Netflix & Chills: 5 Scary Shows to Cuddle Up With This Fall

There’s a thin line between scared and turned on. Racing heart, heightened senses, a sudden urge to grab whoever’s closest... fear and flirtation have more in common than you’d think. Which makes scary season the perfect excuse to pull a blanket over your lap and scoot a little closer to your boo.

This year’s horror lineup is stacked, so we rounded up five series worth queuing up. Some are one-night binges, some are slow burns, and one involves a very bedroom-adjacent sea hag. Grab a pillow to hide behind and press play.

“Carrie” (Prime Video)

Stephen King’s first novel gets its first TV series adaptation, and Mike Flanagan, the mind behind “The Haunting of Hill House,” drags it into the age of group chats and viral bullying. Carrie White has spent her whole life sheltered by her mother, and a new high school, a humiliating scandal, and some very surprising telekinetic powers are about to complicate things. All eight episodes dropped at once, so you can finish it in a weekend.

Watch it with: someone who won’t judge you for yelling at the screen.

“Widow’s Bay” (Apple TV)

Scary, but make it funny. Matthew Rhys plays the mayor of a remote island town who’s desperate to bring in tourists, only to discover the locals’ curse stories were true all along. The humor is deadpan, the creepiness is legit, and the town’s sea hag has a signature move that involves your bed. 

Watch it with: a partner who laughs when they’re nervous.

“Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen” (Netflix)

Wedding week, but make it ominous. Executive produced by the Duffer Brothers, this eight-episode series follows a bride-to-be who senses something is off with her fiancé’s family as the big day creeps closer. It’s basically every in-law anxiety, turned all the way up. Critics have liked it more than audiences have, which gives you and your boo a built-in debate for after the credits.

Watch it with: someone who has already survived meeting your family.

“Below” (Netflix)

Think “Jaws,” but as a family drama set in a small Newfoundland fishing town. Josh Hartnett plays a fisherman fighting to protect his loved ones when a mysterious sea creature starts terrorizing the coast, with Mackenzie Davis and Charlie Heaton rounding out the cast. It’s only six episodes and it’s been topping Netflix’s charts, so it’s an easy one to finish in a single cozy night. (Josh Hartnett as a fisherman is also not a hardship.)

Watch it with: whoever’s willing to be your human blanket.

“Crystal Lake” (Peacock)

Jason Voorhees fans, this one’s for you. This “Friday the 13th” prequel rewinds to before the legend was born, with Linda Cardellini as Pamela Voorhees, a grieving mother whose young son drowned in the town lake. All eight episodes dropped on October 15, just in time for Halloween.

Watch it with: a fellow slasher fan who knows never to split up.

Whatever you stream, make sure the snacks are stocked and the blanket is big enough for two. The best part of a scary show is who you’re holding onto when the music swells. And if the jump scares leave you a little wired, our Halloween sex positions guide has ideas for that. 😉