10 Binge-Worthy Horror Series You Haven't Heard Of

Here are some of the under-the-radar, but deliciously creepy TV series that could provide the perfect excuse to keep the lights on at night.

1. Channel Zero (2016-2018)

Imagine a show that turns your childhood nightmares into a reality. This is Channel Zero for you. Each season of this anthology series explores a new story, drawing inspiration from those delightfully disturbing 'creepypastas' (internet horror stories, for the uninitiated). The first season, 'Candle Cove,' for instance, revolves around a psychologist's horrifying discovery that a children's TV show from his childhood is linked to mysterious disappearances and unspeakable horrors.

2. Marianne (2019)

The French know their wine, their cheese, and apparently, how to scare the living daylights out of us. Marianne follows a famous horror writer, Emma, who discovers that the witch from her novels (the terrifying Marianne) might not be a figment of her imagination. Returning to her hometown, Emma faces eerie happenings and must confront the chilling reality that her stories are coming to life.

3. The Kingdom (1994-2022)

This Danish series by Lars von Trier is as bizarre as it is horrifying. Set in a neurosurgical ward of Copenhagen's main hospital, where strange occurrences begin to unfold, the series blends surrealism, dark humour, and pure horror. The hospital becomes a hotbed of supernatural events, including ghostly apparitions and inexplicable medical phenomena. With ghost ambulances, a headless spirit, and strange pregnancies, The Kingdom is a buffet of the bizarre.

4. Dead Set (2008)

Ever wondered what happens if a zombie apocalypse hits while you're on a reality show? Well, Dead Set answers that rather unique question. Set during the filming of a Big Brother like show, the series follows the contestants and production staff as they're besieged by the undead. It's a deliciously dark satire of reality TV culture, with a side of gore.

5. Black Summer (2019-2021)

For those who find most zombie shows a bit too... leisurely, Black Summer ups the ante. It's the prequel to Z Nation, but don't let that fool you – it's darker, grittier, and much more intense. The plot is simple enough in premise, but insanely gripping: basically, it's a mother's quest to reunite with her daughter during the early days of a zombie apocalypse. It's high on action and tension, with a relentless pace that barely lets you catch your breath.

6. Ju-On: Origins (2020)

Tracing the roots of a curse, Ju-On: Origins serves as a chilling prequel to the infamous Ju-On (The Grudge) films. The story, set primarily in the 1980s, elegantly weaves through various timelines, offering glimpses into the lives tragically ensnared by the curse's malevolent grasp. At the heart of the tale is a paranormal investigator, a chap seemingly unfazed by the macabre, who delves into the dark history of a house marked by decades of ghastly events.

7. The Fades (2011)

This British supernatural drama is a blend of teen angst and apocalyptic horror. The story centers on Paul, a teenager who starts seeing spirits, known as The Fades. These are the ghosts of the dead who haven't ascended to the afterlife. As Paul grapples with his new abilities, he learns of an impending cataclysmic event involving the Fades – and now Paul's on a self-imposed mission to prevent this, while also dealing with typical teenage issues.

8. Fortitude (2015-2018)

Set in the Arctic town of Fortitude, this series starts as a murder mystery but soon unravels into something more sinister. The town's residents, ranging from scientists to local officials, find themselves entangled in a web of secrets and supernatural events. The series introduces a prehistoric parasite that causes both animal and human inhabitants to act in horrific ways.

9. Jordskott (2015-2017)

This intriguing Swedish concoction, a blend of crime drama and Nordic mythology, introduces us to Detective Eva Thörnblad. Haunted by the unresolved disappearance of her daughter seven years prior, Eva's return to her quaint hometown is anything but a jolly reunion. The plot thickens when a child's vanishing bears eerie similarities to her own tragedy. The story takes us deep into the surrounding forest, a place not just teeming with trees but also ancient myths and unspeakable secrets.

10. The Haunting of Hill House (2018)

This American series, adapted from Shirley Jackson's novel of the same name, is a true embodiment of psychological horror. At the center of the story is the Crain family: it's them who, as children, lived in what would become the most famous haunted house in America. Now adults, the siblings and their estranged father reunite after a tragedy, and are forced to confront the ghosts of their past, both literal and metaphorical.