Most horror enthusiasts around the world know and love Stephen King’s work. From his groundbreaking books to the countless cinema adaptations, the writer has undoubtedly earned his title as the “King of Horror”. However, his stories have not just graced bookshelves and cinema theatres but have also come to life on the small screen. Though many of King’s books could still use sequels, there is a bigger universe to uncover that, while not born out of the ingenious pen of King, still embodies the twisted, eerie signature of the author.
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These spooky television series echo the nightmarish setting and narrative of the beloved writer. They might feature seemingly peaceful small-town facades hiding disturbing secrets, complex familial dynamics unravelling under ominous threats, and ordinary kids stepping up to confront evil forces. However, what genuinely distinguishes them is the extraordinary blend of dread, heart, and humanity. Some of these shows are even recommended by King himself.
You are watching: 10 Great Horror TV Shows To Watch If You Love Stephen King (That Weren’t Written By Him)
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Midnight Mass
Mike Flanagan
Considering that acclaimed horror director Mike Flanagan has previously adapted more than one story written by Stephen King, it is not a surprise that his gothic TV show Midnight Mass has echoes of the author’s distinctive storytelling. The series takes place on a remote island inhabited by a deeply Catholic community, where the arrival of a mysterious priest leads to a series of supernatural events.
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Midnight Mass contains everything a good King novel possesses: a hypocritical small-town community characterized by flawed but relatable characters and the disruption of a fictitiously serene everyday reality. Flannagan uses the presence of a supernatural threat to explore deeper themes of faith and guilt. Much like in Storm of the Century, the true villains are not the monsters but rather the darker impulses that afflict humanity. Interestingly enough, the Chicago Sun-Times described it as “the best Stephen King story Stephen King never wrote”.
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From
John Griffin
A combination of sci-fi and supernatural horror, From tells the story of an eerie town in the United States where everyone who enters becomes trapped with no way out. As if that was not terrifying enough for the residents, at every nightfall, monstrous creatures from the surrounding forests come out to prey upon them. The show is a slow-burning descent into a nightmare characterized by clever plot twists and unsettling mysteries.
With its character-driven narrative and bizarre, spooky setting, the series could appeal to Stephen King’s Castle Rock fans. The complex characterizations of its heroes, and how they plunge into misery as the town’s secrets begin to unravel, mirror the author’s unique ability to bring emotional depth and psychological tension to his tales without sacrificing the terrifying component. Furthermore, the absurd events that set off the story and the chilling atmosphere portrayed evoke King’s surreal signature style.
8
Teacup
Ian McCulloch and James Wan
Created by Ian McCulloch and horror maestro James Wan, Teacup is a terrifying new TV series based on Robert R. McCammon’s novel Stinger. The story revolves around a small, rural town in Georgia, where the residents are forced to join forces to fight an upcoming threat and ensure their survival. Stephen King himself praised the horror show, deeming it creepy and claustrophobic — precisely the kind of atmosphere that resonates with the fans of his work.
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Following in the footsteps of the legendary author, Teacup blends the intimate, detached beauty of American small-town reality with a supernatural mystery, creating an intriguing watch. Elements such as the sudden disruption of ordinary life by an unknown, ominous entity and the rising psychological tension reflect the typical style of King. Similar to the acclaimed TV show Lost, which in turn shares some parallels with King’s The Dark Tower, Teacup is a survival horror that might appeal to fans of disturbing, albeit emotionally charged, writing.
7
Wayward Pines
Chad Hodge
Based on the novels written by Blake Crouch, Wayward Pines is a sci-fi thriller about a Secret Service agent who, while investigating the disappearance of two colleagues, wakes up in a picturesque Idaho town after a car crash, only to realize something is weirdly off. Unable to leave the place, the man soon discovers that the town is encircled by an electric fence, and all the residents are under constant surveillance.
Much like many of Stephen King’s stories, such as The Mist and Under The Dome, Wayward Pines adopts a surreal, fictional premise to delve into themes of confinement and loss of autonomy, infusing the surrounding environment with a crushing sense of claustrophobia. Themes of isolation and paranoia also emerge, creating an atmosphere of distrust and psychological tension, immersing the viewer in a nightmare with no escape.
6
Twin Peaks
David Lynch and Mark Frost
Few authors are capable of ridiculing and unmasking the suburban hypocrisies utilized to disguise the dirt of America’s right-thinking communities like Stephen King. However, David Lynch and Mark Frost proved equally adept at the task. Twin Peaks breaks the seemingly ordinary life of a peaceful society through the mysterious disappearance of a seemingly normal high school girl, Laura Palmer, who is later revealed she had been leading a double existence. The show is a thrilling blend of mystery, horror, and supernatural.
Like Stephen King’s work, Twin Peaks immediately became a cultural phenomenon, attracting people with its spooky atmosphere, complex albeit highly realistic characterization of its heroes, and off-beat humor. Similarly, the show has a significant focus and interesting take on the classic theme of good versus evil, which is also explored in many works of the horror maestro, such as The Shining and It.
5
The Haunting of Hill House
Mike Flanagan
The Haunting of Hill House is, without a doubt, one of the greatest horror TV shows of all time. Created by Stephen King’s fan Mike Flanagan, the series revolves around a family who grew up in the infamous Hill House, a notoriously haunted mansion with a dark history. The story intertwines the five siblings’ childhood’ experiences, marked by the emotional breakdown and death of their mother, with the present-day consequences of their trauma.
Flannagan explores intricate family dynamics and the lingering consequences of childhood trauma in adults’ lives through the classical horror trope of the haunted house. Between the tragic fate fallen upon the mother, victim of Hill House’s evil forces, and the portrayal of Luke’s addiction, the series seems to be a tribute to both The Shining and Doctor Sleep. King’s fans might enjoy this emotionally deep tale of ghosts and ancient curses with shockingly ingenious twists and captivating storytelling.
4
Stranger Things
Matt and Ross Duffer
The parallels are so obvious that most of Stephen King’s fans have likely already binge-watched this series, but for those who still have not discovered it, Stranger Things is basically a love letter to the King of Horror. Set in the 1980s, the show follows a group of kids and their concerned parents attempting to survive, investigate, and defeat the evil forces unleashed by the mysterious opening of an alternate dimension. However, the antagonists are not only the monsters from The Upside Down, but also seemingly normal people, driven by power and greed.
This ambivalence, along with the youthful idealism and the enduring themes of childhood friendship, honors the eerie but wholesome narrative of It and Stand By Me.
The series is phenomenal in its multifaceted depiction of human nature. It juxtaposes the courage and valiance of its too-young heroes coming together to fight for something bigger than themselves against the more cynically vicious depiction of their enemies: teenage bullies, deranged scientists, and bigoted community members. This ambivalence, along with the youthful idealism and the enduring themes of childhood friendship, honors the eerie but wholesome narrative of It and Stand By Me.
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The Watcher
Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan
Famous for crafting terrifyingly absurd productions like American Horror Stories and Scream Queens, Ryan Murphy delivered an equally bizarre but more psychologically tense show, The Watcher. Inspired by a real horror story, the series depicts a couple and their children who, after moving from New York to a seemingly perfect house in a fictional town of New Jersey, find themselves terrorized by a mysterious stalker. Between alarming letters and suspicious neighbors, the family’s idyllic life soon becomes hell.
The Watcher blends psychological depth with eerie mystery. Similarly to King’s narrative, Murphy and Brennan explore the emotional unraveling of apparently solid relationships and stable, happy lives under the rising paranoia resulting from unseen, hostile forces. As the horror author often reminds us with his books, no one is ever completely safe, and any dream can quickly turn into a nightmare.
2
Bates Motel
Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin, and Anthony Cipriano
A contemporary prequel to the disturbing events of Psycho, Bates Motel follows a teenage Norman Bates and his mother as they attempt to adjust to their new life in a seemingly ordinary fictional town of Oregon after the death of his father. However, aside from the obsessive and toxic mother and son relationship and Norman’s unraveling mental stability, the story also delves into the sinister occurrences hiding behind the town’s flawless exterior.
Similarly to Carrie and other stories of his, Bates’ Motel also explores with wit and sensitivity complex parental relationships and generational trauma.
With its haunting, quirky atmosphere and the intricate mysteries unfolding behind the scenes, Bates Motel is likely to appeal to the fans of King’s twisted writing. Much like in his works, the series presents a reality where any appearance of normalcy is fragile and too easily shattered. Similarly to Carrie and other stories of his, Bates’ Motel also explores with wit and sensitivity complex parental relationships and generational trauma.
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Penny Dreadful
John Logan
Considering its historical setting in 19th century England, Penny Dreadful might not be the first series that comes to mind when thinking of Stephen King’s influence. Nevertheless, there is a spectral and beautifully tragic element that can often be found in many of the author’s acclaimed works. The show builds its narrative around some of the anecdotes and characters of 19th-century gothic literature, from Bram Stoker’s Dracula to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
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Much like King’s fascination with the complexities of human morality, suffering, and the danger of the supernatural world, Penny Dreadful delves into the intertwining of loss, redemption, and the struggle of good versus evil. Its characterization of the main heroes, often depicted as outsiders due to their appearances, social standing, or complex past, echoes King’s flair for giving voice to the downtrodden, allowing them to rise above expectations in times of need.
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Category: Entertainment