9 Spooky TV Shows to Watch Before Halloween

FX, Netflix, FOX

If you're in the mood to get spooked this Halloween but don't feel like rewatching your favorite horror flicks, opt for a late-night binge of TV's creepiest series. From old favorites like American Horror Story's newest terrifying plot line and The Walking Dead's endless barrage of killer zombies to new shows involving serial killers and horrifying folk tales, there are plenty of scary moments on the small screen this year. But, if you're less into the sleep-with-the-lights-on type of horror and more into dark comedies that serve up scary with a side of laughs, then you'll want to tune into the new series Ghosted or the classic annual The Simpsons' Halloween episode, "Treehouse of Horror."

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No matter where you land on the horror spectrum, there's a spooky TV show to prepare you for All Hallows' Eve. Looking for an alternative to Rocky Horror or a replacement for Scream Queens? Check out our favorite hair-raising series and specials below.

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American Horror Story

Frank Ockenfels/FX

The seventh season of Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk's bone-chilling anthology series, American Horror Story, has a few of the original cast members on board, including Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters, as well as the addition of Lena Dunham. Titled Cult, it airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on FX. Binge-watch previous seasons on Hulu, but fair warning: This series is not for the faint of heart!

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The Exorcist

Sergei Bachlakov/FOX

More than 40 years after the original horror flick The Exorcist came out, a new and equally terrifying TV version debuted last fall. Back again for Season 2 beginning this week, the series follows two Catholic priests as they deal with a family riddled by demonic possession. Catch new episodes Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on FOX and download old episodes on Amazon.

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GHOSTED

Kevin Estrada/Fox

Funny guys Adam Scott and Craig Robinson team up in this buddy comedy that follows two paranormal investigators hired to look into some creepy, unexplained goings-on. We can't wait to see what silly shenanigans these two get into. Ghosted premieres Oct. 1 on FOX and will air Sundays at 8:30 p.m. ET.

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VAN HELSING

Syfy

This series follows Vanessa Van Helsing, the daughter of famous vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing and humanity's only hope for survival when vampires have taken over the world. The new season begins Oct. 5 and airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on Syfy and Syfy.com. You can also download old episodes at Amazon.

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FREAKISH

Rachael Thompson/Hulu

Freakish takes place at a small-town high school where a group of students and one teacher must fight for survival against mutant predators after an explosion at a local chemical plant. The new season will debut on Oct. 18, but in the meantime you can catch up on Season 1 on Hulu.

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Mindhunter

Patrick Harbron/Netflix

Glee's Jonathan Groff stars in this chilling new series that delves into the minds of the most notorious serial killers. It is based on the 1996 book, Mind Hunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit (available on amazon.com in case you'd like to be further creeped out), which was written by a former special agent who dealt with these killers firsthand. Watch the trailer here before all episodes air Oct. 13 on Netflix.

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Lore

Tina Rowden

Lore is a new six-episode horror anthology series from Amazon and will be making it’s debut on the spookiest day of the year—Friday the 13th. It’s based on the popular podcast of the same name, which covers some of the scariest folkloric tales, from vampires and werewolves to creepy, possessed dolls and creatures of the night. If you like being scared, you won’t want to miss this one, which will be available on Amazon Prime Video.

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THE WALKING DEAD

Gene Page/AMC

Frank Darabont's horror series The Walking Dead is about to kick off its eighth season on Oct. 22 with its 100th episode—and even 100 episodes later we still find ourselves covering our eyes more often than not. Once the series is back, catch new episodes on Sundays, at 9 p.m. ET on AMC, or watch old episodes on Netflix.

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THE SIMPSONS: "Treehouse of Horror"

FOX

Every year, we can count on the The Simpsons to deliver its spooky Halloween episode called "Treehouse of Horror." This episode always takes place outside the continuity of the show, is delivered in three parts, and is more violent than usual. This year's version will air on Oct. 22.

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9 Spooky TV Shows to Watch Before Halloween