Suppose the onslaught of new releases or your 31 Days of Horror watchlists from October drained your attention span or will to binge more horror movies. In that case, there’s no shortage of fantastic series available to give you smaller doses of horror at your leisure. Because there’s an insane wealth of excellent horror TV available at our disposal, we’re breaking it down even further for this week’s streaming picks. These five horror shows don’t require significant commitment, as they give a spin on the anthology format. Some are straightforward anthologies, and some weave season-long stories only to switch it up entirely for the next. And a few ended far too soon.
All, however, make for compelling TV that brings the kills, chills, and horror fun.
Here’s where you can stream them this week.
Channel Zero – Shudder
Nick Antosca’s creepypasta based anthology series ran for four seasons, six-episodes each. Each installment took on a different creepypasta story, introducing new nightmare fuel with a completely different cast. That means that rankings of the seasons will vary by personal taste, as anthologies usually do. There was no shortage of memorable horror moments and characters from season one’s frightening Tooth Child to season four’s Pretzel Jack. This highly binge-able series is available to stream in its entirety on Shudder.
The Exorcist – Hulu
It’s easy to see why this Fox TV series didn’t immediately draw viewers. Did we really need another reimagining of the 1973 classic? Even the premiere seemed indicative of a tired possession horror retread. Showrunner Jeremy Slater had something far more ingenious up his sleeves, however. Halfway through season one, Slater pulled the rug out from under viewers, connecting this series to the film franchise in an exhilarating way while expanding the universe. In other words, this series makes for a significant franchise highlight full of scares and surprises. With season one’s central storyline wrapped up by the finale, Slater subverted expectations yet again with a J-Horror inspired second season revolving around a new family and a new possession for Fathers Keane and Ortega to exorcise. Too bad it was canceled shortly after because this would’ve made for a gripping possession anthology featuring a running conspiracy Vatican subplot.
Harper’s Island – Pluto TV
This thirteen-episode slasher was way ahead of its time. Had it been more popular and not received a cancellation, the second season would’ve spun a whole new horror-fueled mystery set, likely, around an African Safari. It’s a shame because this series brings slasher fun. As for the plot, a large group of family and friends gather on an island for a wedding, only to find themselves getting picked off one by one as the island’s twisted past comes back to haunt them. While Harper’s Island does start soap opera-like, stick with it. Though initially melodramatic, the character-building winds up working well in the series’ favor as you care who lives and dies. A few late-game deaths will hit you in the feels.
Masters of Horror – Tubi, IMDb TV
Whether you missed the Mick Garris created anthology series during its initial run on Showtime, or it’s been a while, both seasons are available to stream now. Including the episode Showtime shelved for its gruesome content; Takashi Miike’s “Imprint.” Garris assembled a Murderers’ Row of the biggest names in horror to deliver 26 episodes of terror. That it was made for a premium cable channel means there are no limits to the gore or depravity, and some of the filmmakers cut loose. The only catch here is that season one is available to stream on Tubi, while season two is available on IMDb TV.
Slasher – Netflix
With the recent news that this slasher series received a renewal for a new season set for 2021 release, this time for Shudder, now is the perfect time to catch up on the first three seasons. Each season is centered around a masked killer with an unknown motive for killing their victims. Each season seems to top the last, too, getting more twisted, brutal, and bloody with subsequent installments. With no connection between them, you can pick and choose or watch out of order. So, if you don’t binge the entire series in preparation for its upcoming season starring David Cronenberg, at least watch Solstice as its director Adam MacDonald (Pyewacket, Backcountry) will resume directorial duties for the fourth season.