With summertime, for many of us, comes scorching heat. Of course, it’s natural to want to spend summer months outdoors—camping, at the beach or pool, hiking. But sometimes the temperatures are so high and uncomfortable that the most appealing place is indoors with a fan or air conditioner. And what better way to cool off than with goosebump-inducing chills from ahorrorseries?
There are so many incredible horror series perfect for summer viewing. Many take place during this season, others are in a warm climate, and some perfectly capture that outdoorsy feel.
Action-adventure and romance films are popular during this season, but there’s no reason why horror has to be relegated to the darker, gloomier months. If a show can terrify its viewers in idyllic locations, that can often make it better. Whether viewers are looking for a long horror series that can sustain them throughout the summer months, or provide quick relief during a long weekend, the ideal option exists out there.
15Them (2021-present)
Themis a historical horror anthology series available on Prime Video. The first season, “Covenant,” follows the Emory family. Set in the 1950s, the Emorys are excited about a new start when they move from North Carolina to East Compton. As the first Black family in an all-white neighborhood, they stand out and the other residents aren’t exactly welcoming. In fact, their neighbors, and maybe even ghosts, are determined to force them out of town.
Why It’s Great
At first glance, the subject matter of this series seems quite heavy, and it is. But horror fans looking for a good thrill can still expect the nerve-racking moments and suspicious cast of characters that any good horror has. With episodes ranging from thirty minutes to an hour, it’s the perfect length for summer road trips far and long. And if viewers appreciate the superb acting and top-tier set design but want a new story, season 2 focuses on a brand new set of characters.
14Bates Motel (2013-2017)
Bates Motel
Bates Motelis a psychological horror that serves as a prequel to the 1960 film Psycho by Alfred Hitchcock. In the series, Norma and Norman Bates are a mother-son duo who move to a coastal Oregon town after the husband and dad of the family’s death. Norma purchases a motel and believes it can be the start of a new chapter.
It is, though not in the way either expects. Norma kills a man who assaults her and the Bates decide to cover it up. When a sheriff starts asking questions, they’ll do everything they can to keep the investigation’s spotlight off them.
Not a Copy & Paste of Hitchcock
Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore played Norma and Norman respectively and there couldn’t have been two other actors better for these roles. Not only is their chemistry together impeccable, but their individual performances deserve high praise.
Bates Moteldoesn’t stay in the shadow of itsiconic predecessorPsycho. Instead, it makes a name for itself and has its own spooky identity. Although the mood is gloomy in some episodes, viewers who enjoy typical secluded summer settings like camps will like the major set piece of the motel.
13American Horror Story: 1984 (2019)
American Horror Story
American Horror Story is a Horror Anthology series created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk. The franchise has seen stars like Connie Britton, Jessica Lange, Denis O’Hare, Zachary Quinto, Evan Peters, and Dylan McDermott. Each season follows a new premise and spans an array of horror genres like witches, ghosts, serial killers, and more.
American Horror Storyis a horror anthology series and its ninth season, “1984,” takes place during the titular year at a summer camp in California. Over a decade earlier, tragedy struck Camp Redwood when three counselors and all the child campers were murdered.
Now, Brooke Thompson has decided to work as a counselor the year it reopens, unaware of its gruesome past. Brooke may have escaped the Night Stalker once, but if his appearance at the camp is any indication, that may have been fool’s luck.
Starting with a Bang
The first episode of “1984” alone packs in so much information that viewers know to strap in for a wild ride. The backstory of Camp Redwood could’ve been a series in and of itself, but Brooke and her companions' storylines are equally captivating.
When a series kicks off with so many twists and turns, it can be hard to sustain it. But this isn’tAmerican Horror Story’s first rodeo. By the ninth season, they’ve mastered how to weave in new plot points and keep viewers hooked until the final episode closes out.
Related:The Best TV Anthology Series of All Time
12Yellowjackets (2021-present)
Yellowjackets
So many good horror series suck us into the past andYellowjacketsis no different. In 1996, a girls' high school soccer team from New Jersey travels for a game in Seattle. As they fly over Canada, their plane crashes, leaving the survivors stuck in the wilderness. The girls must learn to survive the elements and potential human threats during their nineteen-month ordeal.
Two Stories for the Price fo One
Yellowjacketsfeatures a dual-timeline. Breaking up the harrowing nineties ordeal is a present-day timeline where it’s clear the events from the past still impact the survivors. Unlike other shows that employ this framing device, the present timeline isn’t a dull distraction from the real story. Reveals and twists keep both sides of the story endlessly engaging. And since the teens were stranded for nearly two years, viewers can experience blazing summers through nippier winters.
11Swamp Thing (2019)
Swamp Thing
Swamp Thingis a superhero horror series based on the eponymous DC Comics character. Abby Arcane is a doctor who returns to her hometown in Louisiana to investigate a virus many believe originated from the swamp. She grows close to a scientist named Alec Holland and is shaken when he dies. But as Abby learns more about the swamp and comes face-to-face with a creature claiming to be Alec, she realizes this swamp-borne illness is a lot more deadly than anyone thought.
Gone Too Soon
This series never got its due. After the premiere of episode one, it was canceled. The remaining episodes did air, but by then, any and all promotion was nixed. It’s a shame becauseSwamp Thingstands out among other DC properties. The small-town Louisiana setting makes viewers feel like we’re watching it in muggy summer no matter the time of year.
10Brand New Cherry Flavor (2021)
Lisa Nova inBrand New Cherry Flavoris an aspiring filmmaker who comes to none other than Los Angeles to make her first movie. She meets a producer who promises to help her achieve her dream, but he takes advantage of her instead. Lisa is lasered in on revenge and gets wrapped up in a curse to do so. But every bargain has a price and Lisa has interactions with spirits and dark magic that may lead to her demise as well.
Limited series can be amazing choices for summer viewing, especially when they’re as bingeable asBrand New Cherry Flavor. The eight episodes zip by before audiences even know it. In addition, there’s a mystifying, dreamlike quality to the show that’d be perfect for those scorching summer days when the heat sucks out all of your energy.Stream on Netflix.
Related:Brand New Cherry Flavor: 8 Most Intense Moments in the Netflix Series
9Cabinet of Curiosities (2022)
Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities
A live-action horror anthology series based on stories from Guillermo del Toro.
Guillermo del Toro’sCabinet of Curiositiesis a horror anthology of eight unique stories for viewers to get lost in. A fan favorite in the series is episode three,The Autopsy. In 1978, a doctor is performing an autopsy on a miner who perished after an explosion. While doing the exam, the body comes back to life and appears to be controlled by an alien parasite. A sheriff and the doctor must figure out how and why the parasites are entering people’s bodies.
Gothic and Emgrossing
Although del Toro’s name is highlighted, only two of the episodes are co-written by him. Though they all have del Toro’s touch, horror fans will get a taste of various styles and approaches to these Gothic stories. Not every episode occurs during warmer months, but the scares itself will surely cause viewers to break out into a sweat.
8Archive 81 (2022)
Archive 81
Archive 81follows Dan Turner, an archivist and conservator, who is tasked with restoring videotapes that were damaged in a fire. Dan must conduct the research at a secluded research facility. One of the tapes features a young woman named Melody doing a dissertation project on the Visser Apartment Building. Melody’s videos become increasingly peculiar and Dan, with his mental health struggles and potential connection to the tragedy, finds it harder to separate work from life.
Another Netflix Casualty
Unlike the other series on this list that may have been based on a film, novel, or comic, Archive 81 was first introduced to the world through a podcast. This unique format carried over to the screen, with the found footage style of Melody’s story.
The show was, unfortunately, another victim of Netflix’s sometimes baffling cancelation track record. Though itonly has one season, the trippy mystery will keep the audience’s eyes glued to the screen throughout the long daylight hours of summer.
Related:The 15 All-Time Scariest Moments in Found Footage Horror Movies
7From Dusk till Dawn: The Series (2014-2016)
From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series
From Dusk till Dawn: The Seriesexpands on the universe and characters first presented in the 1996 movie. Brothers Seth and Richie Gecko are wanted by the FBI after a fatal bank robbery in Texas. They plan to flee to Mexico, but Texas Ranger Freddie Gonzalez is in pursuit. Seth and Richie take a family hostage when stealing their RV and end up at a strip club filled with individuals who aren’t exactly one hundred percent human.
The criminal Gecko brothers were a highlight in the original film, so it’s a treat seeing their personalities and backstories fleshed out in a modern series. Even those who’ve seen the film more times than they can count will be entertained by the new characters and storyline, as well as the development of the supernatural elements. The desert setting and road trip vibes ofFrom Dusk till Dawnare perfect companions for viewers' own summer adventures.
6I Know What You Did Last Summer (2021)
I Know What You Did Last Summeris the most recent addition to thehorror franchise of the same namethat kicked off with a novel and then a popular film in the late nineties. Those familiar with the original story are well aware of the setup: a group of teens who accidentally hit someone with a car, killing them. Instead of calling the police, they dispose of the body and try to move on with their lives. But a year later, a stalker pops up, ensuring they’ll never forget what they’ve done.
I Know What You’ll Be Watching This Summer
Although the top-line premise is the same compared to the movie and novel, viewers will get a fresh experience here. New characters and a modern setting give different obstacles to overcome and the scares are delivered in exciting ways. It’s not just that the word “summer” appears in the title that makes it a great addition to this list. Tack on the Hawaii backdrop and numerous party scenes and this is perfect warm-weather viewing material.Stream on Prime Video.
