist Mike begins to suspect that the popular 80s children's show may be directly related to the numerous disappearances of children. The second season tells about the creepy Endless House, which the main character Margot intends to visit with her friends.

20. Witnesses

• France, Belgium, 2014 - present.
• Crime, detective.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 3.

In a small coastal town, unidentified persons dig up several bodies from the graves and put them in an uninhabited house, pretending to be a family dinner. And this is the second such case in the last month. On the table next to the bodies is a photograph of recently retired detective Paul Masonew. But for him, already hard times came: he became a widow, ruined his relationship with his son and got into a car accident, which is why he spent two weeks in a coma.

Cold and gray tones, a pretty investigator with an unsettled personal life, a methodical criminal and insane plot twists put the series on a par with the Danish Murder and The Bridge. At the same time, the "Witnesses" are distinguished by a much more eerie plot. Do not watch the series on cloudy evenings, otherwise you will not get rid of gloomy thoughts and despondency for a long time.

19. Strain

• USA, 2014-2017.
• Drama, thriller, horror.
• Duration: 4 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 3.

A plane lands at the New York airport, on board which there was an outbreak of an unknown virus that killed almost all passengers. Soon, their corpses begin to disappear from the morgues, and the survivors discover strange mutations in themselves. It turns out that they turn into vampires.

Director Guillermo del Toro showed a new perspective on vampirism, talking about it from the medical side. As a result, creepy and realistic monsters came to replace the grotesque bloodsuckers from the classic cinema.

18. Outcast

• USA, 2016-2017.
• Horror, mysticism, drama.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 4.

The mystical series is based on the comics of The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman. It is dedicated to disembodied demons and their victims. The main character, Kyle Barnes, has been ruled by evil forces since childhood. With the help of a local priest, he tries to understand himself and his past.

The thriller does not frighten with visual scenes, but rather with a psychological study of a difficult inner world and suspense. It turns out that the whole city in one way or another is in contact with evil spirits.

17. Masters of horror

• Canada, Japan, USA, 2005-2007.
• Horror.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 5.

Each episode of the anthology tells a different story. The woman is captured by a maniac and remembers the skills she got from her ex-husband. The dead soldiers return to participate in the elections. And the detective is looking for a copy of the film, after watching which people become murderers.

The series has a self-explanatory name: its creator Mick Harris gathered his friends-directors who are excellent at filming horror, and invited everyone to film some scary story. The stories turned out to be completely different, but very frightening.

16. Castle Rock

• USA, 2018 - present.
• Horror, thriller, drama.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 6.

The governor of Shawshank Prison in Castle Rock commits suicide. His successor opens one of the abandoned blocks and discovers a mysterious person in it. He demands to call Henry Deaver, who left the city long ago.

The series will delight all fans of Stephen King. It is not based on any specific work of the author, but constantly refers to various of his stories and novels. The result is a mixture of detective, mysticism, alternative realities and other twists and turns.

15. Cardinal

• Canada 2017-2020.
• Thriller, drama, crime.
• Duration: 4 seasons.
• IMDb: 7, 7.

Detective John Cardinal, previously removed from the investigation into the child's disappearance, is forced to return to service. The body of the missing girl is found in the lake 13 years later, and the investigation leads the hero to a serial killer.

The Canadian crime drama is based on the novels by Giles Blunt. "Cardinal" is surprisingly outspoken in portraying eerie scenes of torture and violence. The killer's lair makes the hardest impression, and the bullying of the victim looks too realistic. Dialogue, actors' make-up and the view of a snow-covered Canadian town help sharpen the already nightmarish sensation of watching this pseudo-snuff.

14. Terror

• USA, 2018 - present.
• Horror, thriller, drama.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 0.

The first season takes place in the middle of the 19th century. An expedition led by explorer John Franklin aboard the ships Terror and Erebus sets off for the northern coast of Canada. The ships get stuck in the ice, and soon the teams are faced with a supernatural enemy. The events of the second season are set in a Japanese camp during the Second World War, where mysterious murders take place.

The creators of "Terror" take real events as a basis and combine them with fantasy and horror, which makes it even worse. The reasons for the death of John Franklin's expedition are still unknown, and there are many legends about military camps.

13. American Horror Story

• USA, 2011 - present.
• Horror, thriller, drama.
• Duration: 9 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 0.

A well-known anthology series, each season of which tells its own story. They are dedicated to a murderer house, a mental hospital, modern witches, a sinister freak show, a bloody hotel and the paranormal.

The series is often accused of protracted seasons: as the finale approaches, the quality of the narrative sometimes drops sharply. Nevertheless, the combination of classic horror ideas, great visual presentation and social connotation continues to attract viewers.

12. Tales from the crypt

• USA, 1989-1996.
• Horror, fantasy, comedy.
• Duration: 7 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 0.

The dead man sitting in the crypt tells all sorts of stories about ghosts and monsters, and even more often about criminals who find themselves in terrible situations and receive their well-deserved punishment.

The series is based on comics that began to be released back in the 50s. The format of short, unrelated stories, interrupted by the narrator's black humor, allowed the authors to surprise the viewer with unexpected turns every time. Of course, most of the heroes are inveterate villains. But still, their terrible fate is really frightening.

11. Scary tales

• USA, Ireland, UK, 2014-2016.
• Horror, fantasy, drama.
• Duration: 3 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 2.

The action is set in Victorian London. Adventurer Ethan performs a mysterious job for Sir Malcolm and his unfortunate companion Miss Ives. The story is complemented by two more characters: the thrill-seeking eternally young decadent Dorian Gray and Dr. Frankenstein, who came face to face with one of his creations.

Fights with demons and frightening rituals are depicted in a thoughtful and original way. Blood, violence and eroticism coexist with lyrical and philosophical scenes, no less bewitching and shocking. It's no surprise that medieval horror films are always in demand.

10. At the call of sorrow

• France 2012-2015.
• Horror, fantasy, drama.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 2.

The series is set in a small alpine town with a dark history. People suddenly return to it, whom everyone considers dead. They do not understand what is happening to them and try to start a normal life.

The dark French TV series, which clearly traces the influence of the legendary "Twin Peaks", does not lean towards the banal horror movie about the living dead. This is a dramatic story with a viscous atmosphere. And therefore it looks more creepy than the usual zombie invasions.

9. The Walking Dead

• USA, 2010 - present.
• Horror, thriller, drama.
• Duration: 10 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 2.

The long-lived series tells the story of a small group of survivors after the outbreak of a zombie apocalypse. Heroes must confront a world full of dangerous monsters and even more dangerous people.

"The Walking Dead" is distinguished by high quality makeup and special effects: the zombies in the series are really disgusting and frightening. The visuals will definitely impress the audience. Although the plot often tends to melodrama.

8. Beyond the Possible

• USA, 1963-1965.
• Science fiction, thriller, detective.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 2.

This fantastic anthology tells about collisions with aliens, time travel, environmental disasters and all kinds of monsters.

Many famous authors have worked on the scripts for this series. Among them even science fiction writer Harlan Ellison, who came up with the episodes "Demon with a Glass Hand" and "Soldier". While the visuals of Beyond the Possible seem outdated today, some episodes about an apocalyptic future or hidden worlds still look intimidating.

7. Bates Motel

• USA, 2013-2017.
• Thriller, detective, horror.
• Duration: 5 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 2.

Young Norman Bates and his mother Norma buy a motel in a quiet town. They try to grow their business, but the constant troubles make their life more difficult. At the same time, Norma puts more and more pressure on her son, which damages his unstable psyche.

The prehistory of the legendary film by Alfred Hitchcock "Psycho" is interesting because the viewer initially knows how the story will end. And therefore, the image of a charming young man seems creepy from the very beginning. After all, everyone knows that he will turn into a psychopathic maniac.

6. Kingdom

• Denmark, Italy, Germany, 1994-1997.
• Horror, fantasy, drama.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 3.

The action takes place at the Royal Copenhagen Hospital. Strange things happen in the hospital: the patient hears the cry of a long-dead girl, the pathologist tries to get the liver of a dying person, and the surgeon hides his mistake during the operation.

Lars von Trier shot a metaphorical series with his own unique visual style: hand-held camera with sharp cuts and a yellowish filter. This approach creates a strange mystical atmosphere. Although there was a place in history for humor.

5. Hannibal

• USA, 2013-2015.
• Detective, thriller, drama.
• Duration: 3 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 5.

The series introduces viewers to a young FBI officer, Will Graham, who is able to penetrate the feelings and sensations of serial killers. To work on the next case, his colleague is appointed psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter, who manages to secretly commit sophisticated murders and prepare amazing dishes from his victims.

The incredibly beautiful series tells the backstory of the books by Thomas Harris about the sinister maniac Hannibal Lecter. Here this role was brilliantly played by Mads Mikkelsen, showing the villain stylish, smart and at the same time incredibly cruel.

4. Alfred Hitchcock presents

• USA, 1955-1965.
• Drama, horror, thriller.
• Duration: 10 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 5.

The famous director Alfred Hitchcock shot not only full-length films. In his anthology of short films, he collected chilling novellas, many of which have become classics. A very popular series "Open Window" about several nurses who locked themselves in the house from the killer, but forgot to close the window in the basement. Or the legendary episode "The Man from the South" about a strange bet: the hero must light a lighter 10 times in a row, otherwise his finger is chopped off.

Hitchcock's novellas create an incredible atmosphere of tension precisely due to the brevity. The action does not stretch, and there is only one storyline. Therefore, you simply cannot tear yourself away from the screen.

3. The ghosts of the house on the hill

• USA, 2018 - present.
• Horror, drama.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 7.

A family with five children acquires an old mansion on the outskirts. The parents want to renovate the house and sell it profitably. But soon they are faced with otherworldly forces, which leads to tragedy.

The plot of the series resembles a typical horror. But in reality, a leisurely drama is at the heart of it. And after the disclosure of the lives of the main characters, the nightmare begins.

2. Black mirror

• UK, 2011 - present.
• Science fiction, thriller, drama.
• Duration: 5 seasons.
• IMDb: 8, 8.

The dystopian British TV series explores the dangers of a new technological future. Each episode of the show is a separate and complete story related to the penetration of the Internet, virtual reality, new devices and other technologies into our lives.

Black Mirror has both satirical and downright frightening stories. But after each series, a heavy sediment remains. Indeed, with all the fantasticness shown on the screen, the technological world is becoming more and more similar to ours every year.

1. Twilight zone

• USA, 1959-1964.
• Science fiction, horror, thriller.
• Duration: 5 seasons.
• IMDb: 9, 0.

Rod Serling's classic science fiction anthology tells about other worlds, aliens or unusual technologies. Although all strange plots are directly related to human loneliness, cruelty and injustice.

"The Twilight Zone" is a real classic, without which there would be no "Beyond the Possible" or "Black Mirror". Surprisingly, the stories are relevant to this day, and many of them are really scary, because it is easy to recognize modern society in the plots.

This material was first published in September 2017. In November 2020, we updated the text.