Calli with Love

Need a TV series to binge this 2024 Halloween season? Look no further. I’ve gathered an assortment of spooky, witchy, and nostalgic shows from my own watch collection, as well as a few new picks I’ll be tuning in for.

From feel good childhood favorites to frightening horror stories you won’t want to watch alone, this list has a taste of Halloween genres for all.

Please refer to the content warnings included in this post. Due to the darker nature of horror based entertainment, some of these picks are not suitable for young children or those who prefer to avoid heavier material.

1. The Haunting of Hill House (2018)

• Created By: Mike Flanagan
• Starring: Michiel Huisman, Carla Gugino, Victoria Pedretti, Timothy Hutton, Elizabeth Reaser
• Show Length: 1 Season

Based on a Shirley Jackson novel, The Haunting of Hill House is a heartbreaking analysis of grief and how it manifests over time. The show leaps back and forth from present time to the events leading up to the tragedy that haunts the Crane family. Each episode highlights a different member of the family (five children and two parents), all coping with that trauma in different ways.

Content Warning: This is personally one of my favorite shows to rewatch around October, but the content is heavy and not easy to watch. It contains suicide, death, drug use, child abuse, and serious mental health struggles. Please use caution if you struggle with these topics. Not suitable for children.

2. The Last of Us (2023-)

• Created By: Craig Mazin, Neil Druckmann
• Starring: Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Anna Torv, Nick Offerman
• Show Length: 1 season (2nd season on the way)

Based on the popular video game, The Last of Us takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, 20 years after a global outbreak. Joel (Pedro Pascal) is a hardened survivor who winds up taking care of Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a 14 year old girl who may be key to humanity’s survival. To get Ellie where she needs to be, the two must travel the United States and face dangers from nature, the infected, and the rest of the living.

Content Warning: Contains violence, gore, and graphic death scenes.

3. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! (1969-1971)

• Created By: Ken Spears, Joe Ruby
• Starring: Don Messick, Frank Welker, Casey Kasem, Heather North
• Show Length: 2 seasons

The original Scooby-Doo series introduces Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo to the world of mysteries. There’s nothing like watching Mystery Inc. uncover the clues needed to unmask the ghosts and monsters they’re after. There are plenty of Scooby-Doo shows and movies out there, but this series will make you want to curl up on the couch with some cereal and indulge in Saturday Morning Cartoons.

4. Stranger Things (2016-)

• Created By: The Duffer Brothers
• Starring: Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard
• Show Length: 4 seasons

While Netflix prepares the final season of its flagship show, viewers have plenty of time to rewatch or catch up on the show before it ends. If you’re unfamiliar, Stranger Things is an 80’s based series about a young boy who goes missing from a small town in the Midwest, while the friends and family who are tasked to find him discover a secret supernatural world beyond their own. The show is most prized for paying exceptional homage to 80’s pop culture with nostalgic nods to films like E.T. and Poltergeist, references to Dungeons and Dragons and Stephen King novels, as well as music and styles from the decade. Due to the variety of character ages and storylines, this is a perfect watch for the family.

Seasons 1 and 2 in particular, are perfect for a spooky season rewatch as they both take place in the fall. The season 2 episode “Chapter Two: Trick or Treat, Freak” is specifically a Halloween episode and lots of fun.

Content warning: Contains violence and graphic death scenes.

5. Courage, the Cowardly Dog (1999-2002)

• Created By: John R. Dilworth
• Starring: Marty Grabstein, Thea White, Lionel Wilson
• Show Length: 4 seasons

Courage, the Cowardly Dog is an animated horror comedy about a pink dog who has to defend himself and his elderly owners from supernatural forces and monsters. Every episode has two different stories, short and easy to follow. It’s a fun, nostalgic series to watch with kids, friends, or have on while you decorate.

6. WandaVision (2021)

• Created By: Jac Schaeffer
• Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Kathryn Hahn, Teyonah Parris
• Show Length: 1 season

One of my personal favorites, WandaVision is another creative analysis of grief (much lighter in tone than Hill House). After the events of Avengers: Endgame, we find Wanda and Vision living an idyllic life inside a sitcom, comically hiding her psionic powers and his synthezoid superpowers. Beginning in the 50’s, each episode highlights a new decade of sitcom styles: 60’s in the 2nd episode, 70’s in the 3rd, and so on. The question is, how did they get there? The last we saw Wanda in the MCU, she was grieving Vision’s death. The show unravels this mystery slowly, welcoming a cathartic ending for Wanda and the audience.

Content Warning: Contains mild violence and depictions of death.

7. Agatha All Along (2024)

• Created By: Jac Schaeffer
• Starring: Kathryn Hahn, Aubrey Plaza, Patti LuPone, Joe Locke
• Show Length: 1 season, currently airing!

Agatha All Along is a sequel series to WandaVision. The story follows Agatha (Kathryn Hahn) on her quest to regain her powers. She is challenged to reluctantly join forces with other struggling witches to create a coven and walk the witches’ road. It’s currently airing on Disney+ with 4 episodes out. It’s a fun watch so far, so let’s hope Marvel doesn’t let us down.

Content Warning: Contains partial nudity, depictions of death, and scary imagery.

8. The Walking Dead (2010-2021)

• Created By: Robert Kirkman, Frank Darabont
• Starring: Andrew Lincoln, Steven Yeun, Danai Gurira, Norman Reedus, Lauren Cohan
• Show Length: 11 seasons

Based on the comic series of the same name, The Walking Dead is about a sheriff Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) who wakes from a coma in the hospital to realize the world has fallen to a zombie apocalypse. Rick must learn to navigate this new world while he journeys through Atlanta to find his family. This is a good long term show to get invested in during October, with frightening and gory zombie special affects that get crazier with each season.

Content Warning: Contains violence, gore, and graphic death scenes.

9. Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (1996-2003)

• Created By: Nell Scovell
• Starring: Melissa Joan Hart, Caroline Rhea, Beth Broderick, Nick Bakay
• Show Length: 7 seasons

Another nostalgia pick, this sitcom is about Sabrina Spellman (Melissa Joan Hart), who learns on her 16th birthday that she comes from a long line of witches. Her aunts and guardians, Hilda (Caroline Rhea) and Zelda (Beth Broderick) begin teaching her the ways of witchcraft. Sabrina also receives guidance from Salem (Nick Bakay), a warlock serving a 100 year sentence as a talking black cat for attempting to take over the world. Anyone looking for an lighthearted, witchy watch would enjoy this show.

10. What We Do in the Shadows (2019-2024)

• Created By: Jemaine Clement
• Starring: Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, Natasia Demetriou, Harvey Guillen
• Show Length: 5 seasons

Based on the film by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, What We Do in the Shadows is a comedy horror series about three traditional vampires who have lived together for hundreds of years, a familiar, and an energy vampire who share a home. This is a mockumentary style look into their lives. Its creativity and humor make it a unique and refreshing watch for the season. Plus, the last season will be out on October 21st!

Content Warning: Contains mild violence, depictions of death, and scary imagery.

11. The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)

• Created By: Rod Serling
• Starring: Rod Serling,
• Show Length: 5 seasons

If you’re looking for classic and vintage vibes this Halloween, this series is the way to go. The Twilight Zone is an anthology series where the characters are subject to weird and supernatural events. Each episode has a different story and different genre, including science fiction and horror.

Content Warning: Some mild violence and frightening sequences.

12. Wednesday (2022-)

• Created By: Alfred Gough, Miles Millar
• Starring: Jenna Ortega, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Riki Lindhome, Gwendoline Christie
• Show Length: 1 season

On the other hand, if you’re feeling a fresh and Gen Z infused modern take on Halloween, Netflix’s Wednesday is what you need. Based on the character from The Addams Family, the story follows the dark and emotionless Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) as she begins life at a new school, Nevermore Academy. While there, Wednesday realizes the extent of her psychic abilities and becomes involved in a murder mystery.

Content Warning: Contains mild violence, depictions of death, and scary imagery.

13. Uzumaki: Spiral into Horror (2024)

• Created By: Junji Ito
• Starring: Uki Satake, Shin-ichiro Miki, Mariya Ise, Toship Furukawa
• Show Length: 1 season, currently airing!

This anime series based on the horror manga by Junji Ito, is about a small Japanese town that becomes plagued by spirals. These spirals create physical and psychologically damaging effects on the citizens. My boyfriend has the coloring book that is based off the manga and the artwork is beautiful and terrifying. I’m excited to give this one a watch.

Content Warning: Contains violent and disturbing imagery, mild nudity, and graphic death.

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I hope one of the shows on this list interests you! Happy Halloween friends!

Let me know what you’ll be watching in the comments below. I’m always looking for recommendations.

From Calli with Love.