3 Netflix horror series worth binge watching for Halloween 2020
By Aedan Juvet
During a Halloween where we’re isolated, enjoy a little spooky Netflix programming
Netflix took time to expand its growing horror catalog, streaming and/or producing many series like The Haunting of Bly Manor, Marianne, American Horror Story, Hemlock Grove, and other genre titles. Despite the overall lack of security for Netflix horror series longevity, the platform has launched some incredible horror additions as well as given others new life after airing, so there’s a few that are certainly worth your time this Halloween.
Here are three you need to stream right away.
Ju-On: Origins
The recent addition to the Ju-On mythos, Ju-On: Origins is definitely a dark horse for the streaming service, being one of the most frightening installments of the franchise. With a limited six-episode run, the franchise takes viewers into the brutal birth of a curse that doesn’t pull punches.
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The series uses the formula it has become known for with various timelines in play, but each character at the center of a distinct time carries their own weight. The horrors of each character’s journey tell very different stories and that intensity keeps that heightened level of fear for the entirety. The series definitely has some moments that are hard to stomach, so know that it isn’t for everyone, though that’s not necessarily new to Ju-On fans either.
Scream
Scream is seeing a well-deserved resurgence due to the upcoming Scream film from Ready or Not creators Radio Silence, but the MTV and VH1 series is often neglected. Yes, it might not have the same exact horror consistency as the films due to a stretched-out narrative, but Scream has its perks.
The two MTV seasons and Halloween special provide twists, main character deaths, and blood with a spin on the killer’s look and backstory of the protagonist. The Brandon James connections to the killer add a nice nod to the Sidney Prescott story that helped the franchise flourish, but VH1 essentially rebooted the reboot.
VH1’s version of Scream seemed stronger on paper, but MTV set up a much better history worth watching if it came down to picking one. At least the VH1 Scream brings back the beloved Ghostface mask though!
Slasher
One of the most respectable traits of the Netflix series Slasher is that its title is a blatant statement of what to expect. The series is a fully committed slasher story, with each season reinventing the killer, characters, locations, and stories similar to American Horror Story. Unlike AHS, Slasher has shown solid follow-through in its three-season run as an indie-horror sleeper that is one of Netflix’s best horror originals.
Though each season is worth watching, the second season is the first to fully prove what it’s capable of, with an isolated, winter-themed setting where a secret sets up a bloodbath. The unpredictable twist to the ending of the season and a near-perfect final scene put Slasher on the map, and a much more socially aware third season in an apartment complex brought some of the series best moments.
In a world where horror is a difficult adaptation in television format, Slasher finds ways to brings some of the best cinematic ‘90s nostalgia to a TV format.
Netflix has these series and so many more, so make sure to check out their spooky-centric content and let us know what you’ll be watching below!