Entertainment

These Unique TV Shows Are Perfect For Halloween

by Amy Roberts

When it comes to figuring out what films and TV shows to watch on Halloween, it can become all too easy to get stuck in a bit of a rut. Like, sure, American Horror Story, Scream Queens, and your favorite ever episodes of Goosebumps all make for amazing Halloween viewing, but sometimes you kind of want to switch it up too. And because Halloween doesn't always have to simply mean watching something that's super scary. It can also provide the perfect opportunity to simply get weird. In addition to the horror side of things, Halloween can also be fun, campy, kitsch, dark and irreverent — so it makes sense that your viewing options may reflect that. These 16 weird TV shows are perfect to watch on Halloween for that very reason.

Though some of these shows are genuinely scary, many of them aren't — like, at all. But that's also totally cool. What they lack in scares, they more than make up for in ridiculous gore or dark humor, creepy creatures or completely off-the-wall concepts. But what the majority of these shows share is the fact that they're all like no other show out there. Whether old or new, all of these TV shows are weird and wondrous in their own way, and completely worthy of a Halloween binge:

1. Eerie, Indianna

Probably one of the most underrated TV shows of all time (and always perfect for a binge-watch), Eerie Indianna is like Twin Peaks, but for children (and overgrown ones, too). It's equal parts weird, wonderful, and fun.

2. Sleepy Hollow

A police procedural show fused together with the classic horror tale of Ichabod Crane and the headless horseman shouldn't work, but it so does. Come for the legend, stay for Ichabbie's chemistry.

3. iZombie

The ultimate show for fans of zombies and Veronica Mars (the makers of which are also behind this show), iZombie is the perfect blend of crime mystery, horror, and wisecracking comedy.

4. Black Mirror

Charlie Brooker's cult show (the third season of which is premiering Oct. 21, on Netflix) is not your average horror, but it's definitely unsettling. Showcasing truly grim stories of dystopian futures forged by irresponsible, technical advancements, Black Mirror shows smart yet haunting glimpses at a dark future that our society appears to be hurtling towards.

5. Stranger Things

This goes without saying, but whether this is your first, second, third or 50th time watching the show, Stranger Things was made for enjoying on Halloween with an endless bowl of candy to snack from. (And some Eggos.)

6. Twin Peaks

The ultimate in weird, sometimes hilarious, sometimes terrifying horror. Season 1 of Twin Peaks remains an absolute masterpiece and is more than worthy of a Halloween marathon watch.

7. Pee-Wee's Playhouse

For those of you who utterly love the campy, costume side of Halloween (but despise the horror element of it), then Pee-Wees Playhouse will make for the perfect oddball watch on Oct. 31. Bright, silly, kitsch, and full of stealthy jokes just for adults, Pee-Wee's Playhouse will go perfectly with a homemade Halloween cocktail (or three).

8. Pushing Daisies

Full of romance, dark humor, and a murder most foul, Pushing Daisies balances adorably kitsch storytelling with a pretty dark concept. The show follows a humble pie-maker discovering he has the power to resurrect (and kill) people with a single touch.

9. Danger 5

A completely ridiculous parody of spy and action films, this retro, Australian dark-comedy follows a ludicrous, international special forces team as they try to defeat the Nazis. There are talking dinosaurs and plenty of super silly gore.

10. Preacher

Based on the legendary Vertigo comic series, the first season of Preacher has easily been one of the pleasant TV surprises of 2016. It's funny, gory, horrific, and completely nuts.

11. Face-Off

SyFy's make-up and special effects reality show is perfect for people who find themselves shrieking "How does someone even make something like that?" at every horror movie creature ever. Not only does it make for addictive viewing, but it also provides some fascinating insight into creature creation and special effects.

12. Dead Like Me

Bryan Fuller's cult show about a dead woman, who discovers that she's been tasked with the job of being a grim reaper in the afterlife, is an absolute blast.

13. The Fuzz

Okay, so there's nothing particularly spooky or gory about this puppet crime show, but it is exceptionally offbeat, full of amazing dark humor, and definitely isn't for children. If you've ever dreamed of seeing The Wire played out by puppets, then here's your chance.

14. Carnivàle

Creepy in it's own way, Carnivàle is stunning to look at and also full of weird, exceptional storytelling, involving everyday people getting caught in a war between Heaven and Hell during the great depression.

15. Grimm

If you mix one spoon of police procedural shows and two spoons of fairy tales with a dash of horror, then you get all the fun of Grimm.

16. Garth Marenghi's Darkplace

This British dark comedy is a superbly funny parody of '80s horror and is complete with terrible production values, embarrassing dialogue, diabolical acting, and the sort of ludicrous gore and violence that will make you howl with laughter. It's a cult classic for good reason.

All I want to do right now is break out all of my novelty Halloween party cups, pour a supersized bag of popcorn into a gigantic bowl, mix up some spooky cocktails, and kick back and marathon watch any one of these shows. How long is it till Halloween? It's totally fine for me to start now, right? Right.

Images: Giphy (2); Warner Bros. Pictures