I love horror movies, but there’s something extra satisfying about a good horror TV show. Instead of getting 90 minutes of creepy, you get HOURS. More time for the story to build, more time to get attached to characters who will probably make terrible decisions, and… most importantly… more time to try to figure out what the heck is actually going on.
My favorite horror shows are all over the place. Give me a murder mystery. Give me ghosts. Give me a deeply disturbed motel owner. Give me ridiculous amounts of blood and a chainsaw.
So, if you’re looking for something creepy to binge, especially as we start creeping toward spooky season, here are five of my favorite horror TV shows.
5. Widow’s Bay 🌊👻
Starting off the list with Widow’s Bay, because I LOVE a creepy little town where something clearly isn’t right.
There is just something about horror set in an isolated community that immediately gets me. You have the eerie atmosphere, strange history, secrets, and that constant feeling that there is something much bigger happening underneath the surface.
This is exactly the kind of show I want to watch when I’m in the mood to get cozy on the couch, turn the lights down, and completely disappear into a creepy mystery for a few hours.
Why I love it: Creepy coastal vibes, mystery, supernatural weirdness, and the feeling that you absolutely should not move to this town.
Spooky rating: 👻👻👻👻
4. Ash vs Evil Dead 🩸🪚
And now we go in a COMPLETELY different direction.
Ash vs Evil Dead is pure horror chaos, and I mean that as the highest compliment possible.
It has everything I love about the Evil Dead universe: ridiculous gore, demons, dark humor, absolutely unhinged situations, and, of course, Ash being Ash.
This isn’t the kind of horror show that has you hiding under the blanket because you’re terrified. It’s the kind that has you saying, “WHAT IS HAPPENING?!” while laughing as gallons of fake blood somehow end up covering everything on screen.
Sometimes horror doesn’t need to be serious. Sometimes I just want demons, a chainsaw, and complete nonsense.
Why I love it: It’s bloody, funny, campy, ridiculous, and knows exactly what kind of show it is.
Spooky rating: 👻👻👻
Chaos rating: 🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸
3. The Haunting of Hill House 🏚️👻
Okay, now we’re getting emotionally traumatized.
The Haunting of Hill House is one of those rare horror shows that manages to genuinely scare you while also making you incredibly invested in the people at the center of the story.
The Crain family and Hill House itself are basically permanently burned into my brain.
What I love most about this show is that the horror isn’t just about ghosts. It’s about family, grief, trauma, addiction, loss, and the way things that happen to us can follow us long after we think we’ve escaped them.
And then, you know…
THERE ARE ALSO GHOSTS EVERYWHERE.
One of my favorite things about rewatching Hill House is spotting all the creepy background details you didn’t notice the first time. You’ll just be watching a scene and suddenly realize THERE HAS BEEN A GHOST STANDING THERE THE ENTIRE TIME.
Absolutely not.
Why I love it: Beautiful storytelling, genuinely creepy moments, hidden ghosts, amazing characters, and emotional damage.
Spooky rating: 👻👻👻👻👻
Emotional damage rating: 💀💀💀💀💀
2. Bates Motel 🔪🏨
If you haven’t watched Bates Motel, PLEASE understand that Norman Bates will stress you out for five seasons straight.
And you will keep watching anyway.
This show is such a good example of psychological horror because you already know where Norman Bates eventually ends up—but watching how everything develops makes it so much more disturbing.
Freddie Highmore is incredible as Norman, but Vera Farmiga as Norma Bates is EVERYTHING.
The relationship between Norman and Norma is complicated, uncomfortable, loving, toxic, heartbreaking, and sometimes completely horrifying. You spend so much of the show thinking, “Norma… girl… we need to make some different choices here.”
Spoiler: different choices are rarely made.
It’s dark, uncomfortable, dramatic, and incredibly bingeable.
Why I love it: Amazing acting, psychological horror, complicated characters, and the slow transformation of Norman Bates.
Spooky rating: 👻👻👻👻
“Norman PLEASE” rating: 🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪
1. Harper’s Island 🔪🌲
If you know me, you probably aren’t surprised that Harper’s Island is sitting at number one.
I LOVE THIS SHOW.
And I will forever believe it deserved more attention.
The premise is basically my dream horror setup: a group of people travel to an isolated island for a wedding, except the island also happens to be the location of a horrifying killing spree from years earlier.
What could possibly go wrong?!
EVERYTHING.
People start dying. Everyone becomes suspicious. Secrets start coming out. And suddenly you’re sitting there trying to figure out who the killer is while simultaneously yelling at the characters for wandering around alone.
It’s basically a slasher movie stretched into an entire season, and I mean that in the best possible way.
There are twists. There are brutal deaths. There are characters you actually care about. And there is a mystery that keeps you guessing.
I watched it years ago and STILL think about it.
Honestly, if you love movies like Scream, this should immediately go on your watch list.
Why I love it: Slasher vibes, murder mystery, isolated setting, twists, and the constant WHO IS THE KILLER?! feeling.
Spooky rating: 👻👻👻👻👻
Ashli-approved slasher rating: 🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪
My Final Ranking
1. Harper’s Island 🔪
2. Bates Motel 🏨
3. The Haunting of Hill House 👻
4. Ash vs Evil Dead 🪚
5. Widow’s Bay 🌊
The best part about this list is that these shows are all completely different.
Want a murder mystery? Harper’s Island.
Want psychological horror? Bates Motel.
Want ghosts AND emotional trauma? The Haunting of Hill House.
Want blood, demons, and absolute chaos? Ash vs Evil Dead.
Want a creepy supernatural mystery in a town where you definitely shouldn’t buy real estate? Widow’s Bay.
Basically, whatever kind of spooky mood I’m in, one of these works.
Now I want to know yours:
What’s your favorite horror TV show of all time? And more importantly, what horror show do you think I NEED to watch next? 👻🔪
Because my watch list can always get longer.
Happy haunting. 🖤
