Short-lived TV shows can be something of a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s nice to find a bite-sized distraction, on the other, it’s a bummer to discover a story you connect with only to be left wanting more when all is said and done. In the grand scheme of things, though, it’s better to connect with a meaningful program, however briefly, than to pass up a good time based on the lack of quantity. After all, networks and streaming platforms make renewal decisions based on total viewership and engagement, rather than the quality of the programming in question. So, if you exclusively seek out long-running properties for your binging needs, you’re bound to miss out on a lot of great content.
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It’s in that very spirit that we endeavor to showcase a collection of memorable but short-lived television series from the genre space. Keep reading for five single-season horror tv shows you can binge over the course of just one weekend.
1) Blood Drive
This unforgettable effort is sure to resonate with anyone who digs exploitation cinema. Blood Drive is a visceral love letter to the grindhouse output of years past that routinely pushes the boundaries of what you can get away with on cable television. The series aired on SyF and it features some hilarious depictions of censorship that reinforce just how edgy the material actually is. Case in point: we see black bars obscuring frequent depictions of nudity. If you’re curious to see what the program is all about, all episodes are now available to rent on YouTube.
Set in a dystopian 1999, the program follows Arthur (Alan Ritchson), the last honest cop in Los Angeles after he’s forced to take part in a high-stakes automobile race where the cars run on blood and the last place contestant in each leg loses their head, literally. After Arthur is drafted into the ordeal, he teams up with Grace (Christina Ochoa), a mysterious woman whose intentions aren’t immediately clear. Despite plenty of tension, the two ultimately realize they need one another and form a reluctant partnership.
2) Fear Itself
If you enjoy the brutal and unforgettable anthology series Masters of Horror you should make haste to experience the similarly themed show Fear Itself. Fear Itself is the brainchild of Masters of Horror series creator Mick Garris and it shares a number of similarities with the Showtime series.
Like Masters of Horror before it, Fear Itself is a horror-tinged anthology program featuring a revolving door of talented creators. In fact, a couple of the same filmmakers who helmed episodes of Masters of Horror also directed installments of this single-season NBC series. More specifically, Masters of Horror directors John Landis, Stuart Gordon, and Brad Anderson each take the reins on an episode. If the premise sounds like it might be up your alley, you can find Fear Itself streaming on The Roku Channel, Plex, and Fandango at Home.
3) The River
Found footage has oft been utilized in cinematic fare, but rarely do we see a television series that adopts the approach in any capacity. It’s even more rare to see a program adhere to the conceit for the duration. The ABC series The River, however, is one such example. The show, which consists of just eight episodes, is framed as footage captured by a documentary crew observing the search for wildlife expert Dr. Emmet Cole (Bruce Greenwood) who went missing in the Amazon River basin.
If the show sounds like it might be up your alley, you can find all episodes available for rent or purchase through most major online media retailers. You can also score the series on physical media via the secondary market.
4) Death Valley
If you’re a fan of the juxtaposition of horror and farcical comedy, this 12-episode program might be for you. Death Valley follows a special unit within the LAPD called the UTF, which stands for Undead Task Force. Within the context of this MTV series, werewolves, zombies, vampires, and the like recently began roaming the streets of LA, leaving chaos in their wake and in turn giving the UTF job security.
People connected with the show’s quirky sense of humor and the colorful cast of characters. Some fans of the program have likened it to a supernatural spin on the farcical comedy series Reno 911! If that outlandish premise entices you to seek the program out, you can find this single-season series available for rental or purchase via Prime Video.
5) Archive 81
It’s a crying shame that this surreal, mind-melting show didn’t get the chance to conclude its narrative. Even still, the first season functions as an absolute delight that ties up enough loose ends to make the program’s sole season worth experiencing. The series is an atmospheric effort that explores occult themes through the perspective of media archivist Dan Turner (Mamoudou Athie). When he’s tasked with restoring a number of damaged video tapes, Dan gets sucked into a mind-bending mystery involving Melody (Dina Shihabi), the woman who years prior captured the footage on the tapes.
This Netflix original program delivers a constant complement of twists and turns as it moves toward a series of revelations few will see coming. The occult-themed show is adapted from a narrative fiction podcast of the same name. If you find yourself yearning for more answers after binging the program in its entirety, the podcast offers a more definitive conclusion.
Do you plan to binge any of these short-lived horror series in the near future? Let us know in the comments section.
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Image courtesy of DC Studios -
Image Courtesy of The WB Television Network -
Image Courtesy of DC Studios.
