Fictional horror anthologies have been on the air for a long time with shows like The Twilight Zone and Tales From The Crypt setting a high benchmark for the future. Today, streaming giants like Netflix have capitalized on this format with several originals from all over the world.
The Norwegian horror Bloodride is a good example of a modern horror anthology on Netflix. With each episode set around a particular passenger on a mysterious bus, Bloodride relies on gritty realism, as well as dark humor to deliver its thrills.
Love, Death & Robots (2019 - ): Available On Netflix
With mini-episodes clocking at just over 15 or 30 minutes, Love, Death & Robots makes for an easy binge. Viewers can expect a surreal take on sci-fi and horror, with each segment dealing with a wildly original storyline. So, while one episode features the entire world ruled by yogurt, another focuses on Adolf Hitler's deaths in alternate timelines.
The show's major selling point is the wide range of animation styles that are incorporated, ranging from cel-shaded animation to conventional anime.
Creeped Out (2017 - 2019): Available On Netflix
The British-Canadian anthology Creeped Out explores familiar urban legends and folktales around paranormal entities but with a family-friendly approach. Perfectly suited for those into the best of teen horror movies, it can also be appreciated by mature audiences for its reliance on atmospheric tension rather than jump scares or gore.
With most of the central characters being children, the show delves into the psyche of younger minds and the human fears they cultivate at that age.
Girl From Nowhere (2018 - ): Available On Netflix
One of the most trending anthologies in recent times, the Thai production, Girl From Nowhere, is a dark satire of modern high-school society.
Even though each episode features a different storyline, an immortal known as Nanno serves as the antiheroine. She travels from one school to another in order to expose the hypocrisy and shallowness of teachers and students. The show's central mystery, along with Chicha Amatayakul's lead performance, is what makes Girl From Nowhere worth watching.
Into The Dark (2018 - ): Available On Hulu
Produced by Blumhouse for Hulu, Into The Dark is a "festival-centric" anthology in the sense that each episode is set on a particular holiday. Hence, the stories focus on Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, and even April Fool's Day.
Given its premise, it makes sense to watch the show's episodes on the particular holiday each one falls in. Ultimately, Into The Dark offers an interesting approach towards thematic horror along with some good, old Gothic chills.
Goosebumps (1995 - 1998): Available On Netflix
With Netflix's Fear Street trilogy, best-selling children's author RL Stine is back in fashion. However, Stine's fans got a taste of his twisted teen-centric horror way back in the 1990s with an adaptation of his Goosebumps series. It is a darker and more accurate take on the source material if compared with the film of the same name.
Featuring some of his most iconic characters and scariest monsters, like Slappy, Blob, and the Lawn Gnomes, the series bears an ambitious scope with decent scares, despite the outdated visual effects.
Two Sentence Horror Stories (2019 - ): Available On Netflix
This CW original makes for a highly engaging watch for its brief runtime and the socio-political undertones that blend in with the scares. Most of the characters in Two Sentence Horror Stories belong to marginalized backgrounds, facing what can be seen as "real-life horror" before coming to terms with supernatural elements.
And yet, at the same time, such sensitive stories don't rely on any trauma-driven shock value. Rather, the diverse representation seems to be a good attempt at doing away with the monotony that plagues the horror genre.
Masters Of Horror (2005 - 2007): Available On Hoopla
Masters of Horror makes for a quintessential watch for modern horror aficionados considering that it consists of one-hour-long films by the leading maestros of the genre. John Landis, John Carpenter, Takashi Miike, Joe Dante, and many more feature as the guest directors.
If this wasn't enough, the anthology's best stories are derived from classic authors, like H.P. Lovecraft and Ambrose Bierce. With a mix of vintage supernatural spookiness and b-movie comedic thrills, Masters of Horror is a cut above other horror anthologies of its time.
Are You Afraid Of The Dark (1992 - 1996): Available On Paramount Plus
Every night, a group of teenagers gathers around a campfire. Christening themselves as The Midnight Society, the characters narrate spooky tales of the supernatural that might either be incidents based on their life or retellings of urban legends.
In many ways, Are You Afraid of the Dark's stories are reminiscent of the aforementioned Goosebumps. So, if a viewer's interest lies in nostalgic coming-of-age horror, then this '90s classic is definitely worth visiting. In 2019, the show also underwent a revival that's currently in its second season.
Room 104 (2017 - 2020): Available On HBO Max
Created and produced by brothers Mark and Jay Duplass, Room 104 is one of the most diverse anthologies in terms of its genres. Ranging from surreal horror and thriller to comedy, each episode is set in the titular hotel room. As different guests pass through the room, each one has an eccentric tale to tell.
With Mark Duplass writing most of the episodes, the anthology is yet another feather in the actor's cap. The show's four-season run provides enough episodes that can be enjoyed at different times for different moods.
Tales From The Crypt (1989 - 1996): Available On Prime Video
Tales From The Crypt needs no introduction, having revolutionized horror television with its bold content, shocking plot twists, and of course, the iconic host, The Cryptkeeper. Modern-day audiences can always revisit this classic to get an idea of the HBO original's cinematic atmosphere and comic book-inspired storylines.
Once done with the show's original run, audiences can also view the numerous spin-offs that Tales From The Crypt spawned, like a film of the same name and the animated series Tales From The Cryptkeeper.