Best tv shows like The Twilight Zone
Last updated March 2024
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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
Best tv shows and movies like The Twilight Zone (2002):
Similar in 83%
Brand New Cherry Flavor (2021)
Plot Summary:
A filmmaker heads to Hollywood in the early ’90s to make her movie but tumbles down a hallucinatory rabbit hole of sex, magic, revenge — and kittens.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 18000
Genere: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 342 min
Plot tags: sexual, suspense, psychological thriller, surreal, tense, captivating, suspenseful, disturbing, exciting, offbeat
Similar in 83%
Superstition (2017)
Plot Summary:
The Mosley family keeps the secrets and dark history of a town located on the outskirts of New Orleans that is also a landing patch for the world's darkest manifestations of fear, guided into the world by a mysterious malefactor named The Dredge.
IMDB Rating: 5.1
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: psychological, atmospheric, gothic, gothic horror, dark fantasy, stylized
Similar in 78%
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 77%
Goosebumps (1995)
Plot Summary:
Goosebumps is a Canadian-American children's horror anthology television series based on R. L. Stine's Goosebumps books. It was one of the two popular television horror anthology children's series in the 1990s.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 15000
Genere: Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: Canada
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: anthology, dark, sitcom, dark fairy tale, scary, dark fantasy, teen horror, epic fantasy, atmospheric, suspenseful
Similar in 87%
Amazing Stories (2020)
Plot Summary:
Each episode transports the audience to worlds of wonder through the lens of today’s most imaginative filmmakers, directors and writers. A reimagining of the original anthology series by Steven Spielberg.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 52 min
Plot tags: anthology, enigmatic, romantic, exciting, sincere, captivating, intellectual
Similar in 89%
The Dark Secret of Harvest Home (1978)
Plot Summary:
A young couple moves to a quiet New England village, only to soon find themselves mixed up in mysterious rituals.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 300 min
Plot tags: gothic, slasher, satanic, spooky, thrilling, scary, tense, atmospheric, rough, mind bending
Similar in 77%
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 84%
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 79%
Tales from the Darkside (1983)
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
Similar in 89%
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 75%
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 89%
Darkroom (1981)
Plot Summary:
Darkroom is an American television thriller series which ABC transmitted from November 27, 1981 to January 15, 1982. It was an anthology horror/thriller series, similar in style to Rod Serling's Night Gallery. Each 60-minute episode featured two or more stories of varying length with a new story and a new cast, but each of the episode wraparound segments was hosted by James Coburn. Among the performers who appeared on the series were Steve Allen, Esther Rolle, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, David Carradine, Billy Crystal, and June Lockhart.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 336
Genere: Horror, Thriller, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: anthology, scary, dark, slasher, dark fairy tale, rough, bleak, serious, suspenseful
Similar in 77%
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 80%
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 82%
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 78%
PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal (1996)
Plot Summary:
Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal is a Canadian science fiction drama television series which was filmed in and around Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and aired 88 episodes over four seasons from 1996 to 2000. The presence of Dan Aykroyd opening and closing every episode and emphasizing the legitimacy of the organization it was inspired by led some viewers to take the show somewhat more seriously than intended, though it was in fact a scripted drama. Partly for this reason, in 1997 the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, then called the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, awarded Aykroyd a "Snuffed Candle" award, for "contributing to the public's lack of understanding of the methods of scientific inquiry.".
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Thriller
Country: Canada
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: tense, scary, mind bending, serious, suspenseful, suspense, spiritual, anthology, detective, canadian science fiction
Similar in 84%
The Langoliers (1995)
Plot Summary:
On a red eye flight from LA to Boston, 10 people wake up to a shock. All the passengers and crew have vanished. When they try to contact the ground they make no connections. They land the plane only to discover that things haven't changed. But its like the world is dead. No one is there, the air is still, sound doesn't echo, the food is tasteless. A distant sound is getting louder, something is coming closer.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 31000
Genere: Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 180 min
Plot tags: psychological, suspense, suspenseful, exciting, cult horror, atmospheric, mind bending, clever, intellectual, dark
Similar in 77%
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 81%
The Lost Room (2006)
Plot Summary:
A detective investigates a mysterious motel room, which acts as a portal to an alternate universe.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 33000
Genere: Action, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 270 min
Plot tags: stylized, serious, suspenseful, atmospheric, captivating, detective, mysterious, psychological, exciting, mind bending
Similar in 79%
Night Stalker (2005)
Plot Summary:
Carl Kolchak and his partner Perri investigate the mysterious death of Kolchak's wife and the paranormal phenomena plaguing their city.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: suspenseful, scary, serious, captivating, detective, exciting, psychological, retro, mythical, spooky
Similar in 88%
Constantine (2014)
Plot Summary:
A man struggling with his faith is haunted by the sins of his past but is suddenly thrust into the role of defending humanity from the gathering forces of darkness.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 56000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 43 min
Plot tags: serious, suspenseful, stylized, scary, supernatural thriller, humorous, epic, detective, anime, horror comedy
Similar in 85%
Castle Rock (2018)
Plot Summary:
Based on the stories of Stephen King, the series intertwines characters and themes from the fictional town of Castle Rock.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 50000
Genere: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: bleak, suspenseful, enigmatic, anthology, rough, supernatural thriller, suspense, spooky, psychological, psychological thriller
Similar in 83%
Haven (2010)
Plot Summary:
FBI agent Audrey Parker arrives in the small town of Haven, Maine to solve a murder and soon discovers the town's many secrets—which also hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of her lost past.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 41000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: atmospheric, stylized, detective, suspenseful, supernatural thriller, bleak, scary, mystic, grindhouse, spooky
Similar in 78%
Touch (2012)
Plot Summary:
Martin Bohm, a widower and single father, is haunted by an inability to connect to his autistic, mute 11-year-old son, Jake. Their relationship and their lives take an extraordinary turn when he discovers his gifted son has the ability to see things that no one else can and the patterns that connect seemingly unrelated events.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 43000
Genere: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 43 min
Plot tags: uplifting, serious, suspenseful, touching, intellectual, spiritual, dramatic, gloomy, emotional, interesting
Similar in 75%
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 79%
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 84%
Two Sentence Horror Stories (2017)
Plot Summary:
An anthology series featuring updated tales of horror and haunting for the digital age, inspired by the viral fan fiction of two sentence horror stories.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 20 min
Plot tags: anthology, philosophical, thought provoking, realistic, dark, slasher, psychological, psychological horror, surprise ending, suspense
Similar in 85%
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
Similar in 85%
Sanctuary (2008)
Plot Summary:
The adventures of the beautiful, enigmatic and always surprising Dr. Helen Magnus, a brilliant scientist who holds the secrets of a clandestine population called Abnormals - a group of strange and sometimes terrifying beings that hide among humans. Magnus seeks to protect this threatened phenomena as well as unlock the mysteries behind their existence.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 22000
Genere: Action, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: Canada
Duration: 44 min
Plot tags: atmospheric, exciting, stylized, gothic, apocalyptic, anime, thrilling, offbeat, serious, suspenseful
Similar in 79%
Fringe (2008)
Plot Summary:
FBI Special Agent Olivia Dunham, brilliant but formerly institutionalized scientist Walter Bishop and his scheming, reluctant son Peter uncover a deadly mystery involving a series of unbelievable events and realize they may be a part of a larger, more disturbing pattern that blurs the line between science fiction and technology.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 254000
Genere: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 46 min
Plot tags: serious, suspenseful, scary, surreal, detective, thrilling, exciting, dramatic, psychological thriller, inspirational