Spooky on the Small Screen: The Pulse of Horror TV This Halloween Season

Posessing a Small Screen Near You this Fall

As October’s chill settles in and jack-o’-lanterns flicker to life, the horror genre on television is firing on all cylinders. With the current date marking October 10, 2025, the next three weeks promise a deliciously macabre lineup of premieres, returning favorites, and binge-worthy episodes that will keep nightlights burning well into November.

From iconic franchises clawing their way back to fresh tales of real-life terrors, horror TV is leaning hard into its roots: blending supernatural dread with psychological unease, all while capitalizing on streaming’s endless appetite for scares.

But what’s the state of play? It’s a vibrant, if crowded, landscape where true crime docudramas rub shoulders with animated hellscapes, and legacy IPs dominate the chatter. Let’s dissect the frights headed our way.

Premieres That’ll Haunt Your Queue: New Horror TV Programming

The crown jewel of this period is undoubtedly IT: Welcome to Derry, debuting on HBO Max on October 26. This long-awaited prequel to the 2017 It film (and its 2019 sequel) dives into the cursed history of Derry, Maine, chronicling the origins of Pennywise the Dancing Clown through Stephen King’s lens.

Expect a sprawling ensemble—rumored to include Bill Skarsgård reprising his role as the shape-shifting entity—unraveling the town’s cyclical nightmares across decades. At eight episodes, it’s primed for a slow-burn terror that could redefine cosmic horror on TV, especially as it arrives just in time for All Hallows’ Eve. Critics are already buzzing about its potential to eclipse the movies’ box-office bite with deeper lore and visceral effects.

Not to be outdone, Netflix drops Monster: The Ed Gein Story on October 3—though we’re catching the tail end of its rollout, with episodes still fresh for latecomers. This entry in Ryan Murphy’s Monster anthology series (following Dahmer and Menendez) fictionalizes the grave-robbing killer whose gruesome acts inspired Psycho‘s Norman Bates and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

Starring Joey Pollari as the disturbed Gein and Tom Hollander as a probing investigator, it promises lurid psychological dives into small-town rot and maternal madness. While some decry its exploitative edge, it’s a stark reminder of horror TV’s shift toward “elevated” true crime, blurring lines between fact and fever dream.

Over on Peacock, Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy premieres October 16, another serial killer saga that feels eerily timely amid the genre’s true-crime boom. This drama miniseries spotlights the “Killer Clown” through survivor testimonies and archival footage, emphasizing the banality of evil in suburban America. It’s less about jump scares and more about the slow erosion of trust—perfect for viewers craving intellectual chills over gore.

For those seeking supernatural flairs, Discovery Channel unleashes Ghost Adventures Season 30 on October 29, with the paranormal investigators tackling haunted hotspots in real-time. Paired with the quirky docuseries Bigfoot Took Her (also October 29 on Discovery), which chronicles a woman’s alleged cryptid abduction, these offerings cater to found-footage fans hungry for unpolished eerie vibes.

Returning Nightmares and Ongoing Terrors

It’s not all shiny new releases; horror’s heavy hitters are keeping the momentum with fresh episodes. American Horror Story Season 13 kicks off October 3 on FX (streaming on Hulu), delivering Ryan Murphy’s signature anthology anthology of campy carnage.

This installment, teased as a “Velvet Hammer” theme blending ‘70s glamour with occult intrigue, reunites franchise vets like Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters. With episodes dropping weekly through late October, expect twisted fashion, ritualistic murders, and meta nods to the show’s 13-year legacy—making it a must for die-hards navigating the Halloween rush.

Zombie stalwart The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live—wait, no, make that The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon—continues its French-inflected undead saga on AMC with episodes airing Sundays, including a fresh drop on October 13. Norman Reedus’ grizzled survivor grapples with post-apocalyptic cults and moral decay, proving the Walker empire refuses to shamble into irrelevance.

Animated horrors get their due too: Hazbin Hotel Season 2 hell-bent-ily returns to Prime Video on October 29, where Alastor the Radio Demon schemes amid musical mayhem in the underworld after the climactic events of the first season.

This irreverent take on redemption in Hell has cult status for its sharp wit and visceral violence, appealing to a younger demographic blending South Park-esque humor with demonic dread. Meanwhile, Netflix’s The Witcher Season 4 (October 30) injects horror-lite fantasy with monster hunts and political intrigue, as Henry Cavill’s successor Liam Hemsworth wields the silver sword.

Trends and Terrors Ahead: What’s Shaping the Scares?

This three-week window underscores horror TV’s 2025 evolution: a surge in IP-driven content (hello, It and AHS) amid streaming wars, where platforms like HBO and Netflix weaponize nostalgia to combat subscriber churn.

True crime dominates with killer biopics like Gein and Gacy, reflecting society’s morbid fascination with the monsters next door—though it risks desensitization if not handled with nuance. Supernatural fare, from ghost hunts to animated infernos, offers escapism, while global flavors (French zombies, anyone?) diversify the dread.

Challenges loom: oversaturation could dilute impact, and with Stranger Things Season 5 looming on November 26 (just beyond our scope), the pressure’s on for these releases to sustain buzz. Yet, the genre’s resilience shines—horror TV isn’t just surviving; it’s thriving, turning passive scrolling into active goosebumps.

As the calendar flips toward November, grab your popcorn (extra butter for the blood splatter) and dive in. The next three weeks aren’t just TV; they’re a portal to the shadows. Sweet dreams—or not.