6 Best Horror TV Shows for Binge-Watching Over a Weekend

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Looking for a scary TV series to binge-watch? These horror shows are great choices. While Halloween is a popular time for spooky stories, horror fans enjoy them year-round. Fall 2025 is especially exciting, with the premiere of HBO Max’s Stephen King prequel, It: Welcome to Derry, in October 2025. Though some viewers wanted even more of Pennywise in Derry, the prequel is well-made, and the iconic clown remains terrifying.

Many great horror TV shows last for years – take Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story, which already has twelve seasons and is adding a thirteenth. But sometimes you just want something you can binge in a weekend. Whether it’s a short, self-contained series from a master of horror or a show that ended after only one season, these options are sure to keep you hooked.

‘Midnight Mass’ (2021)


Netflix

Mike Flanagan’s latest horror series debuted on Netflix in September 2021, and with just seven episodes, it’s a quick watch. You’ll likely find yourself binge-watching this beautiful, unsettling, and emotional story about the mysterious events unfolding on Crockett Island.

Mike Flanagan’s Midnight Mass, like his other shows, is filled with complex, realistic characters – from Father Paul Hill (Hamish Linklater), whose arrival sets the story in motion, to Riley Flynn (Zach Gilford), returning home after a difficult event. Flanagan is known for tackling serious issues, and while shows like The Fall of the House of Usher, The Midnight Club, and The Haunting of Hill House all deliver thrills and scares, they also explore how people cope with death and sickness. Midnight Mass does the same, telling a genuinely frightening story while also thoughtfully examining themes of religion, family, and the power of individuality.

‘Harper’s Island’ (2009)


CBS

Harper’s Island is a 13-episode horror series that originally aired on CBS from April to July 2009. It’s perfect for a weekend binge – start it on a Friday and finish it by Sunday! The show includes classic horror elements like a resourceful female lead returning to her hometown, a killer who dredges up painful memories, and a spooky island location.

Harper’s Island is a gripping horror series from the 2000s that follows Abby Mills (Elaine Cassidy) as she returns to her hometown for a wedding. While it delivers classic slasher thrills, the show is also a compelling drama about family, trauma, and facing the past. If you enjoy the nostalgic, sometimes cheesy, horror movies of the 90s and early 2000s, this is the perfect binge-worthy show for a weekend at home.

‘Marianne’ (2019)


Netflix

The Netflix series Marianne, which originally streamed in September 2019, expertly uses the classic horror trope of unsettling smiles to create a truly frightening experience. While the show features plenty of scares – like a particularly creepy scene involving a lighthouse in Episode 5 and a generally eerie small-town setting – it’s the disturbing smile of the main character, Marianne, that viewers will remember most.

If you’re a horror fan, you’ll find plenty to love in Marianne. The series follows Emma Larsimon, a novelist who writes scary stories, and is haunted by a terrifying childhood memory. After binge-watching all eight episodes, you’ll be rewarded with a satisfying twist. While a second season could have explored Emma’s story further, the ending is effective and leaves room for your own interpretation of what happens next.

‘The Outsider’ (2020)


HBO

While several Stephen King novels have been adapted into TV series – including Castle Rock, which is full of references for fans – not all of them are short enough to watch in a single weekend. The Outsider, based on King’s book, is a manageable 10 episodes and is available on HBO Max. It features strong performances from Jason Bateman and Ben Mendelsohn, but Cynthia Erivo truly shines as Holly Gibney, a detective who appears in multiple King books like Mr. Mercedes and its follow-ups, Finders Keepers and End of Watch.

The Outsider starts with the disturbing murder of a young boy and quickly introduces another frightening mystery. Viewers who love surprising plot twists and clever detectives solving difficult cases will be hooked. Stephen King himself praised the show in 2020, calling it one of the best adaptations of his work.

‘It’ (1990)


ABC

Just finished the first season of It: Welcome to Derry? If you’ve seen It and It: Chapter Two and were disappointed with the sequel, there’s a new adaptation of Stephen King’s classic 1986 novel, and it’s a relatively short watch.

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The biggest reason to watch the 1990 ABC miniseries of It—which runs a little over three hours—is Tim Curry’s amazing performance as Pennywise. The series is a faithful adaptation of the story, highlighting both Curry’s terrifying villain and the charming members of the Losers Club, and how the frightening events of their childhood in Derry, Maine, impact them. Like the movies, the miniseries explores whether people can truly overcome trauma, or if it will always leave a lasting mark. It’s especially enjoyable to watch this version after seeing the HBO Max prequel, allowing you to compare Curry’s portrayal with Bill Hader’s take on the creepy character.

‘Archive 81’ (2022)


Netflix

If you have a weekend, binge-watching all eight episodes of Archive 81 is highly recommended. You’ll be captivated by the performances of Dina Shihabi and Mamoudou Athie, who play the intriguing characters Melody Pendras and Dan Turner. The story follows Dan as he discovers videotapes detailing a disturbing apartment building in New York City and unravels Melody’s frightening experiences. While Netflix sadly canceled the show after one season, it’s still a thrilling watch.

If you’re a horror fan, Archive 81 is packed with intriguing characters and genuinely unsettling moments. Unlike some horror stories that prioritize cheap scares, this series delivers both strong character development and plenty of suspense. Once you’ve finished the eight-episode series, you can dive deeper into the story with the three-season podcast it’s based on.

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2026-01-03 04:21