**Spoilers ahead. Enter at your own risk**

It’s the spookiest time of the year, which means sweet treats are not just coming to your neighborhood; they can be found on a TV screen near you. If you’re looking for something to lift your “spirits” and get you in the mood, these spine-tingling series will make you howl with delight. Happy hunting!

Goosebumps

Your favorite horror-comedy series from the ’90s (developed by Rob Letterman and Nicholas Stoller) is back on Disney+ and Hulu, and trust me, it’s scarier than you remember. Following the films Goosebumps (2015) and Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (2018), this new show, based on R.L. Stine’s book series, wraps an entertaining, eerie ghost story into a cleverly laid-out 10-episode tale. 

When the ghost of Harold Biddle returns from the ’90s to haunt five high schoolers, the unlikely group of teens come together to investigate the boy’s death and, in doing so, uncover the secrets of their parents’ mysterious past.

The show boasts an exciting cast (including Justin Long and Rachael Harris), and while it’s aimed at a younger demographic, the series really plays well to all ages. The plot favors a multi-generational twist and throws in a ton of nostalgic moments, making it a fun watch for the whole family. It even evoked a few literal scare-jumps from this millennial. It’s a great mix of horror and comedy that will leave you scared and smiling at the same time. 

Goosebumps (the series) debuted October 13, with five episodes as part of the streamers’ annual “Hallowstream” and “Huluween” celebrations. You can catch all-new episodes airing weekly through November 17. 

Shining Vale

The long wait for season 2 of this critically acclaimed show ended on Friday, October 13, serving up an additional dose of insanity for the Phelps family. Courteney Cox and Greg Kinnear return (playing Pat and Terry, respectively), as does Mira Sorvino (Rosemary Wellingham), Gus Birney (Gaynor Phelps), Dylan Gage (Jake Phelps), Merrin Dungey (Kam), and Judith Light (Joan). Can we just take a moment to appreciate this phenomenal cast? Okay, continue. 

This season, the show picks up after Pat’s breakdown and her release from the town’s asylum. Terry has amnesia (conveniently forgetting his wife attacking him with an axe), and the kids, while better adjusted to their relatively new town, seem to be trailing in the same direction as the house’s haunted footsteps.  

Cox, Kinnear, and Sorvino once again shine in this hauntingly funny yet frightening and intriguing story, delivering delicious performances all around. The Starz show releases new episodes every week. Three episodes down and five more to go, and I’m already clamoring for a season 3. 

Only Murders In The Building

While Only Murders doesn’t exactly fall into the horror category, this sinfully scintillating show has all of the ingredients you could want to include in your Halloween-watching cauldron. A good murder mystery serves its purpose this time of year, and with Steve Martin (Charles-Haden Savage), Martin Short (Oliver Putnam), and Selena Gomez (Mabel Mora) in the mix, you know you’ll be laughing all the way to the graveyard. 

The last episode of season 3 aired on Hulu on October 3, making it ideal if you’re looking for something to binge-watch. This time around, our favorite podcasting trio returns to solve the murder of Ben Glenroy (played by Paul Rudd), who we saw (***spoiler alert***) die in the theater during Oliver’s new play on opening night at the end of season 2. Talk about stage fright. 

Joining Rudd in this new season’s colorful cast of characters is Ashley Park, who plays Kimber, the incomparable Meryl Streep as Loretta Durkin, and Matthew Broderick as Himself. Tina Fey returns as Cinda Canning, as does Da’Vine Joy Randolph (Detective Donna Williams), Ryan Broussard (Will Putnam), Jackie Hoffman (Uma Heller), Andrea Martin (Joy), Michael Cyril Creighton (Howard Morris) and Jane Lynch (Sazz Pataki). 

The storyline revolves around discovering who killed Oliver’s lead “Death Rattle” actor, Ben (Rudd). Was it someone in the show? What secrets does the theater hide? Who had the most to gain from Ben’s death? Or Oliver’s failure? Will Charles-Haden Savage, Oliver Putnam, or Mabel Mora ever have a stable relationship? This superb cast is just the crew you want to keep you guessing. 

The Fall of the House of Usher 

Netflix’s critically acclaimed gothic/horror/drama television miniseries created by Mike Flanagan (best known for The Haunting anthology series), launched on the streamer October 12, which easily helped usher this show into a “trending” spot this spooky season. 

But the show didn’t need help based on timing. Flanagan’s cinematic style is quite distinct, lending an eerie tone to the updated, loosely-based version of Edgar Allan Poe’s heart-pounding tale. The first two episodes originally appeared at Fantastic Fest in September and were met with positive reviews. 

The first episode opens on a stormy night where we see Roderick Usher (Bruce Greenwood) talking to investigator C. Auguste Dupin (Carl Lumbly) in his home as he divulges the truth about his family’s abhorrent, violent criminal history. The confessions come as Usher reveals he knows “because they told me.” Creepy, right? This is the night after the funeral of his six children (all of whom died within two weeks of each other). You see, Roderick is being haunted by his less-than-likable children, and he now believes the ghosts are coming for him.

The series features a dual timeline structure that dances alongside Roderick and Dupin’s captivating conversations. In the first timeline, from 1953 to 1980, we witness Roderick and his twin sister Madeline’s journey from youth to power. The second timeline unravels the two weeks leading up to their discussion, unveiling the shocking truth behind Roderick’s children’s mysterious deaths.

Along with Greenwood and Lumbly, the cast includes Carla Gugino as Verna (a shape-shifting demon), Mary McDonnell as Madeline Usher, Mark Hamill as Arthur Pym, Henry Thomas as Frederick Usher, Samantha Sloyan as Tamerlane Usher, T’Nia Miller as Victorine Lafourcade, Rahul Kohli as Napoleon “Leo” Usher, Kate Siegel as Camille L’Espanaye, and Sauriyan Sapkota as Prospero “Perry” Usher. 

SurrealEstate

If George R. Olson’s pun-based title didn’t give it away, SurrealEstate follows real estate agent Luke Roman (Tim Rozon) and an elite team of specialists who handle haunted and possessed houses. The show premiered in 2021 on the Canadian channel CTV Sci-Fi. The SYFY network reversed the decision not to renew in 2022, and season 2 debuted on October 4, just in time for Halloween.

SurrealEstate has earned praise overall for being a light horror romp that’s fun, inspired, clever, and has a real pulp comedy feel to it. In a sci-fi world rich with fantasy and humor, it’s reminiscent of shows like Warehouse 13 and Haven. Supernatural secrets, paranormal problems, and weekly hauntings … yes, please.

The team includes Sarah Levy (Susan Ireland), researcher Father Phil Orley (Adam Korson), tech wiz Auggie Ripley (Maurice Dean Wint), and office manager Zooey L’Enfant (Savannah Basley). SurrealEstate is an addicting watch, and you’ll easily get invested in the characters. It’s an enjoyable monster-of-the-week kind of show. 

Season 1 is currently streaming on Hulu. SurrealEstate airs Wednesdays on SYFY at 10 p.m. ET/PT, following new episodes of Chucky (also a must-watch if you like talking dolls). 

 It really does give a new meaning to the term “buyer beware.”