A scary movie provides a quick, two-hour adrenaline rush, but a terrifying television series is an entirely different beast. It forces you to live with the dread, allowing the suspense to stretch over hours, slowly infiltrating your mind until the fear feels inescapable. For fans of the supernatural, tracking down the best horror series on Netflix is a rewarding endeavor. The platform has become the premier destination for episodic nightmares, particularly those dealing with ghosts, haunted estates, and lingering spirits.
What sets these series apart is the luxury of time. A movie must introduce the ghost and resolve the conflict quickly. A series, however, can meticulously explore the history of a haunted location and dive deeply into the psychological trauma of the victims. Creators like Mike Flanagan have essentially redefined the genre on Netflix, proving that you can blend profound family drama with terrifying spectral apparitions to create critically acclaimed art.
If you prefer your scares to be slow-burning, character-driven, and filled with things that go bump in the night over multiple episodes, you are in luck. Let’s delve into the top ten Netflix Original series that master the art of the ghost story.
The Evolution of Episodic Terror
The success of the best horror series on Netflix lies in their approach to the supernatural. These aren’t episodic “monster-of-the-week” shows. Instead, they are highly serialized, novelistic stories where the haunting is deeply intertwined with the characters’ emotional arcs. The ghosts are often manifestations of grief, regret, or suppressed memories.
This emotional weight is crucial. When we spend eight or ten hours with characters, we care about them deeply. Therefore, when they are terrorized by a spectral entity in the dark, the fear we feel is visceral and empathetic. The shows on this list have mastered the delicate balance of making you cry for the characters one minute and hide behind your sofa the next.
Top 10 Ghostly Thrillers to Binge
Dim the lights and prepare for sleepless nights. These are the finest haunted series Netflix has to offer.
1. The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
Mike Flanagan’s loose adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s classic novel is not just a masterpiece of horror; it is arguably one of the greatest television shows of the modern era. It seamlessly weaves timeline-hopping family drama with absolutely terrifying supernatural elements.
The series follows the Crain family, alternating between their terrifying summer living in the sprawling, malevolent Hill House in the 1990s, and their fractured, traumatized adult lives in the present day. Flanagan hides dozens of ghosts in the background of scenes, creating an unbearable tension. Yet, the true horror lies in the devastating ways grief and trauma have haunted the siblings. The “Bent-Neck Lady” episode is a piece of legendary television that will stay with you forever.
2. The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)
The follow-up to Hill House (though a completely separate story) is based on Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw. While slightly less terrifying in terms of jump scares, it is a profoundly beautiful and melancholic Gothic romance wrapped in a ghost story.
An American au pair is hired to care for two orphaned children at the secluded English estate of Bly Manor. She soon realizes that the grounds are inhabited by the spirits of those who have died there, who are trapped in a tragic loop of “fading” memories. Bly Manor asks profound questions about memory, possession, and the lengths we go to for love. It’s a haunting that breaks your heart more than it stops it.
3. Marianne (France, 2019)
If you are looking for pure, unadulterated nightmare fuel, this French series is arguably the most frightening show on the platform. It relies on visceral, grotesque imagery and relentless psychological torment.
Emma, a successful horror novelist, realizes that the terrifying witch, Marianne, whom she has been writing about for years, is real and is wreaking bloody havoc in her hometown. Emma must return home to confront the demonic spirit that possesses her childhood friends and family. The actress who plays the possessed Mrs. Daugeron delivers one of the most chilling, unhinged performances ever put on screen. Marianne is relentless, terrifying, and deeply disturbing.
4. The Fall of the House of Usher (2023)
Mike Flanagan returns with a bloody, vengeful adaptation of the works of Edgar Allan Poe. While it features ghosts, it functions more as a supernatural karma thriller, acting as a horror-infused Succession.
Roderick Usher, the corrupt CEO of a massive pharmaceutical empire, confesses his sins as his adult children are brutally and mysteriously killed off one by one by a shape-shifting entity named Verna (a spectral manifestation of a past deal with the devil). Each episode focuses on a different child’s demise, heavily inspired by a specific Poe story. The “ghosts” here are the literal manifestations of the Usher family’s victims coming back to witness their downfall. It is a wildly entertaining, gruesome, and satisfying watch.
5. Midnight Mass (2021)
While technically dealing with a different kind of supernatural monster (which we won’t spoil here), Midnight Mass operates perfectly within the Gothic, haunting atmosphere that Mike Flanagan fans adore. It is a slow-burn exploration of faith, fanaticism, and miracles that turn out to be curses.
The arrival of a charismatic young priest brings mysterious miracles and terrifying omens to an isolated, dying island community. As the town experiences a religious revival, dark, supernatural occurrences escalate. The show is heavy on philosophical dialogue and dread, building to a fiery, apocalyptic climax that is both horrifying and tragically beautiful.
6. Archive 81 (2022)
This severely underrated, atmospheric thriller blends found-footage horror with supernatural cult mystery. It is deeply unsettling and perfect for fans of slow-burn, investigative dread.
Dan, an archivist, takes a mysterious job restoring a collection of damaged videotapes from 1994. The tapes were filmed by a young woman named Melody, who was investigating a dangerous cult in an enigmatic apartment building before it burned down. As Dan restores the tapes in an isolated compound, he becomes supernaturally entangled with Melody across time, experiencing terrifying hallucinations and encountering demonic entities. It’s a twisty, addictive supernatural puzzle.
7. Typewriter (India, 2019)
This Indian series is a wonderful surprise, blending the childhood adventure vibes of Stranger Things or The Goonies with genuine, classic haunted house terror set in Goa.
A group of young, enthusiastic friends form a “ghost club” and decide to investigate the infamous, haunted Bardez Villa in their neighborhood. However, their innocent adventure turns deadly serious when a new family moves in, and a malevolent spirit tied to an old typewriter awakens. The series expertly balances coming-of-age charm with surprisingly dark and effective scares, deeply rooted in local mythology.
8. Goedam (South Korea, 2020)
If you prefer your horror in bite-sized, terrifying chunks, this South Korean anthology series is perfect. It focuses exclusively on urban legends and ghostly folklore, delivering high-impact scares with very little filler.
Each short episode (under 15 minutes) tackles a different supernatural entity or curse in a modern urban setting—from haunted elevators and taxis to terrifying schoolgirl spirits and demonic broadcasting. It is incredibly bloody, visually shocking, and doesn’t bother much with exposition. It simply presents a terrifying ghostly scenario and executes it ruthlessly.
9. Ju-On: Origins (Japan, 2020)
The Ju-On (The Grudge) franchise is legendary in the horror world, and this series acts as a terrifying prequel, supposedly exploring the “true events” that inspired the iconic curse.
Unlike the slick Hollywood remakes, this Japanese series is grimy, profoundly bleak, and deeply disturbing. It spans several decades, tracking multiple people who come into contact with the infamous cursed house in Tokyo. The violence is shocking and grounded in real-world cruelty, which then births the relentless, terrifying spirits. It is a heavy, oppressive watch that honors the terrifying legacy of the original films.
10. The Midnight Club (2022)
Based on the works of Christopher Pike and co-created by Mike Flanagan, this series is aimed slightly more at a young adult audience but still delivers robust scares and deep emotional resonance regarding mortality.
Set in a hospice for terminally ill young adults, a group of patients meets every midnight to tell terrifying stories (many involving ghosts and the supernatural). They make a pact: whoever dies first must send a sign from beyond the grave. As they deal with their impending deaths, actual ghostly phenomena begin occurring in the shadowy halls of the hospice. It’s a poignant mix of anthology storytelling and an overarching supernatural mystery.
Binge-Watching with the Lights On
Long-form horror is a challenging feat to pull off, but when done correctly, it provides an unmatched viewing experience. The best horror series on Netflix succeed because they understand that true terror isn’t just about a sudden loud noise; it is about the slow, creeping realization that the characters we love are trapped with forces they cannot comprehend.
From the emotionally shattering masterworks of the “Flanaverse” (Hill House, Bly Manor) to the visceral, relentless scares of international hits like Marianne and Ju-On: Origins, the platform offers a diverse array of nightmares. These series will not only make you jump but will haunt your thoughts long after the screen goes dark. So, settle in, start the next episode, and try not to look behind you.
