7 new (and old) horror TV shows to watch this October
By Mads Lennon
Watching a scary movie is an unparalleled experience, but there is something to be said for the slow-burn ride we get from horror television shows, where the scares are more spread out and often build to an intense climactic finale. Genre fans have a bounty of choices to pick from this fall, with streamers like Peacock releasing fresh new series and Netflix remaining home to the bulk of Mike Flanagan's stellar catalog.
On the returning side, there's currently a new season of the captivating yet puzzling horror show From, season 2 of Amazon's psychological thriller The Devil's Hour, and new episodes of Hulu's American Horror Stories. Hulu will also stream new episodes of What We Do in the Shadows when the final season kicks off later this month.
In short, there's plenty of scary TV to watch if you want to take a movie break. Here are some new and old favorites we're watching this Halloween season.
Teacup
Based on Robert McCammon's book Stinger, Teacup follows a disparate group of people stranded on a small farm in Georgia as a mysterious force presses in on them from outside. An unnerving man in a gas mask sprays a blue line around the farm—and let's just say, you do not want to find out what happens when you step across it.
Newly released on Peacock, the James Wan-produced Teacup is one of October's buzziest new shows and is currently certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Only two episodes are currently streaming, with two dropping every Thursday until the Halloween finale, meaning there's still time to catch up!
Hysteria!
You might read the synopsis for Hysteria! and zone out when it mentions a group of teenagers trying to get their metal band off the ground (some of us are still scarred from Metal Lords), but I promise you that this Peacock Original is worth it and far more charming than you might anticipate.
Set in the 1980s, Hysteria! is set at the height of the Satanic Panic and focuses on teenagers who think pretending to become Satanists will give them the street cred they need to get taken seriously as metalheads. Boasting a great cast that includes Bruce Campbell, Julie Bowen, and Anna Camp, Hysteria! is a total blast with Scream vibes. All eight episodes start streaming on Friday, October 18.
The Devil's Hour
The second season of this Prime Video thriller launches globally this Friday, October 18. Peter Capaldi and Jessica Raine are back and their characters, Gideon and Lucy, must work together to "hunt down an elusive monster." This season, Lucy will find herself torn between her home life and her work when a surprising person reappears. This season promises to answer many of season 1's lingering questions and mysteries.
Salem
There aren't enough genuinely scary shows about witches. Don't get me wrong, I love cutesy, cozy stuff like Practical Magic and Hocus Pocus, but when it comes to the gruesome, dark stuff, options slim down significantly. Some of the best options are Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Penny Dreadful (specifically season 2), Mayfair Witches, American Horror Story: Coven, and A Discovery of Wtiches, but if you want really disturbing stuff with stronger writing than American Horror Story—you have to give Salem a chance.
It has been off the air for seven years now, and I still obsess over it. I wish it had gotten the chance to run for a few more seasons, but I'm thankful we have at least three seasons (and 30+ episodes) to enjoy. Salem focuses on witches in the titular Massachusetts town who use the puritanical hysteria to their advantage as part of an overarching scheme to summon the Devil.
Before
Before is the only series on this list that hasn't started airing yet, but it's worth keeping an eye out for this psychological thriller starring Billy Crystal. Premiering on October 25 on Apple TV+, Before follows a child psychiatrist (Crystal) haunted by his wife's (Judith Light) recent passing and his strange connection to a troubled child named Eli.
Bookmark now on Apple TV+
The Haunting of Hill House
Family angst, ghosts, and brilliant writing, The Haunting of Hill House remains not only one of the best horror series of all time but a prominent reminder of just how brilliant Mike Flanagan is as a creator. Then again, you can't really go wrong with any Flanagan show.
Not in the mood for Hill House? There's always Midnight Mass, The Fall of the House of Usher, or one of his many excellent movies—Hush, Doctor Sleep, and Ouija: Origin of Evil, just to name a few—to revisit instead. Hill House remains the golden standard for scary television, in my humble opinion. It's just so damn good and still genuinely terrifying.
From
Are you a fan of puzzle-box mystery shows like Lost, Teacup, and Yellowjackets? If so, you need to board the train to Fromville. From the producers of Lost, comes From, a show with a similar conceit about a group of people that become trapped in a single location with no escape in sight.
Instead of a deserted island, the people of From get stuck in a rural ghost town, and every night, they're stalked by monsters who have no qualms about eviscerating their victims. Now in its third season, From is just getting better and better. Time to catch up!
Next. 8 Halloween costumes inspired by 2024 horror films. 8 Halloween costumes inspired by 2024 horror films. dark