Spooky (But Not Super Scary) TV Shows to Watch This Halloween https://ift.tt/dbMgI9P
I love a seasonal binge watch as much as the next person, but I also like to sleep at night. And while everyone else is rewatching Hereditary for fun(?), I’m over here Googling “spooky TV shows that aren’t Stranger Things and won’t ruin your week.” Yes, I know, The Haunting of Hill House is supposed to be very good, but I’m just too delicate. Every now and then, I’ll do a deep dive into a serial killer’s Wikipedia page, and even that keeps me up at night.
Many of my formative years were spent in the evangelical South, so TV shows that lean into themes that make the spiritual world feel present and close are the perfect amount of spooky for me. Here’s a list of TV shows with vibes, like misty forests and liminal spaces, but none of the typical horror consequences like gore or jumpscares… for the most part. And because not all spooky shows need to be serious, I also threw in a couple of comedies with the perfect Halloween ambiance.
The OA is equal parts sci-fi, spiritual mystery, and interpretive dance if you can believe it. It follows a young woman who returns home after disappearing for seven years, now calling herself “The OA” and saying she can travel across dimensions. One of my favourite things about the show is that it never fully reveals what’s real or imagined. It’s a great watch if you’re into near-death experiences, eerie suburban nights, and some really great emotional storytelling. Plus, there’s a surprise Zendaya appearance in season two.
Dark is a German sci-fi thriller, so yes, you’ll be reading subtitles, but you’ll forget about that almost instantly thanks to its deeply moody vibes and a constant sense that something huge is just out of reach. It opens with a child disappearing near a nuclear power plant and only gets more complicated from there. Watch if you’re into gloomy forests, family secrets, and the ways history repeats itself.
Twin Peaks is somehow both the scariest show on my list and also one of my favorite comfort watches. It begins with the murder of a homecoming queen in a small, fog-drenched Washington town and features an incredibly charming FBI special detective. The show perfectly filters surreal horror through ’90s soap opera aesthetics, and yet, there’s also pie, coffee, and lovable characters to keep things grounded. Ideal for fans of dreamlike sequences, small-town mysteries, and somehow Gilmore Girls. It doesn’t really make sense, but I have a feeling that if you like Gilmore Girls, you’ll like Twin Peaks.
I know Severance had its moment, but all awards and think pieces aside, I think it still belongs here because the vibes are just that good. It’s a workplace thriller with deep existential dread, but it’s completely balanced out with dry humor, stunning visual aesthetics, and really captivating acting. Even when it’s almost too scary for me (goats, why are goats always terrifying?), it always pulls me back in with genuinely funny moments. A solid pick if you enjoy Adam Scott and sterile, brutalist office spaces that are somehow filmed beautifully.
What We Do in the Shadows is technically about monsters, but most of the humor comes from how completely un-scary these characters are — think energy vampires who drain your will to live with boring conversation. This mockumentary follows four supernatural beings (and one very stressed human) living in a spooky mansion crumbling house on Staten Island. It’s the perfect low-stakes October binge. Give it a watch if you’re a fan of the Office, vampires, and Matt Berry saying almost anything.
Los Espookys
Creators: Fred Armisen, Ana Fabrega, Julio Torres
This Spanish-language series follows a group of friends in a dreamy, slightly offbeat Latin American city. They turn their love of all things spooky into a macabre small business that creates custom horror scenarios for clients, think staged hauntings and exorcisms. Los Espookys features some of my favorite comedians (Julio Torres, Ana Fabrega, and Fred Armisen) and boasts 100% on Rotten Tomatoes for both of its seasons. A bingeable option for anyone who loves the idea of horror more than actual horror.
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