Though the horror genre has always seemingly thrived best in cinema, there have been many TV shows that have proved truly terrifying. Many successful horror shows have their basis in folklore or mythology, with many leaning into fantastical or sci-fi elements. Over the years, the very best horror shows have been able to exact a firm grip on the imaginations of their audiences, proving to be deeply frightening experiences for viewers. The best among them are able to continue haunting fans for years after viewing, with their most frightening aspects sticking fast and prompting, in some cases, decades of terrifying nightmares.
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Some of the shows in question have become legendary parts of pop culture, whereas others have passed into relative obscurity. Whether they’re underrated horror shows or groundbreaking blockbuster affairs, they all have one thing in common. Each and every one of them were able to be terrifying enough to continue haunting audiences for years after airing.
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1) Supernatural
As well as growing to become considered one of the best fantasy TV shows of all time, Supernatural offered up more than a few scares in its day. Particularly in the show’s early seasons, it focused primarily on folklore and urban legends. Many of the stories from this era were truly frightening, including some that are memorably haunting, with episodes such as “Bloody Mary”, “Skin”, and “Asylum” remembered as especially terrifying even years after release.
2) The Walking Dead
The reputation of The Walking Dead may have been somewhat tainted across the length of its run, but it still stands out as one of the best post-apocalyptic shows ever made. The comic book adaptation cemented itself as one of the most successful horror TV shows of all time, thanks in no small part to its bleak and persistently tense atmosphere. The truly terrifying element of The Walking Dead was always its potential for heart-wrenching narrative developments and good old-fashioned zombie horror, and in that context, it consistently delivered throughout its run.
3) Goosebumps
Though many might consider the Goosebumps series of the ’90s as too kid-friendly to be truly frightening, this isn’t entirely true. For those who grew up watching the show – and even some that didn’t – the scares served up by Goosebumps lurk persistently in the imagination, fueling nightmares for three decades. Despite its relatively tame approach to some of its subject matter, it’s a horror show whose legacy keeps it alive in the minds of audiences as one of the most frightening TV experiences of their young lives, and with its recent reboot, it will potentially do the same for a whole new generation.
4) The Haunting of Hill House
Although The Haunting of Hill House is an incredibly recent show in comparison to many of its contemporaries, it has still been terrifying viewers for years since its 2018 release. Loosely adapted from Shirley Jackson’s book of the same name, the show focused on the Crain family’s time living in Hill House and the ways it shaped their lives for the worse. As a pure, thoroughbred horror story presented in spine-tinglingly scary fashion, The Haunting of Hill House remains one of the scariest TV shows ever.
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5) Buffy The Vampire Slayer
As well as being considered one of the best TV shows of the ’90s, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of the most iconic horror shows ever made. Though its focus was largely on the titular slayer and her ongoing battle against vampires, it also featured countless other monsters, demons, and predatory creatures. There were many episodes that added to its horror pedigree, with many examples that continue to strike fear in the hearts of audiences even years later.
6) Twin Peaks
Whether Twin Peaks can truly be considered a horror TV show is somewhat debatable, but there’s no denying that its deliberately unsettling atmosphere remains frightening. Everything about the uncanny titular town seemed designed to put viewers on edge, with its initial central mystery only adding to both the intrigue and the tension of Twin Peaks. As well as retaining its cult following, Twin Peaks continues to unsettle audiences as strongly as it did when it originally aired.
7) The Twilight Zone
Beginning in 1959, The Twilight Zone turned its horror anthology premise into one of the greatest horror franchises of all time. The Twilight Zone‘s use of multiple genres including sci-fi and fantasy to deliver its often thought-provoking stories helped to establish it as one of the most groundbreaking TV shows of all time. As a result, the pop culture relevance of the show lives on, and many of its stories continue to haunt audiences more than half a century later.
