No matter what the weather is like where you live, fall is the perfect time to stay inside and binge-watch all your favorite TV shows that give off cozy, spooky, or comforting vibes. The number of series that fit these categories is practically endless, which makes it difficult to determine which ones are worth watching. Unlike movies, it’s difficult to finish a TV series in one sitting, so you want to make sure the show you decide to cozy up with is going to be worth your time and something you’re really going to enjoy. This is your guide to finding the perfect fall TV show this season.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
7 The Haunting of Hill House
Netflix
Mike Flanagan’s Netflix original horror series The Haunting of Hill House was an instant hit from the day it was released back in 2018. The series focuses on the Crain family and how their time at Hill House forever changed their lives. When the show starts, we see the five Crain children as grown adults, each living in different places, with different professions, but somehow all still dealing with a deep-rooted trauma that is affecting their happiness in their day-to-day lives. We soon learn through flashbacks to their childhood that this darkness they all share comes from their time spent living at Hill House. The ghosts and dark entities they encountered there still haunt the Crains to this day. The Haunting of Hill House isn’t just a spooky show with jump scares, but it is also a deeply emotional story that was done so beautifully. From the writing to the cinematography and acting, you can tell everything about this show was thought out so carefully.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
6 Midnight Mass
Intrepid Pictures, Netflix
Another masterpiece from director and writer Mike Flanagan is the Netflix original series Midnight Mass. The show plays with the balance of good and evil in a town that is functioning on its devotion to God and religion. When supernatural entities come into play, the people of this small town are forced to confront greed, temptation, and false miracles. One of the interesting things about Flanagan’s work is the way he likes to re-use actors in all of his projects. Many of the actors in Midnight Mass were also seen in The Haunting of Hill House and played parts in the second season of the Haunting series called The Haunting of Bly Manor. Flanagan is one of the biggest names in horror right now, and all three of the shows he has done for Netflix are must-watches for the fall season.
5 The Vampire Diaries
Warner Brothers Television Distribution
The hit CW series The Vampire Diaries is arguably one of the most successful TV series to have aired in the past 12 years. The show stars Nina Dobrev as Elena Gilbert, an average teenager living in a small town called Mystic Falls, whose life is shattered after her parents died in a tragic car accident. Just when she is at her lowest, Stefan Salvatore, the mysterious, quiet, and gorgeous new guy, enters her life. The two instantly connect and seem to be hitting it off, until Elena discovers Stefan and his older brother Damon are actually vampires. The entire show revolves around Elena navigating a world much darker than she could have ever imagined, filled with vampires, witches, werewolves, and more. The chemistry between Dobrev, Paul Wesley, and Ian Somerhalder is unmatched, and the relationships their characters form on-screen is one of the reasons why the series was able to successfully run for eight seasons, and is why fans are still re-watching the show on HBO Max to this day.
4 Mare of Easttown
Warner Bros. Television Distribution
Everybody knows Kate Winslet is an incredible actress; she has starred in some of the most beloved films ever made, from James Cameron’s Titanic to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and even won an Oscar for Best Actress for her role in The Reader. However, what people may not know is the incredible work Winslet has also done on television. In 2021, the HBO limited series Mare of Easttown was released, starring Winslet as Mare Sheehan, a single mother and homicide detective living in Pennsylvania, trying to solve a missing person’s case while feeling the disappointment from her community and battling her own personal trauma. Mare does all that she can to be the best in every aspect of her life, but there is only so much one person can take on. Winslet gives an incredible performance and even won an Emmy for her portrayal. This murder mystery that takes place in a small town during the fall and winter makes Mare of Easttown a perfect show to binge during this autumn season.
3 American Horror Story
FX
If you are looking for a spooky show to watch this fall, you can’t go wrong with American Horror Story. From haunted houses to witches, killer clowns, cults, asylums, and freak shows, American Horror Story has it all. The first three seasons, known as Murder House, Asylum, and Coven, are definitely its strongest, but no matter what season you decided to watch, there is almost a guarantee tat you will be scared. Each season, there is a different storyline, but the fun part about AHS is that the cast members are reoccurring, allowing fans to see their favorite actors constantly step into new and exciting roles. Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson, Emma Roberts, Taissa Farmiga, and, of course, Jessica Lange are the show’s most popular and beloved stars.
2 Gilmore Girls
Warner Bros. Television
Next up is the 2000s drama series Gilmore Girls. This series, starring Alexis Bledel, Lauren Graham, Milo Ventimiglia, Jared Padalecki, Scott Patterson, Kelly Bishop, and Melissa McCarthy, is centered around the relationship we have with our families and friends and the everlasting bond connecting us no matter how frustrated we may get with each other. Although this show isn’t scary or classified under horror in any way, the relationship between Lorelai Gilmore and her daughter Rory is so comforting, it makes Gilmore Girls a perfect cozy show to watch this fall.
1 Only Murders in the Building
Disney Platform Distribution
Our final recommendation for shows you need to be watching this fall is the hit new Hulu series Only Murders in the Building. This mystery, and at times comedy, series brings the perfect amount of suspense and humor to the screen. The hilarious Martin Short and Steve Martin light up the screen next to fan favorite actor and singer Selena Gomez. The series’ second season was just released this year and received a 99% on Rotten Tomatoes. People can not get enough of this show, following the three lead characters Oliver, Charles, and Mabel on their journey to find a murderer on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
