Best tv shows like Tales from the Darkside
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Tales from the Darkside is an anthology horror TV series created by George A. Romero; it was released in 1984. Similar to Amazing Stories, The Twilight Zone, Night Gallery, The Outer Limits, Tales From The Crypt, and Lee Martin's The Midnight Hour, each episode was an individual short story that ended with a plot twist. The series' episodes spanned the genres of horror, science fiction, and fantasy, and some episodes featured elements of black comedy or more lighthearted themes.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: anthology, scary, atmospheric, humorous, suspenseful, surreal, semi serious, spooky, psychological, dark
Best tv shows and movies like Tales from the Darkside (1983):
Similar in 84%
The Unsettling (2019)
Plot Summary:
Becca, a 16-year-old girl, arrives at her new foster home located in a remote area. Her foster siblings are less than welcoming but none more so than the 11-year-old biological son of their foster parents. Becca tries to keep to herself and adjust to her new home, but strange things start to happen around her, and Becca is uncertain about who or what is responsible.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 832
Genere: Crime, Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: psychological, serious, suspenseful, atmospheric, scary, teen horror, clever
Similar in 83%
Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible (2001)
Plot Summary:
Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible is a British comedy-horror anthology series created by Graham Duff, who co-wrote the series with Steve Coogan. BBC Two broadcast the series in 2001. It spoofs the British horror films of Amicus Productions, Hammer Film Productions, and Tigon British Film Productions. The title parodies Amicus Productions' anthology film Dr. Terror's House of Horrors.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 590
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: UK
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: parody, anthology, humorous, suspenseful, not serious, spooky, scary, realistic, biting, suspense
Similar in 76%
The Hitchhiker (1983)
Plot Summary:
The Hitchhiker is a mystery anthology series that aired from 1983 to 1987 on HBO and First Choice in Canada. The series later moved to the USA Network from 1989 to 1991.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Canada, France
Duration: 26 min
Plot tags: anthology, scary, dark, creepy, dark fairy tale, spooky, twist ending, tense, serious, suspenseful
Similar in 85%
Deadtime Stories (2012)
Plot Summary:
A baby-sitter tells a different 'Deadtime Story' to the kids she is babysitting. The stories are scary and chilling.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 296
Genere: Drama, Family, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: anthology, humorous, suspenseful, semi serious, suspense, scary, psychological, rough, bleak, dark fairy tale
Similar in 90%
Hammer House of Horror (1980)
Plot Summary:
Anthology series, in which each self-contained episode featured a different kind of horror. These varied from witches, werewolves, ghosts, devil worship and voodoo, but also included non-supernatural horror themes such as cannibalism, confinement and serial killers.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery
Country: UK
Duration: 54 min
Plot tags: anthology, scary, spooky, dark fairy tale, gothic, gothic horror, psychological, rough, serious, suspenseful
Similar in 85%
Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974)
Plot Summary:
Kolchak: The Night Stalker is an American television series that aired on ABC during the 1974–1975 season. It featured a fictional Chicago newspaper reporter—Carl Kolchak, played by Darren McGavin—who investigated mysterious crimes with unlikely causes, particularly those that law enforcement authorities would not follow up. These often involved the supernatural or even science fiction, including fantastic creatures. The series was preceded by two television movies, The Night Stalker and The Night Strangler. The series only lasted a single season, it remains popular in syndication; it is often cited as the inspiration for the popular series The X-Files. Following the success of The X-Files, the franchise was resurrected in 2005 in a second television series with a new cast and characters, as well as subsequent in novels and comic books. The entire series is available in syndication and is occasionally rerun on the Sci-Fi Channel under an expanded title, Kolchak: The Night Stalker. In 2008, it was aired on Chiller. It is also available on DVD and streaming from Netflix.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 51 min
Plot tags: scary, gothic, mind bending, suspenseful, serious, retro, spooky, anthology, apocalyptic, mythical
Similar in 86%
Fear Itself (2008)
Plot Summary:
A television series broken down into thirteen separate sixty-minute films from premiere horror writers and directors.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Horror
Country: Canada
Duration: 43 min
Plot tags: anthology, scary, rough, suspenseful, suspense, psychological, bloody, dark, dark fairy tale, spooky
Similar in 87%
Tales of the Unexpected (1979)
Plot Summary:
A British television anthology of stories, often with sinister and wryly comedic undertones, and a twist at the end. With early episodes written and presented by Roald Dahl, the series featured a plethora of big name guest stars.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK
Duration: 25 min
Plot tags: anthology, scary, spooky, dark, sitcom, dark fairy tale, atmospheric, mind bending, offbeat, serious
Similar in 81%
Freddy's Nightmares (1988)
Plot Summary:
Freddy's Nightmares is an American horror anthology series, which aired in syndication from October 1988 until March 1990. A spin-off from the Nightmare on Elm Street series, each story was introduced by Freddy Krueger. This format is essentially the same as that employed by Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Tales from the Crypt, or The Twilight Zone. The pilot episode was directed by Tobe Hooper, and begins with Freddy Krueger's acquittal of the child-murdering charges due to his officer's lack of reviewing the Miranda warning at the time of Freddy's arrest. A mob of parents eventually corners Freddy in a power plant, leading to him being torched by the police officer, dying and gaining his familiar visage. The series was produced by New Line Television, producers of the film series. It was originally distributed by Lorimar-Telepictures. However, Warner Bros. Television would assume syndication rights after acquiring Lorimar-Telepictures.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Horror, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: slasher, scary, anthology, atmospheric, suspenseful, exciting, bleak, stylized, spooky, psychological
Similar in 79%
Storm of the Century (1999)
Plot Summary:
A very powerful blizzard hits the fictional small town of Little Tall Island off the coast of Maine. All access off the island is blocked, and no one is able to leave the island until the storm is over. While trying to deal with the storm, tragedy strikes when one of the town's residents is brutally murdered.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 24000
Genere: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 257 min
Plot tags: scary, tense, suspenseful, creepy, intense, psychological, atmospheric, suspense, splatter, clever
Similar in 75%
R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour (2010)
Plot Summary:
R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour is a Canadian/American original anthology horror-fantasy series, with episodes each half an hour long. The series is based on The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It Movie, and the books The Haunting Hour and Nightmare Hour anthology by R. L. Stine.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 23 min
Plot tags: anthology, scary, exciting, serious, suspenseful, spooky, dark, dark fantasy, horror comedy, dark fairy tale
Similar in 82%
American Horror Stories (2021)
Plot Summary:
An anthology series of stand alone episodes delving into horror myths, legends and lore.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 25000
Genere: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: anthology, atmospheric, scary, tense, suspenseful, serious, stylized, dark drama
Similar in 78%
Amazing Stories (1985)
Plot Summary:
A truly amazing, fantastical, science fiction, funny and odd, and sometimes scary, sad and endearing anthology series presented by Steven Spielberg with guest appearances by many famous actors, actresses, and directors.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: anthology, atmospheric, mind bending, serious, suspenseful, retro, dark, twist ending, sitcom, dark fairy tale
Similar in 75%
Creeped Out (2017)
Plot Summary:
A masked figure known as "The Curious" collects tales of dark magic, otherworldly encounters and twisted technology in this kids anthology series.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Crime, Drama, Family, Fantasy, History, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: UK, Canada
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: anthology, light, colorful, semi serious, thought provoking, sitcom, horror comedy, spooky, mystical, colourful
Similar in 75%
Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction (1997)
Plot Summary:
Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction is an American television anthology series created by Lynn Lehmann, presented by Dick Clark Productions, and produced and aired by the Fox network from 1997 to 2002. Each episode featured five stories, all of which appeared to defy logic, and some of which were allegedly based on actual events. The viewer was offered the challenge of determining which are true and which are false. At the end of the show, it was revealed to the viewer whether the tales were true or works of fiction. The series was hosted by James Brolin in season one and later by Jonathan Frakes for the remainder of the series. The show was narrated by Don LaFontaine for the first three seasons and by Campbell Lane for the fourth and final season.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Mystery, Thriller, Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: anthology, scary, mindfuck, mind bending, clever, offbeat, serious, suspenseful, gloomy
Similar in 77%
Kingdom Hospital (2004)
Plot Summary:
Stephen King's take on the masterpiece series by Lars von Trier. The story takes place in a hospital in Lewiston, Maine, built on the site of a Civil War-era mill fire in which many children died.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 8000
Genere: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 608 min
Plot tags: psychological, atmospheric, suspenseful, scary, medical horror, anthology, cult classic, mind bending, offbeat, serious
Similar in 78%
Night Visions (2001)
Plot Summary:
Night Visions is an hour-long, American television horror anthology series, with each episode comprising two half-hour stories dealing with themes of the supernatural or simply the dark side of human nature. Henry Rollins was the uncredited host of the show. The series aired on Fox from July 12 to September 6, 2001, after which it was picked up by the Sci Fi Channel, which reran the series beginning June 14, 2002. Sci Fi later aired the three remaining original episodes that produced for, but unaired, on Fox. One of these, "Cargo / Switch", ran as part of the Night Visions series, while the two other episodes' segments were edited into the Sci Fi Channel film Shadow Realm, minus the Rollins introductions and the Night Visions name. The show's directors included some best known for feature films, including Tobe Hooper and Joe Dante, and others, such as Brian Dennehy, JoBeth Williams, and Bill Pullman, known primarily as actors.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 43 min
Plot tags: anthology, scary, atmospheric, bleak, suspenseful, enigmatic, captivating, disturbing, dark, detective
Similar in 85%
Night Gallery (1969)
Plot Summary:
Night Gallery is an American anthology series that aired on NBC from 1970 to 1973, featuring stories of horror and the macabre. Rod Serling, who had gained fame from an earlier series, The Twilight Zone, served both as the on-air host of Night Gallery and as a major contributor of scripts, although he did not have the same control of content and tone as he had on The Twilight Zone.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 50 min
Plot tags: anthology, psychological, supernatural thriller, scary, retro, mysterious, dread, mythical, creepy, dark fairy tale
Similar in 85%
Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King (2006)
Plot Summary:
A television mini-series adaptation of Nightmares and Dreamscapes, Stephen King's collection of short horror stories.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Australia, USA
Duration: 480 min
Plot tags: anthology, scary, serious, suspenseful, stylized, clever, dark fairy tale, classic horror, spooky, weird
Similar in 78%
The Outer Limits (1995)
Plot Summary:
The Outer Limits is an anthology series of distinct story episodes, sometimes with a plot twist at the end. Unlike the original incarnation of the series, which was a pure anthology with each episode completely unrelated to the others, the revival series maintained an anthology format, but occasionally featured recurring story elements that were often tied together during season-finale clip shows.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 44 min
Plot tags: anthology, scary, cerebral, psychological, funny, mind bending, intellectual, dark, slasher, apocalyptic
Similar in 77%
Being Human (2008)
Plot Summary:
The central premise of Being Human is that various types of supernatural beings exist alongside human beings, with varying degrees of menace; that three of these supernatural beings are opting to live amongst human beings rather than apart from them; and that these three characters are attempting (as much as is possible) to live ordinary human lives despite the pressures and dangers of their situations. They are constantly threatened with exposure or persecution, with pressure from other supernatural creatures, and with problems caused by their attempts to deal with their own natures.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 26000
Genere: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Country: UK
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: scary, semi serious, captivating, suspenseful, sexy, gothic, twist ending, spooky, humorous, offbeat
Similar in 88%
Dark Shadows (1966)
Plot Summary:
Dark Shadows is an American gothic soap opera that originally aired weekdays on the ABC television network, from June 27, 1966, to April 2, 1971. The show was created by Dan Curtis. The story bible, which was written by Art Wallace, does not mention any supernatural elements. It was unprecedented in daytime television when ghosts were introduced about six months after it began. The series became hugely popular when vampire Barnabas Collins appeared a year into its run. Dark Shadows also featured werewolves, zombies, man-made monsters, witches, warlocks, time travel, and a parallel universe. A small company of actors each played many roles; indeed, as actors came and went, some characters were played by more than one actor. Major writers besides Art Wallace included Malcolm Marmorstein, Sam Hall, Gordon Russell, and Violet Welles. Dark Shadows was distinguished by its vividly melodramatic performances, atmospheric interiors, memorable storylines, numerous dramatic plot twists, unusually adventurous music score, and broad and epic cosmos of characters and heroic adventures. Now regarded as something of a classic, it continues to enjoy an intense cult following. Although the original series ran for only five years, its scheduling as a daily daytime drama allowed it to amass more single episodes during its run than most other science-fiction/fantasy genre series produced for English-language television, including Doctor Who and the entire Star Trek television franchise. Only the paranormal soap opera Passions, with a total of 2,231 episodes, has more.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: gothic, gothic horror, surreal, soap opera, atmospheric, stylized, scary, dark, spooky, retro
Similar in 82%
Creepshow (2019)
Plot Summary:
A young boy's horror comic book comes to life in this anthology series of terrifying tales.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 9000
Genere: Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 44 min
Plot tags: anthology, mystical, bleak, scary, captivating, suspense, entertaining, disturbing, semi serious, psychological
Similar in 79%
The Twilight Zone (2002)
Plot Summary:
The Twilight Zone is a 2002 revival of Rod Serling's 1950/60s television series, The Twilight Zone. It aired for one season on the UPN network, with actor Forest Whitaker assuming Serling's role as narrator and on-screen host. The series was produced by New Line Television, which since 2008 is a division of Warner Bros., which released Twilight Zone: The Movie.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 43 min
Plot tags: anthology, atmospheric, serious, mind bending, stylized, surprise ending, offbeat, psychological, intellectual, dark
Similar in 83%
The Outer Limits (1963)
Plot Summary:
The Outer Limits is an American television series that aired on ABC from 1963 to 1965. The series is often compared to The Twilight Zone, but with a greater emphasis on science fiction stories. The Outer Limits is an anthology of self-contained episodes, sometimes with a plot twist at the end. The series was revived in 1995, airing on Showtime from 1995 to 1999, then on Sci-Fi Channel from 1999 until its cancellation in 2002. In 1997, the episode "The Zanti Misfits" was ranked #98 on TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time.
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 9000
Genere: Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 51 min
Plot tags: anthology, serious, psychotronic, scary, bleak, psychological, retro, dark, experimental, dramatic
Similar in 84%
Eerie, Indiana (1991)
Plot Summary:
Eerie, Indiana is an American television series that originally aired on NBC from 1991 to 1992. The series was created by José Rivera and Karl Schaefer, with Joe Dante serving as creative consultant. A total of nineteen episodes were produced. The final episode aired for the first time in 1993, when the series was syndicated on The Disney Channel. In 1997, the show generated a new fan base, when Fox's children's programming block Fox Kids aired the series, gaining something of a cult following despite its short run. The renewed popularity in the series, encouraged Fox to produce a spin-off Eerie, Indiana: The Other Dimension, lasting only one season in 1998.
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: spooky, scary, anthology, sitcom, detective, offbeat, humorous, semi serious, urban fantasy, weird
Similar in 82%
Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1990)
Plot Summary:
Are You Afraid of the Dark? is a joint Canadian-American horror/fantasy-themed anthology television series. The original series was a joint production between the Canadian company Cinar and the American company Nickelodeon. The show was filmed in Richmond, British Columbia and in Montreal, Quebec including their suburbs. The episode "The Tale of the Twisted Claw" was aired as a pilot on the evening of October 31, 1991 in the USA and in October 1990 in Canada. Are You Afraid of the Dark? was aired from August 15, 1992 to April 20, 1996 on Nickelodeon's SNICK. The series also aired on the Canadian television network YTV from October 30, 1990 until June 11, 2000. A revived series with new directors, writers, and cast was produced by Nickelodeon from 1999 to 2000 and also aired on SNICK. The sole member from the original lineup to return for the sixth and seventh seasons was Tucker, although Ross Hull returned for the concluding miniseries, which notably broke from the show's established format by blurring the line between story and "reality".
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Canada
Duration: 30 min
Plot tags: scary, anthology, suspenseful, semi serious, spooky, exciting, bleak, sitcom, dark, slasher
Similar in 86%
Tales from the Crypt (1989)
Plot Summary:
Tales from the Crypt, sometimes titled HBO's Tales from the Crypt, is an American horror anthology television series that ran from June 10, 1989 to July 19, 1996 on the premium cable channel HBO for seven seasons with a total of 93 episodes. The title is based on the 1950s EC Comics series of the same name and most of the content originated in that comic or the four other EC Comics of the time. The show was produced by HBO with uncredited association by The Geffen Film Company and Warner Bros. Television. The series is not to be confused with the 1972 film by the same name or Tales from the Darkside, another similarly themed horror anthology series. Because it was aired on HBO, a premium cable television channel, it was one of the few anthology series to be allowed to have full freedom from censorship by network standards and practices as a result, HBO allowed the series to contain graphic violence as well as other content that had not appeared in most television series up to that time, such as profanity, gore, nudity and sexual situations, which could give the series a TV-MA rating for today's standards. The show is subsequently edited for such content when broadcast in syndication or on basic cable. While the series began production in the United States, in the final season filming moved to Britain, resulting in episodes which revolved around British characters.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 27000
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Horror, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 25 min
Plot tags: anthology, suspenseful, witty, spooky, gothic, psychological, black comedy, horror comedy, scary, suspense
Similar in 75%
The X-Files (1993)
Plot Summary:
The exploits of FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully who investigate X-Files: marginalized, unsolved cases involving paranormal phenomena. Mulder believes in the existence of aliens and the paranormal while Scully, a skeptic, is assigned to make scientific analyses of Mulder's discoveries that debunk Mulder's work and thus return him to mainstream cases.
IMDB Rating: 8.6
IMDB Votes: 243000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: captivating, atmospheric, psychological, mind bending, detective, suspense, exciting, spooky, thrilling, psychological thriller
Similar in 82%
The Twilight Zone (1985)
Plot Summary:
The Twilight Zone is the first of two revivals of Rod Serling's acclaimed 1950/60s television series of the same name. It ran for two seasons on CBS before producing a final season for syndication.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 12000
Genere: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: UK, Canada, USA
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: thought provoking, anthology, psychological, scary, atmospheric, suspenseful, intellectual, dark, mysterious, tripping