TheHorrorgenre has evolved over time, becoming more ambitious and creative, and somehorror TV shows have changed things forever. While most great horror series are exciting, with intelligent plots, many of the besthorror TV shows are still scarier than any movie. However, this means that people who don’t like being scared are still unlikely to enjoy them.
There are many reasons why people may not like horror. The genre tends to involve gore, supernatural creatures, jump scares, or a combination of all three. That said, somelesser-known horror shows are a lot of fun.Many TV shows have horror elements that are secondary to other plot points,so they can still appeal to people who don’t generally like horror.
The premise ofBeing Humaninvolves a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost sharing a flat and trying to pretend that they are regular humans. While the set-up sounds more like a comedy than a horror, the show is closer to a mystery drama.Being Humanexplores the idea of what it is to be a humanin an entertaining and surprisingly deep way.
Annie has no memory of her death, with the cause being a major mystery for the first episode, andGeorge’s werewolf story is one of the most funin the show, giving viewers some romantic comedy elements. The fact that the characters are supernatural creatures is secondary to their main storylines, sopeople who don’t like the paranormal can still enjoyBeing Human.
People who don’t like gore or realistic human monsters like serial killers should giveStranger Thingsa go. The show is a homage to 1980s movies, Stephen King, and geek culture, with many of the characters and monsters heavily involved in Dungeons and Dragons.Stranger Thingsgets scarier with every season, but the show is not too realistic, making it great escapism.
The horror elements inStranger Thingsrevolve around monsters from another dimension, supernatural powers, and secret government experiments. But the show’s characters and storylines giveStranger Thingsseveral iconic momentsper season, and these often override the horrors. With the final season ofStranger Thingscoming soon, now is a great time to start watching the landmark series.
True Bloodis funny, campy, far-fetched, and sometimes tragic, but it is very rarely scary.True Blood’s seven seasonsmight have gotten progressively sillier, but the show has aged surprisingly well. Considering it premiered in 2008, most of its comedy still holds up today.True Bloodalso gave us some excellent LGBTQ+ representation in the iconic character of Lafayette.
The show exists in a world in which vampires have access to synthesized human blood, which means they no longer have to prey on humans. When the main character, Sookie Stackhouse, falls in love with a vampire, her world opens up, revealing werewolves, shapeshifters, and other supernatural creatures.True Bloodmay be bloody, but it is equally funnyand extremely quotable.
Beginning in 1969,Scooby-Doois one of the longest-running cartoon franchises ever and has achieved near-legendary status. The show’s main characters are recognizable even to people who have not seen the show.Scooby-Doois about a cowardly dog and his human friends who solve mysteries together. It began as a kids' show, but it is beloved by people of all ages.
That said, most of the spooky parts are very gentle and somewhat predictable in order to appeal to a younger audience. There is no gore inScooby-Doo, with surprising scenes but no real jump scares. This means thateven people who don’t like horror are unlikely to findScooby-Doovery scaryand will be able to appreciate the funny moments.
Hannibalis an extremely disturbing and gory TV showand may appeal to people who enjoy crime and serial killer-centric series, but don’t like supernatural horror. It is part ofthe Hannibal Lecter movie and TV lore, which centers on the infamous cannibal psychiatrist fromThe Silence of the Lambs. Most episodes feature a different killer and a horrifying crime scene.
Slasher-style horror TV shows and movies can be predictable and shallow, and they are not for everyone. People who hate horror for this reason but would like to try a more intelligent and creative approach to the genre should tryHannibal. Mads Mikkelsen gives a phenomenal performance, and the creative direction makes the show beautiful to look at, even while being horrifying.
If any character could share their love of horror, it would be Wednesday Addams.In the world ofThe Addams Family, horror is a part of lifethat they embrace. The spinoff TV seriesWednesdaycould give anyone who doesn’t like the horror genre a new perspective. The show follows the Addams Family’s eldest child as she joinsthe outcasts attending Nevermore Academy.
WhileWednesdayis full of supernatural creatures and mysteries, the horror aspects are treated as normal and unconcerning. Wednesday and her family do not see horror as something to fight, and the viewer is on Wednesday’s side. The show subverts stereotypes with the werewolf Enid’s sweet and optimistic nature, and Jenna Ortega makes the role of Wednesday her own.
The short claymation series,The Trap Door, is one of the most underrated horror series of all time, and can give people who don’t like horror a delightful taste of the genre. The show has a catchy theme tune and is aimed at children, so there are no jump scares and no gore, with each episode lasting just five minutes.
The Trap Dooris about Berk, who lives in a room with a trap door, and works for The Thing Upstairs. Each episode, a different monster comes out of the trap door, and Berk must find a way to send it back. The monsters might be a little scary for some children, but the episodes have plenty of jokes that adults will get.
Santa Clarita Dietmerges suburban life with the zombie genre, and it never had a bad season. The show lasted for three seasons and stars Drew Barrymore as Sheila, who accidentally becomes a zombie. Sheila and her husband must find increasingly creative ways to get her the human flesh that she craves, and the show is more campy than scary.
Santa Clarita Diethas a 94% positive Rotten Tomatoes audience rating.
Like many Netflix projects, the show was canceled abruptly. Still,Santa Clarita Diethas a perfect ending, which suits the optimistic tone of the series.People who don’t like the zombie genre but enjoy suburban sitcoms should watchSanta Clarita Diet, as it subverts many zombie stereotypes. Both Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant are excellent as the married couple with a secret.
What We Do in the Shadowsmight be about vampires, with some werewolf appearances, but the show is more of a comedy than a horror.Each series is set up like a documentary featuring modern vampiresas they adjust to life in the modern world. The show is extremely self-aware, andWhat We Do in the ShadowsfeaturesTrue Bloodvampire cameos.
What We Do in the Shadowsis also extremely quotable, and especially hilarious when the characters try to understand modern pop culture. The show is the subject of many memes, and despite the supernatural theme, it is a horror in name only. Thus, people who don’t like being scared should definitely try it, as it parodies the vampire genre perfectly.
With theBuffy the Vampire Slayerrebooton its way, even people who detest horror should watch the original show.Buffy the Vampire Slayerturned the horror genre on its head, having monsters fleeing from the teen girl, rather than the other way around. This premise alone was enough to make the show a must-watch in the 1990s.
Moreover,Buffy the Vampire Slayerholds up surprisingly well today and has had a huge influence on modern horror. The show seamlessly blends teenage life withhorrorgenre staples like monster hunting, and many of the main characters are still cultural icons. While there are some scary scenes and supernatural creatures in each episode, there is comparatively little gore.
