[Written By: Liam Banks]
Welcome foolish mortals to the third Blog Post of the month! We really are spoiling you this Spook-Tober!
So Charlie covered some do’s and don’ts when it came to Horror Movies this Spooky Season so naturally we also need to talk TV when it comes time to ‘Netflix and Kill’ this October. I’ll see myself out with all these puns!
MIDNIGHT MASS (2021)
We here at Superfreak absolutely love anything Mike Flanagan has had a hand in and this latest offering from Netflix is no exception. If you’re fed up of re-watching ‘The Haunting’ Series’ this brand new show will sate that appetite. Bringing back some familiar faces from his previous work(s), this is definitely a passion project for Flanagan and you can feel that creative passion through the screen. With only 7 episodes you can easily binge this in one sitting if you’re so inclined. The show is full of characters you care about, performances that hold your attention and an ending that is absolutely bat-shit crazy! Having only recently dropped, this is definitely top of our watch list this month and it should be top of yours too!
CHUCKY (2021)
This year really has been a great year for Horror Fans, with this month in particular bringing the slaughter. We’ve seen the return of Michael Myers in theatres and now one of our favourite bite-size Horror Icons has made his debut on TV. Chucky is proving to be a whole lot of fun already. Featuring an openly Queer Protagonist, myself and the other Liam are sure to be covering this on the ‘They’re Queer Podcast’ Next Month so keep an ear out for that. Only a couple of episodes in so far, it is so good to hear Brad Douriff’s maniacal laugh when Chucky gets back to his old ways. Still under the watchful eyes of Chucky’s creator Don Mancini it’s nice to see the original gang unite with some new faces to further this little guy’s story. The kills haven’t been too bad so far either so bring on the slaughter!
AMERICAN HORROR STORY (2010 – PRESENT)
The unique thing about this series is that you can really get into it with any series and still have a good time. Although it can be a bit hit and miss depending on series, AHS: 1984 we are looking at you, you’re bound to have a good time being scared with this show! We highly recommend Series 2 ‘Asylum.’ From the fabulous to the frightening this show has it all. It is no wonder Ryan Murphy has milked an entire 10 seasons out of the anthology concept, alongside the American Horror Stories Spin-off Show (the less said about that series the better), he’d be a fool not too. This latest season entitled ‘Double Feature’ is 10 episodes long, featuring 2 stories that split the season up. The first part running for 6 episodes was labelled ‘Red Tide’ a vampiric twisted tale set in Province Town USA. I absolutely loved this first part, although the concluding episode was unfortunately a little rushed. The latter part of the series named ‘Death Valley’ brings the camp with a nostalgic twist on the mythos surrounding the infamous ‘Area 51 Conspiracies’. Production values are high and we can’t get enough of Sarah Paulson in anything she does! HELP ME! THE KILLER IS ESCAPING! HELP ME!
CREEPSHOW – SHUDDER (2019 – PRESENT)
So how AHScan be a bit hit and miss depending on the season, unfortunately the same can be said for the odd episode of this Shudder Series. But do not let that put you off. Spear-headed by the incredible make-up maestro Greg Nicotero the show unfolds in a similar fashion to the original 1982 film of the same title. Each episode tells 2 stories, usually from different directors & writers, bringing in a new cast of ‘somewhat’ familiar faces. This is sometimes where the problems lie but when it’s good, boy is this show good. Practical makeup effects, campy-creatures and gorgeous dramatic lighting are aplenty on this show. If you enjoy reading Horror Comics or have a soft spot for the original movie we definitely suggest checking out this show for a bit of Spooky Fun. Series 3 is currently streaming on Shudder now. A highlight for us was the Animated Holiday Special Episode from last year, bringing in some killer voice talent to tell some damn right terrifying stories.
STRANGER THINGS (2016 – PRESENT)
Like I was going to write this Blog and not include this series. Series 2 is set all around Halloween for gods-sake! What can I say? I don’t think there is any aspect of this show that I don’t absolutely bloody love. Recently I had a blast re-watching all 3 seasons that have been released so far whilst waiting feverishly for the 4th instalment in the saga. We have so many questions! 80’s nostalgia, government conspiracies, Winona Ryder shouting ‘Will’ every 5 seconds! What is not to love?! This show really has it all and I can’t wait to see what is next for the gang of characters we have grown to love so much over the past few years. One of the scariest things is probably seeing how much these kids have grown up since the show started, however you’ve grown to love each and every one of them! If you haven’t already seen this show, what are you playing at?! Also #justiceforbarb.
HARPER’S ISLAND (2009)
This show was a bit of a hidden gem at the time and I still think it is one not many people know that much about. Similar to the ‘Slasher – Series’ that has come out more recently, this show is a classic who-dunnit situation with a kill promised every episode. And the kills are great by the way! Starring Scream-Queen Katie Kassidy we follow her and family as they venture to Harper’s Island for a reunion/wedding to her fiancé. As family and friends gather, the horror sets in as they are offed one by one. Similarly to ‘Midnight Mass’(mentioned above) the remote setting is one of the greatest elements of the horror that unfolds. Honestly these shows are just making us want to strictly avoid any coastal islands, anywhere!
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (1997 – 2003)
Wrapping things up we couldn’t not mention everyone’s favourite Vampire Dispatcher. I grew up with Buffy as did a lot of Horror Fiends so it’s always nice to revisit a classic. Packed with incredible monsters, witty dialogue and protagonists you would honestly lose a limb for, this is always a favourite to revisit. If you just fancy dipping your toe this Spooky-Season there are a handful of ‘Halloween’ Themed episodes to choose from. Or if you are up for being absolutely terrified we recommend checking out the episodes ‘Hush’ (S4 E10) ‘Killed by Death’ (S2 E18) and ‘Same Time, Same Place’ (S7 E3).
HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
There are so many tricks and treats that didn’t fully make it on the list but I wanted to end this post with some honourable mentions. Firstly if you want some all out nostalgic feels with your scares this month, check out the OG ‘Goosebumps Series’from the 90s. If you are/were a fan of the books you’ll love getting to see some of R.L Stine’s creations come to life. Similarly the Nickelodeon Series ‘Are you Afraid of the Dark?’ is an absolute treat. I am not ashamed to say this show definitely gave me nightmares as a kid. More recently the ‘Afraid of the Dark: Curse of Shadows’ Series was pretty spectacular. Yes I am definitely a grown man, watching a show for kids – get over it! Both ‘Lovecraft Country’from HBO and ‘Them!’from Amazon Studios, have also been some personal favourites over the last year or so. Although decidedly horrific they provide a social/racial commentary that only a genre series can do right. ‘Brand New Cherry Flavor’ was quite a fun watch, bringing some witchy vibes to 90’s LA and the world of ‘Holly-Weird’. If you fancy learning a bit more about the Classics of Horror or the different pockets of the genre I highly recommend looking at ‘Eli Roths: History of Horror’ on AMC, the Halloween/Horror Specials of ‘The Movies that Made Us’ on Netflix now and the ‘Cursed Films’ series over on Shudder for some real-life horrors behind the scenes.
So that wraps it up. I tried to cover as much as I could. All in the hopes you have plenty to watch until the big day. It’s almost time kids! Do you agree with my picks? Was there something I missed off the list? Let us know in the comments below!
Until next time, stay safe and always keep it creepy!
Team Superfreak
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