Netflixhas a wide catalog of TV shows from all genres, but its three best horror shows to date have one thing in common that makes one upcoming series (though not from Netflix) even more exciting. Netflix continues to be at the top of the world of streaming with its variety of licensed content, but it has mostly stood out for its original content.
Surely, not all of Netflix’s originals have succeeded, but in its TV branch, it has had some big hits. Shows likeStranger ThingsandBridgertonhave maintained the quality and reputation ofNetflix’s original series, but in the branch of horror TV, Netflix has also had some big and interesting hits – and its three best horror shows have one key thing in common.
Netflix’s 3 Greatest Horror Shows Are All Created By Mike Flanagan
Mike Flanagan Is Behind Some Of The Best Horror Shows On Netflix
Netflix has an extensive catalog of horror content and original series from this genre, but its best shows from this branch areThe Haunting of Hill House,The Haunting of Bly Manor, andMidnight Mass, all of them created by Mike Flanagan. First wasThe Haunting of Hill House, released in 2018 and loosely based on the 1959 novel by Shirley Jackson.
The Haunting of Hill Housewas praised by critics and general audiencesfor its performances, directing, production, and story. Two years later, Flanagan brought the second entry in hisThe Hauntinganthology series, titledThe Haunting of Bly Manor. Based on Henry James' novellaThe Turn of the Screw,Bly Manorbrought back manyHill Housecast members, but the stories aren’t connected.
Flanagan returned withMidnight Mass, which, unlike theHauntingshows, isn’t based on pre-existing material.
LikeHill House,Bly Manorwas critically acclaimed and received various nominations for different awards. Just one year later, Flanagan returned withMidnight Mass, which, unlike theHauntingshows, isn’t based on pre-existing material.Midnight Massis Flanagan’s unique take on vampires, and it was also critically acclaimed, mostly for the topics addressed in it.
What Makes Mike Flanagan’s Horror Series Stand Out In The Genre
Mike Flanagan Has Left His Mark On Netflix & The Horror Genre
In a genre that often relies too much on jump scares and is plagued with clichés,Mike Flanagan’s Netflixhorror shows have offered something better.Flanagan favors character-driven storiesand gives enough time for the development of their characters. Flanagan also builds layered stories and uses nonlinear timelines to explore those layers and give more depth to the characters.
Flanagan’s horror shows have also been praised for the topics addressed in them,as they explore complex emotions in ways that the audience can relate to, despite everything happening in supernatural scenarios. Of course, the casts of Flanagan’s shows have been key to their success, which is why it isn’t surprising that he now has a list of frequent collaborators.
Flanagan’s ability to explore serious and complex themes in his horror stories has given him many opportunities both on the big screen and on TV. Flanagan has found success in bringing Stephen King stories to life, and while he has done this on the big screen, his next project will allow him to do it now on TV.
Mike Flanagan’s Best Horror Shows Make Me Excited For The Dark Tower On Prime Video
Mike Flanagan’s Next Project Is Another Stephen King Story
Mike Flanagan’s next TV projects are both Stephen King stories:CarrieandThe Dark Tower. The latter was announced in 2022, when Flanagan signed a first-look overall TV deal with Amazon Studios, and it was revealed thathe owns the TV rights to King’sDark Towerbook series. However, updates on this project have been slow.
Speaking toComicBookin June 2025,Flanagan revealed that hisDark Towerseries is still in development, but it’s a very big project.The Dark Toweris surely a huge and ambitious project for Flanagan, but he has proven time and time again that he’s capable of taking such a challenge.
Flanagan’s style, as seen in his Netflix horror shows, is perfect forThe Dark Tower, ensuring thathe will give the story and characters the development they deserveand the themes the depth that they need.The Dark Toweris a complex book series, but Mike Flanagan taking his time to work on it gives me even more hope that it will be the adaptation the series deserves.
