7 Anthology Shows That Are Unmissable TV Masterpieces

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It’s rare for an anthology series to have consistently great episodes, but some actually achieve it. Anthology shows, where each episode tells a different story, often have a mix of successes and failures. Whether it’s a show with weekly, standalone episodes like Black Mirror or a seasonal one like American Horror Story, most anthology series aren’t consistently strong across the board.

Many anthology series, like True Detective and Fargo, stumble with certain seasons or episodes. While Love, Death, and Robots has standout moments, it’s not consistently great. However, shows like Joe Swanberg’s Easy and the original The Twilight Zone manage to be consistently excellent throughout.

The Boys Presents: Diabolical

Despite being overlooked by most viewers, The Boys Presents: Diabolical is actually a standout addition to The Boys universe. When it first came out, it didn’t get much attention because it’s an animated spin-off that focuses on different characters than the main series, making it feel like an extra, unnecessary story.

Surprisingly, Diabolical is often better than the main Boys series. Similar to Star Wars: Visions, each episode is created by a different artist, giving them the freedom to add their own unique style to the world of The Boys. This results in a wide range of tones, animation styles, and stories, and lets us explore new characters and parts of the universe.

Each episode offers a unique and enjoyable experience. You’ll find one that feels like a classic Looney Tunes cartoon, created by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. Another, by Justin Roiland before recent controversies, is reminiscent of Rick and Morty. Andy Samberg brings a K-drama vibe to his episode, while Ilana Glazer of Broad City delivers one inspired by Ernest & Celestine. And for fans of the original source material, there’s even an episode that captures the style of Garth Ennis’s comics.

Inside No. 9

Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, known for The League of Gentlemen, created this darkly funny and unsettling series for the BBC. Each episode of Inside No. 9 presents a completely new story and cast of characters, blending bleak humor with genuinely creepy horror. The show’s perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes speaks for itself.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Alfred Hitchcock Presents was a TV show featuring mysterious stories, hosted by the famous Alfred Hitchcock himself. While Hitchcock only directed a few episodes, the show consistently captured his signature suspenseful style. It ran alongside his work making some of his most well-known films.

While hosting the original run of Alfred Hitchcock Presents on CBS and NBC, Hitchcock also directed some of his most famous films, including Rear Window, Vertigo, North by Northwest, Psycho, and The Birds. This wasn’t a director nearing the end of his career simply doing television; it was Alfred Hitchcock at his creative peak, delivering a new suspenseful story each week.

Easy

Joe Swanberg, a key figure in the minimalist ‘mumblecore’ film style, adapted that approach for his Netflix series, Easy. He wrote and directed all 25 episodes of the half-hour show, effectively creating a feature-length film experience broken into segments.

The series Easy followed the complex relationships of several Chicago residents over three seasons. It moved between a large group of characters, briefly focusing on their individual stories and showcasing strong performances from actors like Jane Adams, Zazie Beetz, Kiersey Clemons, Dave Franco, and Marc Maron.

Hammer House Of Horror

Hammer Films is famous for its British horror movies, and its move to television created a classic horror series for the UK. Hammer House of Horror is a British version of shows like The Twilight Zone, featuring self-contained, scary stories. The series consists of 13 excellent hour-long episodes.

The show consistently surprises; no two episodes are alike. Each of the thirteen installments delves into a unique brand of horror, ranging from classic supernatural creatures like ghosts and werewolves to disturbingly real evils, such as a former Nazi guard continuing horrific experiments. It avoids repeating itself and keeps viewers guessing.

As a horror fan, one of the things I really enjoyed about Hammer House of Horror was spotting familiar faces. They had a great habit of bringing in actors you knew – people like Denholm Elliott (you might remember him from Indiana Jones), Brian Cox who’s fantastic in Succession, Hammer horror legend Peter Cushing, and even a young Pierce Brosnan before he became James Bond! It was fun seeing established and up-and-coming talent pop up every few episodes.

The White Lotus

Mike White’s show, The White Lotus, is a unique series where each season features a completely new story and set of characters. This approach is more challenging than traditional shows, because a weak season is more noticeable and harder to overlook than a single disappointing episode.

Though the third season of The White Lotus felt more melodramatic, over-the-top, and slow-moving than previous seasons, it’s still significantly better than most TV shows. Even when it’s not at its best, the show remains darkly funny, incredibly enjoyable, and features fantastic performances from a talented cast.

At its core, The White Lotus is a sharp and witty commentary on class differences, highlighting the trivial concerns of the wealthy alongside the genuine struggles of the hotel staff who serve them. However, this setup allows the show to explore increasingly dark and disturbing themes, ultimately making it more compelling.

The Twilight Zone

The original ‘Twilight Zone’ wasn’t just the first of its kind—it’s still considered the best. In the late 1950s, Rod Serling faced challenges getting networks to approve his scripts, especially those dealing with sensitive issues like the murder of Emmett Till and the fight for civil rights. Advertisers and broadcasters were easily offended, but Serling was determined to address these important social and political issues.

Rod Serling found a clever way to address important issues when he created The Twilight Zone. By disguising political commentary as science fiction and horror, he could bypass network censors and speak freely. For example, he used a story about a town hunting for an alien to discuss McCarthyism and the Red Scare. Even today, The Twilight Zone remains the best example of how to create a successful anthology series.

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2026-02-02 06:09