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The best series to (re)watch for Halloween
Aside from wild costumes and indulging in delightfully kitsch apartment decorations, the best part of Halloween is curling up under a (black) blanket and watch horrific movies. To celebrate the eve of October 31st in style, here’s an overview of the most chilling gems to (re)discover on streaming platforms, with a handful of sour candies.
By Violaine Schütz,
and Alexandre Chevarin.
Brand New Cherry Flavor with Rosa Salazar
This is arguably one of the most twisted, daring, and mesmerising series available on Netflix. And a must-watch for Halloween! Released quietly in the summer of 2021, the one and only season of Brand New Cherry Flavor (2021) blends the chaotic, kitschy spirit of a B (or even Z) movie with David Lynch’s oneiric surrealism, Gregg Araki’s outrageous glam, and David Cronenberg’s visceral gore.
It follows the surreal adventures of an aspiring filmmaker, Lisa Nova – the brilliant Rosa Salazar, reminiscent of Rose McGowan and Aubrey Plaza – who, driven by revenge, turns to witchcraft in Los Angeles in the 1990s. The bloody, erotic cherry on top? A soundtrack that compiles the best of the grunge era (Low, Grant Lee Buffalo, R.E.M., Veruca Salt, Pixies…). (VS)
Brand New Cherry Flavor (2021), created by Nick Antosca and Lenore Zion, available on Netflix.
The Haunting of Hill House with Victoria Pedretti
Stephen King called Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House (2018) a masterpiece. And the praise is well deserved. Impeccable performances, stunning, hypnotic visuals… The Haunting of Hill House is one of the finest horror series in recent years. But this gothic gem captivates just as much for its visual and sound effects, including jump scares – those abrupt changes designed to startle viewers, a signature of horror cinema – as for its profound themes around grief and family.
The story follows a group of siblings who used to live when they were children in the mansion that would eventually become the most famous haunted house in the United States. Reunited in that same manor as adults, they now have to face the ghosts of a past that still haunts them. (VS)
The Haunting of Hill House (2018), created by Mike Flanagan, available on Netflix.
Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities
Released on Netflix in 2022, just days before Halloween on October 31st, Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities is a must-watch series for those looking to scare themselves. Created by Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Blade 2, Pan’s Labyrinth), the series is actually a collection of eight horror medium-length episodes, each directed by a different filmmaker. That means eight nightmarish stories that immerse the viewer in macabre, eerie, and supernatural worlds.
From an autopsy room and a rat-infested gallery to a magical cream that stops the effects of time and spiritualist delusions, this Cabinet of Curiosities reminds us of the cult 1990s series Tales from the Crypt. However, it is less tongue-in-cheek and offers plenty of (good) terrifying and thrilling surprises. The cast features British actor Rupert Grint, star of Harry Potter. (VS)
Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities (2022), by Guillermo del Toro, available on Netflix.
The Fall of the House of Usher with Carla Gugino
Just days before Halloween, Netflix released its new horror show The Fall of the House of Usher (2023), adapted from the Edgar Allan Poe short story of the same name, first published in 1839. Directed by American horror maestro Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House), this eight-episode series unveils a poignant family drama with a supernatural twist. The premise? “Lord Roderick Usher, worried about his sick partner, calls on an old childhood friend and welcomes him into his home, a place with a strange and oppressive atmosphere.” (EC)
The Fall of the House of Usher (2023) by Mike Flanagan, available on Netflix.
Bodies with Shira Haas
On October 19th, 2023, Netflix released the enigmatic series Bodies. Throughout the eight episodes of the show directed by Paul Tomalin, four London detectives from four different time periods – 1890, 1941, 2023, and 2053 – investigate the same murder. The cast includes Shira Haas (the lead in the acclaimed series Unorthodox), Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Kyle Soller, Amaka Okafor, and Stephen Graham. (EC)
Bodies (2023) by Paul Tomalin, available on Netflix.
Penny Dreadful with Eva Green
In a Victorian London ruled by nocturnal creatures, Eva Green embodies as Vanessa Ives, a woman haunted by the devil himself. Four years after the final episode of this British series, no other role seems to have showcased the actress’s mystical prowess quite like this one. With gothic gowns and spiritual séances, the aura of the James Bond girl has never shone brighter than in the three seasons of Penny Dreadful (2014–2016). While the series elevates its lead character, the supporting cast is equally captivating. From Dorian Gray to Dracula and Frankenstein, all the iconic monsters of pop culture come together in these “penny dreadfuls” – a nod to the cheap horror stories sold for a penny in Victorian England. (LM)
Penny Dreadful (2014-2016) created by John Logan, available in DVD.
The Returned with Clotilde Hesme
After the resounding success of the first season and a second one largely snubbed by critics, The Returned (2012–2014) suddenly came to an end in 2014, despite being qualified as “the best French series of all time.” Structured like an eerie dream bathed in faded hues, the series follows the unsettling fate of a French village facing its own ghosts.
With its misty cinematography and beautifully framed sequences, the show still haunt its viewers. The original score was composed by British rock band Mogwai. To bring these troubling and troubled characters to life, the finest talents of the French scene stepped in, from the brilliant Céline Sallette and Clotilde Hesme to the intense Grégory Gadebois and Frédéric Pierrot. (LM)
The Returned (2012) by Fabrice Gobert, available on Canal+ and Netflix.
Wednesday with Jenna Ortega
As one of Netflix’s flagship shows, Wednesday stands out as a Halloween favorite. Tim Burton’s fantasy series, based on Charles Addams’s comics The Addams Family, catapulted its lead actress Jenna Ortega to international stardom. Indeed, she’s irresistible in this comedy horror show. The storyline is based on the character of Wednesday Addams, who enrolls at Nevermore Academy, a school for monsters and outcasts, where her parents have decided to send her.
Regarding the cast, Christina Ricci, who once played Wednesday Addams on the big screen, appears in a recurring role. Catherine Zeta-Jones, Emma Myers, and Gwendoline Christie round out the team. Season 2 of the series was released this year and you can also catch Jenna Ortega in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, also directed by Tim Burton. (AC)
Wednesday (2022-), created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, available on Netflix.
Agatha All Along with Aubrey Plaza
A spin-off of WandaVision (2021), the latest series from Marvel Studios, Agatha All Along (2024) marks the bewitching return to the realm of witchcraft. It was one of the biggest surprises of Fall 2024. The series was acclaimed by both the critics and audiences.
Blending musical moments with humour, magic, and frightening scenes, the show will sure delight fans of WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022). But it also evokes cult classics like Practical Magic and The Craft.
The main draw of this Disney+ production? Its cast, led by the phenomenal Kathryn Hahn reprising her role as Agatha Harkness, the villain in WandaVision, alongside the breathtaking Aubrey Plaza as a queer witch. (AC)
Agatha All Along (2024), created by Jac Schaeffer, available on Disney+.
