Anthologies are a trademark of the horror genre. We like to think this format of storytelling originated with Tales from the Crypt and The Twilight Zone, but we can trace it even further back. The Canterbury Tales, One Thousand and One Nights, and Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things all utilized this method of storytelling long before television was invented. Yet with the success of Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone, more and more anthologies popped up on both the small tube and big screen.
In 2019, Greg Nicotero (The Walking Dead) revived Creepshow, the seminal horror anthology film directed by George A. Romero and written by Stephen King. This new version of Creepshow is a television series on Shudder, though. And for anyone who is enjoying what they are seeing so far, here are ten other anthology series worth checking out.
Two Sentence Horror Stories (2019)
Two Sentence Horror Stories started out as a web series before it was picked up by the CW. The network aired the existing episodes as well as produced original ones. The series ran for one season on the CW during the summer of 2019, and is now available on Netflix. The show features a diverse cast on top of stories relevant in today's social environment.
Recommended episode: In "Hide", a nanny for an affluent family protects her charge when two masked intruders break in. In spite of her courage, the nanny ultimately learns no good deed goes unpunished.
R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: The Series (2010-2014)
Like R.L. Stine's Goosebumps adaptation, The Haunting Hour is an anthology aimed at young adults. This Canadian production ran for four seasons on Discovery Family (formerly known as the Hub Network). In spite of R.L. Stine's name being included in the title, only one story in The Haunting Hour was in fact based on the author's work. The series was remarkably dark and unforgiving. A number of episodes had the characters perishing at the hands of monsters and other supernatural entities.
Recommended episode: In "Scary Mary", an urban legend becomes fact when a teenager chants a cursed name in front of a mirror. She is then pulled into the macabre world behind the mirror where her face will be seized by the story's disfigured namesake.
Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction (1997-2002)
This wholesome anthology is unlike any other that's come before or after it. Every episode of Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction entailed five dramatized segments. The genres in this 1997 series ran the gamut of drama to horror. At the end of each episode, it was revealed which stories were fictional or based on some real-life event. The first season was hosted by James Brolin; Jonathan Frakes took over for the remaining four seasons.
Recommended story: In "The Kid in the Closet", a bullied boy is afraid of something that lurks in his closet. Understandably, his mother thinks he just has an overactive imagination. Yet when her other son goes into the closet, he disappears without a trace. Fact or fiction?
Monsters (1988-1991)
Following the end of Tales from the Darkside, producer Richard P. Rubinstein began another horror anthology called Monsters. Like its name suggests, every self-contained episode in Monsters focuses on a creature or ghoul. The series amassed seventy-two episodes over three seasons before going off the air in 1991. The show was low-budgeted so most stories took place in a single location, and all the monsters were achieved through practical effects.
Recommended episode: In "The Match Game", participants light a match and take turns adding to an improvised campfire tale about an old house's former owner. Unfortunately, the story is coming true, and the storytellers won't be alive to tell the next tale.
Night Visions (2001)
Filmed primarily in Vancouver, Canada, this 13-episode series started airing on Fox in the summer of 2001. Every episode contained two segments, and the host was musician Henry Rollins. He simply bookended each story, but other than that, we know nothing about him as a character. The series was notable for its cast of familiar faces. Guest stars included: Cary Elwes, Bridget Fonda, Pam Grier, Luke Perry, Malcolm McDowell, Timothy Olyphant, Lou Diamond Phillips, Randy Quaid, and more.
Recommended episode: In "The Occupant", an anxious divorcée suspects someone is stalking her. She soon realizes the threat is closer to home than she could ever have imagined.
Thriller (1973-1976)
There are actually two Thriller anthologies. The American series ran from 1960 to 1961, and it was hosted by Boris Karloff, whereas the British Thriller lasted from 1973 to 1976. The shows are nevertheless unrelated. In the latter, the stories are mainly of the thriller variety, but supernatural elements exist, too. In a bid to gain international appeal, every episode had at least one notable American guest star.
Recommended episode: In "Someone at the Top of the Stairs", two college students find a room to rent inside an old mansion. The longer they stay, though, the more noticeable the other tenants' peculiar behavior becomes. It's as if the neighbors know something they don't.
Inside No. 9 (2014-)
Showrunners Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton write and star in every episode of this British anthology. Each story takes place inside a location marked with the number nine. Though Inside No. 9 has a sizable number of darkly comedic and horror-themed stories, most every episode ends with a twist. The series has been renewed for a fifth season, which is scheduled to air in late 2019.
Recommended episode: In the metafictional Halloween special, "Dead Line", a live episode is interrupted by technical difficulties at the broadcasting station. Then, a supernatural force attacks the cast of Inside No. 9.
Tales from the Darkside (1983-1988)
Tales from the Darkside was the creation of George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead) and Richard P. Rubinstein. It began in 1983 with a pilot directed by Romero. The following year, the series started airing in syndication. Darkside was a late-night favorite, and its success led to a renewal and a higher budget of $124,000 per episode. Romero wasn't happy with the show, though, so he cut ties after writing a handful of episodes. When Darkside ended, Rubinstein went to work on a similar anthology called Monsters. Romero and Rubinstein later reunited for a movie spin-off in 1990. At one point, there was a reboot series in the works at the CW, but it wasn't picked up.
Recommended episode: In "Sorry, Right Number", a mother receives a distressing and cryptic phone call from someone whose identity she can't place. Years later, the woman is shocked to learn who exactly that caller was.
Masters of Horror (2006-2007)
Mick Garris helmed this horror anthology that aired on Showtime. Every hour-long episode is directed by someone dubbed a "master of horror." The list of directors includes Dario Argento, John Carpenter, Joe Dante, Tobe Hooper, Miike Takashi, and more. Masters of Horrors had a total of two seasons and 26 episodes. Mick Garris later produced an unofficial sequel series called Fear Itself for NBC in 2008.
Recommended episode: In "Cigarette Burns", a man desperate for money is hired to find the sole print of a 30-year old French movie. It's said the film caused a homicidal furor among its only audience.
Tales from the Crypt (1989-1996)
The HBO horror anthology Tales from the Crypt is based on the EC Comics series of the same name as well as stories from the likes of The Haunt of Fear, The Vault of Horror, and more. The show was hosted by the iconic Cryptkeeper, a ghastly character with an unforgettable cackle. Crypt went on for seven seasons and 93 episodes on HBO. There are also spin-off movies such as Demon Knight and Bordello of Blood.
Recommended episode: In "Television Terror", a tabloid show host does a live taping inside a supposedly haunted house. What was intended to be a gag ends up being a night of frights for the host and his crew.