Horror has long haunted the small screen, evolving from eerie anthology tales to serialized psychological terror that lingers well after the credits roll. Whether it’s supernatural suspense, gruesome monsters, or the slow, creeping dread of the unknown, television has delivered some of the most unforgettable scares across decades. This list explores the greatest horror TV shows of all time—series that not only terrified audiences but redefined the genre for each generation. So turn down the lights, and get ready for some spine-tingling television.
These are the 50 Greatest Horror TV Shows of All Time.
20. Midnight Mass (2021)
There will never be another show like Midnight Mass. Inspired heavily by his personal struggles with faith and alcoholism, Mike Flanagan penned something really unique with Midnight Mass: a slow-burn horror that’s deeply concerned with its human characters and their different kinds of grief. Though Riley Flynn, an alcoholic recently released from prison for killing someone while driving drunk, is our main character, the show is more about the whole cast. While there’s plenty of gore and genuinely skin-crawling scenes, this show has a lot of yapping, but I think it’s necessary for the story Flanagan wants to tell. I rewatch it every single year, and I’m always moved by the ending. It’s not going to be for everyone, but it’s definitely something very special.
–Valerie Morreale
19. Channel Zero (2016–18)
We live in a universe where American Horror Story has had 12 seasons, and this show struggled to get four. Each of its quartet of stand-alone seasons is based on a different “creepypasta,” the viral online horror stories that have kept insomniacs up since the dawn of the Web. The first season, based on Candle Cove, gave birth to the nightmare inducing Tooth Child; season three, based on Butcher’s Block, gave Rutger Hauer one of his best villain roles and season four, based on Dream Door, had Pretzel Jack, the best horror icon of the last decade no one talks about.
–Sailor Monsoon
18. The Terror (2018 – Present)
The Terror is an anthology horror drama series that comprises two self-contained seasons, each radically different. The first is inspired by the novel of the same name, which fictionalized the ill-fated Franklin Expedition, a real 19th-century British voyage to the Arctic that disappeared without a trace. The second season (subtitled Infamy) shifts to a very different historical context, Japanese-American internment camps during World War II.
The first season follows Captain Sir John Franklin (Ciarán Hinds), Captain Francis Crozier (Jared Harris), and Commander James Fitzjames (Tobias Menzies) as they lead HMS Erebus and Terror into uncharted Arctic waters in search of the Northwest Passage. As the ships become icebound and the crew is stranded, they face starvation, scurvy, mutiny and an unseen creature that stalks them across the ice. Set during WWII, Infamy follows Chester Nakayama (Derek Mio), a second-generation Japanese-American, who begins to suspect that a supernatural entity is targeting his family and others at an internment camp.
The Terror distinguishes itself in the horror genre by rooting its scares in real history. Rather than relying solely on jump scares or gore, it uses horror as a lens through which to examine deeper human issues: colonialism, isolation, cultural memory, and moral decay. Its anthology format allows it to shift focus while maintaining a consistent tone that is slow-burning, atmospheric, and psychologically intense. Hopefully, the long-awaited third season is worth the insanely long wait.
–Sailor Monsoon
17. Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1990 – 2022)
Are You Afraid of the Dark? became a cultural touchstone for ’90s kids, akin to what Goosebumps was in literature. It created a gateway to the horror genre for young audiences, one that respected their intelligence without pandering. Many now-adult viewers credit the series with their enduring love of horror and storytelling. Even though it had a paper-thin budget and inconsistent acting, the show still managed to deliver some legit nightmare-inducing imagery. Each episode is a self-contained story told by a group of teenagers known as The Midnight Society, who meet in the woods at night to share their spooky tales. Everyone who grew up with it has their personal favorite episode (mine is The Tale of the Dead Man’s Float, which might have the scariest monster in any children’s show ever), which is a true testament to the strength of the episodes. Its minimalist storytelling, eerie atmosphere, and imaginative scenarios influenced later anthology shows and children’s media, and it continues to resonate as a nostalgic favorite with surprising staying power. There’s a reason it’s been revived so many times, its fans just can’t get enough of the Midnight Society.
–Sailor Monsoon
16. Paranoia Agent (2004)
Satoshi Kon was a genius who made four perfect films and then died tragically young. With new anime directors being influenced by his work on a near-constant basis, his impact on the industry cannot be overstated. He was a true visionary who changed the medium for all time, but as good as his films are, his best work might be the 13-episode psychological thriller known as Paranoia Agent. It remains one of the most unique and intellectually provocative anime series ever made—a surreal and unsettling exploration of mass hysteria, psychological repression, and the blurring of reality and illusion.
Unlike traditional anime with linear plots or conventional heroes, Paranoia Agent is a fragmented, metafictional mystery that combines noir, horror, satire, and social commentary. The central plot is triggered by a seemingly random act of violence but quickly spirals into something much larger, abstract, and disturbing. The story begins with Tsukiko Sagi, a timid character designer famous for creating the ultra-cute pink dog Maromi. Under intense pressure to replicate her past success, Tsukiko is attacked by a mysterious figure, a young boy with golden rollerblades and a bent metal bat, later dubbed Lil’ Slugger. As detectives Ikari and Kawazu investigate, more victims appear across Tokyo, each one assaulted by Lil’ Slugger under increasingly surreal circumstances. But instead of fear, victims often feel relief after being attacked.
It becomes clear that Lil’ Slugger may not be a real person at all, but a manifestation of shared delusions, suppressed trauma, or society’s collective anxiety. As the series progresses, traditional storytelling disintegrates. Episodes become dreamlike, symbolic, and sometimes anthology-like, with side characters overtaking the main narrative. Reality becomes indistinguishable from fantasy, a hallmark of Satoshi Kon’s style (also seen in Perfect Blue and Paprika). While Paranoia Agent wasn’t a massive commercial hit, it’s critically acclaimed and revered among fans of mature anime. It’s often studied alongside Kon’s films for its critique of media, identity, and contemporary malaise. The show is not just a mystery to be solved, It’s a mirror held up to the anxieties of modern life. It explores how we deal with pressure, failure, and identity in an increasingly disconnected world.
–Sailor Monsoon
15. Stranger Things (2016 – Present)
When young Will Byers goes missing after a late-night D&D session, weird things start to happen. One might even say … stranger things. Okay, okay, in all seriousness, this is not a missing person police drama. It’s an ’80s creature feature with hints at eldritch horror, all contextualized through the popular role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. Despite sounding like a mishmash on paper, when this show works, it’s pure magic. The Duffer Brothers nail the ’80s Stephen King aesthetic in the fictional town of Hawkins, and the kid actors are just great. They carry the weight of the story and hold their own alongside acting heavyweights like Winona Ryder, Matthew Modine, and David Harbour. While it differs in quality throughout (like many shows on this list), it’s still solid. The latest season is the show at its best since season 1, and with the high stakes the season ends on, I’m excited for the final season.
–Valerie Morreale
14. Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974–75)
Duel will forever hold the title as the greatest made-for-TV movie ever, but I’d argue The Night Stalker is a strong contender for the second-best. With a teleplay by Richard Matheson and a phenomenal performance by Darren McGavin, this movie was so good, it spawned a sequel and a television show. A television show whose influence can still be seen to this day. There is no The X-Files or Supernatural without Kolchak: The Night Stalker. Despite its brief run (only 20 episodes), Kolchak became a cult classic and is widely regarded as a forerunner of modern supernatural procedural dramas.
The show follows Carl Kolchak, a scrappy reporter working at a shitty newspaper and each week, while chasing down what appear to be mundane crime stories, Kolchak uncovers a hidden truth: vampires, werewolves, demons, ancient curses, and other paranormal threats are real and are active in modern America. Kolchak is the only one who sees the truth, but no one believes him. Every episode ends with Kolchak foiled from publishing the real story, left with nothing but his notes and mounting frustration. Kolchak: The Night Stalker may have had a short life, but its influence has echoed for decades.
–Sailor Monsoon
13. The Walking Dead (2010–22)
Let’s be honest – all, if not most of us, are zombie fanatics. Whether they’re the focus of a top-notch horror film or a rib-cracking comedy, just about everyone enjoys them to some capacity. That’s why The Walking Dead was an instant hit when it premiered in 2010. Based on Robert Kirkman’s comic book series of the same name, this gritty series portrays life in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by flesh-hungry beings. From the get-go, viewers are captivated by the danger and uncertainty surrounding the show’s main characters. Tensions run high throughout each season as those who aren’t yet undead try to navigate their new normal while trying not to rip into each other. Every episode sees the survivors faced with war, heartbreak, jealousy, betrayal, and the possibility of death from both the ever-growing population of zombies and the living. If you haven’t given this show a watch yet, it is highly recommended. One word of advice, however – don’t get too attached to any one character, because, in this world, no one is safe. Oh, and if Daryl dies, we riot.
–Ricky Ratt
12. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997 – 2003)
Undeniably one of the most successful shows based on a movie, this cultural behemoth ran for seven seasons and 144 episodes, far eclipsing the movie in popularity. Just like the movie, the show follows Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), a seemingly ordinary high school girl who is also the “Slayer”, a chosen warrior destined to fight vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness. What began as a subversive teen horror concept became one of the most influential television series of the late 1990s and early 2000s. It redefined what genre TV could be and ushered in a wave of similar action-heavy soap opera-esque shows. Blending monster-of-the-week plots with season-long arcs and emotional continuity, Buffy helped set the template for modern television. Love it or hate it, there’s no denying the crater-sized impact it had on the landscape of genre storytelling. It’s far more than a cult classic, it’s an undeniable game changer. That reboot has impossibly large shoes to fill.
–Sailor Monsoon
11. 30 Coins (2020–23)
When my friend recommended this show to me, he described it as “absolutely batshit.” He’s right, but honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen another horror show this bonkers and off the wall. The 30 Coins the title references are the thirty pieces of silver Judas was paid to betray Jesus. Except it’s modern day, and these coins are really cursed artifacts. How this show approaches religious horror is particularly interesting because it shows God and Satan as two sides of the same coin, one amoral religious entity with multiple motives and presentations. The second season takes place at least partially in Hell, and what they choose to do with the architecture and setting is brilliant. Plus, Paul Giamatti is in this, just having the time of his life. It’s a lot and it’s not for everyone, but if you vibe with this, you’ll REALLY like it.
–Valerie Morreale
30-21 | 10-1
40 down, 10 to go. Which horror TV shows do you think cracked the Top 10?