An Anthology of TV Horror Anthologies
I plan on watching at least a sampling of episodes from all series listed (assuming I can find them all) so expect frequent updates.
This list will only feature episodic series. Season-long anthologies (American Horror Story, The Terror, Channel Zero etc.), hosted movie shows (Elvira, Joe Bob, MST3k etc.) and web series are excluded.
This list will only feature episodic series. Season-long anthologies (American Horror Story, The Terror, Channel Zero etc.), hosted movie shows (Elvira, Joe Bob, MST3k etc.) and web series are excluded.
List activity
1K views
• 5 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
111 titles
- CreatorRod SerlingStarsRod SerlingRobert McCordJay OverholtsOrdinary people find themselves in extraordinarily astounding situations, which they each try to solve in a remarkable manner.Series Overall Tone:
Smart, thought-provoking and full of grand irony and allegory. There's a reason 'Twilight Zone' is the king of all anthology series.
Frequent Tropes and Themes: Aliens messing with humans, Angel interventions, Robots with humanity, Faustian deals, infinite loop motifs, ironic or cruel twist endings.
Host: Rod Serling!
Notable Episodes Worth Seeing:
"Time Enough at Last" [S1E8]
"The Monsters are Due On Maple Street" [S1E22]
"The After Hours" [S1E34]
"The Howling Man" [S2E5]
"It's A Good Life" [S3E8]
"To Serve Man" [S3E24]
"Little Girl Lost" [S3E26]
"The Masks" [S5E5]
One of the Worst:
"The Betwitchin' Pool" [S5E36] - CreatorRod SerlingStarsRobin WardCharles AidmanRichard MulliganA collection of tales which range from comic to tragic, but often have a wicked sense of humor and an unexpected twist.Series Over All Tone:
Frequent Tropes and Themes:
Hosts: (Voice Over Only) Charles Aidman (1985–87)
Robin Ward (1988–89)
Notable Episodes Worth Seeing:
"Nightcrawlers" [S1E4c]
"The Burning Man" [S1E8b]
"Dead Woman's Shoes" [S1E9a]
"Gramma" [S1E18a]
"Toys of Caliban" [S2E5]
"Something in the Walls" [S3E19]
One of the Worst:
"The Crossing" [S3E3] - CreatorRod SerlingStarsForest WhitakerJune B. WildeChris ShieldsThis second revival of The Twilight Zone (1959) presents tales of suspense, fantasy, science fiction and horror.Host? Forest Whitaker
- CreatorSimon KinbergJordan PeeleMarco RamirezStarsJordan PeeleDavid EpsteinKelly Ann WoodsAn updated version of the classic anthology series featuring various tales of science fiction, mystery, and horror.Series Over All Tone:
Beautifully shot, well acted, often heavy-handed but socially relevant allegorical morality tales.
Frequent Tropes and Themes: Adult fears and not-so-subtle allegories with a whole bunch of nods and direct references to the original series.
Host? Jordan Peele!
Notable Episodes Worth Seeing:
"Replay" [S1E3]
"The Wunderkind" [S1E5]
"Six Degrees of Freedom" [S1E6]
One of the Worst:
"Blurryman" [S1E10] - CreatorRod SerlingStarsRod SerlingLarry WatsonJoanna PettetRod Serling presents tales of horror illustrated in various paintings.Series Overall Tone:
Frequent Tropes and Themes:
Host? Rod Serling!
Notable Episodes Worth Seeing:
"Certain Shadows on the Wall" / "The House" [S1E3]
"The Devil Is Not Mocked" [S2E6]
"Pickman's Model" [S2E11]
"Different Ones" [S2E14]
"The Caterpillar" [S2E22]
One of the Worst:
"Quoth The Raven" [S2E37] - CreatorLeslie StevensStarsBob JohnsonBen WrightWilliam Douglas"The Outer Limits" was an anthology series of insightful science fiction tales.Series Overall Tone:
Sci-fi stories with a Gothic horror bent, full of surreal imagery and stark, expressionistic cinematography.
Frequent Tropes and Themes: Aliens, Monsters, Time Travel, Teleportation, and Other sci-fi tech used for nefarious purposes.
Host? Not really, although, Vic Perrin's voice opens each episode
Notable Episodes Worth Seeing:
"The Sixth Finger" [S1E5]
"Nightmare" [S1E10]
"The Zanti Misfits" [S1E14]
"Don't Open 'Til Doomsday" [S1E17]
"Expanding Human" [S2E4]
"Demon with a Glass Hand" [S2E5]
One of the Worst:
"Counterweight" [S2E14] - CreatorLeslie StevensStarsKevin ConwayAlex DiakunEric Schneider"The Outer Limits" is a science fiction anthology series, with Kevin Conway providing the voice of "Control Voice".Series Overall Tone:
Frequent Tropes and Themes: Aliens are misunderstood and have some morality lessons for us.
Host?
Notable Episodes Worth Seeing:
"Second Soul" [S1E5]
"Under the Bed" [S1E11]
"Descent" [S5E14]
One of the Worst:
"Ripper" [S5E11] - StarsFrank GallopJack La RueMercer McLeod"Lights Out" was a US narrated horror short story series.Series Overall Tone: 1950s gosh-golly cheese
Frequent Tropes and Themes: Ghosts, goofy hijinx
Host? Frank Gallop
Notable Episodes Worth Seeing:
"The Martian Eyes" [S3E10]
"Dead Man's Coat" [S3E38]
One of the Worst:
"Jasper" [S3E18] - StarsLeslie NielsenCameron Prud'HommeEdgar Stehli"Tales of Tomorrow" was a hosted science fiction anthology series running from 1951 until 1953.
- StarsPaul McGrathHouse JamesonWarren Stevens"Inner Sanctum" was a hosted horror and mystery anthology series hosted by Paul McGrath, and later by House Jameson as "Your Host".Series Overall Tone:
Frequent Tropes and Themes:
Host?
Notable Episodes Worth Seeing:
One of the Worst: - CreatorAl SimonStarsWestbrook Van VoorhisBill ErwinNorman AldenA short-lived anthology series narrated by Westbrook Van Voorhis. Each episode tells its own thriller story and featured its own unique cast.Series Overall Tone:
Frequent Tropes and Themes:
Host?
Notable Episodes Worth Seeing:
One of the Worst: - CreatorFrank P. BibasStarsBoris KarloffRobert HardyHarry BartellAn anthology of horror stories hosted by actor Boris Karloff.Series Overall Tone:
Classic era Hollywood, black and white with a sweeping musical score, and very dialogue heavy.
Frequent Tropes and Themes: "But I could've sworn I saw them/it/whatever/" "That's impossible because they've been dead for years / They were here the whole time/ no one lives there..."
Host? Boris Karloff!
Notable Episodes Worth Seeing:
"Summer Heat" [S1E8]
"Jack the Ripper" [S1E10]
One of the Worst:
"The Return of Madame Vernoy" [S1E9] - CreatorMerwin GerardStarsJohn NewlandRobert DouglasOlan SouleA collection of tales about paranormal events, horrifying folklore, and the world of the unknown.Series Overall Tone:
Predating 'The Twilight Zone' by only 9 months, "OSB" carries a similar tone only in its hosting by John Newland. Stories were presented as being based on true events, were firmly situated in the realm of the supernatural rather than science fiction, and did not have the social commentary angle of 'The Twilight Zone'.
Frequent Tropes and Themes: Plenty of death premonitions, a decent amount of ghosts, as well as some astral projection, psychic powers, and crazy coincidences, thrown in for good measure.
Host? John Newland
Notable Episodes Worth Seeing:
"The Devil's Laughter" [S1E11]
"The Clown" [S2E27]
"The Death Waltz" [S3E3]
"The Sacred Mushroom" [S3E18]
One of the Worst:
"The Lovers" [S2E22] - StarsLon Chaney Jr.Charles NolteLorri Scott"13 Demon Street" was a horror anthology series, set at decaying 13 Demon Street where the host, an unnerving Lon Chaney Jr., opened and closed each episode.Series Overall Tone:
Hokey and contrived.
Frequent Tropes and Themes: Enchanted objects wreak havoc over obsessed holders.
Host? Lon Chaney Jr.!
Notable Episodes Worth Seeing:
"The Vine of Death" [S1E?]
One of the Worst:
"The Secret of the Telescope" [S1E?] - StarsBoris KarloffRichard PeelHenry DaniellExperience the complete series of the show that was hailed as the most frightening ever created for television--now available for the first time.Series Overall Tone:
Underappreciated in its time, 'Thriller' balances pulpy and weird well with eerie and haunting. Every bit as good as its more famous contemporaries 'The Twilight Zone' and 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents'.
Frequent Tropes and Themes:
Host? Boris Karloff!
Notable Episodes Worth Seeing:
"Twisted Image" [S1E1]
"The Hungry Glass" [S1E16]
"Late Date" [S1E27]
"Pigeons From Hell" [S1E36]
“Guillotine” [S2E2]
"The Weird Tailor" [S2E4]
One of the Worst:
"Child's Play" [S1E2] - StarsRoald DahlPaul TremaineRichard Morse"'Way Out" was a drama in the macabre genre was broadcast each week hosted by Roald Dahl.Series Overall Tone:
Frequent Tropes and Themes:
Host? Roald Dahl
Notable Episodes Worth Seeing:
"The Croaker" [S1E6]
"Sideshow" [S1E12]
"20/20" [S1E14]
One of the Worst: - StarsFrank GallopRobert DuvallLee GrantThe last regularly scheduled television series to be broadcast live in the U.S. was hosted by Frank Gallop, and featured dramatizations of ghost stories and other tales of the supernatural, many of which were adapted from stories by famous authors like Conrad Aiken and Edgar Allan Poe.Series Overall Tone:
Frequent Tropes and Themes:
Host? Frank Gallop
Notable Episodes Worth Seeing:
One of the Worst: - StarsJohn LaurieAnn CastleMichael AldridgeSupernatural drama series adapted from the short stories of Algernon Blackwood.Series Overall Tone:
Unfortunately, all 29 episodes are missing, so I have no way of knowing :(
Frequent Tropes and Themes: ?
Host? John Laurie
Notable Episodes Worth Seeing:
Any. Seeing as all episodes are lost, watching any episode would be kind of a big deal.
One of the Worst: ? - StarsAlfred HitchcockHarry TylerLillian O'MalleySeries of unrelated short stories covering elements of crime, horror, drama, and comedy about people of different backgrounds committing murders, suicides, thefts, and other sorts of crime caused by certain motivations, perceived or not.Series Overall Tone:
Understated English crime thrillers
Frequent Tropes and Themes: Last second plot twists
Host? Alfred Hitchcock!
Notable Episodes Worth Seeing:
"Breakdown" [S1E7]
"The Glass Eye" [S3E1]
"The Perfect Crime" [S3E3]
"Lamb to the Slaughter" [S3E28]
"Arthur" [S5E1]
"Bang! You're Dead" [S7E2]
One of the Worst:
"Graduating Class" [S5E14] - StarsAlfred HitchcockHinton PopeJimmy Joyce"The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" was a continuation of the dramatic anthology series Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) hosted by the Master of Suspense and Mystery.Series Overall Tone:
Frequent Tropes and Themes:
Host? Alfred Hitchcock
Notable Episodes Worth Seeing:
"Lonley Place" [S3E6]
One of the Worst: - StarsBernard BehrensCynthia BelliveauDavid B. NicholsUpdated remakes of classic stories from Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962), originally produced by the Master of Suspense. His original opening bits are colorized for re-use here.
- StarsJohn GabrielCharles 'Bud' TingwellErik ChittyA classic anthology science fiction series which features adaptations of stories by famous authors including Isaac Asimov, J.G. Ballard, Frederik Pohl and John Wyndham.
- StarsDavid BuckMark MossFreddie Jones"Mystery and Imagination" was a UK hosted horror anthology series running from 1966 until 1970 with host David Buck as "Richard Beckett". who was a romantic young Victorian adventurer always had a tale to tell.