Here are the best horror TV shows on Amazon Prime Video for Halloween 2021. After a Halloween season in 2020 that mostly ended up a dud thanks to coronavirus lockdowns, many are hoping that 2021 will offer a chance to celebrate the spookiest of all holidays properly. That likely includes going to parties, haunted attractions, and of course going out to see the latest horror movies at the local multiplex. Of course, COVID is still sadly out there, and some will no doubt decide it would still be safer to spend Halloween time indoors.
That doesn't have to be a sad thing, though, as every major player in the streaming service wars has opted to up its game in October when it comes to the horror movies and TV shows on offer to subscribers. The natural leader in that department is Shudder's vault of horror movies, being an entirely horror-themed service, but big mainstream players like Amazon Prime Video also have a lot in their current catalogs for the discerning horror fan.
For those more in the mood for a binge-worthy series than a one-off movie, Amazon Prime has several small-screen favorites ready to queue up and watch leading up to and on Halloween 2021. Among this bunch are iconic, decade-defining classics, anthology terror, and even some new spins on old stories. Here are the best horror TV shows on Prime Video right now.
American Horror Story Seasons 1-9
At this point, horror anthologies in the form of TV shows - whether they be stories that last a season or a single episode - are a big part of the TV landscape, but it was American Horror Story's 2011 debut that effectively reawakened the format. Horror anthologies had all but vanished by the 2000s after being all over TV in the 1980s and 1990s. Of course, for all its success, American Horror Story can sometimes be a divisive show. That's all the more reason to stream seasons 1-9 on Prime Video and judge for oneself. Murder House, Asylum, Coven, Freak Show, Hotel, Roanoke, Cult, Apocalypse, and 1984 are all ready and waiting to be experienced as part of Halloween festivities.
Dexter Seasons 1-8
With Showtime's highly anticipated reboot-revival Dexter: New Blood coming in November, now is a great time to binge Dexter's original eight season run. While the show definitely had its ups and downs in quality, Michael C. Hall's performance as the titular killer with a code never failed to captivate. Dexter's season 8 finale famously disappointed many fans by reinventing him as a lumberjack, but with New Blood, there's a chance to rectify those issues and give Dexter the ending he deserves. In the meantime though, there's no reason not to relive Dexter's past experiences with his "dark passenger" in the lead-up to Halloween.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Seasons 1-7
While embattled creator Joss Whedon is far from revered by many at this point, that doesn't change the fact that Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a truly groundbreaking, iconic show, and it's a never bad choice to revisit. Starring Sarah Michelle Gellar as the titular hero, Buffy regularly produced scares, laughs, tears, and just about every other type of reaction one could hope to solicit from an audience. Buffy's often gothic atmosphere and the myriad of monsters on display also make it an especially great choice for the Halloween season, and it'll drive a stake through the heart of Amazon Prime Video subscribers' free time.
I Know What You Did Last Summer Season 1
In 1997, I Know What You Did Last Summer - also featuring Buffy's Sarah Michelle Gellar - became a huge hit in the post-Scream wave of teen slashers. Now, Amazon Prime Video has dropped a TV show remake of I Know What You Did Last Summer just in time for Halloween. Based on the same 1973 Lois Duncan book, the new I Know features original characters and other notable changes, but keeps the basic premise of a group of friends killing someone and covering it up, only to be confronted for their misdeeds a year later.
Them Season 1
Another Amazon original series, Them drew some widely varying reactions upon its 2021 premiere, although that didn't stop Them season 2 from being ordered. Them focused on a Black family in the 1950s that moved from North Carolina into an all-white neighborhood in Los Angeles, and while supernatural forces were soon shown to be afoot, a lot of Them's horror came from the terrifying treatment of this family by their white neighbors. One of the biggest sticking points some had was the level of graphic violence depicted, especially perpetuated by white characters on Black characters. Still, those looking for something genuinely horrifying to watch leading up to Halloween may well enjoy Them.
Lore Seasons 1-2
So much of horror movies and TV trace back to urban legends and folklore passed down verbally over generations, and Amazon's original show Lore sets out to shine a spotlight on these oft-told tales. Based on a popular podcast of the same name, Lore is part documentary, part reenactment of historical horror stories, some based on provably true events, others not so much. Some of the topics covered include the invention of the lobotomy, an infamous haunted doll, a werewolf massacre, and a witch hunt.
Angel Seasons 1-5
Becoming as iconic a TV show as Buffy the Vampire Slayer did is a rare feat, but even rarer is such a show spawning a spinoff of nearly equal prestige. Yet, that proved to be the case with Angel, which sent David Boreanaz's titular vampire with a soul to Los Angeles along with some other Buffy alums and ended up running five seasons in its own right. Angel's whole run is on Amazon Prime Video, and once subscribers get done with Buffy, a visit to Angel makes for another great Halloween season option.
Truth Seekers Season 1
Any team-up involving Shaun of the Dead duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost is sure to find itself on any horror fan's radar, and Amazon's Truth Seekers should be no different. Frost stars as Gus, a broadband installer by trade, and a paranormal investigator in his spare time. Pegg plays a supporting role as David, Gus' boss at internet conglomerate Smyle, a character with much more about him than first meets the eye, while A Clockwork Orange legend Malcolm McDowell plays Gus' dad. Truth Seekers only lasted one season, but its eight-episode length makes it perfect Halloween binge material.
Teen Wolf Seasons 1-6
Teen Wolf is very loosely based on the 1985 comedy starring Michael J. Fox, but takes a much more dramatic look at the material, which sees Tyler Posey's Scott McCall become a lycanthrope and a sort of supernatural protector for his high school. Those interested in Teen Wolf could do far worse than deciding to binge it via Amazon Prime Video around Halloween, as it was recently announced that a Teen Wolf revival movie is headed to Paramount+, with creator Jeff Davis back at the helm.