Horror shows may have been in abundance in recent years, but they are certainly nothing new, with some of the earliest examples coming out back in the 1950s. As such, multiple decades have seen several horror-based shows come and go, each making different usage of the formula, to varying results. The 1980s is not an outlier in this regard.
Most of the horror shows that came out during the 1980s were anthology series, but there are some that have been sitcoms or comedy series, as well as some that follow the standard television format, focusing on one plotline that carries on throughout multiple seasons. These are the best horror shows of the 1980s, which will chill you to the bone, though some may make you laugh a little at the same time.
10 ‘The Munsters Today’ (1988-1991)
Directed by Norman Abbott, Bob Claver, Bonnie Franklin, and others
Just because it’s horror, doesn’t mean it has to be scary. The Munsters Today is a reboot of the 1960s horror sitcom The Munsters, which followed a family comprised of ghouls and goblins, monsters, and magic. The family looks a bit disjointed, with some being akin to Frankenstein’s monster, some being vampires or werewolves, and one even being completely normal, but that’s part of the appeal.
This revival series didn’t feature the original cast, but threw the family two decades into the future to deal with the different world in their own unique way. The revival series, as with any revival series, was never going to be as popular as the original, but it was the final Munsters project set in the same universe as the original, and marked a much-needed return to one of sitcom’s most beloved, if strange, families. The show was very popular internationally, and even won three Emmy awards for their magnificent makeup and costuming.
9 ‘Tales from the Darkside’ (1983-1988)
Created by George A. Romero
Tales from the Darkside is a criminally underrated horror anthology series that comes from the one and only George A. Romero, who is known for his outstanding zombie flicks such as Night of the Living Dead. Though Romero may be known as the grandfather of the modern zombie movie, this horror series was an ambitious endeavor, one that certainly paid off in the end.
It allowed Romero to experiment and broaden his scope of horror in a safe space where he could really let loose and be creative. And truth be told, it works. There are a few boring episodes here and there, but overall, the execution is nearly perfect. It’s not only a good horror anthology, but it also comes from someone with experience, and it’s awesome to see Romero try new styles and stories right before the audience’s very eyes.
8 ‘Darkroom’ (1981-1982)
Directed by Jeffrey Bloom, Peter Crane, Curtis Harrington, and others
Darkroom, like many horror series, is an anthology, and features a brand-new, self-contained story with every episode. The show was formerly available to stream on NBC’s website, but has since been taken down, and is now nearly impossible to find. Which is such a shame, because the show and its host, James Coburn, really had something special going.
Darkroom
may not outright scare the pants off the viewer, but it’s something that maintains its undertones of somethinig being very, very wrong.
Instead of focusing on in-your-face scares and loud noises, Darkroom was a lot more subtle, preferring to creep the audience out with psychological themes and chilling plotlines. It may not outright scare the pants off the viewer, but it’s something that maintains its undertones of something being very, very wrong, which helps viewers anticipate what each new episode could possibly bring.
Darkroom is currently not available to stream, rent, or buy in the US or Canada.
7 ‘Friday the 13th: The Series’ (1987-1990)
Created by Frank Mancuso Jr. and Larry B. Williams
Now, contrary to the immediate assumption people have when faced with this show, Friday the 13th: The Series has no connection whatsoever to the Friday the 13th slasher series of films. The malevolent and instantly-recognizable killer, Jason Voorhees doesn’t show up at any point during the show, which can be a bit of a let-down for people who were hoping he would. But you shouldn’t let that turn you off of it, because the show is actually pretty good.
This series is far more supernatural than the films. The basic premise is that there is an antiques dealer who makes a deal with the Devil himself to sell cursed antiques to unsuspecting customers. After the man passes on, he bequeaths the store to his two grandchildren, cousins named Micki (Louise Robey) and Ryan (John D. LeMay), who begin to learn of the devilish nature of the artifacts and become determined to put a stop to it, After the initial disappointment of it not being a slasher, it winds up being very intriguing and enjoyable, blossoming into its own distinct story for the better.
- Release Date
- Creator
- Seasons
6 ‘Hammer House of Horror’ (1980)
Created by Roy Skeggs
The Hammer series of horror films are known for their kitsch and focus on characters of gothic literature. They are particularly known for their Dracula series, starring Sir Christopher Lee as the most prominent character in horror. They have amassed quite a cult following in the decades since their release, so naturally, fans were excited when an anthology miniseries was released, known as Hammer House of Horror.
The show is infinitely reminiscent of the best parts of Hammer films, exploring new characters and plotlines that are wholly original, letting Hammer Films branch out a little bit more and take time to make their own stories. Even if the series was short-lived with only 13 episodes, it doesn’t change the fact that it is marvelously entertaining, despite being loaded with cheese.
5 ‘Monsters’ (1988-1991)
Created by Mitchell Galin and Richard P. Rubinstein
Monsters actually spawned as a result of the aforementioned Tales from the Darkside, with one of the producers breaking off to make his own thing, which was actually substantially better than the latter. Monsters had a much more standard formula: every episode featured a new creature made up solely for the show, and that had its own backstory, nature, and fear factor. This one wasn’t fantasy or sci-fi at all, sticking straight to the horror genre.
Monsters
wasn’t very daring or experimental, but that’s okay because it really didn’t need to be.
Truth be told, this show wasn’t very daring or experimental, but that’s okay because it really didn’t need to be. It was called Monsters, and that’s exactly what it delivered. Even though it’s been sadly forgotten about in the modern day, it is still one of the best horror shows of the 1980s, and one that is absolutely worth revisiting, if only to see what twisted creations the showrunners would come up with next.
4 ‘Beetlejuice’ (1989-1991)
Developed by Tim Burton
The Beetlejuice movie is an iconic horror-comedy that surely needs no introduction. With the success that the movie brought in, director Tim Burton saw a chance to capitalize upon its success and develop the crude, yet beloved ghost even more, so created the Beetlejuice animated series, which was more kiddie, but is still considered a horror-comedy due to its themes of ghosts and creatures from beyond.
Though Beetlejuice (Stephen Ouimette) isn’t as vulgar in the film on account of this being more of a kids’ show, he’s still delightful and easy to enjoy, though missing Michael Keaton‘s standout performance. The show decided to explore some of Beetlejuice’s adventures in the Netherworld, meeting many other ghosts and entities like him along the way. It wasn’t a perfect show, but it was actually pretty good, especially considering it still airs on select TV stations around Halloween.
Beetlejuice
- Release Date
- September 9, 1989
- Cast
- Stephen Ouimette , Alyson Court , Tabitha St. Germain , Elizabeth Hanna , Roger Dunn
- Seasons
- 4
3 ‘Amazing Stories’ (1985-1987)
Created by Steven Spielberg
Amazing Stories is a show created by Hollywood legend Steven Spielberg, who brought together multiple filmmakers from various genres to create a series that acted as a sort of playground for them, allowing them to each produce their own self-contained stories that would be released as part of the anthology series. Some of these are fantasy or sci-fi, and yes, some are horror.
This show feels like a love letter to cinema itself, with numerous big names, including Burt Reynolds, Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese, Robert Zemeckis, Danny DeVito, Brad Bird, and horror maestro Tobe Hooper all directing or writing their own episodes, each with their own signature flair. It really is the ultimate collaboration between some of Hollywood’s finest auteurs, making for an exciting, yet haunting thrill ride across multiple planes of reality.
Amazing Stories (1985)
- Release Date
- September 29, 1985
- Creator
- Steven Spielberg, Joshua Brand, John Falsey
- Cast
- Charles Durning , Paul Bartel , Sharon Spelman , Douglas Seale
- Seasons
- 2
2 ‘The Twilight Zone’ (1985-1989)
Created by Rod Serling
A reboot of the classic 50s and 60s horror anthology series known as The Twilight Zone probably doesn’t sound like a good idea on paper. The sci-fi thriller TV show is among the best of its kind, and it’s obvious that no reboot would ever come close to matching the quality of the original. While the 80s series is, of course, not as good as the first, it’s still an admirable effort and an enjoyable show, all the same.
Like its predecessor, the show dabbles in sci-fi, fantasy, and horror all at once as it tackles tales of various concepts and themes. Out of all the attempts The Twilight Zone has had at making a comeback, the 80s series still stands as the best of the reboots, and is a brilliant example of 1980s horror, to boot.
The Twilight Zone (1985)
- Release Date
- September 27, 1985
- Creator
- Rod Serling
- Cast
- Robin Ward , Charles Aidman , William Atherton , Ellen Albertini Dow
- Seasons
- 3
1 ‘Tales from the Crypt’ (1989-1996)
Created by Steven Dodd and William Gaines
Tales from the Crypt is yet another anthology series that surely needs no introduction. Each episode is introduced by the creepy Crypt Keeper (John Kassir), who takes audiences on a journey through multiple different stories, each depicting vassals of horror and other creatures straight from the audience’s nightmares.
The show went on to inspire numerous spin-offs, both in feature film format and in other shows, including a Saturday-morning kids’ cartoon. All in all, Tales from the Crypt has never stopped being one of the standout horror series. In fact, it wouldn’t be wrong to say it’s one of the greatest horror shows of all time, thanks to its unsettling plotlines, disturbing content, and excellent narration courtesy of the Crypt Keeper himself.
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