Last Updated on September 9, 2022 by HodgePodgeDays
Summer is leaving just as quickly as it arrived this year, as we speed our way away from heatwaves and hosepipe bans towards the season of knitwear and crunchy leaves. Autumn is fast upon us, bringing with it falling temperatures and arguably the best holiday of the year: Halloween.
Halloween is a holiday rooted in history and mystique, but it has enjoyed modern twists in the form of trick-or-treating, fancy dress, and other such celebrations. There are dozens of ways to enjoy the ‘spook season’, from themed house parties to spooky escape rooms and even trips to real haunted homes – but nothing quite beats the nail-biting, hide-behind-the-sofa fun of a spooky media marathon.
Horror films take all the credit when it comes to spooky Halloween content, and there is certainly a plethora of terrifying films to choose from for a night of terror with your family or friends. However, the medium of television also has a lot to offer, with spooky series and episodes that well and truly set the mood for a night of dread. Here are some of the best TV shows and episodes to watch this coming Halloween.
American Horror Story
We’ll start with the most obvious of the bunch: American Horror Story. This long-running horror anthology has explored a great variety of stories and settings, from mental institutions to hotels and even a summer camp. While each season has received critical acclaim, the first is often considered the best – and is perhaps the aptest for a Halloween binge, owing to the two-part episodes centred around the holiday itself.
Over The Garden Wall
Over The Garden Wall is a supremely underrated addition to the pantheon of spooky television, often unfairly relegated to ‘children’s TV. This animated series concerns two children, lost in a purgatorial realm resembling late 19th century America. Over The Garden Wall has its fair share of laughs, but also surprises with its sense of creeping dread – and the legitimately terrifying villain in The Beast.
Glee
For a complete departure from horror and folk horror, why not get stuck into the first two seasons of Glee with your friends? The wooden performances and terrible numbers are horrifying enough to scare you straight, but the fifth episode of the second season lends itself particularly well to Halloween – being a homage to Rocky Horror Picture Show, and starring both Meat Loaf and Barry Bostwick as special guests. What fun!
Bringing the Spooky Vibes
Whatever you design to watch, it is of crucial importance that you get the vibe right for your binge. For example, you could kit out your window storage seat with cushions and throws, for maximum mood –to enjoy both your TV binge and the sounds of the heavy rain and wind outside.
You should also take a moment to think about snacks and drinks – the spookier the better! The spoils from your trick-or-treating should be enough to last a week, but baking your own Halloween treats can be especially rewarding.
This is a contributed post.