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Pumpkins are being carved, costumes are in the assembly stage, and the big bag of sweets is eyeing you from the corner of the room. Halloween is almost here and you might be wanting to get your spook on. Netflix is home to some of the best horror TV shows around, to scratch that itch you have to be terrified this October. However, with such a huge catalogue, you can end up with a bit of decision paralysis when it comes to picking just one. Sign up for our daily national newsletter - in your inbox Mon-Fri Fortunately, that is what I am here for, as our resident television expert, I have rounded up the best spooky shows to watch on the streaming services this Halloween. With reasons to tune in to each option! Synopsis: A famous horror writer who is lured back to her hometown discovers that the evil spirit who plagues her dreams is now wreaking havoc in the real world. Why should you watch it? Despite being on my own personal list since it came out back in 2019, I still, shamefully, haven’t got round to watching Marianne yet - maybe this year will be the one. At just eight episodes, it is an easy one to catch up with. The Sydney Morning Herald wrote: “The series eschews a lot of genre tropes and tricksiness, making it all the more involving.” While Bloody Disgusting added: “Marianne is nightmares personified.” Synopsis: People must rise to combat unidentified parasites after they violently take over human hosts and gain power. Apparently, this is based on an anime series, but is a spin-off and not a live-action remake. It is a fun mix of body-snatching horror and bombastic action that will definitely appeal to people who enjoy shows like The Walking Dead. Parasyte: The Grey is more unsettling, at least it felt like that to me, than outright horrifying. But if you want some switch-off your brain spooky thrills, it is only six episodes long. Plus for fans of Train to Busan it is directed by the same man who made that film! Synopsis: When Belgrave University student Jack Morton joins a fabled secret society, the Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose, he is thrust into a world of magic, monsters and intrigue. Out to avenge his mother's death, he uncovers dark family secrets and lands in an underground battle being waged between werewolves and practitioners of dark magic. Assisting Jack in the fight is Alyssa, a tour guide at Belgrave and fellow member of the Order, which is led by Jack's estranged father. The Order is one of the Netflix cancellations that got me the most worked up, after discovering it would not be back for season three. However, despite that, it is still one to watch. Even if there are a few loose ends, it is a fun, campy, throwback to shows like Charmed and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. So you can get your Halloween thrills, without having to sleep with the light on. Plus there is some really fun body horror/ transformation going on with the different monster factions. It has 20 episodes in total, so you can really sink your teeth into it. Synopsis: Teens must survive a summer of terror after downloading a mysterious app called Red Rose. that makes dangerous demands with deadly consequences. A bit of British horror has also made the cut among the best on Netflix. Originally broadcast on BBC Three and iPlayer, Red Rose is now also available on the streamer in the UK. It has just six episodes, so isn’t a huge time commitment, and was well received back when it debuted in 2022. The one and only season of Red Rose has a 100% fresh rating from critics. Time Magazine wrote: “Red Rose manages to make some keen observations about young people, social media, and surveillance without getting pedantic.” While Slate added: “The most frightening function Red Rose performs is reminding us that we’re too far gone to stop an attack like this.” Synopsis: A family moves into the oldest smart home in Germany, decades after the original owner dies; the AI household helper awakens, and is resolved to never be alone again. Netflix and Germany make for quite the unsettling combo - with mind-bending sci-fi series Dark being a stand out. Another acclaimed example is the German horror show Cassandra. Dropping earlier this year (February), the first season is available to stream in full this Halloween. It is one that might scratch an itch for Black Mirror fans. In a review, Decider wrote: “Cassandra’s spirited opener is entertaining, and even though it points toward more predictable plot developments, it’s still worth sticking with for another episode or two.” While Inverse added: “It’s funnier than it should be, more touching than the premise allows, and has some genuine rug-pull plot twists that, with the right fan following, could cement this as the next international hit.” Synopsis: A twentysomething woman who can see demons joins a hunter on a quest to end the demon threat. Another British entry on this list, Crazyhead has stood the test of time. First released by the E4 back in 2016, it was compared to the likes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It had just one season unfortunately, but that means there are only six episodes to watch - so perfectly do-able before Halloween. Another show that mixes comedy and horror, it is available to watch on Netflix this October. In a glowing review of Crazyhead, Vox wrote: “The way it subverts those tropes and expectations, and messes with the power dynamics they've created, is part of what makes Crazyhead so exciting.” While the Guardian added: “Think of the weird comedy of Ghostbusters crossed with Trainspotting - with the series' wry sideways comment on mental-health treatment, and its focus on female friendship, deepening its message.” Synopsis: The deceased king rises and a mysterious plague begins to spread; the prince must face a new breed of enemies to unveil the evil scheme and save his people. Back in the 2010s, it felt like every other TV show or movie featured either a dystopian future or zombies. So, amid all the glut of series that followed in The Walking Dead’s blockbuster wake, it started to get very samey by 2019 which makes Kingdom all the more miraculous. This incredible blend of period drama and zombie mayhem is a must-watch for horror fans - in my humble opinion. It manages to reinvent zombies in a way that is truly scary again, with plenty of twists and turns along the way. There is also a prequel movie that came out in 2021 that is a fun addition. Sadly, it doesn’t seem like there will be a third season but it wraps up well and is one of the best Netflix originals. Synopsis: Unearthly beings deliver condemnations, sending individuals to hell and giving rise to a religious group founded on the idea of divine justice. Just like Parasyte: The Grey, Hellbound is from the man behind Train to Busan (arguably one of the top two or three horror films of the 2010s). However, this show blends religious horror with a procedural investigation that, at least in season one, keeps you thoroughly hooked. I have only watched the first series, mainly due to how skin-crawlingly terrifying it was. It wormed its way into my brain and I couldn’t stop thinking about it for weeks after. Synopsis: This modern reimagining of the Shirley Jackson novel follows siblings who, as children, grew up in what would go on to become the most famous haunted house in the country. Now adults, they are forced back together in the face of tragedy and must finally confront the ghosts of their past. Some of those ghosts still lurk in their minds, while others may actually be stalking the shadows of Hill House. What list of the best horror shows on Netflix would be complete without a Mike Flanagan show. For a good run of the late 2010s and early 2020s he served up scare after scare each Halloween. However, the highest rated of his shows on Rotten Tomatoes is currently The Haunting of Hill House - the one that started it all. Taking on one of THE classic haunting house books, it is truly, truly terrifying. Mixing in jump scares with an atmosphere of pure dread, the show keeps you hooked episode after episode. Although don’t look too closely, you might see your next nightmare hidden in the background. At ten episodes, it is self-contained, and tells a complete - if devastating - story. You still have time to had it to your queue before Halloween. Synopsis: The arrival of a charismatic priest brings miracles, mysteries and renewed religious fervor to a dying town. It might have a bit of a lower RT score - at 87% fresh - but for my opinion, whatever that is worth, Midnight Mass is the best show on this list. Since it came out in 2021, I have rewatched it each October and it never gets old. The show about an island community beset by supernatural forces is so perfectly paced, with the horrors unfolding slowly and building to a crescendo. It is scary, thrilling, heart-breaking, and triumphant with an incredible twist on religious horror. Fans of Stephen King might feel like they’ve stumbled across an adaptation of a lost book - it nails that vibe so well. Maybe even better than the currently airing IT prequel show. At seven episodes, it is the perfect horror morsel to sink your fangs into this Halloween. On the topic of horror TV and Stephen King, the long-awaited prequel show to the blockbuster movies IT: Chapter One and Two is finally here. Taking the action back to the 1960s, Pennywise is here to terrify a whole new generation - see when it is on Sky Atlantic/ Now TV.
