Contains spoilers for all the shows mentioned.
A relatively new form of media in contrast to its silver-screen cousin, shows recommended by horror icon Stephen King and everything in between, there's something for everybody in the ever-growing library of quality horror television-based offerings as the genre looks to make up for lost time.
Serving to reinforce the foundations for future success, the genre has been privileged to witness some of the best single horror television show episodes of all time in this chaotic selection of material. Leveraging an array of chilling subject matter, thrilling storylines, and masterful performances to maximum effect, these exemplary pieces of television have been captivating and horrifying their audiences in equal measure since they first debuted onscreen, boldly staking a claim to rival cinema's laundry list of most acclaimed horror movies in of quality.
10 "The Raven"
The Fall Of The House Of Usher - Episode 8
The Fall of the House of Usher
- Release Date
- 2023 - 2023-00-00
- Network
- Netflix
- Showrunner
- Mike Flanagan
Cast
Carla GuginoRoderick Usher
Bruce GreenwoodC. Auguste Dupin
WHERE TO WATCH
Loosely based on the story by Edgar Allan Poe, The Fall of the House of Usher is a horror drama mini-series created by Mike Flanagan (Midnight Mass, The Haunting of Hill House) for Netflix. This modern retelling follows a corrupt pharmaceutical CEO, Roderick Usher, as he is forced to reckon with his past as a curse begins to claim the lives of each of his children.
- Directors
- Mike Flanagan, Michael Fimognari
- Writers
- Mike Flanagan
- Seasons
- 1
- Story By
- Edgar Allan Poe
The conclusive entry in Mike Flanagan's The Fall of the House of Usher, "The Raven" brought proceedings to a triumphant close in the horror virtuoso's latest acclaimed miniseries. A modernized collection of Gothic stories and characters from the works of Edgar Allan Poe adapted into a single nonlinear narrative, The Fall of the House of Usher saved its best for last, producing a masterful conclusion for the ages that saw the titular family finally wiped from existence.
10 Best Shows Like The Fall Of The House Of Usher
While The Fall of the House of Usher only has one season, other series exist with similar themes, Gothic visuals, and storytelling methods.
Tying up the story's various loose threads in seamless fashion while providing some wicked semblance of closure, "The Raven" is exemplary television across the board. The usual swirling tempest of weighty personal drama and creepy visuals that audiences have come to expect from Flanagan, the success of "The Raven" and The Fall of the House of Usher as a whole have led to an increased demand for more Gothic adaptations of its ilk.
9 "Colin's Promotion"
What We Do In The Shadows - Season 2, Episode 5
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What We Do in the Shadows
- Release Date
- 2019 - 2024
- Network
- FX
- Showrunner
- Paul Simms
Cast
Kayvan NovakNandor the Relentless
Matt BerryLaszlo Cravensworth
WHERE TO WATCH
What We Do in the Shadows, released in 2019, is a mockumentary series exploring the nightly lives of a group of centuries-old vampires residing in Staten Island. The comedic show delves into their interactions with each other and the modern world, providing a humorous take on the vampire genre.
- Directors
- Kyle Newacheck, Jason Woliner, Jackie van Beek
- Writers
- Chris Marcil, Lauren Wells, Tom Scharpling, Rajat Suresh, Jeremy Levick, Max Brockman, Duncan Sarkies, Iain Morris, Josh Lieb, Aasia LaShay Bullock
- Main Genre
- Comedy
- Creator(s)
- Jemaine Clement
- Seasons
- 6
- Story By
- Jermaine Clement, Taika Waititi
Consistently drawing howls of laughter across six seasons, Mark Proksch's "energy vampire" Colin Robinson was always arguably the star of the show on FX's comedy-horror mockumentary, What We Do In The Shadows. There's no greater example of this status quo than Season 2's acclaimed installment, "Colin's Promotion," a sidesplitting episode that sees Robinson's trademark power to drain people and vampires of energy magnified after he is promoted.
A front-runner for What We Do In The Shadows' funniest episode, "Colin's Promotion" sees the show flex all the muscles that got it to the dance in textbook fashion. Meticulously constructed and gloriously executed, this sidesplitting episode is a near-perfect horror comedy. The vampiric subplot concerning a painting from Nandor's past is somewhat overshadowed by Proksch's hilarious central storyline, but "Colin's Promotion" is such an inherently excellent piece of television that you won't find many complaining.
8 "Orphans"
American Horror Story: Freak Show - Episode 10
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American Horror Story
- Release Date
- October 17, 2012
- Network
- FX
- Showrunner
- Ryan Murphy
Cast
Denis O'Hare
WHERE TO WATCH
American Horror Story is a Horror Anthology series created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk. The franchise has seen stars like Connie Britton, Jessica Lange, Denis O'Hare, Zachary Quinto, Evan Peters, and Dylan McDermott. Each season follows a new premise and spans an array of horror genres like witches, ghosts, serial killers, and more.
- Writers
- Brad Falchuk, Ryan Murphy
- Seasons
- 12
- Story By
- brad falchuk
With 12 seasons' worth of material to choose from, narrowing down the candidates for American Horror Story's finest episode is a daunting task. However, a notable offering from the long-running anthology horror series' fourth season, American Horror Story: Freak Show, stands head and shoulders above the vast majority of its competitors for the sheer scale of its emotional devastation and the intricacy of its storytelling.
In many senses, it's a testament to the episode's quality that it's widely regarded as one of American Horror Story's best episodes despite a relentlessly bleak and hopeless aura...
Chronicling the heart-rending tribulations of Naomi Grossman's Pepper after the loss of her husband Salty, "Orphans" is one of the most upsetting pieces of television the genre has ever witnessed. In many senses, it's a testament to "Orphans'" quality that it's widely regarded as one of American Horror Story's best episodes despite a relentlessly bleak and hopeless aura, a state of affairs that becomes even more impressive in light of the emotional heft exacted by Grossman's near-wordless performance.
7 "Forever"
Bates Motel - Season 4, Episode 9
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Bates Motel
- Release Date
- 2013 - 2017-00-00
- Showrunner
- Carlton Cuse
- Directors
- Carlton Cuse
Cast
Freddie Highmore
WHERE TO WATCH
Bates Motel is an A&E original series that acts as a contemporary prequel to Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 horror classic, Psycho. The TV show centers on Norman Bates (Freddie Highmore), who, with his mother Norma (Vera Farmiga), move across the country and buy a motel. However, Norman’s psyche quickly begins to unravel as he struggles with his abnormal relationship with his mother.
- Writers
- Carlton Cuse
- Seasons
- 5
- Story By
- Carlton Cuse
A television-based origin story for one of the horror genre's most iconic villains, Bates Motel follows Psycho's Norman Bates during his formative years. The acclaimed psychological horror drama charts Norman's gradual descent into homicidal madness, with Bates Motel's watershed moment in his character development doubling as the show's finest episode; the penultimate entry in the show's fourth season, "Forever."
Forever has an exemplary rating of 9.3 on IMDb.
Depicting the death of Norman's mother Norma, "Forever" breathed life into the moment that many fans had been waiting for ever since Bates Motel was initially announced. Providing answers to questions that have lingered since Psycho debuted all the way back in 1960, "Forever" marks the end of the show as fans knew it forever (pardon the pun) with an unforgettable bang. Exacting a devastating emotional toll, the show's trademark sublime writing and first-rate performances are on full display throughout this exemplary chapter in Bates' story.
6 "Book V: Gospel"
Midnight Mass - Episode 5
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Midnight Mass
- Release Date
- 2021 - 2021-00-00
- Showrunner
- Mike Flanagan
- Directors
- Mike Flanagan
Cast
Kristin Lehman
Matt Biedel
WHERE TO WATCH
Created and directed by Mike Flanagan, Midnight Mass follows the residents of an isolated fishing community whose lives are changed by the sudden appearance of a charismatic new priest, Father Paul Hill (Hamish Linklater). The residents of Crockett Island struggle to eke out a meager living, just barely surviving off the mainland, but the appearance of Hill changes everything. Attendance at the local church is at an all-time high, but cynical ex-con Riley Flynn doesn't trust the priest, and sets out to uncover his dark secret.
- Writers
- Mike Flanagan
- Seasons
- 1
- Story By
- Mike Flanagan
Mike Flanagan's answer to 'Salem's Lot, 2021's Midnight Mass proved to be another hit miniseries entry in the director's acclaimed list of credits. Depicting an array of unholy phenomena encountered by a devout island community, Flanagan's work was widely lauded as one of the best outings of the year, with all seven episodes garnering an impressive level of acclaim from fans and critics alike.
Mike Flanagan's Horror Miniseries |
Year of Release |
|---|---|
The Haunting of Hill House |
2018 |
The Haunting of Bly Manor |
2020 |
Midnight Mass |
2021 |
The Fall of the House of Usher |
2023 |
With that being said, "Episode V: Gospel" was singled out for particular praise. An exemplary entry in a sublime season of television, many have gone as far as to label the show's explosive fifth installment as one of the greatest horror episodes of all time. Featuring an array of explosive narrative developments that culminate with a jaw-dropping twist for the ages, "Episode V: Gospel" is Flanagan at his masterful best, the central jewel in the crown of one of the greatest horror miniseries ever made.
5 "Here's Negan"
The Walking Dead - Season 10, Episode 22
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The Walking Dead
- Release Date
- 2010 - 2022
- Network
- AMC
- Showrunner
- Frank Darabont, Angela Kang, Scott M. Gimple, Glen Mazzara
Cast
Andrew Lincoln
WHERE TO WATCH
Based on one of the most successful and popular comic books of all time, AMC’s The Walking Dead captures the ongoing human drama following a zombie apocalypse. The series, developed for television by Frank Darabont, follows a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), who are traveling in search of a safe and secure home. However, instead of the zombies, it is the living who remain that truly become the walking dead. The Walking Dead lasted for eleven seasons and spawned several spinoff shows, such as Fear the Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: World Beyond.
- Directors
- Greg Nicotero
- Seasons
- 11
- Story By
- Tony Moore, Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard
It's a somewhat ironic state of affairs that the central focus of The Walking Dead's finest episode is widely regarded as the show's most iconic villain. Serving as an origin story for Jeffrey Dean Morgan's eponymous charge, "Here's Negan" fleshes out the backstory of The Walking Dead's legendary antagonist, revealing the circumstances behind the heartbreaking loss of his wife, Lucille, served as a major catalyst in his transformation into a villain.
The actress who plays Lucille, Hilarie Burton Morgan, is Morgan's real-life wife.
The notion of crying tears over a character who caved Glenn Rhee's head in would have once seemed laughable, but seeing Negan lose Lucille in such devastating fashion flips the script in abrupt fashion. Jeffrey Dean Morgan shines from start to finish, seizing the opportunity to flex his dramatic chops with both hands. Narrowing down The Walking Dead's best episode among 11 seasons of television is a daunting task, but "Here's Negan's" emotional heft and cathartic sense of closure ultimately separates this glorious tenth season outing from the rest of the pack.
4 "Long, Long Time"
The Last Of Us - Season 1, Episode 3
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The Last Of Us
- Release Date
- January 15, 2023
- Network
- HBO
- Showrunner
- Craig Mazin
Cast
Joel Miller
Ellie Williams
WHERE TO WATCH
The Last of Us is a post-apocalyptic drama series set two decades after a global catastrophe. It follows Joel, a seasoned survivor, who is tasked with escorting Ellie, a teenage girl, across a desolated United States, transforming into a harrowing journey of survival and companionship.
- Directors
- Craig Mazin, Peter Hoar, Jeremy Webb, Ali Abbasi, Mark Mylod, Stephen Williams, Jasmila Žbanić, Liza Johnson, Nina Lopez-Corrado
- Writers
- Neil Druckmann, Craig Mazin
- Main Genre
- Horror
- Seasons
- 2
- Story By
- Neil Druckmann, Bruce Straley
It speaks volumes to the inherent quality of The Last of Us' third entry, "Long, Long Time," that it's regarded as one of the greatest television show episodes of all time across two separate genres. One of the single best sci-fi episodes ever conceived in addition to its label as one of horror television's finest offerings, "Long, Long Time" is a stirring and uplifting tale of finding one's person in the unlikeliest of hells, chronicling the relationship between ing characters, Bill and Frank.
Carried by two first-rate performances and exemplary chemistry between Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett, "Long, Long Time" doesn't even need the participation of the show's leading duo to land as one of the finest and most moving pieces of television ever brought to life onscreen. An inspired twist on the show's source material capable of eliciting smiles and tears in equal measure, this improbable tale of love and connection never fails to tug on the heartstrings.
3 "The Bent-Neck Lady"
The Haunting Of Hill House - Episode 5
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The Haunting of Hill House
- Release Date
- 2018 - 2018-00-00
- Showrunner
- Mike Flanagan
- Directors
- Mike Flanagan
Cast
Michiel Huisman-
Carla Gugino
WHERE TO WATCH
Loosely based on Shirley Jackson's novel of the same name, The Haunting of Hill House follows the Crain family's experience in their beautiful - and deadly - home. With a story told using two timelines simultaneously, The Haunting of Hill House chronicles both the haunting itself, and the lasting effect it had on the Crain children as they struggle through adulthood decades later. Directed by Mike Flanagan as the first entry in his Haunting anthology, The Haunting of Hill House features a large ensemble cast including Michiel Huisman, Elizabeth Reaser, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Kate Siegel, Victoria Pedretti, Carla Gugino, and Henry Thomas.
- Writers
- Mike Flanagan
- Seasons
- 1
- Story By
- Shirley Jackson, Mike Flanagan
Widely regarded as the greatest horror miniseries of all time, 2018's The Haunting of Hill House marked a star-making, watershed moment for Mike Flanagan's career. The first of what would prove to be a steady stream of acclaimed horror miniseries from the American filmmaker, the show chronicling the Crain family's paranormal experiences in the titular structure received rave reviews, with particular praise reserved for the show's fifth episode, "The Bent-Neck Lady."
The Haunting Of Hill House: "The Bent-Neck Lady" Shock Twist Explained
The Haunting Of Hill House season 1 episode 5 "The Bent-Neck Lady" reveals the horrific truth behind one of the show's creepiest ghosts.
Unmasking the desolating origin story behind the episode's eponymous supernatural entity while producing groundbreaking revelations behind the nature of Nell Crain's death, "The Bent-Neck Lady" is evocative, gripping, and above all else, legitimately terrifying. Victoria Pedretti and Violet McGraw deliver knockout performances as Nell at different stages in her life, serving to further highlight this masterful piece of television's status as the miniseries' finest episode.
2 "Mizumono"
Hannibal - Season 2, Episode 13
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Created for TV by Bryan Fuller, Hannibal is a TV adaptation/reimagining of Thomas Harris' Red Dragon novel. The show follows the exploits of FBI criminal profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) and their perpetual game of cat and mouse that unfolds over the series. When a string of murders in Minnesota requires a brilliant mind to crack the case, Will Graham is called in to investigate - but due to the intimate and terrifying nature of the crimes, he is appointed Dr. Lecter to act as his psychiatrist. The truth of Dr. Lecter is that he is Will's target - but to complicate matters, he's the only person that can truly understand him.
- Directors
- Bryan Fuller
- Writers
- Bryan Fuller
- Main Genre
- Horror
- Seasons
- 3
- Story By
- Thomas Harris
One of the most shocking season finales of all time, irrespective of genre, Hannibal's "Mizumono" consists of some of the most explosive television ever brought to life onscreen. The climactic installment of the second season saw Mads Mikkelsen's cannibal psychiatrist backed into a corner and seemingly in danger of capture for the first time, only for Lecter to whip the rug out from beneath the audience and his purported pursuers in show-stopping fashion.
"Mizumono" clocks in with a near-perfect rating of 9.8 on IMDb.
Notable for featuring one of the most stunning television deaths of all time, the exquisitely paced and masterfully acted "Mizumono" is loaded with jaw-dropping twists and groundbreaking revelations. Leaving the fate of virtually every main character unresolved for the mother of all cliffhangers simply wouldn't work if the episode that hadn't preceded it was exceptional, a state of affairs underlined by the television-based masterpiece that was "Mizumono."
1 "Chapter Four: Dear Billy"
Stranger Things - Season 4, Episode 4
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Stranger Things
- Release Date
- 2016 - 2025
- Network
- Netflix
- Showrunner
- Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer
Cast
Jane 'Eleven' Hopper
Mike Wheeler
WHERE TO WATCH
Stranger Things is a Netflix series set in the 1980s, where the mysterious disappearance of a young boy leads a small town to uncover secret experiments and supernatural forces. A significant focus is on a peculiar girl who may hold the key to the unfolding mystery.
- Directors
- Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Andrew Stanton, Frank Darabont, Nimród Antal, Uta Briesewitz
- Writers
- Kate Trefry, Jessie Nickson-Lopez, Jessica Mecklenburg, Alison Tatlock
- Seasons
- 5
A triumphant blend of sci-fi and horror, Stranger Things is widely regarded as one of the finest television shows ever made. The Netflix flagship offering has consistently churned out first-rate television across four seasons, but arguably none better than the fourth season's triumphant fourth chapter. Stranger Things' best episode, "Dear Billy" chronicles a desperate race against time to save Max Mayfield from Vecna's clutches, while battling the mental scars left by losing her brother Billy in the previous season.
Stranger Things' Sadie Sink Recalls Unique Challenge Of Max's "Dear Billy" Ending
Sadie Sink recalls filming the climactic moments of Stranger Things season 4’s “Dear Billy” episode, recalling the key challenges of the shoot.
"Dear Billy" infuses Stranger Things' tried and tested recipe for onscreen excellence with relevant commentary on mental illness and the musical genius of Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill to knockout results onscreen. One of the show's most moving installments, "Dear Billy" steadily builds in intensity before an unforgettably epic conclusion rubber-stamps the episode's status as one of the single best horror television episodes of all time.
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