19 Best Scary Horror TV Shows on Netflix

Netflix has a lot of genuinely scary shows if you know where to find them. Whether you prefer slow, atmospheric horror or fast-paced zombie action, the platform offers a great selection of creepy series with unique monsters and intriguing stories. What’s especially cool is that many of these shows come from around the world, giving you access to diverse folklore and storytelling styles.

Here’s a collection of excellent horror series currently available for streaming. You’ll discover both self-contained limited series and longer-running shows with ongoing stories. Get ready for tales of haunted houses, families burdened by curses, terrifying outbreaks, and small towns where danger lurks when the sun goes down.

‘Stranger Things’ (2016– )

This show combines the intrigue of a small-town mystery with the excitement of supernatural danger. It follows a group of kids and the adults trying to keep them safe, using secret government experiments and a hidden dimension to explain the strange creatures and powers that appear. Beyond the scares, the story focuses on the importance of friendship and family. The creatures and psychic abilities are brought to life through a combination of practical effects and digital technology.

I absolutely love how this show keeps the characters I’ve grown to care about at its heart, even as the danger they face changes with each new season. It all takes place in Hawkins – a really well-realized town where they’re always moving between familiar spots like the school, the arcade, and even hidden underground places. What’s cool is that some episodes are a normal length, but the big season finales feel *huge* because they get the time they deserve. It really makes those moments hit harder.

‘The Haunting of Hill House’ (2018)

I’m totally hooked on this show! It’s based on a really famous haunted house story, but it’s so much more than just scares. It’s a family drama that jumps back and forth between their childhood and present day, showing how living in this creepy, spirit-filled mansion messed with each of the Crain siblings and how they’re still dealing with it now. It’s really powerful stuff.

The film uses clever filmmaking techniques to heighten the tension, like extended shots that slowly explore rooms where ghostly figures lurk. The house itself feels like a character, with its confusing layout of twisting hallways and secret spaces. Each chapter focuses on a different family member, creating a consistent and engaging pace to the unfolding mystery.

‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’ (2020)

This series presents a fresh ghost story unfolding on a grand English estate. A young governess arrives to care for two children who have lost their parents, and the story explores themes of memory, sadness, and how love can become twisted. The supernatural happenings center around three key locations: a lake, the main house, and a small chapel nearby.

Instead of relying on sudden scares, the show creates suspense through carefully designed scenes. It frequently uses images like masks, mirrors, and old photos to create a sense of unease and connection. Changes in costumes and lighting subtly signal shifts in time and point of view, helping viewers understand what each character sees and why it’s important.

‘Midnight Mass’ (2021)

A new, captivating priest arrives in a small, isolated island town, and soon miraculous healings begin alongside disturbing events. This throws the community into a collective struggle with their beliefs. The close-knit setting fosters personal conversations, but a growing sense of dread hints at a deeper, terrifying presence.

The story relies heavily on characters talking at length and arguing, clearly defining what they believe, who is at fault, and who is accountable. Realistic special effects show how the island’s sickness gets worse, and the sound design—using things like church bells, ocean waves, and soft hymns—transforms normal sounds into ominous signals. Ultimately, the characters’ decisions determine the island’s destiny.

‘The Fall of the House of Usher’ (2023)

I’m completely captivated by this series! It takes the classic, haunting stories of a gothic author and brilliantly weaves them into the lives of a powerful, modern family who made their wealth with pharmaceuticals. Each episode feels like a tribute to one of his tales, showing how different family members experience these beautifully tragic fates. The way it’s told is so clever – it starts with a confession within the walls of a decaying mansion, and then we get glimpses into the past, revealing all the choices that brought them to that heartbreaking point.

The film boasts stunning visuals, contrasting opulent settings and stylish costumes with rundown locations and dramatic weather. Keen viewers will be rewarded by the frequent use of meaningful symbols, such as ravens and masks. The action sequences, a blend of real stunts and visual effects, creatively recreate iconic deaths from the original story.

‘Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities’ (2022)

This collection features individual stories directed by different filmmakers, covering a range of spooky themes like monsters, the supernatural, and haunted objects. Each story is introduced by a host who sets the scene and explains the central fear or obsession. The episodes vary in time period, from historical dramas to modern-day horror, making for a diverse and engaging experience.

Each chapter creates a distinct atmosphere through detailed settings – think dusty basements, cold morgues, and cluttered storage spaces. The film’s visual style changes to reflect the director’s unique approach, sometimes using vibrant colors and other times sticking to black and white. This all comes together to highlight impressive practical effects, detailed models, and a slowly growing sense of unease.

‘All of Us Are Dead’ (2022– )

This Korean show follows students trapped in their high school after a virus turns their classmates into fast, dangerous creatures. It’s a story about how they fight to survive, who they trust, and the difficult choices they face when trying to save others, all while navigating a school that’s become a deadly maze. They quickly learn to use every part of the building – classrooms, hallways, even the roof – to their advantage.

The show’s action sequences are fast-paced thanks to carefully planned movements and a shaky, close-up camera style. These are interspersed with scenes featuring the perspectives of parents, emergency workers, and leaders, giving a broader view of the events. Ultimately, the series contrasts widespread disaster with the personal decisions that decide who survives.

‘Sweet Home’ (2020– )

I just finished watching this incredible movie about the people living in this really decaying apartment building, and things get *weird*. A strange wave of mutations starts turning everyone into monsters, but it’s not random. Each monster actually reflects what that person secretly wanted or was obsessed with – it’s a really clever way to show their inner flaws. The story follows a group of unlikely heroes, the building’s caretakers, and just regular neighbors who have to band together and barricade themselves in. It’s not just a monster movie, though; it feels almost like a modern myth, and the violence is tied to these deep, personal failings. It’s seriously thought-provoking and really stuck with me.

The show alternates between intense, close-quarters battles in hallways and trips to local shops and garages to gather necessary items. Stunning visual effects create both monstrous creatures and unsettling physical changes. Dramatic music, featuring powerful guitars and pulsing electronic sounds, highlights key moments as the situation intensifies.

‘Kingdom’ (2019–2020)

This thrilling story takes place in Korea’s Joseon dynasty and blends palace politics with a terrifying outbreak that brings the dead back to life. A prince discovers a dangerous plot connected to a strange plant and a deadly winter plague. The story unfolds across grand palaces, small villages, and military bases, creating a world of both high-stakes power struggles and desperate survival.

The show pays close attention to historical details in its costumes and weaponry. Action sequences emphasize weapons like spears and bows, often taking place on precarious settings where a small mistake could be fatal. The behavior of the infected changes depending on the time of day, forcing players to constantly adapt their strategies. A longer special episode delves into one character’s past, revealing connections to the larger story.

‘Black Summer’ (2019–2021)

This show follows the stories of people trying to survive immediately after a major disaster. Each episode focuses on the difficult choices they make as they navigate through familiar places like neighborhoods, stadiums, and snowy city streets, often with very little conversation. The use of long, unbroken shots and quick cuts gives the series a realistic, documentary-like feel, building suspense throughout.

The show uses a unique structure with chapter breaks and flashbacks that eventually connect. It features realistic action sequences, including long chases on foot through city streets and over obstacles. Important items like cars, radios, and backpacks frequently change ownership as characters form and break apart into smaller groups.

‘The Watcher’ (2022– )

This series is based on a real-life event and tells the story of a family whose new dream home is targeted by threatening letters. As they try to uncover who’s behind the harassment, they find themselves entangled in the secrets of their neighborhood and its strange residents. The family resorts to installing security cameras, hiring contractors, and even keeping watch at night, all in an attempt to feel safe again.

The show focuses on seemingly perfect suburban homes – think shiny kitchens and endless hallways – which become unsettling at night. The story unfolds through conflicting stories and subtle inconsistencies, and each episode introduces a new clue or idea that draws the family further into their all-consuming investigation.

‘The Midnight Club’ (2022)

Residents of a hospice for young adults share spooky stories and make a unique agreement about what happens after they’re gone, every night. This creates a series that blends self-contained, frightening tales with a larger, ongoing mystery within the hospice itself. The building is full of secrets – hidden rooms, passageways, and a history stretching back much further than anyone currently working there knows.

The show uses different makeup and styling for the campfire scenes to clearly separate them from the main story, helping viewers understand what’s happening in reality versus what’s being imagined. It focuses on the power of friendship and shared traditions to help people cope with fear, and also follows the stories of doctors and other caregivers and how their decisions affect everyone involved.

‘Brand New Cherry Flavor’ (2021)

This short series centers on a filmmaker in 1990s Los Angeles who seeks help from the occult after being wronged in the film industry. Her initial plan for revenge quickly spirals into terrifying body horror, disturbing visions, and a growing obligation to powerful, otherworldly forces. The city itself – its apartments and movie studio backlots – becomes the backdrop for bizarre rituals and frightening experiences.

The film carefully recreates the look and feel of its time through details in the technology, vehicles, and costumes, which makes its more fantastical elements believable. Realistic special effects are used for disturbing imagery like parasites, injuries, and unusual births, creating lasting impact. The story explores how chasing your dreams can come at a price, and the dangers of letting ambition and arrogance combine with magical power.

‘Ghoul’ (2018)

This Indian series takes place in a futuristic detention center and centers around a new inmate who unknowingly brings a shapeshifting creature with them. As fear grips the facility, interrogations quickly turn into a desperate search for the entity, and the staff struggle to maintain order. The story uses elements of Arabic folklore to explain the creature’s origins and powers.

As a real film buff, what struck me about this movie was how the tight spaces really forced you to pay attention to who was turning on whom. It wasn’t about big action, but about the subtle power plays and how easily things could fall apart. The filmmakers used lighting – lots of dim, flickering lights and smoke – to keep you disoriented, like you were right there with the characters, unable to see what was around the corner. And the sound design was brilliant! Every footstep, every metallic clang, felt like it was guiding you through the building as everything started to unravel. It really built the tension and made you feel the chaos.

‘Hellbound’ (2021–2024)

This Korean show is set in a world where everyone receives a prediction of when they will die. When that time comes, mysterious figures publicly enforce the death sentence in a violent way. This event dramatically changes society, leading to new organizations and beliefs attempting to understand and manage this strange occurrence, impacting everything from news and faith to the legal system.

The show is filmed in diverse locations like police stations, TV studios, and even makeshift churches. It mixes the intensity of courtroom scenes with real-life situations on the streets, creating a fast-paced experience. Special effects bring characters and elements into scenes, and makeup artists deal with the resulting damage, like burnt and broken environments.

‘Dracula’ (2020)

This new take on the vampire story starts with a lawyer traveling to a distant castle, but quickly moves to unexpected locations that challenge the vampire’s ability to adjust. The characters’ clever conversations are matched by striking visuals – makeup and costumes show the vampire changing and revealing their desires. The story blends traditional gothic environments with modern settings, keeping the plot surprising.

I’m really enjoying how this show is structured! Each of the three long episodes feels like a completely new story with a brand new group of characters and its own unique challenges. It’s a clever way to explore the existing story in fresh ways while still keeping that core feeling of danger and threat that makes the character so compelling.

‘Resident Evil’ (2022)

The story weaves together two separate timelines. One follows sisters connected to a powerful corporation and a worldwide epidemic, showing life within a heavily guarded company town filled with research facilities. The other depicts a struggle for survival in the aftermath of the outbreak, set among the ruins of cities where resources are limited and every choice matters.

The show features frightening creatures – like rabid dogs, giant insects, and powerful, violent figures – that drive the action and create exciting scenes. Important information is revealed through computer screens, scientific reports, and old video footage, helping to piece together the story’s timeline. As the series progresses, it explores the history of the corporation involved and shows how individual decisions ultimately lead to widespread catastrophe.

‘Paranormal’ (2020)

This series, inspired by well-known Egyptian novels, centers on a doctor specializing in blood disorders who finds himself investigating curses and strange occurrences. Each episode takes viewers from modern Cairo apartments to ancient ruins and small villages as his team tries to find logical explanations for things that seem like myths. The doctor keeps a notebook filled with guidelines to help him handle these unusual situations.

The show grounds each mystery in a specific culture, influencing how the characters understand clues and predictions. It uses practical effects and old-fashioned techniques, like wires and smoke, to create a believable atmosphere without being over-the-top. The music and costumes strongly reflect the time and location, giving the series a unique and memorable feel.

‘Betaal’ (2020)

This Indian horror thriller centers around a road construction project that accidentally breaks into a sealed tunnel, releasing a horde of undead soldiers from the colonial era. Soldiers and villagers team up to defend a barricade and uncover the historical secrets behind the curse. The story unfolds across a challenging landscape of thick forests, security checkpoints, and a hilltop fortress that serves as their main base of defense.

The action sequences feature intense combat – think fiery barricades, quick-made traps, and brutal fights in tight spaces like stairwells. The zombies’ costumes are designed to look like old, damaged uniforms and equipment, making the battles more visually striking. The story weaves together local legends and past tragedies into the central conflict.

Tell us your top scary shows on Netflix in the comments – let’s help everyone find something spooky to watch!

2025-10-12 04:49