This is a wonderful time of year now that it’s sweater weather, and all the different types of hot chocolate are out. It is also time to appreciate the dead – not just them but also the undead, aka zombie and ghost TV shows and movies airing around this time. As humans, I think we find a special appeal in the darker side of life. We make vampires out to be the everlasting youth and beauty, and we find the idea of a zombie apocalypse to be an exciting and slightly intriguing.
The food and nature are both great parts of fall but so are the new scary TV shows and movies that debut. Some are corny, but others are captivating concoctions of horror, adventure and drama.
1. American Horror Story
Number one to watch is "American Horror Story". Now in its sixth season, it has captured the hearts of people and delivered a shot of adrenaline to everyone everywhere. Each season follows a different story using the same core actors, Even Peters, Jessica Lange and Sarah Paulson, with seasonal guest stars like Zachary Quinto and Lady Gaga. Each season has a different setting for fear and scares, using ghosts, witches and serial killers to move the story along, while still using enough character-based plot so you care about their death. The show is known for its gore and darkness, but it’s not just senseless killing and overused blood prop, it actually carries along a story that will leave you cowering for more.
2. Freakish
"Freakish" is a new show, but it has already put in its stake as a must-see zombie show. From the first episode, it oozes mystery and chills from every zombie boil. It focuses on a group of teenagers stuck in their high school after a chemical plant explosion. They immediately face the threat of disease and the worry of their town, and that’s just the first episode. Even if you're not a fan of shows like "The Walking Dead," this new thriller can still be placed on your watch list, because it takes such a unique approach to zombies. I know, it seems like the typical chemical leak leads to zombies, but keep watching because everything is not how it seems.
3. Exorcist
"The Exorcist" TV series is the perfect TV show to watch if you want to be scared, and I don’t mean spooked, but I mean jump-out-of-your-seat scared. The original "Exorcist" movie was rated “the most terrifying movie ever made,” and the show carries on the legacy. Every second will keep you on your toes. It starts off with your average family, but by the end of the first episode, you’ll know something's up. This is not a ghost TV show. Each episode is a mini-horror TV show. and possessions have never been so scary. This is definitely one of the best show on the list.
4. Midnight, Texas
Welcome to "Midnight, Texas" – population: strange. Even though the pilot came out in May, and the next episode will air date is unknown, hope is not lost for it yet, says GamenGuide. The show is still in the works, but it holds a lot of potential. Based on the novel of the same name, "Midnight, Texas" is the home to some odd people, if you can call them that. Vampires, werewolves and angels, oh my! This supernatural series is promised to be a favorite of "True Blood" fans. The eerie mystery the show holds makes the anticipation for the next episode that mush stronger. It is not as scary as the other shows on this list, but if you are a fan of drama and the paranormal, then you have something to look forward to.
5. Stranger Things
This show has been out for some time and has already completed its first season, but I thought it deserved to be on the list. The Netflix original, "Stanger Things" is definitely a 2016 favorite. The show follows four storylines with one over-arching plot and with some of the most lovable characters I have seen in a long time. One storyline that begins the season is a mother looking for her missing son, but this missing person's case quickly escalates to something far more sinister. The season intertwines mystery, suspense and the supernatural. Set in the 1980s, the show holds lots of references that could be a walk down memory lane for some, but most say it reminds them of the movie "ET."
6. Don't Breathe
The next following items on the list are movies. "Don't Breath" hit theaters in August. Never underestimate the blind. When a ground of thieves break into an old man's house expecting an easy burglary, they get more than they bargain for. This thriller is filled to the brim with suspense and frightening moments that will leave you breathless.
7. The Boy
Now if you are like me, a horror fanatic, you might have become immune to the guile of horror movies. I can honestly say "The Boy" brought back that wondrous high you get from scary movies that I thought I would never feel again. When a woman agrees to watch the child of an elderly couple she is shocked to find a doll instead of a human boy. If that did not make sense enough, strange things begin to happen in the house. This suspenseful horror will keep you at the edge of your seat until the shocking conclusion.
8. Lights Out
If the title is not scary enough, "Lights Out" brings the fright. Nightmare fuel. That is the only word to describe it: nightmare fuel. This terrorizing movie cannot even be described as a ghost or possession movie. It takes a special type of mind to create something so spine chilling. As corny as this sounds, after this movie you will not want to turn the lights out.
9. The Darkness
"The Darkness" is where the paranormal and the satanic go to hang out. When something evil is released in the world, a family works together to send it back. Somehow, this spooky tale of woe makes for a good life lesson with themes of family and sticking together. It's almost heart-warming how people can unite over fighting evil demons.
10. The Purge
This year we are electing a new president, and in honor of that, "The Purge: Election Year" is on this list. If you have ever seen one of The Purge movies, you know they like to raise social issues in-between the thrill and suspense. This one focuses on the injustice of the purge and how it should be changed. The horror does not take away from the allegory of society, and the allegory does not take away from the scream session.
All of these TV show and movie recommendations might have been a little cheesy at times, but still there is no lie in the fact that these are heart-stopping, adrenaline-pumping entertainment films that must be seen this fall. The sun sets early just so you can watch horror in the dark before it's so late that you have to go to sleep right after your fright fest.
