Ash vs Evil Dead, Supernatural, 10 best horror TV series of the decade

Ash vs Evil Dead, Supernatural, Bates Motel and Hannibal are only just a few of the horror TV shows that stood out during the 2010’s. We are going to take a look at the 10 best examples of the genre over the last decade.

Ash vs Evil Dead, Supernatural, The Walking Dead. What do these horror series have in common? They are examples of some of the best television shows of the genre.

Most end of the year articles rank their entries. We are going to go about this in a different fashion. Instead of placing a value on our nominees, we want to celebrate their achievements. With that being said, here is our list of the 10 best horror TV series of the decade in no particular order.

The Haunting of Hill House (Netflix)

This Mike Flanagan directed adaptation of the classic Shirley Jackson story, ticked off all the boxes for horror fans last year with people discussing and dissecting every episode. The Haunting of Hill House is a chilling tale of siblings who as children were terrorized in their family home by spirits. After a tragedy occurs, they find themselves having to confront their horrifying past.

Well-written and executed, The Haunting of Hill House proves that the genre can be stylish and incredibly thought provoking.

Hannibal (Amazon Prime)

The Silence of the Lambs was an extremely successful film praised by critics and audiences alike. Jonathan Demme’s 1991 horror film starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins garnered several Academy Awards and rightly so.

In 2013, Bryan Fuller created the TV series, Hannibal which focused on the early years and the connection between Lecter and FBI wunderkind, Will Graham. Expert acting by Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy, coupled with some of the best writing for the medium made this a beloved favorite for fans of thrillers and compelling character studies.

Bates Motel (Netflix)

Interesting how most of our top TV shows of the decade are centered around adaptions of books or movies. Bates Motel is the offshoot of Alfred Hitchcock’s brilliant classic, Psycho.

Starring Vera Farmiga of The Conjuring universe and Freddie Highmore as Norma and Norman Bates respectively, this Carlton Cuse venture was a prequel to the 1960 film however, it was set in the current decade rather than the 1950’s.

Farmiga and Highmore had such palpable chemistry that it is easy to see why Norman is so tempted and tormented by his mother. Another shining example of the power of good storytelling.

Ash vs Evil Dead (Netflix)

A continuation of Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead trilogy featuring an older Bruce Campbell reprising his first feature film role. His battle-weary Ash Williams is no longer fighting Deadites. Instead, he is stocking shelves at the local Value Stop and filling his nights with smoking weed and boozy one-night stands.

That is until he accidentally reads from the Necronomicon and now, he is called upon to save the world from the evil that he re-awakened. This time he has a pair of kick ass sidekicks in tough-as-nails Kelly Maxwell and shaman in training, Pablo Simon Bolivar.

Ash vs Evil Dead was Campbell’s swan song with his chainsaw handed hero. Essentially, he took a one-dimensional character and turned him into Ash 2.0. In three seasons, we saw the evolution of the self-absorbed idiot become a father to his daughter, Brandy (who was the result of a brief marriage) and a true leader of men.

Supernatural (CW, Amazon Prime, Netflix)

There is a reason this series has lasted for 15 years. The dynamic between the Winchester brothers is touching and keeps the audience coming back for more. Couple that with action filled episodes where Sam and Dean must face off against demons, monsters or gods and it is a recipe for success.

Fans can’t get enough of this Eric Kripke production or Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki either which is why it is hard to believe that this season will be their last. In many ways, Supernatural paved the way for most of the genre shows by proving to network executives that it is possible to scare people and also provide them with engaging story telling during prime time.

Rounding out our selections of best horror series:

• Stranger Things (Netflix)
• Channel Zero (Amazon Prime)
• American Horror Story (Netflix)
• True Blood (HBO Now)
• The Walking Dead (AMC, Netflix)

Some Honorable Mentions:

• The Terror (AMC)
• Scream Queens (Hulu)
• Slasher (Netflix)

Have you watched any of these TV series? What are your thoughts on our choices? Any shows you would add? Let us know in the comments.