Best Horror Series 2021

Chucky and Midnight Mass fans may be surprised that those shows weren’t rated the best-reviewed Horror Series of 2021, since they were well received and got people talking. Instead, that honor goes to the Korean series Hellbound, a sleeper hit about celestial beings handing out decrees about who’s going go to hell, with all the strange dramatic ramifications therein. You’ll burn through the 6-episode first season.

The order reflects Tomatometer scores (as of December 31, 2021) after adjustment from our ranking formula, which compensates for variation in the number of reviews when comparing movies or TV shows.

Hellbound: Season 1 (2021)
97%

#1

Adjusted Score: 100474%

Critics Consensus: Summoned by the devilish imagination of writer-director Yeon Sang-ho, Hellbound leverages its terrifying concept to thoughtfully explore human fallibility.

Starring: Yoo Ah-in, Kim Hyun-joo, Won Jin-a, Park Jeong-min

Directed By: Yeon Sang-ho

Evil: Season 2 (2021)
95%

#2

Adjusted Score: 96847%

Critics Consensus: Evil successfully slips into the streaming world with a spooky second season that doubles down on the scares without losing its sense of humor.

Starring: Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi, Michael Emerson

Directed By: Michelle King, Robert King, Liz Glotzer, Nelson McCormick

Calls: Season 1 (2021)
95%

#3

Adjusted Score: 96847%

Critics Consensus: Recalling the immersive serials of radio's heyday, Calls weaves a spooky mystery with terrific vocal performances and unsettling ambience -- letting the visual storytelling play out in viewers' horrified imaginations.

Starring: Nick Jonas, Lily Collins, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Aubrey Plaza

Midnight Mass: Limited Series (2021)
87%

#4

Adjusted Score: 99694%

Critics Consensus: An ambitious meditation on grief and faith that is as gorgeous as it is unsettling, Midnight Mass's slow boil is a triumph of terror that will leave viewers shaking - and thinking - long after the credits roll.

Starring: Zach Gilford, Kate Siegel, Hamish Linklater, Annabeth Gish

Directed By: Mike Flanagan, Mike Flanagan

Chucky: Season 1 (2021)
89%

#5

Adjusted Score: 92881%

Critics Consensus: A bloody good time that benefits greatly from Brad Dourif's return, Chucky may not play well for non-fans, but franchise devotees will find its absurd humor and creative horror very much intact on the small screen.

Starring: Brad Dourif, Zackary Arthur, Jennifer Tilly, Devon Sawa

Directed By: Nick Antosca, David Kirschner, Don Mancini, Harley Peyton

Brand New Cherry Flavor: Season 1 (2021)
76%

#6

Adjusted Score: 80152%

Critics Consensus: Though definitely not for all tastes, Brand New Cherry Flavor is a delightfully deranged trip anchored by another incredible performance from Rosa Salazar.

Starring: Rosa Salazar, Eric Lange, Catherine Keener, Manny Jacinto

Directed By: Nick Antosca, Lenore Zion

Them: Season 1 (2021)
58%

#7

Adjusted Score: 63779%

Critics Consensus: Deborah Ayorinde and Ashley Thomas' gripping performances help Them sustain a sufficient sense of terror, but its blunt and bloody approach undermines any social commentary in favor of more superficial horrors.

Starring: Alison Pill, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Deborah Ayorinde, Melody Hurd

Directed By: Lena Waithe, Don Kurt, Miri Yoon, Roy Lee

Lisey's Story: Limited Series (2021)
53%

#8

Adjusted Score: 62304%

Critics Consensus: Despite an admirable performance from Julianne Moore, Lisey's Story is weighed down by an overreliance on its source material and a sluggish pace.

Starring: Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Dane DeHaan, Jennifer Jason Leigh

Directed By: Stephen King, Pablo Larraín, Julianne Moore, Ben Stephenson

The Stand: Season 1 (2020)
57%

#9

Adjusted Score: 62294%

Critics Consensus: Despite an A-list ensemble and a smattering of poignant moments, The Stand's extended runtime doesn't make for better storytelling, leaving its expansive cast stranded in a cluttered apocalypse.

Starring: James Marsden, Amber Heard, Odessa Young, Henry Zaga

Directed By: Josh Boone, Josh Boone, Benjamin Cavell, Roy Lee

I Know What You Did Last Summer: Season 1 (2021)
41%

#10

Adjusted Score: 46237%

Critics Consensus: A bloodless slasher that fails to congeal, I Know What You Did Last Summer hacks at its killer cast with plot holes and unsatisfying twists.

Starring: Madison Iseman, Brianne Tju, Ezekiel Goodman, Ashley Moore

Directed By: Sara Goodman, Shay Hatten, Neal H. Moritz, Pavun Shetty