Genre television is an absolute goldmine when it comes to entertainment. Be it sci-fi, fantasy, or horror, some of the best television series go beyond just drama or comedy. It’s something that is especially true for horror, but while series like The Walking Dead and The Last of Us have huge followings, there are series that fly under the radar and don’t get quite as much attention. With stories that lean into the more human elements of horror rather than the thrills, chills, and terror, there are series that suck you in and make you think even as you squirm a little in your seat that, for one reason or another, you either haven’t heard of or just haven’t watched.
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And those are the shows that you really should go out of your way to tune into. Be they complete series, shows cancelled too soon, or ongoing series that you can get caught up on before new seasons arrive, here are seven deeply underrated horror series that you really should take the time to watch. They’re interesting, unique, and in some cases, hilarious, too.
7) The Passage
Based on Justin Cronin’s novel series of the same name, The Passage got just one season on Fox back in 2019 and while the series wasn’t a huge hit with critics, the series is a perfect watch for horror/thriller fans looking for something to scratch that The Last of Us itch that isn’t zombies. The Passage centers around Project Noah, a secret medical facility tasked with experimentation on a virus that has the potential to cure all disease but also could wipe out humanity. When Agent Brad Wolgast is instructed to bring young orphan girl Amy Bellafonte in as a test subject, he ends up developing a paternal bond with her and becomes determined to protect her at any cost.
The Passage is, admittedly, a complicated series. You have government conspiracy, the threat of a terrifying apocalypse, and the rise of vampires (called “virals”) who are potentially the source of salvation in the face of a coming plague — or the possible harbingers of the end of the world. Following any of the story’s individual threads can be tricky, but it’s a series that is packed with incredible performances. Mark-Paul Gosselaar is fantastic as Agent Wolgast who is willing to throw everything, he knows away to protect a child while Saniyya Sidney’s performance as Amy is nuanced and effortless, making the character feel very grounded and real even in a story that is, at times, a little outlandish. Brianne Howey is also chilling as the viral Shauna Babcock. The performances as well as the more intellectual questions of what you’re willing to do to save the world make The Passage a truly underrated series.
6) Channel Zero
One of the most unique horror series to date, over four seasons Syfy’s Channel Zero adapted different “creepypasta” to create its fascinating anthology. Each of the four seasons — Candle Cove, No-End House, Butcher’s Block, and The Dream Door — featured self-contained stories that explored unsettling and terrifying themes, including urban legends and childhood fears. It was a perfect blend of internet folklore and more traditional horror and it had striking visuals as well.
Because Channel Zero aired on Syfy and didn’t really get a huge marketing push, many people have missed this underrated gem of a horror series, and that’s a shame. There are some genuinely great stories here. Season one’s Candle Cove gives viewers one of the most horrifying creatures you can imagine with the Tooth-Child as part of a story about child disappearance and a creepy television series, while season two’s The No-End House takes the idea of a house of horrors to the next level. It’s inventive, fascinating, and a must watch.
5) Interview With the Vampire
You could argue that AMC’s Interview With the Vampire isn’t actually underrated. The series has done very well with critics and is considered by many to be one of the best television series of the last decade and has a devoted fan base on top of that. We’re considering it “underrated” for the purposes of this list because it’s a show that more people should be watching. An adaptation of Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles series of novels, the first two seasons follow the story of the vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac who tells it to journalist Daniel Molloy in what is essentially a follow-up to an interview he gave in 1973. As the series unfolds, however, Daniel starts to doubt Louis’ version of the story, slowly unravelling a larger tale of love, lies, and vampirism.
If you are an Anne Rice purist, this adaptation of Rice’s novels does deviate from the source material. Changes are made to settings and characters and some of what was subtext in the books is more direct in the series. However, the core of the story remains the same and it’s a beautiful (and bloody) exploration of the human experience through the lens of vampirism. With the third season not arriving until 2026, there’s plenty of time to get caught up.
4) The Strain
Some of the best horror stories are those that are realistic and plausible and The Strain fits that bill. Co-created by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan as based on their The Train novel trilogy, the series aired for four seasons on Fox starting in 2014. The series follows CDC epidemiologist Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll) and his team as they are tasked with tracing the spread of a viral outbreak turning people into vampires.
What makes The Strain so good is how realistic it is despite being a vampire story. The series opens up with a flight arriving at JFK airport with everyone on board dead and strange, parasitic worms on the plane, triggering fears of an Ebola-like plague. What follows is a combination of bureaucracy, ancient vampire horrors, and a fight for survival as the infection spreads. As is often the case with stories that have viral outbreaks at their center, The Strain is simultaneously a large-scale horror and a very intimate, personal drama as the characters attempt to deal with the changing world and the terrifying strigoi (vampires) that are now upending everything normal about the world and humanity. Later seasons are a little weaker than the earlier seasons, but it’s a great series as an overall watch.
3) iZombie
Horror doesn’t have to be all grim and terrifying. It can also be hilarious and The CW’s iZombie is a great example of that. Loosely based on the Vertigo comic book series of the same name, iZombie follows Liv, a Seattle Police medical examiner who ends up being turned into a zombie while attending a boat party. Liv goes on to use her new status as a zombie to help solve murders by eating the brains of the victims and absorbing their memories and personalities (temporarily).
Over five seasons, the series covers a lot of ground, with Liv working to solve crimes and also trying to maintain her humanity and hide the fact that she’s a zombie. As the series continues, the number of zombies in Seattle grows and different groups try to hide them or fight them or even exploit them with all while there’s also a pursuit of a cure. The series manages to be both a personal story as well as a larger story about zombies in society, but rather than fall into some of the darker tropes seen in many zombie-themed horror series, iZombie never loses its humor or humanity.
2) Ash vs Evil Dead
Running from 2015 to 2018, Ash vs Evil Dead is an adaptation of the theatrical Evil Dead franchise. Set 30 years after the initial Evil Dead stories, Ash Williams (Bruce Cambpell) accidentally reawakens the Kandarian demons and in turn, forces himself back into the role of chainsaw-handed hero.
It’s funny, it’s gory, and it perfectly captures the original franchise, making the series a great continuation that doesn’t ever feel stale. While the series is very much a cult favorite, it somehow hasn’t achieved more mainstream popularity, which is a real shame because Ash vs Evil Dead is not only franchise horror done right, but it’s just a great watch.
1) From
From is, hands down, probably the best sci-fi horror series that you probably aren’t watching and you really need to go out of your way to fix that as soon as possible. Streaming on MGM+ (hence part of the reason why this show does not get as much attention as it deserves), From stars Harold Perrineau as Boyd Stevens, the self-appointed sheriff of the Township, a town that traps anyone who enters it. He also serves as the Township’s mayor. As for what keeps those entering the Township trapped, that’s where the horror lies. There are mysterious creatures in the forest surrounding the town and those who are stuck there have to come together not only to find a way to survive, but also potentially escape.
As was noted, From suffers from being on an under-used streaming platform but the series is so good you should go out of your way to watch it. The series is very much a puzzle-box of a story which is made even better by the quality of the cast’s performances. The characters are very much discovering and learning things along with the audience which makes for a very invested experience and while every answer really only creates new questions, From is so well-crafted that the tension never dips and the interest never wanes. It’s a masterwork of horror in the deeply psychological sense and it’s a must watch.
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