If you were a fan of horror movies in the 1990s, you probably had a blast watching some of the best horror TV shows of the decade. These series built off of the success of horror films from previous years and delivered scares, suspense, and gore on a weekly basis, paving the way for the horror boom of later decades (with TV shows like The Walking Dead, True Blood, American Horror Story, and countless more). With a balanced mix of adult and scary kids programming, there was something for everyone.

Icons like Beetlejuice, Freddy Krueger, and Jason Voorhees were already household names by the time the '90s rolled around. So, it’s no surprise that some of the best horror TV shows of the decade were based on these popular slasher villains. There was a notable shift towards more science fiction and supernatural horror during this time as well. Let's look at some of the best horror TV shows of the 90s.

Update October 2, 2023: Halloween has gotten people looking for some scary viewing options, so here are even more nostalgic, spooky shows to watch this season.

16 Eerie, Indiana

Eerie, Indiana
Unreality, Inc.

Before he was battling the Sanderson sisters in Hocus Pocus, Omri Katz was investigating strange supernatural occurrences and urban legends in 1991's Eerie, Indiana, following teenager Marshall Teller as he moves to the remote eponymous town and befriends nine-year-old Marshall, with the duo setting out to solve perplexing mysteries that run rampant in the community.

The overall tone of the show was a bit light-hearted and humorous, but it nonetheless delivered on the thrills and chills, and each week Marshall tackled a different freakish scenario plaguing the citizens. Though the show only ran for one season and 19 episodes, it still managed to amass a cult following, and its resurgence in popularity led to the equally short-lived Fox Kids spin-off Eerie, Indiana: The Other Dimension in 1998.

15 Bone Chillers

Bone Chillers
ABC

The criminally underrated and often forgotten '90s horror gem Bone Chillers is based on the Betsy Haynes children's supernatural book series and takes place at Edgar Allan Poe High School, where paranormal and unexplainable events constantly occur. Freshmen pals Brian, Kirk, Sarah, and Lexi must contend with not only their haunted school but also the evil and downright terrifying Principal Percival Pussman, facing a new wicked foe in every episode. The program expertly blends horror and humor and featured Linda Cardellini in her very first screen appearance, sadly bowing out after just one season.

14 Tales from the Cryptkeeper

Tales from the Cryptkeeper
ABC

The titular wisecracking, demented corpse was given a PG makeover for the 1993 children's animated series Tales from the Cryptkeeper, in which the legendary EC Comics character relays kid-friendly chilling stories that taught audiences frightening lessons they likely would never forget. The Cryptkeeper would interact with fellow horror host rivals, the Old Witch and the Vault Keeper, in the episodes and would run around his creepy mansion as they attempted to take over his gig. The series ran from 1993 to 1999 for three seasons and proved to be a successful spin-off to the original '90s classic.

13 Angel

The cast of Angel
The WB

A spin-off of the smash hit Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the underrated supernatural horror series Angel centers on the titular centuries-old vampire as he moves from Sunnydale to Los Angeles in hopes of finding redemption for all his terrible past misdeeds, opening up a private detective agency in an effort to help save the innocent from unfathomable evil. Widely regarded as one of the greatest television spin-offs of all time, Angel embraced a darker and more mature tone than Buffy and featured Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia) and Alexis Denisof (Wesley Wydnam-Pryce) from its sister show, airing from 1999 to 2004 just barely making the cut off date.

12 Goosebumps

Goosebumps TV show 90s
9 Story Media Group

R.L. Stine's Goosebumps books were all the rage in the early '90s. So it was only a matter of time before they were adapted for television. The Goosebumps TV show ran for four seasons from 1995 to 1998 and featured different scary stories from the books each week. The tone of the show was fairly light and focused more on suspense than outright scares. But that didn't stop it from becoming one of the best horror TV shows of the '90s.

11 Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Aron Tager in Are You Afraid of the Dark?
Nickelodeon

Are You Afraid of the Dark? was a Canadian horror anthology series that aired from 1990 to 1996. The show followed a group of kids who called themselves "The Midnight Society," and each week, one of the members would tell a scary story around a campfire. The stories were often creepy and suspenseful but almost always had a moral lesson at the end. Are You Afraid of the Dark? was one of the first horror TV shows aimed at kids, and still today, it's praised for its imaginative stories and chilling atmosphere.

10 American Gothic

Lucas Black in American Gothic
CBS

American Gothic was a short-lived but groundbreaking horror TV show that aired for one season on CBS from 1995 to 1996. The series was set in the fictional town of Trinity, South Carolina, and followed the town's sheriff, Lucas Buck (Gary Cole), who had a sinister influence over the people around him.

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American Gothic was one of the first horror TV shows to feature a truly evil protagonist, breaking away from the traditional good vs. evil dynamic of most shows in the genre. Though it did not find commercial success during its initial run, the series has since gained a cult following.

9 Poltergeist: The Legacy

Poltergeist The Legacy
MGM Television

First debuting in 1996, Poltergeist: The Legacy follows a secret society known as "The Legacy." The society is tasked with investigating and stopping supernatural threats. Poltergeist: The Legacy mixes elements of science fiction, horror, and mystery, making it one of the more unique shows on this list. Though it was canceled after four seasons, the series has a loyal following and is often available to stream on various platforms.

8 Courage the Cowardly Dog

Courage the Cowardly Dog
Cartoon Network

The iconic Cartoon Network original show that both captivated and terrified young audiences all across the world, Courage the Cowardly Dog famously followed the perpetually frightened pooch as he constantly tried to keep his beloved Muriel safe from disturbing and bizarre paranormal foes in the fictional town of Nowhere, Kansas. Praised for its edgy and surreal humor and ominous atmosphere, the fan-favorite horror series ran for four spooky seasons from 1999 to 2002 and featured Courage facing countless spine-tingling monsters, including a mattress demon, a chicken from outer space, and a creepy Egyptian pharaoh.

7 Charmed

Charmed tv show
CBS Television Distribution

Charmed is a supernatural drama that aired for eight seasons on the WB from 1998 to 2006. The series follows the Halliwell sisters, Prue (Shannen Doherty), Piper (Holly Marie Combs), and Phoebe (Alyssa Milano), who are powerful witches with the power to vanquish evil demons.

Charmed was one of the most popular shows of the late 90s and early 2000s and featured numerous guest stars over the years. Additionally, Rose McGowan joined the cast in the later seasons, taking over for Shannen Doherty's character, Prue, bringing a new level of popularity to the show.

6 Nightmare Café

Nightmare Cafe TV show with Robert Englund
NBC

Nightmare Café was a short-lived but intriguing horror TV show that aired for six episodes on NBC in 1992. The series followed the proprietors of a supernatural café where people went to face their fears. Nightmare Café featured Robert Englund (better known as Freddy Krueger from the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise) in a leading role, which helped to bring attention to the show. Unfortunately, Nightmare Café was canceled after just six episodes and never got a chance to reach its full potential.

5 The Outer Limits

The Outer Limits
Showtime

The Outer Limits was a science fiction anthology series that originally aired on ABC from 1963 to 1965. The series was revived in 1995 and ran for seven seasons on the Showtime cable network. The Outer Limits featured a mix of standalone episodes and ongoing story arcs, with each season focusing on a different theme. The series was known for its high-quality writing and directing, receiving multiple Emmy Awards and nominations during its original run.

4 Buffy the Vampire Slayer

A scene from Buffy the Vampire Slayer
20th Television

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a supernatural drama that aired for seven seasons on the WB from 1997 to 2003. The series follows Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), a young woman who is chosen to fight vampires, demons, and other supernatural creatures. Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a critical and commercial success, spawning a successful spin-off series (Angel) and numerous books, comics, and video games. There was even talk of a reboot, though this was put on an indefinite pause in 2022.

3 Twin Peaks

Twin Peaks
CBS

Created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, Twin Peaks is a surreal mystery drama with some disturbing horror elements that follows FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) as he investigates the murder of high school student Laura Palmer in the fictional town of Twin Peaks, Washington. The series is notable for its distinct visuals, quirky characters, and strange plot.

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Though it only lasted for two seasons, Twin Peaks has gained a cult following in the years since its cancelation resulting in a brilliant continuation season in 2017, with many fans still begging for more after that limited series on Showtime. While Twin Peaks is an artistic masterpiece, the horror genre is much milder in this series than others, so it can't truly top this list.

2 The X Files

The X Files
20th Century Fox Television

The X-Files is a science fiction/mystery drama that aired for nine seasons on Fox from 1993 to 2002. The series follows FBI agents Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) as they investigate cases involving the paranormal. The X-Files changed television in many ways and was one of the most popular shows of the 90s and helped to launch the careers of both Duchovny and Anderson. The show was revived for a six-episode tenth season in 2016 and a ten-episode eleventh season in 2018. There are also two feature films based on the series, making The X-Files one of the most successful TV show franchises of all time.

1 Tales from the Crypt

Tales From the Crypt
Warner Bros. Television Distribution

Tales from the Crypt is a horror anthology series that aired for seven seasons on HBO from 1989 to 1996. The series was based on the EC Comics of the same name and featured stories about ghosts, zombies, werewolves, and other supernatural creatures. The iconic Crypt Keeper character (voiced by John Kassir) introduced each episode with pun-filled jokes and added to the show's dark humor. Tales from the Crypt was one of the most popular shows on HBO during its run and still holds up today as a great series.