(Credit: Netflix)

What brings someone chills might be subjective, but with Halloween fast-approaching, it’s safe to place a bet that everyone is on the search for horror shows on Netflix that make them think twice before going to sleep alone at night.

With the days getting shorter and the darkness creeping in early like the unwelcomed neighbour with stalker syndrome, this is the perfect time to dial up the catalogue of true haunting.

While it’s too early to guarantee whether these shows on Netflix will serve you Halloween inspiration, what they will definitely do is leave you to wonder whether to take a chance with the lights off. But if you were to ask us, it’s best not to play with the spirits because, as they say, even the walls have ears.

So, for those struggling with Halloween prep and craving the goosebumpy texture on your skin, here are the five best shows on Netflix to warm up for pumpkin carving season.

Five best shows on Netflix to prepare for Halloween

The Haunting of Hill House (Mike Flanagan, 2018)

As the widely recognised king of horror, Mike Flanagan has delivered quite a few intense stories, but few as compelling as The Haunting franchise, especially the very first entry, which sent a run of terror down every spine: The Haunting of Hill House. Loosely based on Shirley Jackson’s 1959 novel, the supernatural horror drama series explores two distinct timelines, one of them telling the story of five grown-up siblings grappling with unexplained paranormal activities experienced at Hill House that continue to spook them in the present day.

In the parallel flashback story, The Haunting of Hill House ekes out the events that led to the family having to escape the mansion, making this the perfect teeth-sinking horror invitation for Halloween.

Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities (Guillermo del Toro, 2022)

For those craving bite-sized horror stories that bring full-throttle impact, check out Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities, the horror anthology series of eight standalone stories combining traditional gothic and Grand Guignol genres with modern haunting.

Although Guillermo del Toro has co-written two of them, all of the episodes are introduced by the horror maestro himself. Boasting a glowing 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, the show has long been around in the cabinet of must-watch titles, so even if you’ve watched it before, a revisiting rummage before the designated season of terror won’t disappoint.

The Haunting of Bly Manor (Mike Flanagan, 2020)

If you complete The Haunting of Hill House marathon, you’ll be automatically drawn to the second entry, The Haunting of Bly Manor, but make no grave mistake thinking it’s in the same vein of terror as its predecessor; moreover, neither entry is connected, so there’s no compulsion to watch them chronologically.

The genre-defying limited series on Netflix is based on Henry James’ 1898 novella, The Turn of the Screw, but Flanagan takes the liberty to inculcate elements either from James’ other works or his own inputs crafted for the show to tell the story of an au pair hired to look after two children, who discovers not one or two but many real skeletons scattered around the estate in plain sight.

The Fall of the House of Usher (Mike Flanagan and Michael Fimognari, 2023)

Based on Edgar Allan Poe’s famous short story, The Fall of the House of Usher is easily one of the most gripping modern adaptations on Netflix under the umbrella of gothic horror. The limited series revolves around the ageing owner of a crooked and corrupt pharmaceutical company who loses his six children within a span of two weeks under mysteriously ruthless circumstances.

The Fall of the House of Usher is narrated by Roderick Usher for Assistant US Attorney C Auguste Dupin, who reveals the story of his family’s decline in episodic form, the core of each involving varying elements from other works from Poe’s oeuvre, from his poems to his stories, for a final confession that will leave you in a moral bind; what’s more horrific than having your beliefs challenged?

Midnight Mass (Mike Flanagan, 2021)

The pre-Halloween marathon began with Mike Flanagan, and it makes sense to end with one of his best offerings. Midnight Mass is another limited series from Flanagan’s catalogue of compelling horror tales that has become a fan favourite on Netflix and Rotten Tomatoes. Set against the backdrop of a pious and poor island, the horror series revolves around the inhabitant community, who start experiencing unexplained supernatural events on the heels of a priest’s arrival.

With just seven episodes in Midnight Mass, viewers don’t even need an entire weekend to wrap up this marathon, but remember to keep the flashlights nearby because it’s only going to get darker from now on.