It’s finally October! ‘Tis the season for pumpkin spice lattes, Hunter boots, and sweaters, but more importantly for ghosts, goblins, zombies, witches, and warlocks; so how can you prepare yourself for the spookiest holiday of the year? By watching the spookiest shows, of course! This list is exclusively for Netflix, as I’ve found that most people have that streaming service. Unfortunately, TV shows like The X Files, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer aren’t on Netflix, so we have to skip them. Also, these are exclusively TV shows because we all know the best Halloween movies (Hocus Pocus, Halloweentown, and Ghostbusters – I’m looking at you)!
1. The Twilight Zone
You can’t go wrong with this classic television show; premiering in October of 1959, The Twilight Zone featured different bizarre stories in many genres such as suspense, horror, fantasy, and science fiction.Most times, there would be an unexpected twist and a lesson at the end of each episode.Episodes included nuclear destruction, psychics, the apocalypse, shape shifters, outer space, Communism, replacement bodies, etc. Each episode is about 24 minutes long, so it’s a great show to watch in a low-key setting.
2. Twin Peaks
An iconic ‘90s show, Twin Peaks was about the murder of a high-schooler Laura Palmer and the FBI Agent that’s on the case; but this small town was full of drama, secrets, and supernatural mystery.Although only two seasons long, episodes are nearly 50 minutes long and there are 38 in total, perfect for binging.
3. Stranger Things
This show obviously needs no introduction. If you haven’t seen the first season of Stranger Things yet, you are in the minority. But for those of you who haven’t gotten around to it, Stranger Things is about a boy who goes missing in a small town, his friends who try to find him, his family, and a government conspiracy all wrapped into one plot. Set in the 1980’s, this show is mystical and creepy with beautiful undercurrent themes of friendship and love. Season 2 will be released on October 27, so I’d highly recommend watching the first season before Stranger Things blows up the Internet again and something is spoiled for you.
4. Black Mirror
Set in a technologically advanced future, Black Mirror is like the Twilight Zone in that it shows different character’s stories each episode. Eerie and dark, Black Mirror shows unsettling views of humanity included within a high-tech environment. Popular opinion deems certain episodes more worthy of watching than others, but it’s completely up to the viewer as there is no continuous plot throughout the episodes.
5. Penny Dreadful
This show documents the classic stories of Dracula, Dr. Frankenstein, and Dorian Gray as well as other interesting characters, in Victorian London. Crime, drama, and other mysterious circumstances ensue. If you’re looking for a more traditionally spooky, Halloween-esque vibe, Penny Dreadful is a perfect show. Although it must be noted, it is not for the faint of heart (there’s a great deal of blood, gore, and graphic sex scenes).
Hopefully this list will help get you into the Halloween spirit!