Psychological twists, jump scares, guts and gore. Just a few of the chilling elements that make the horror genre so addictive.
Scary movies have a cult following and the genre is only growing, having doubled its box office market share in the past seven years (that’s according to The Numbers, a movie industry data service).
The likes of Nosferatu, Longlegs and The Substance — which won one of its five Oscar nominations — were highlights in the 2024 film calendar, underscoring horror’s ability to captivate critics and audiences alike.
But the genre doesn’t just belong on the big screen. The best TV horrors can be just as gripping, unsettling and, in some cases, even vomit-inducing. And you can get the same adrenaline rush from the comfort of your own sofa.
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Metro readers have their say
With autumn and, therefore, spooky season now on the horizon, we asked Metro readers to share their favourite TV horrors.
From a ‘suspenseful masterpiece’ to a Netflix smash hit, these are the five shows that came highly recommended by our readers.
The Baby
Limited comedy horror series The Baby aired in 2022 and was branded as ‘hugely enjoyable’ by one of Metro‘s own TV critics.
And readers agree. Shane Church explained: ‘It’s a British horror series about a demonic baby that kills any woman who attempts to mother it’, adding:’Very engrossing [and] unusual. I watched the whole season in a night’.
The eight-parter follows Natasha (Michelle de Swarte), who is put out by her friends all starting families, and unexpectedly ends up with a baby of her own.
She’s desperate to unburden herself from the responsibility, but every time she tries to pass the baby on, someone ends up dead.
There’s so much bubbling under the surface of this series, which takes a wry look at motherhood and touches on queer relationships in the 70s too.
One of the stars of the show, Seyan Sarvan, previously spoke to Metro about the ‘horrifying’ parallels between the series and the overturning of Roe v Wade, which revoked the constitutional right to abortion in the US.
Metro’s review of The Baby
Metro writer Josh Stephenson gave The Baby an impressive five stars upon its release in 2022, hailing the limited series as ‘one of the best TV shows of the year’.
‘The Baby is filled with blood and gore and some brilliant jump scares. The writing is incredibly sharp (with punchy one-liners from a game supporting cast) and Michelle de Swarte is fantastically funny as she tries to figure out whether this baby is trying to kill her, or if she’s losing her mind.
‘Plus, you can’t underestimate the real charm of a horror where the evil presence is an adorable baby who just smiles and laughs most of the time. Make sure you don’t leave The Baby in the corner, then – this show deserves your attention.’
Where to watch: All eight episodes are available to stream on NOW.
Channel Zero
Metro reader Chris Casteel recommended horror anthology series Channel Zero, and user lafemmemarvelous praised the show as ‘really well made’.
They added: ‘My favourite season is No End House — it’s a psychological horror’.
And they’re not the only fans, with the show boasting an impressive 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and hailed by viewers as one of the ‘best horror shows ever’.
The storyline for each series is based on a popular Creepypasta (a horror-related legend which has been shared around the internet), with the first season following a child psychologist who suspects his brother’s disappearance is connected to a bizarre children’s TV series.
The second season sees a group of women visit a house of horrors, only to find it’s something much more sinister than a tourist attraction, while season three focuses on a young woman and her sister who suffers with schizophrenia, after they move to a city haunted by a series of disappearances.
Where to watch: All four seasons are available to stream on Prime Video.
Stranger Things
It’s no surprise that Netflix hit Stranger Things, which is one of the platform’s most-watched shows of all time, has found its way onto this list of favourite horrors.
Metro reader Brayo Ule Dakitari Mgonjwa recommended the popular series, which is set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, during the 1980s.
In case you’ve been living under a rock, Stranger Things follows a group of young children who uncover supernatural forces and secret government experiments in their home town, and gave us stars including Millie Bobby Brown and Finn Wolfhard.
Season four was viewed a whopping 141 million times, making it Netflix’s third most-watched series ever, while season three comes in at tenth place on the list with 95 million views.
After an agonising three-year wait, Netflix dropped the trailer for the fifth and final season last month, but fans will have to hold on until November to binge new episodes of the show that arguably changed TV forever.
Metro’s review of Stranger Things Season 4
It’s been more than three years since the most recent season of Stranger Things was released, so you’re forgiven if you’ve forgotten what a wild ride it was.
Metro TV editor Sabrina Barr gave the first few episodes 4.5 stars on their release, writing that the new episodes were ‘more grotesque than ever’.
‘The powerhouse performances from the cast are heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure, with Stranger Things continuing to do the utmost to keep its audience on the edge of their seats, unable to predict what’s going to happen next.
‘Season four is everything we hoped for and more – and we can’t express how sad we are that its release means we’re nearing the show’s fifth and final season.’
Where to watch: All four seasons are available to watch on Netflix.
The Haunting of Hill House
This Netflix show is a modern reimagining of the Shirley Jackson novel of the same name, and flashes between the terrifying past events that unfolded in Hill House and the present day, with the now grown-up children who lived there grappling with the repercussions of their experience.
Created by Mike Flanagan, a veteran of the horror genre, it’s received high praise from viewers, with Metro reader Jason Vaughan saying ‘nothing comes close’ to the series.
A user calling themselves MsAndooftheWoods called The Haunting of Hill House their ‘all-time personal favourite’, adding: ‘It perfectly weaves family drama, grief, and horror in a way that stuck with me long after watching.’
And Stumblin_McBumblin said: ‘My wife and I rewatch it every October. Still cry every time.’
Flanagan also created Netflix’s The Haunting of Bly Manor, released two years later, which is based on the Henry James novel The Turn of the Screw.
Metro’s review of The Haunting of Hill House
Metro TV reporter Tilly Pearce gave The Haunting of Hill House a four-star review when it landed on Netflix in 2018.
‘Gripping, horrifying and in some cases pretty heartbreaking, The Haunting of Hill House tears you apart from the inside out but leaves you wanting more, like some weird reverse twist on the torture porn movies of the 2000s.’
Where to watch: All 10 episodes are available to stream on Netflix.
Bates Motel
Bates Motel is a prequel series to the iconic Alfred Hitchcock film Psycho, released in 1960 and widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influential horror films ever made.
The series follows Norman Bates and his mother Norma, who open a motel after Norman’s father dies.
But Norman’s life spins out of control when his mental health deteriorates. This, coupled with his complicated bond with his mother, eventually forges a serial killer.
One Metro reader, who goes by the username lafemmemarvelous, called Bates Motel ‘an eerie, suspenseful masterpiece’ with ‘a solid cast’, while mmeliss39 echoed: ‘Bates Motel was phenomenal!’
On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an impressive 93% score, with critics hailing it as ‘intricate and twisty’ and ‘darkly-comic’.
Where to watch: All five seasons are available to watch on Prime Video and Apple TV Plus.
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