Making a goodhorrorTV series is no easy task. It’s already hard enough to keep audiences scared for a timeframe of between 90 and 120 minutes. Think of the monumental task required to do that in over 400 hours. It’s therefore not surprising that there are more iconic horror movies than there are TV shows. Thankfully, a proven formula helps series creators and producers work around this challenge, and it simply involves reworking or continuing the iconic horror movies.
Because a strong fan base and a brilliant plot already exist, television producers are always likely to have a hit on their hands when they go this route. However, nothing is guaranteed, and the makers ofDamien(based onThe Omen) can testify to that. It still takes a lot of skill to take a compact story and stretch it without causing it to lose its taste. If you are looking for shows that trigger as much dread, excitement, and intrigue as the original cinematic work, bet on the following gems.
Here are 8 great TV series based on horror classics.
8’Scream: The TV Series' (2015 – 2019)
Teen horror show,Scream: The TV Series,relies on a serialized anthology template and follows agroup of teenagers being stalked by a masked killer.The first two seasons cover aseries ofhorrific events in the town of Lakewood, Colorado, while the third centers ona football star in Atlanta being tormented by past tragic events.
Beware… Ghostface Is Watching
Scream: The TV Seriesmight not have received as many awards as the film series, but it won’t disappoint franchise fans. More than just a bone-chilling achievement, thismeditation on life and misfortunesachievesadreamlike, immersive, poetic beauty. Viewers willappreciate the story, the dialogue, and the camerawork. Some scenes feel like they were filmed in a single steadicam shot, with the cameras gliding creepily through the rooms, coming across the victims as if by chance.
7’Freddy’s Nightmares' (1988 – 1990)
Set in the universe of theA Nightmare on Elm Street slasher film series,Freddy’s Nightmaresalso relies on an anthology format, coveringstandalone horror stories mostly featuring residents of Springwood, Ohio. Each story is introduced by Freddy Krueger (portrayed by Robert Englund as in the films), before the camera swirls among the would-be victims, who are unaware of what awaits them.
Freddy’s Still In Your Dreams
Wes Cravenmade a bold move by venturing into televisionin a decade when cinema was the safest bet. Thankfully, it all paid off, with the final product emerging as afrightening and gorgeous creation that abused all the tropes but still had enough interesting storylines to make viewers care.The choice to throw new victims into the path of danger in each episode was wise and logical, as there was no way anyone would survive a whole season with Freddy.
6’The Exorcist' (2016 – 2017)
The Exorcistserves as a directlegacy sequelto the original 1973 film, ignoring the other various sequels. In the first season, Father Tomas Ortega (Alfonso Herrera) and Father Marcus Keane (Ben Daniels)help a now-grown Regan MacNeil (Geena Davis) deal with another possession incident. In Season 2,creepy occurrences play out at a rural foster homerun by Andy Kim (John Cho).
More Demons in Bodies
Series creator Jeremy Slater (better known for his work inMoon Knight) follows up the original film withbelievably scary stories set against the backdrops of family and guardianship. Geena Davis, aided by special effects that give her surroundings a nightmarish feel, excels as a woman being pulled back while trying to rediscover at least a modicum of joy and self-esteem. And she suredoes a great job of filling Linda Blaire’s shoes. Nothing bad can be said about John Cho either. The show won numerous awards, including Best Horror Series at the iHorror Awards.
5’From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series' (2014 – 2016)
“There was so much I wanted to explore in that movie that I didn’t get to.” Filmmaker Robert Rodrigueztold the San Antonio Express. He thus made a TV show that plays out the same way, with additional subplots. InFrom Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, fugitive brothers Seth (D.J. Cotrona) and Richie Gecko (Zane Holtz) areheaded for the border after a violent bank robbery. Theystop by a strip club, unaware that it is populated by snake-like peopletied to Mesoamerican mythology.
Butch Cassidy and the Scared Kid
By turns wrenching and cautionary,From Dusk Till Dawn: The Seriesis one TV adaptation worth losing several hours on. D. J. Cotrona was cast in the role of Superman for Warner Bros.' plannedJustice League: Mortalfilm before the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America ruined everything isa potent blend of machismo and sensitivity. Watch out for that opening scene as it contains one of the best action sequences you’ll ever see in a horror TV show.
Set 30 years after the first threeEvil Deadfilms,Ash Vs. Evil DeadfindsAsh Williams (Bruce Campbell) working at the “Value Stop” store and drinking heavily(like he is inBurn Notice). He has made little progress in life ever since he returned from 1300 AD afterArmy of Darkness, but his mundane existence is about to be shaken up whenthe titular Evil Dead returns. Across several seasons, he will encounter an assortment of offbeat characters and even find love.
As Perfect as the Movies
Thecolorful, gory, and exuberant horror showfrom Sam Raimi is utterly delightful, thanks to afirst-rate performance from Bruce Campbell, a sharp, layered script, and vivacious production design, which bathes the Michigan setting in bright colors. Though he is working on television, an acclaimed filmmaker packs ininventive, surreal scenes(that must have cost a lot) to keep viewers engaged, but ultimately it’s the little scares and great stories that hold this marvelous confection together.
3’Chucky' (2021 – 2024)
Chuckyis the eighth installment intheChild’s Playfranchiseand is a direct sequel toCult of Chucky, the seventh installment. It followsthe notorious killer doll as he commits a fresh series of murders in Hackensack, New Jersey,shortly after he is bought by a 14-year-old boyfor use in a contemporary school art project during Halloween.
Chucky Won’t Stop
With such ahuge variety of kills on offerin this TV offering,Chuckyfully restores the faith that first-rate horror is not as dead as the victims. There’s plenty of thematic weight, too. Bullying and sexuality are but the major topics that pop up for discourse. Beyond that, Brad Dourif’s spooky voice achieves its purpose: causing even hardcore fans to duck under the table. Don’t worry if you haven’t seen the movies. You’ll still enjoy every minute.
2’Bates Motel' (2013 – 2017)
Bates Motelis acontemporary prequel to Alfred Hitchcock’s critically acclaimed 1960 horror filmPsycho. It chroniclesthe lives of Norman Bates (Freddie Highmore) and his mother, Norma (Vera Farmiga), before the events shown in the movie. However, events occur in a different fictional town (White Pine Bay, Oregon, instead of Fairvale, California) in the 21st century.
Two Psychos
Developed by Carlton Cuse (best known forLost),Bates Motelis that all-too-rare thing: awildly intelligent, good-looking, effervescent, and totally infectious horror show. All the cast members put their best foot forward, butVera Farmiga is particularly outstandingas Norman’s mother. For her work, she received an Emmy nomination. Is the show as good as the Hitchcock movie? Well, just a little slower, but equally intriguing.
1’Alien: Earth' (2025)
Alien: Earthpremieres on FX and FX on Hulu on July 08, 2025, but the critic reviews are already in, and they are glowing. In the new show, the space vessel Maginot crash-lands on Earth, forcing a young woman and a special forces team to inspect it.They soon come face to face with one of the greatest threats mankind has ever encountered.
Horror and Sci-Fi’s Everlasting Marriage
The series has an impressive 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes.“Stylistically bold and scary as hell, Noah Hawley’s Alien: Earth transplants the Xenomorph mythos into the television medium with its cinematic grandeur intact while staking out a unique identity of its own,“says the consensus. Fans can thus expect a nerve-rattling treat, characterized by terrific acting and a breakneck pace.
Alien: Earth
