The 11 Most Entertaining Horror TV Shows
A List of Several Entertaining TV Programs that Feature One or More Aspects of Horror
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- CreatorMark FrostDavid LynchStarsKyle MacLachlanMichael OntkeanMädchen AmickAn idiosyncratic FBI agent investigates the murder of a young woman in the even more idiosyncratic town of Twin Peaks.David Lynch's revolutionary small-town melodrama begins with the prom queen wrapped in plastic and ends with an epic multi-dimensional clash between good and evil. The question of who killed Laura Palmer penetrates through all layers of the town's society, bringing to light the secrets of many citizens.
Wildly popular in its original broadcast run, this unforgettable TV series deftly combines mystery, drama, comedy, and horror in ways never imagined possible before its run. David Lynch changed the face of television and forever influenced the next generation of TV creators. - CreatorJames Manos Jr.StarsMichael C. HallJennifer CarpenterDavid ZayasHe's smart. He's lovable. He's Dexter Morgan, America's favorite serial killer, who spends his days solving crimes and nights committing them.A traumatized boy tries to constructively channel his homicidal tendencies into vigilante justice under the tutelage of his detective stepfather in this Miami-based thriller. Dexter's attempt to grow into a well-adjusted person and become a family man often clash with his darker desires and attempts to cover up his unconventional pastime from his co-workers at the police department.
The show's writing, directing, and acting are almost always spectacular, thought-provoking, and entertaining. Dexter's relationships with people are fascinating to watch and his voice-over explanations of his internal thought process are frequently profound and funny at once. Dexter applies the most sophisticated forensics techniques and blood spatter analysis to track down and verify which killers he targets next, making this a far more innovative police procedural drama than you can find on conventional network television. - CreatorJoss WhedonStarsSarah Michelle GellarNicholas BrendonAlyson HanniganA young woman, destined to slay vampires, demons and other infernal creatures, deals with her life fighting evil, with the help of her friends.Before making the upcoming Avengers movie, Joss Whedon made his first big splash in this small-screen, irreverent teen dramedy meets science fiction/horror/fantasy TV series. Twilight, True Blood, The Vampire Diaries, and a slew of other lesser imitators cannot compare with Sarah Michelle Gellar's original and fearless portrayal of a lonely high schooler who fights the forces of evil on a daily basis to protect an ungrateful and frequently cruel world.
Her supporting cast of Giles (a British professor of occult studies dedicated to helping Buffy target and eliminate dangerous threats by posing as her school librarian), Angel (a Vampire with a conscience who falls in love with Buffy), Spike (a Vampire without a conscience who falls in love with Buffy), Xander (a supportive if sarcastic sidekick), and Willow (a nerd turned teen experimenter and eventual witch) fill out Buffy's entourage and are all variably helpful/harmful to Buffy depending on the day of the week.
Each character feels remarkably real for such a fantastic premise and their struggles are universal to an audience of all ages. Joss Whedon's stylized flair for combining the dramatic and comedic make it the most surprising and pleasurable pop culture phenomenon since Twin Peaks. Best when watched with friends, but still great when you are alone. - CreatorDavid GreenwaltJoss WhedonStarsDavid BoreanazCharisma CarpenterAlexis DenisofThe vampire Angel, cursed with a soul, moves to Los Angeles and aids people with supernatural-related problems while questing for his own redemption.Afraid of hurting Buffy by reverting to his out-of-control vampire state once again in the future, Angel leaves Sunnydale to become a private detective in Los Angeles. There he enlists the help of some old and new friends as he battles an evil law firm (Wolfram and Hart) and a host of other natural and unnatural foes bent on tormenting the City of Angels.
Early seasons featured regular (if infrequent) episodes interconnecting the plots of Buffy with those of Angel, so we recommend watching both series concurrently according to the order by their original air dates. But for the most part, the two shows can be understood and enjoyed separately, too, if you are so inclined.
But you should be aware that even during the long stretches in the later seasons when the two shows might seem less interconnected than before, thematic parallels and the occasional crossover character or plot will still motivate you to watch both series together in their original viewing order.
Taking a step away from the more light-hearted Buffy, Angel leaves the world of high schoolers far behind him as he explores a slightly darker and more mature world of problems. Angel's entourage is not quite as strong as Buffy's at first, but over the first three seasons he will slowly assemble a strong, formidable, and entertaining team.
The series takes a while to gain its footing, but like Buffy, Angel is a classic and one of the funniest shows on this list. The muppet episode "Smile Time" in Season 5 is generally considered one of the funniest episodes of television ever. While the series Angel is a little more inconsistent in its greatness than was Buffy, during their concurrent runs one could argue there were stretches when Angel even outperformed its predecessor series.
But it is like comparing apples and oranges. Buffy and Angel are different series with similar and interconnected stories, but with slightly altered tones and styles.
Viewing Order:
Buffy Seasons 1-3
Buffy Seasons 4-7 with Angel Seasons 1-4
Angel Season 5 - CreatorVince GilliganStarsBryan CranstonAaron PaulAnna GunnA chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer turns to manufacturing and selling methamphetamine with a former student in order to secure his family's future.High School chemistry teacher Walter White has played by the rules his whole life and is frustrated by his mediocre existence and is shaken by a diagnosis of terminal lung cancer. Afraid that his family will be left with debilitating debts after his passing, Walter turns to a temporary life as an illegal drug manufacturer.
Horrific in its brutally honest depiction of the drug trade, this groundbreaking series is noted for its expert writing, directing, and superb acting, particularly in the form of Bryan Cranston's Emmy-Winning Role as Walter White. - CreatorFrank DarabontStarsAndrew LincolnNorman ReedusMelissa McBrideSheriff Deputy Rick Grimes wakes up from a coma to learn the world is in ruins and must lead a group of survivors to stay alive.A deceptively simple depiction of a Deputy's troubled existence after he awakes from a coma in a hospital only to be greeted by a post-apocalyptic world after a zombie invasion. His desire to find and reunite with his wife and son drive him through this show's popular first season. Series creator Frank Darabont (director of The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, Etc.) crafts an exquisitely realistic and horrific look at humanity's struggle for survival in a zombie-filled Georgia.
- CreatorChris CarterStarsDavid DuchovnyGillian AndersonMitch PileggiTwo F.B.I. Agents, Fox Mulder the believer and Dana Scully the skeptic, investigate the strange and unexplained, while hidden forces work to impede their efforts.A fascinating series tracking the adventures of a conspiracy-investigating FBI Agent Fox Mulder and his skeptical medical doctor partner Dana Scully. A genuinely frightening show at its best, a frustratingly unsatisfying long-term story arc at its worst, this show has featured some unforgettable stories that make this series the Twilight Zone of our generation. Truly thought-provoking and intelligently made.
- CreatorJ.J. AbramsJeffrey LieberDamon LindelofStarsJorge GarciaJosh HollowayYunjin KimThe survivors of a plane crash are forced to work together in order to survive on a seemingly deserted tropical island.A powerful ensemble drama, this series frequently crosses into other genre territory with a particular emphasis on science fiction and horror. One of the most interesting TV series ever developed, Lost's island features monsters and myths wrestling with science and faith in a cataclysmic war between light and dark.
- CreatorTim KringStarsJack ColemanHayden PanettiereMilo VentimigliaCommon people discover that they have super powers. Their lives intertwine as a devastating event must be prevented.As humans begin developing super powers, the government attempts to keep them all in check and under wraps until one of the supers develops into a frightening psychopath who seeks to wipe out all of his kind and dominate the world. As terrifying and horrific as anything seen on network television, this series will chill you as much as thrill you.
- CreatorHart HansonStarsEmily DeschanelDavid BoreanazMichaela ConlinF.B.I. Special Agent Seeley Booth teams up with the Jeffersonian's top anthropologist, Dr. Temperance Brennan, to investigate cases where all that's left of the victims are their bones.This rather comedic police procedural features some of the most bizarre and disturbing murders depicted on network television. Co-starring David Boreanz from Buffy and Angel, Bones is surprisingly entertaining and light-hearted show in spite of its frequently horrific content. The romantic tension between the two leads is drawn out for far too long, but its quirky retinue of supporting characters help even this show out to make it enjoyable.
- CreatorVeena SudStarsMireille EnosJoel KinnamanBilly CampbellA police investigation, the saga of a grieving family, and a Seattle mayoral campaign all interlock after the body of 17-year-old Rosie Larsen is found in the trunk of a submerged car.Although similar in plot and location to Twin Peaks, The Killing is its own organism and is a fascinating remake of a Danish TV series following the murder investigation of a young high school girl. So far the series is promising and we are anxiously awaiting the final episodes of its first season.