Netflix's Top-Rated Horror Shows: A Guide to the Best Streaming Scares This Season

When it comes to Halloween viewing, Netflix’s horror catalog deserves serious attention—especially when you want something that goes deeper than a two-hour film can offer. The platform has hosted some genuinely outstanding horror series in recent years, building a reputation for shows that blend genuine scares with compelling storytelling.

The Mike Flanagan Effect: Netflix’s Horror Architect

One name dominates Netflix’s horror landscape: Mike Flanagan. The director has become synonymous with quality horror on the platform, with four major productions that showcase why streaming has become the ideal medium for extended horror narratives.

The Haunting of Hill House stands as a cornerstone of this success. With a 93% Rotten Tomatoes score, this original series has earned recognition as one of Netflix’s greatest shows overall. The narrative follows a fractured family grappling with supernatural forces tied to their traumatic past. What makes it exceptional isn’t purely the scares—it’s the emotional depth that elevates it beyond typical genre fare into something approaching art.

The Haunting of Bly Manor continues this trajectory with an 88% Rotten Tomatoes rating. While Flanagan reuses some familiar cast members across his projects, this isn’t a direct continuation of Hill House. Instead, it presents a completely distinct story centered on the mysterious circumstances surrounding an au pair’s death. The mystery unfolds with careful precision and atmospheric tension.

Midnight Mass (87% Rotten Tomatoes) may be Flanagan’s most audacious work on the platform. Set in a small island community, the series explores how religious fervor and supernatural occurrences intertwine in startling ways. The twist—which I won’t spoil—ranks among television’s most effective reveals and fundamentally recontextualizes everything viewers have watched.

Beyond Flanagan’s Stranglehold

The Fall of the House of Usher (91% Rotten Tomatoes) represents Flanagan’s venture into literary adaptation, weaving together Edgar Allan Poe’s works into a cohesive narrative about generational sins and karmic retribution. Each family member faces consequences for their collective misdeeds, creating a darkly satisfying story arc.

For those seeking something entirely different, Kingdom (98% Rotten Tomatoes) deserves consideration. This Korean series brilliantly merges zombie mythology with 17th-century political conflict across two compelling seasons. It’s genuinely among the finest zombie media ever produced—ambitious in scope and deeply immersive.

What Comes Next for Netflix Horror

Flanagan’s departure from Netflix marks a shifting era for the platform’s horror offerings. He’s now developing both Carrie and The Dark Tower series for other platforms, while simultaneously entering the superhero space with a Clayface film. His move signals that Netflix’s golden period of horror dominance may be transitioning into something new.

The shows discussed here represent the peak of what Netflix achieved with the horror genre—cerebral, visually sophisticated productions that prove serialized storytelling can deliver scares and substance simultaneously. For this Halloween season, they remain essential viewing.