The Best Horror TV Shows To Watch Right Now

We all enjoy a good scare — something that sends a chill racing down our spines, making the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

If it’s goosebumps you are looking for, it sounds like you are in need of an episodic fright fest through the expansive library of the best horror TV shows.

And you have nothing to fear (at least not yet), as we are here to help. Here’s our top ten list of the definitive and bone-chillingly scariest horror TV series available right now.

BBC

Hide behind your sofas, and make sure those doors are locked, bolted, and barricaded…

Sleepless nights, here we come!

1. Hammer House Of Horrors
2. The Purge
3. Hellsing Ultimate
4. Penny Dreadful
5. American Horror Story
6. Castlevania
7. Dracula
8. Swamp Thing
9. The Walking Dead
10. The Haunting Of Hill House

1. 

   Hammer House Of Horrors

   Hammer House Of Horror is a classic hallmark of British horror and worthy of a spot on the list of the best horror TV shows.

   The series was created in the 1980s by Hammer Films, a production company renowned for its work on the gothic horror genre.

   Presented as an anthology series depicting various ghouls, monsters, witches, and serial killers, Hammer House Of Horror was a TV series unlike any before it.

   And today it is still one of the best horror TV shows due to its unmatched ability to capture the essence and atmosphere required for any good terror-inducing experience.

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2. 

   The Purge

   The Purge is most widely recognised as a series of films, but did you know that the concept was also adapted for the small screen in 2018?

   Now spanning two full seasons, the horror TV show utilised the unique concept of its cinematic predecessors to great effect, immersing viewers once more in the annual Purge – a night of lawlessness officially sanctioned by the residing US government. Any crime, no matter how grievous, is legal, including murder.

   As you can imagine, it is incredibly entertaining as you never know where it is going next.

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3. 

   Hellsing Ultimate

   Animated series Hellsing Ultimate is one of the best horror TV shows, and provides a stylistic approach to the horror genre, engrossing viewers in a slew of blood and guts.

   Yet, despite its gratuitous violence, the series manages to indulge a sense of narrative cohesion and presents well-developed characterisation across its eclectic cast—no doubt influenced by its Japanese manga routes.

   A reboot of sorts to the original Hellsing anime, Ultimate follows the exploits of vampire Alucard and the Hellsing Organisation as they endeavour to protect humanity from the supernatural, sticking closely to the plot outlined by the source material.

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4. 

   Penny Dreadful

   Penny Dreadful is one of many horror adaptations to play with classic gothic literature, bringing together a range of characters, such as Dorian Gray, Henry Jekyll, and Abraham Van Helsing.

   What differentiates this series from its predecessors is an appreciation for the past while not avoiding innovation, reinventing these recognisable figures in new and interesting ways.

   And, of course, a helping hand of scares goes a long way towards gaining audience favour. And favour it did gain, achieving critical acclaim across its multiple series and cementing its position as one of the best horror TV shows.

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5. 

   American Horror Story

   Arguably one of the most famous modern horror TV shows on this list, American Horror Story is nothing if not a distinguished member of horror royalty.

   As with Hammer House Of Horror before it, American Horror Story is constantly rejuvenating its storytelling capability as a horror anthology TV series, exploring a diverse selection of concepts.

   However, the series tells its story across a full season, rather than constraining itself to the short runtime of one episode.

   Featuring a recurring cast, each playing a different role dependent upon the season, American Horror Story examines cults, travelling circuses, and haunted hotels – among many others.

   If you’re searching for the best horror TV shows, you can’t go wrong starting here.

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6. 

   Castlevania

   Animated horror is great as you can really let loose with the bloodshed, something Netflix’s Castlevania relishes.

   The series depicts Dracula’s war against humanity, unleashing a legion of hellish beasts following the murder of his beloved wife at the hands of a sect of religious zealots.

   Uncompromising in its tendency for gory violence, Castlevania is both a fitting entry into the horror genre while also investing audiences in its more human elements, indulging themes of prejudice and dogmatic fanaticism.

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7. 

   Dracula

   There is no shortage of love for the Prince Of Darkness: Vlad Dracula. And there’s a good reason for his frequent recurrence; the man is the physical embodiment of the horror genre.

   Therefore, it seems fitting that a show adequately titled Dracula would rank high on this list of the best horror TV series.

   Originally airing on the BBC, Dracula is a very recent British horror TV series. Retelling the classic tale, BBC’s interpretation goes out of its way to inform viewers of its originality, seeming both familiar but – and this is quite an understatement – dramatically different.

   Trust us that this is an engaging, disturbing, and unequivocally terrifying experience.

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8. 

   Swamp Thing

   To think of DC Comics, you will often find yourself imagining superheroes clad head-to-toe in form-fitting tights. But Swamp Thing is not a show of that distinction, firmly—no pun intended—planting itself in the horror genre.

   Situated in the swampland town of Marais and following scientist Alec Holland, the eponymous Swamp Thing, the show tows the line between comic book storytelling and outright supernatural horror.

   The series crafts an intriguing narrative and derives its horror themes through some creative application of practical effects, providing no shortage of gruesome, bloody moments.

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9. 

   The Walking Dead

   This series requires no introduction. The Walking Dead has been a worldwide phenomenon for a decade now, and it is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

   Following a group of survivors as they try to adapt to the new zombie-infested state of the world, this, without a doubt, is one of the best horror TV shows in respect to character development.

   So, if you want something with emotional depth that also keeps you on your toes with its horror context, The Walking Dead is what you’re after.

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10. 

    The Haunting Of Hill House

    Hill House. Since the series’ release in 2018, you would be remised to find someone who is not at least familiar with the name.

    The Haunting Of Hill House was an unexpected surprise, becoming an instant classic and even contending for the title of one of the best horror TV shows.

    Following a family of unlucky residents, the series jumps between the past and the present, hinting at an intriguing mystery surrounding this paranormal structure. It left viewers clamouring for more and wondering just what happened on that fateful night?

    Any more information would only serve to desecrate the sanctity of its brilliance, so jump in yourself, and get hooked just like the rest of us did.

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