Editorials
5 Shows to Binge-Watch This Halloween!
Author: Amber Newberry
If you’re a horror-addict, you’ve probably tapped out a few of your favorite shows and movie series several times over. You’ve watched Dexter through twice, or more, you can recite “Twin Peaks” dialogue on queue, “Tales from the Crypt” is a yearly ritual that repeats itself over and over at your house. I feel your pain. I have a list of must-watch Halloween movies and specials for every October. This year, I decided to tap into some things that had not been a part of my previous tradition because I had to mix it up a little. What kind of person would I be if I didn’t share my picks with you fine folks? So, here it is, a list of five shows for you to camp out in front of the TV and binge-watch this October. Just remember to feed yourself between episodes.
“Todd And the Book of Pure Evil”
Why to Watch:
If you are not familiar with Todd and the Book of Pure Evil, get thee to Netflix and prepare to be shocked, delighted, and dismayed all at once. This cancelled Canadian TV show centers on high school stoner metal head, Todd Smith. Todd and his best friend, Curtis, a one-handed drummer, have formed the band Barbarian Apocalypse in hopes of winning the school talent show and impressing Jenny, the hot rocker girl. When the audition fails miserably, Todd discovers (swelling music) THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL! The book gives him the power to beat nemesis cock-rocker Stewart in a battle of riffs. Of course, the book has its own agenda and causes various havoc throughout each episode up to and including contagious obesity, a ‘stupid’ epidemic, cannibalistic zombified Goth rockers, a killer cake… the list goes on and on. There are some fantastic treats scattered throughout the show… great metal shirts and songs, Jason Mewes as the voice of wisdom (seriously), and no boundaries where content and humor are concerned. While Todd only had two seasons, there is a reasonable wrap-up and a huge cult following, not to mention a movie on the way.
Where to Watch:
It’s on Netflix in all its glory!
“R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour”
Why to Watch:
22 episodes of frightful fun for the whole family is just waiting for you to press play on Netflix. A revival of the made-for-kids horror television, R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour takes a fresh look at an old trick. If you recall the Goosebumps show that was popular back in the 90’s, you might have a good idea of what to expect from this show. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the unique story lines and even a few episodes that were darn scary even to a, dare I say it, adult like me. My favorites included a cemetery episode with a body jumping spirit and another with a creepy monster that lives in the walls. I should express my joy at some of the monster costuming, which I found truly disturbing in one of the aforementioned episodes, I’ll let you find out which. If you enjoyed the 90’s classic ‘kids’ horror shows like Are You Afraid of the Dark and Goosebumps, this show is right up your alley.
Where to Watch:
Again, Netflix has got your back. It’s only one season, but that’s twenty-two episodes and there is more to be found on Youtube.
“Masters of Horror”
Why to Watch:
If you’re a true horror fan, you’ve probably heard of the made-for-tv film series called Masters of Horror. With each episode directed by a different person with a history in the horror movie business, Masters of Horror has some gems throughout its two seasons. From John Carpenter to John Landis to Takashi Mikke, this show is certain to have at least one of your favorite directors involved. My personal favorite was Dario Argento’s ‘Jenifer’ which is shown in the above trailer. Of course, you can’t have such a well-rounded group of directors without throwing in some spectacular actors and special appearances; Norman Reedus, Meat Loaf, Fairuza Balk, Angus Scrimm, Robert Englund, (deep breath), Robert Picardo, Steven Weber, Lori Petty– just to name a few. If you haven’t sat down to watch a few of the films from this collection, I highly recommend you do while it is still available online!
Where to Watch:
Hulu!
“Alfred Hitchcock Presents”
Why to Watch:
One part comedy, one party suspense, two parts horror… If you bypassed this classic and chilling TV show, now is your chance to remedy that! Here’s a piece of advice I learned in my earliest days or horror fandom: You can’t go wrong with Hitchcock. The very grandfather of modern suspense himself presented a weekly half-hour of spooky goodness to the masses. Alfred Hitchcock Presents made its debut on October 2nd, 1955 and ranked number 79 on a list of Best Written TV Series by The Writers Guild of America. The shows opening, linked above, is one of the most memorable show openings and is often parodied in cartoons and TV shows even today. There’s something to be said for the added eeriness that comes with black and white television in the middle of the night. Grab a bowl of popcorn and a soda pop and snuggle up with your wife and kids for an evening of classic terror.
Where to Watch:
It’s on Hulu!
“Dark Shadows”
Why to Watch:
If you have a taste for the gothic and supernatural, Dark Shadows is a classic that you must watch. Originally on the air from 1966 to 1971, the show gained so much momentum that it is hailed as one of the most popular daytime TV series of all time. I know what you’re thinking, daytime TV usually means soap opera, and yes, this series does fall into that category. Even with the touch of melodrama, Dark Shadows manages to remain a thrilling and engrossing tale of gothic suspense. The show was even revived as a TV series in 1991 and re-imagined in a Tim Burton film starring none other than Johnny Depp. With decades of popularity attributed to Dark Shadows, it is certainly worth the time of a well-watched horror fan. I can also recommend the 90’s version of the show, which is a campy and fun watch.
Where to Watch:
A ton of the show is available on Hulu, but you can also find various episodes online.
Author Bio:
Amber is a lover of horror and all things creepy. With a taste for 80’s and 90’s pop culture and an infatuation with the macabre, Amber found a niche with the Facebook page ‘Halloween in TV Land’ which is devoted to reminding us all of the Halloween episodes from vintage television shows. Amber also writes gothic fiction and you can find her most recent novel, ‘Walls of Ash’ in print or via Kindle or Nook online.
Having grown up in a religious family, Christian movie night was something that happened a lot more often than I care to admit. However, back when I was a teenager, my parents showed up one night with an unusually cool-looking DVD of a movie that had been recommended to them by a church leader. Curious to see what new kind of evangelical propaganda my parents had rented this time, I proceeded to watch the film with them expecting a heavy-handed snoozefest.
To my surprise, I was a few minutes in when Denzel Washington proceeded to dismember a band of cannibal raiders when I realized that this was in fact a real movie. My mom was horrified by the flick’s extreme violence and dark subject matter, but I instantly became a fan of the Hughes Brothers’ faith-based 2010 thriller, The Book of Eli. And with the film’s atomic apocalypse having apparently taken place in 2024, I think this is the perfect time to dive into why this grim parable might also be entertaining for horror fans.
Originally penned by gaming journalist and The Walking Dead: The Game co-writer Gary Whitta, the spec script for The Book of Eli was already making waves back in 2007 when it appeared on the coveted Blacklist. It wasn’t long before Columbia and Warner Bros. snatched up the rights to the project, hiring From Hell directors Albert and Allen Hughes while also garnering attention from industry heavyweights like Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman.
After a series of revisions by Anthony Peckham meant to make the story more consumer-friendly, the picture was finally released in January of 2010, with the finished film following Denzel as a mysterious wanderer making his way across a post-apocalyptic America while protecting a sacred book. Along the way, he encounters a run-down settlement controlled by Bill Carnegie (Gary Oldman), a man desperate to get his hands on Eli’s book so he can motivate his underlings to expand his empire. Unwilling to let this power fall into the wrong hands, Eli embarks on a dangerous journey that will test the limits of his faith.
SO WHY IS IT WORTH WATCHING?
Judging by the film’s box-office success, mainstream audiences appear to have enjoyed the Hughes’ bleak vision of a future where everything went wrong, but critics were left divided by the flick’s trope-heavy narrative and unapologetic religious elements. And while I’ll be the first to admit that The Book of Eli isn’t particularly subtle or original, I appreciate the film’s earnest execution of familiar ideas.
For starters, I’d like to address the religious elephant in the room, as I understand the hesitation that some folks (myself included) might have about watching something that sounds like Christian propaganda. Faith does indeed play a huge part in the narrative here, but I’d argue that the film is more about the power of stories than a specific religion. The entire point of Oldman’s character is that he needs a unifying narrative that he can take advantage of in order to manipulate others, while Eli ultimately chooses to deliver his gift to a community of scholars. In fact, the movie even makes a point of placing the Bible in between equally culturally important books like the Torah and Quran, which I think is pretty poignant for a flick inspired by exploitation cinema.
Sure, the film has its fair share of logical inconsistencies (ranging from the extent of Eli’s Daredevil superpowers to his impossibly small Braille Bible), but I think the film more than makes up for these nitpicks with a genuine passion for classic post-apocalyptic cinema. Several critics accused the film of being a knockoff of superior productions, but I’d argue that both Whitta and the Hughes knowingly crafted a loving pastiche of genre influences like Mad Max and A Boy and His Dog.
Lastly, it’s no surprise that the cast here absolutely kicks ass. Denzel plays the title role of a stoic badass perfectly (going so far as to train with Bruce Lee’s protégée in order to perform his own stunts) while Oldman effortlessly assumes a surprisingly subdued yet incredibly intimidating persona. Even Mila Kunis is remarkably charming here, though I wish the script had taken the time to develop these secondary characters a little further. And hey, did I mention that Tom Waits is in this?
AND WHAT MAKES IT HORROR ADJACENT?
Denzel’s very first interaction with another human being in this movie results in a gory fight scene culminating in a face-off against a masked brute wielding a chainsaw (which he presumably uses to butcher travelers before eating them), so I think it’s safe to say that this dog-eat-dog vision of America will likely appeal to horror fans.
From diseased cannibals to hyper-violent motorcycle gangs roaming the wasteland, there’s plenty of disturbing R-rated material here – which is even more impressive when you remember that this story revolves around the bible. And while there are a few too many references to sexual assault for my taste, even if it does make sense in-universe, the flick does a great job of immersing you in this post-nuclear nightmare.
The excessively depressing color palette and obvious green screen effects may take some viewers out of the experience, but the beat-up and lived-in sets and costume design do their best to bring this dead world to life – which might just be the scariest part of the experience.
Ultimately, I believe your enjoyment of The Book of Eli will largely depend on how willing you are to overlook some ham-fisted biblical references in order to enjoy some brutal post-apocalyptic shenanigans. And while I can’t really blame folks who’d rather not deal with that, I think it would be a shame to miss out on a genuinely engaging thrill-ride because of one minor detail.
With that in mind, I’m incredibly curious to see what Whitta and the Hughes Brothers have planned for the upcoming prequel series starring John Boyega…
There’s no understating the importance of a balanced media diet, and since bloody and disgusting entertainment isn’t exclusive to the horror genre, we’ve come up with Horror Adjacent – a recurring column where we recommend non-horror movies that horror fans might enjoy.
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