When Did TV Get So Scary? 21 Horror Shows That Took Us From From Teen Drama To Abject Terror

It's officially fall, which means it's the perfect time to get into some chilling horror TV. From the never-ending drama of The Walking Dead to The Haunting of Bly Manor, the upcoming season is filled with horrifying prestige series that will charm and terrify genre fans. But how did horror become such a massive trend in contemporary TV? What were the defining moments leading to its current televisual reign of terror? And if you're just getting into the scarier side of prestige TV, where should you start?

Over the past two decades plus there's been an incredible amount of amazing horror programming that has totally changed the landscape of how viewers enjoy the once niche genre. From big budget network shows with huge Hollywood stars like Sarah Michelle Gellar, Sarah Paulson, and Mads Mikkelsen to lesser known hair-raisers from around the globe, horror television is one of the most interesting and eclectic corners of entertainment left to explore. 

To make your fall season viewing a little easier (and scarier) we're going to take a look back at how horror TV went from the campy teenage angst of Buffy the Vampire Slayer to the gory drama of American Horror Story all the way to the haunting gothic romance of Bly Manor.