The Cutprice Guignol

So, I wrote an article similar to this one a few years ago, and consider this intro my insistence that you go and take my advice to watch all of those shows – they’re great, and my beloved Slasher even has a few more seasons to enjoy by now, so you simply have no excuse.

Ahem, anyway. If you’ve done your homework and have already seen those shows, or are just looking for some new recommendations to fill out your watchlist now we’re into Halloween season, I have you covered. Living a life of endless indulgence in all things horror as I do, I’ve got some new favourites to share for you that might help fill out your watchlist this season. Let’s get into it!

Marianne

Give me a small-town horror and I will give you my undying love in return. French series Marianne is one of those shows that just swims up to swallow you whole, as writer Emma returns to her hometown to face up to the horrors she once fled from. It’s a story about storytelling, about it’s importance and how it contains the things we’re often too scared to face up to, and, amongst all that meta-narrative, it features one of the most adorable friend groups of all time to throw you endless love behind. The setting is gorgeous, the gothic trappings luscious, the leading woman the love of my life. I can’t recommend it enough.

Sweet Home

This South Korean post-apocalyptic horror scratches so many itches for me – the old-school splatter effects, the one-location setting, the character-driven horror – but above all, it’s just really, really freaking good fun. Following the inhabitants of an apartment block as they try to survive against hordes of murderous humans-turned-monsters, it’s packed with inventive set-pieces and really interesting character dynamics, as well as my sweet cheese and good-time boy Lee Eun-hyuk, manager of chaos and handler of business. With a new season due out later this year, now is the best time to catch up on the excellent first series.

deadwax

I’ve covered this show a little before, but I’m still surprised to see how under-the-radar it’s going so I’d like to give it another shout-out here. I love horror that uses sound design to build it’s scares (some great movie examples include The Vigil or In the Earth), and deadwax is probably the best example of that I’ve seen on TV yet. Following a woman as she tracks down a supposedly-cursed record, it blends surreal, abstract horror with a slow-unfurling lore that moves to it’s own hypnotic beat. Plus, Ted Raimi is there! What’s not to love? It’s a simple but genuinely disturbing premise, and the inventive sound design creates a unique and impactful horror experience.

If you enjoyed this article and want to see more stuff like it, you can support me on Patreon, or consider checking out my fiction work!

(header image via Variety)