Binge-Worthy Netflix Finds for October

I, like many others, love a good Netflix binge. I curl up on the couch with a big bowl of popcorn, a glass of wine or cup of tea, and watch something few a few hours while relaxing. With that said, Netflix has quite a decent selection of spooky shows and movies for a proper October binge session. Today I will talk about some of my favorites. As always, if anyone has any recommendations, please comment below! I am always looking for something new to watch. (This list includes both television shows and movies.) This is a longer list, so get ready!

What’s on Netflix?

Hubie Halloween

I have been waiting for this movie to come out for weeks! It just came out last night and yes, we did watch it! First off, I love Adam Sandler movies. I think he is hilarious both for adults and kids. Secondly, I just got back from Salem, MA, and was so excited to see shots from where I just visited! Something I really liked about this film was its family-fun nature. It was not scary, but still spooky. It was not raunchy, but still comical for adults. It was not goofy, but still lighthearted. Once again Sandler gets at the hearts of families in this Halloween flick and I loved it!

Supernatural

Supernatural has been on for years and I only got into it a few months ago! The show actually just finished filming its last season. It’s one of my husband’s favorite shows of all time and since we began dating he has begged me to check it out because he knows I love horror. I was always hesitant because I had to catch up on so many seasons, but I am so glad I finally gave it a try! I love the characters, the story lines (as cheesy as some of them are), and even the mini-horror tales. I am almost finished with season 10 and I am so sad that it is all coming to an end soon. The only thing I can say about this show is that it is not a quick-binge (if that is even possible). There are so many seasons that Supernatural is not a show one can just finish in a weekend. But sometimes this could be a good thing!

The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula

This one is for anyone who loves drag shows and horror. I have to be honest, I watched the two seasons on Netflix within a week. I was hooked! Not only does Dragula have all the makings of awesome TV-reality-show-drama, but I loved watching the artistry behind the drag. It was amazing watching the performers create amazing looks sometimes out of, literally, garbage. I also loved the input from the judges, some of whom were horror directors, actors, etc. My favorite episodes were their looks on Gothic Brides (season 2), Don’t Suck (season 3), and Halloween Haunt (season 3).

House of 1000 Corpses

This one is scary. For those of you who do not know, I am a huge Rob Zombie fan. I love both his movies and his music. This is probably my favorite movie of his, right before his 2007 remake of Halloween. The sequel to this movie is actually much more popular: The Devil’s Rejects. However, I do think that House of 1000 Corpses a overall better film. The story goes as follows: two young couples find themselves stranded on the night before Halloween after their car breaks down in rural Texas. They are taken to the home of Baby, whose family is completely deranged and murderous.

Ratched

I was originally going to write a separate review of this show, but I decided to just talk about it in this blog post. I promise not to spoil anything, though! Was it my favorite creation by Ryan Murphy? No. However, the aesthetics, plot line, imagery, and just about everything else made the show feel like another season of American Horror Story, and I love AHS. This sort of felt like a blessing and a curse. Although I love AHS, I was looking for something different and it really wasn’t. I am also a fan of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and was hoping that this Nurse Ratched was closer to Ken Kesey’s character, but Sara Paulson made the character her own which was a refreshing change. Overall, this show will probably be well received by fans of AHS who are into the macabre side of the medical world. If you’re a fan of AHS Asylum, you’ll really love Ratched.

American Horror Story (AHS)

Speaking of Ryan Murphy (and Brad Falchuk), AHS is an awesome show for anyone who enjoys horror. This is one of my favorite shows and one that I wait to watch every year. It has been on for a while and I honestly do not know many people who have not watched at least one season. I think my favorite thing about AHS is that each season is different. Yes, every thing takes place within the same overall universe, but audiences can just pick up during any season and enjoy the show. My favorite seasons are Murder House, Freak Show, and Roanoke. Murder House is a classic haunted house tale with modern twists, Freak Show tells the story of a freak show set in the 1950s, and Roanoke is filmed as a documentary series portraying a family’s horrors on the coast of North Carolina. In addition to all that, the acting is amazing. Can you get any better than Jessica Lange or Angela Bassett? No.

The Silence of the Lambs

This is a classic that won the big five Oscar awards at the 64th Academy Awards! If you haven’t seen it, you must. It is definitely scary, but more of a psychological thriller. If you have seen it, now is a great time to watch it again. Anthony Hopkins’ portrayal of Dr. Hannibal Lecter is one of my all-time favorite characters in any movie. He is absolutely brilliant, and so is Jodie Foster as Clarice.

The Haunting of Hill House

This show is different than the Shirley Jackson novel, but still great nonetheless. Although it is two years old, it makes the list. It is eerie, dark, scary, and worth bingeing if you’re looking for something spooky. The Haunting of Hill House portrays the story of a family tragedy that wound up haunting the family for the rest of their lives. I think my favorite thing about this show was that it was actually terrifying. There are some scenes on the screen that are so uncomfortable to watch that I had to close my eyes. It is the kind of show that requires audiences to watch something funny before bedtime. Also, the second season is coming out this October 9th (tomorrow)! The new season, The Haunting of Bly Manor is definitely on my list for this October and I am so excited to see it! It is apparently supposed to be loosely based on The Turn of the Screw by Henry James.

Goosebumps

This was one of my favorite television shows as a kid. (Shocker, right?) This is a great show, too, that parents can binge watch with their kids. ‘The Haunted Mask’ parts I and II even made my 31 (Family Fun!) Nights of Halloween: Kid-Friendly Movies for Every Day in October movie list! Other episodes to check out are “A Night in Terror Tower,” “The House of No Return,” and “Stay Out of the Basement.”

The Twilight Zone

I have to be honest: I didn’t even know this show was being featured on Netflix until I started researching for this blog post. When I was younger I loved The Twilight Zone. Some of the episodes are downright creepy. Plus, it is a classic! The episodes “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” and “Time Enough At Last” are my favorites. It really is a classic that everyone should see a few episodes of, especially if you’re a fan of the Disney ride, “Tower of Terror,” which was inspired by this Rod Serling show!

Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Everyone knows the legend by Washington Irving. This Tim Burton adaptation is certainly different from the 1820 short story, but is creepy, spooky, and perfect for an October evening of binge watching! I love the entire dark aesthetic of this film. It is perfect for a stormy night on the couch, curled up with hot apple cider.

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

When this show came out a few years ago there was so much controversy surrounding it! I mean, at the end of the day it is a show about witches, the craft, allegiance to Satan, and everything else that goes along with witchcraft folklore. I really enjoyed the first season and thought that it was interesting and spooky, and know others who are completely obsessed with the show. I will say: if you’re expecting this adaptation of the Sabrina universe to be pleasant and lighthearted like Sabrina the Teenage Witch was starring Melissa Joan Hart, you will be in for a surprise.