PopHorror Let's Get Scared
I’m back again! This time it’s all about horror TV! Unlike movies, a TV series allowa a story to present itself in a more leisurely fashion. They also offer the chance to enjoy and grow with a cast of characters. As usual, I dug into the old brain to come up with those lesser known shows that deserve to be watched by a larger audience.
Now on with the shows!
A Discovery of Witches
Three Seasons – 2018 – 2022
Synopsis
Diana Bishop, historian and witch, accesses Ashmole 782 and knows she must solve its mysteries. She is offered help by the enigmatic Matthew Clairmont, but he’s a vampire and witches should never trust vampires.
Based on the wonderful All Souls Trilogy of books, this adaptation did an impeccable job of creating a complete world of witches, vampires, and daemons. Both sides of being a magical creature are represented: the dazzling glow of magic and love, and the dark violence of lust and power.
Servant
Four Seasons – 2019 – 2023
Synopsis
A Philadelphia couple are in mourning after an unspeakable tragedy creates a rift in their marriage and opens a door for a mysterious force to enter their home.
This is one of those compulsive watches that takes you right down the most unexpected rabbit hole. You will never, ever, imagine where this show will take you. It’s anchored by some extremely fine performances, especially by Nell Tiger Free, as the last person I’d hire to watch anything, let alone my child.
Wolf Creek
Two Seasons – 2016 – 2017
Synopsis
An anthology series which centers on different characters being targeted by crazed serial killer Mick Taylor in the Australian outback.
“Yes, that’s right – it’s a TV Show too!” I swear this statement comes out of my mouth every time I mention this show. I need more people to watch this one because it’s pretty great! Lucy Fry kills it in the role of a girl who is out for some pretty serious revenge.
Whitechapel
Four Season – 2009 – 2013
Synopsis
A fast-tracked inspector, a hardened detective sergeant, and an expert in historical homicides investigate modern crimes with connections to the past in the Whitechapel district of London.
Modern day Whitechapel just can’t wash away the stains of the past in this BBC series. Rupert Penry-Jones is terrific as the naive Detective Inspector that finds himself face to face with a violent Jack the Ripper copycat. You will spend most of this one with your heart in your throat!
The Exorcist
Two Seasons – 2016 – 2018
Synopsis
Follows two priests dealing with cases of a demonic presence targeting a family and a foster home.
Step aside lousy sequels (except for The Exorcist III), this TV show has got the goods! And who’s surprised with a cast like Ben Daniels, Geena Davis, and Alan Ruck? It also had a smart plotline, gorgeous cinematography, and one hell of a plot twist. It’s too bad it didn’t last more than two seasons!
McMafia
One Season – 2018
Synopsis
Alex Godman, the English-raised son of Russian mafia exiles, has spent his life trying to escape the shadow of their past, building his own legitimate business and forging a life with his girlfriend, Rebecca. But when a murder unearths his family’s past, Alex is drawn into the criminal underworld where he must confront his values to protect those he loves.
Saddled with one of the worst titles for a show ever, this show was a genuine surprise. Like any good mobster show will teach you, the past will always haunt you. Escaping a violent legacy is not as easy as it seems, no matter how decent a person you may be.
Carnivale
Two Seasons – 2003 – 2005
Synopsis
During the Great Depression, an Oklahoma farm boy and a charismatic minister learn that they are key players in a proxy war being fought between Heaven and Hell.
WOW. This was such an amazing show. Even though it takes place during the Great Depression, the themes feel very appropriate to some of today’s political and financial issues. It’s filmed beautifully, and the acting is top notch. This is one worth seeking out.
Wire in the Blood
Six Seasons – 2002 – 2008
Synopsis
A psychologist gets inside of the minds of both killers and victims to aid the police in solving gruesome serial killings in Northern England.
Long before Will Graham was doing the “pendulum thing” in the Hannibal TV Series, there was clinical psychologist Tony Hill. Hill was quirky, awkward, and tormented, but had a deep understanding of how the criminal mind worked. This series was among the darkest and best to ever grace the small screen thanks to an incredible performance by Robson Green as Tony Hill.
Twin Peaks
Two Seasons – 1990 – 1991
Synopsis
An idiosyncratic FBI agent investigates the murder of a young woman in the even more idiosyncratic town of Twin Peaks.
Full transparency here, this show scared the crap out of me when I first watched it. Ok, it still does a little bit. David Lynch, bless him, has a way of filming the most mundane things in a really, really unsettling way. Twin Peaks brought Lynch’s surreal vision to the small screen and made him a household name.
Damien
One Season – 2016
Synopsis
After discovering his origins, Damien Thorn must cope with life as the Anti-Christ.
This is one of those shows that deserved at least one more season because it had so much promise: a great lead in Bradley James, interesting story, and a good supporting cast including Barbara Hershey. Despite being canceled, this is a very fun series to watch!
Are there any shows you would like to see on this list? Let me know in the comments below!
