27 best horror shows to watch (and 14 shows you should skip)
By Mads Lennon
Horror shows: Salem
- Seasons: 3
- Created by: Brannon Braga and Adam Simon
- Starring: Janet Montgomery, Shane West, Seth Gabel, Tamzin Merchant, Ashley Madekwe, Elise Eberle, Iddo Goldberg, Xander Berkeley, Joe Doyle and Oliver Bell
- Streaming: Hulu
Salem is one of those severely underrated shows, in my humble opinion. As someone who loves witches and dark magic in my horror, I’m always disappointed at how genuinely dark and disturbing witch shows and movies exist. We’ve got vampires, zombies and werewolves in spades, but somehow witches always get the short end of the stick.
That’s why the WGN show Salem was such a welcome breath of fresh air. It’s so over-the-top, gruesome, and even quite campy in its third season especially. Unfortunately, WGN canceled Salem after only three seasons. It does end on a partial cliffhanger, but not so bad that you can’t still watch and enjoy the series. Also, for a show that aired on television (WGN no longer exists; it’s now NewsNation), it was shocking how bloody and grotesque Salem could be (in the best way).
Salem starred Janet Montgomery as Mary Sibley (based on the actual historical figure), a powerful witch who comes to her prime at the height of witch hysteria during the Salem witch trials. Unbeknownst to the Puritans, who are doing whatever they can to rid their town of witches, everything they do is actually carefully controlled by Mary and her coven.
They serve as the puppet masters pulling strings in the village behind the scenes. But then Mary’s long-lost paramour John Alden (Shane West), returns to Salem, complicating her plans. Along with being a supernatural horror series, there are elements of gothic romance to Salem somewhat reminiscent of Showtime’s Penny Dreadful.
Verdict: WATCH