Continuing with my love of Halloween stories, here are a few of my favorite shows (and in some cases episodes) to watch. Episode descriptions will be necessarily brief (to avoid saying too much).

Are You Afraid of the Dark

Few things strike me as more in the spirit of Halloween than gathering to share a story, so it’s no surprise that this show made the list. And I also often find that movies and shows that require themselves to stay within the safety of a PG13 (or lower) rating often show greater creativity and nuance in their “scary stories”.

101-Phantom Cab-Two boys meet a strange man in the woods, and try to solve his puzzle.
109-Dark Music-A boy discovers a strange power, awakened by music.
206-Midnight Madness-A failing movie theater starts airing an old movie.
207-Dream Machine-A writer finds a new and dangerous power.
208-Old Man Corcoran-Who knew hide and go seek could be so scary.
211-Whispering Walls-A babysitter and her kids encounter a strange man, and a strange house.
301-Midnight Ride-A modern revisit of the Sleepy Hollow Legend.
308-Guardian’s Curse-a modern revisit on the mummy.
310-Dream Girl-the title says it all.
313-Dangerous Soup-Dr. Vink returns, with an irresistible recipe.
405-Water Demons-A man haunted by monsters that refuse to let him rest.

X-Files

This is another series that specializes in secret horrors lurking in obscure parts of the world. The series as a whole frequently focuses on aliens, but there are more than a few stand alone episodes that really manage to tape into something special.

103-Squeeze-Few things are more unnerving than something that can easily overcome all the barriers we have built to protect ourselves (like sturdy walls and locked doors).
108-Ice-When an unknown “something” can turn anyone into a crazed enemy, paranoia quickly becomes the biggest threat.
120-Darkness Falls-Trapped in an isolated part of the woods, struggling to understand “what” the threat is, all while watching resources and safety dwindle, the perfect combination of mystery, threat, and a deadline.
219-Død Kalm-This one is less suspense and more foreboding. There’s a slow but steady approach of dread. It’s a story about how time itself can become the enemy, and how powerless we are to stop the advance of time, the dwindling of what we have. But in its own way that too is something we fear, the inexorable approach of our doom.
303-Teliko-This is another one where the adversary manages to overcome/circumvent all the normal barriers people use to keep themselves safe. Part of what I like about this one is the audio. There’s a musical theme for the adversary that is used to great effect.

Gravity Falls

This is a fun series that takes all those paranormal investigation shows (X-Files, Supernatural, etc.) and asks “what if the protagonists were 7-8 years old?” It’s a cute little show, full of strange adventures that always slant towards the humorous side of all things supernatural. I like it because sometimes, in the midst of all the fear and suspense, I want something silly and relaxing, without leaving the realm of the spooky.