The Most Terrifying TV Series to Binge-Watch in October

With the official arrival of October, everyone is looking to get into the spirit of the season by watching as many spooky stories as they can as we head towards Halloween. Horror movies are the quick and easy way to watch unsettling adventures unfold, but with weeks to go until All Hallow’s Eve, some of us are much more ambitious and prefer to consume multiple hours of a creepy narrative over the entire month. The days leading up to Halloween will bring with it the requisite annual airings of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, but if you don’t have the patience to wait that long, we’ve got you covered.

Whether it be original series that are too gruesome for cable networks, classic Halloween-themed sitcoms, or the long-awaited return of an iconic franchise, Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video have all got you covered when it comes to Halloween-worthy TV series.

Scroll down to see the most terrifying TV series streaming on Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video and come back next week for more streaming suggestions!

Ash vs. Evil Dead – Netflix

Bruce Campbell debuted as Ash J. Williams in 1981’s The Evil Dead, exploring what happens when you inadvertently recite incantations from a book inked in blood and bound in human flesh. In the years since its debut, the film has earned a massive following, thanks to its blend of humor and horror, in addition to the buckets of blood spilled over the course of its run time. Campbell reprised his role in two films, with fans waiting for a new sequel since the trilogy concluded in 1993’s Army of Darkness.

Fans might not have gotten a theatrical continuation of the series, but Ash vs. Evil Dead carries the torch of the original films, with Campbell reprising his role as Ash after his bouts with an ancient evil. With original director Sam Raimi and producer Rob Tapert both involved in creating the show, all three seasons function as a 15-hour movie that never had to pull its punches to meet theatrical censorship standards, resulting in a hilarious narrative that honors the spirit of its predecessors.

Scream Queens – Hulu

For nearly a decade, Ryan Murphy has been growing a passionate following thanks to his accomplishments with American Horror Story, chronicling cults, covens, and asylums. With Scream Queens, Murphy delivered fans his signature pitch-black humor in the guise of a slasher storyline to deliver two seasons of a highly entertaining murder mystery.

With coeds on a college campus starting to turn up dead, the bodies all share a connection to a sorority filled with some of the most popular and most loathed students on campus. As the body count rises, the sorority sisters attempt to uncover which of the countless people they’ve wronged are coming after them, with both seasons honoring the humor and the complex narrative of the original Scream, all with Murphy’s penchant for murder and the macabre.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina – Netflix

When hearing the name “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” many of us might jump to the Melissa Joan Hart-starring sitcom of the ’90s about a teen who discovers she has magical powers on her 16th birthday, using them to make her suburban life a little easier. Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina mirrors that narrative, but with a lot more spells, sex, and Satan.

Falling more in line with The CW’s Riverdale, this new Sabrina doesn’t hold back on the horrifying elements of what a teenager would do if she was doubly-enrolled in a regular high school and an institute full of wizards, witches, and warlocks studying the dark arts in tribute of Satan. There’s still plenty of innocent fun to be had, with the series marking a great balance of playful, teenage adventures and unholy offerings to the Dark Lord.

Unsolved Mysteries – Amazon Prime Video

The theme song alone is enough to send chills down the spine of viewers, but Unsolved Mysteries and its countless puzzling enigmas unravel one unsettling story after the next over multiple seasons.

Each episode is introduced by Robert Stack, whose intense demeanor could convince you that anything you were about to see really happened, no matter how absurd. Whether it be the stories of serial killers and disappearances or paranormal anomalies like ghosts, UFOs, and monsters, the series runs the entire gamut of creepy encounters, making for a show that you can either binge-watch while hiding under the covers or to merely use as background noise as you go about your daily activities, as it could take you an entire month to watch all of the episodes Amazon Prime Video has to offer.

Castle Rock – Hulu

Few things are more popular in the world of genre storytelling right now than Stephen King, as a number of his iconic storylines are being brought to life on screens both big and small. One of the more ambitious King endeavors in recent years is Castle Rock, blending together a number of famous faces and places from the author’s fictional mythology.

The fictional Maine town of Castle Rock plays a part in dozens of King stories, with the series serving more as a tribute to the horrors that can unfold in a small New England town, with King’s involvement allowing for some of the characters and events to be lifted directly from the source material. Whether it be a visit to Shawshank Prison or a storyline featuring The Dark Half‘s Alan Pangborn, Castle Rock puts the entire King library into a melting pot and pulls out an entirely unique storyline.

The Haunting of Hill House – Netflix

As some cable networks loosen their restrictions in what violent content can be depicted on screen, there’s only so much blood and gore that viewers can be subjected to before they get desensitized. Luckily, The Haunting of Hill House is here to remind audiences that a compelling story is more important than being overwhelmed with violence, as the twisting thriller punctuates already tense scenarios.

After the death of the youngest member of the Crain family, the siblings reunite with their father in their old house to figure out what it is about their former home that seems to have a hold on them long after abandoning the abode. Powerful performances and an emotional story made the series one of the most talked-about new series of last year, making it a great time to get caught up on the show before a new season debuts next year.

Roseanne – Amazon Prime Video

Roseanne might not strike fear into the hearts of all viewers, but its devotion to celebrating Halloween every year is commendable.

As streaming services aim to deliver audiences experiences that can be enjoyed year-round, they typically avoid offering viewers holiday-themed episodes. With Roseanne being broadcast at an entirely different time in pop culture, it was one of many sitcoms that knew it could milk a few laughs out of an episode with a holiday storyline.

Most sitcoms would concoct an installment centering around Christmas every year, but few sitcoms would devote themselves to the spooky season as consistently as Roseanne, which could always be counted on to depict all manner of mayhem created by Halloween.