Small-Screen Stream: The Best Spooky Shows To Stream This Halloween Season

Back in the '80s, horror kings George Romero and Stephen King worked together to bring us Creepshow. The anthology film would go on to become a trilogy over the years. Now, in 2019, it's become a show that you can stream weekly in the same anthological format. The first season will feature six episodes, each with two short stories a piece. Episode one is already up on Shudder, and the next one's coming your way on October 3. Pink shirt is optional. 

It's rare that I give a show a second chance after not being into their first season. Who has the time? With that in mind, I desperately wanted to be in love with The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. The thing about the show's first season is that it isn't ostensibly bad. There's so much to love in those first episodes! Technically, seasons one and two were shot as one, which ultimately didn't do the show any favors. Those quibbles aside, this iteration of Sabrina will absolutely cast a spell on you if you give it the chance. 

Of all the entries on this list, I feel pretty comfortable labelling The Haunting of Hill House as the scariest. Mortality looms as scares of all shapes and sizes lurk around every corner. It gets remembered for its scares, but this one works so well because of how hard it makes you fall for its characters. Each one of them is special, both as child and adult. It becomes more horrifying as it progresses because you're so deeply invested in each one of the children, and the story of the house itself. 

Creepshow isn't the only classic fave to make a comeback this year. The Twilight Zone also returned, this time with none other than Jordan Peele. Another anthology (just like its predecessor), the show's first season spreads across a series of ten episodes with varying levels of creep factor. Mileage may vary on some of the episodes but, as a whole, the remake was a win. You can expect season two to come your way in the future! 

After the success of It: Chapter One and Gerald's Game in 2017, Stephen King fans were clamoring for a new adaptation to hold them over until the next wave of films came out in 2019. Castle Rock was the perfect answer to that question. Featuring a mash up of beloved King properties from the years, the show follows "The Kid" and the complicated stories tied to his history with Shawshank. This one's a slow burn that's definitely not meant to be watched while multitasking.

Santa Clarita Diet isn't horror, you say? Well, friend. I'm inclined to agree with you! With that in mind, I wanted to include a fresh cannibal option that wasn't Hannibal. Besides, Santa Clarita Diet is exceptional, and everyone should have something to watch during spooky season (even the folks who don't like being scared)! With exceptional performances by Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant, this one's a must-see. 

Were you into Psycho (1960)? Bates Motel is probably gonna be your jam. Never seen Psycho (1960)? That's ok! It's not going anywhere, so you've got time. More importantly, Bates Motel stands solidly on its own two feet. With the incredible Vera Farmiga as Norma Bates, and Freddie Highmore as the repressed (and abused) Norman. The show may be long since finished, but that just means you've got five seasons to binge while you decorate your haunt! 

Though criminally not long for this world, the two seasons of The Exorcist are way better than they're given credit for. This one's another anthology series, but it also features plenty of recurring characters that pop up throughout the show's twenty episode run. Two very different men, one possession, and a whole lot of demonic shenanigans are packed into the show's two compact seasons. 

So much beauty exists within the horror genre. It's in every corner, whether it be gore, the macabre, or folk offerings. Every show on this list is gorgeous in its own way, but none so much as Penny Dreadful. This little masterpiece focused on stories within the public domain, giving us tales of Mina Harker, Dorian Gray, Van Helsing, and so many more. Three seasons of vampires, immortals, and monsters are waiting to show you just how stunning scary can be. 

There were a whole lot of injustices in 2018. Near the top is the fact that The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell wasn't renewed for a second season.  The delightfully spooky show revolves around Christine McConnel, an artist and baker who enlists the help of her friends to create all sorts of haunted treats. It's worth mentioning that a lot of the post production was up to the exceptionally talented McConnel, who even went so far as to shoot much of the show's promo material herself. Give the ghoul a watch!