The1970sare home to some of the besthorrorseriesof all time, many of which are still worth watching today. The decade is best known for its spooky anthology series that grouped an assortment of eerie tales into one episode. Though most of the horror series at the time had a similar structure, there was a surprising amount of variety, which has allowed the quality of each show to carry on into the following years.
Each of these horror TV shows is imaginative and does an incredible jobof immersing audiences in their eerie worlds. Many series feature strange narratives that are brought to life by some of the decade’s biggest stars and names in horror. Whether it’s an anthology series that adapts the works of famous authors, or it puts an innovative spin on classic supernatural figures within the genre, some truly great horror shows come from the 1970s and are worth checking out.
Armchair Thriller
Cast
Armchair Thriller is a British television programme produced by Thames Television, aired in 1978 and 1980 on ITV. The series features adaptations of published novels and stories, incorporating elements of suspense and the supernatural. Episodes were typically broadcast twice weekly, contributing to the show’s engaging serialized format.
Armchair Thrillerhasan entertaining mix of mystery, horror, and dramastories to grab hold of the audience’s attention with every episode. The format of the show sees a number of unrelated serials presented in a 25-minute episode. Each story seen in the show is adapted from a variety of novels, mostly in the horror genre.
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The 1970s were an amazing decade for horror. That being said, not every great scary movie of the decade got the recognition they deserve, even today.
The show is known for its shadowy-figure mascot that appears in the opening theme, slowly walking toward an armchair before sitting down. The imagery is simple, yet incredibly effective at immersing audiences in the series' chilling atmosphere.Armchair Thriller’s score was composed by Roxy Music’s Andy Mackay, and throughout the series' two seasons,several recognizable actors make an appearance, including Ian McKellen and Denis Lawson.
Stories In Three Different Genres Are Presented In Each Episode
Cliffhangers
Cliffhangers is an American drama series that premiered on NBC on July 23, 2025. The show is structured into three segments: Stop Susan Williams, The Secret Empire, and The Curse of Dracula, each presenting serialized stories with chapters beginning at different points to enhance suspense and intrigue.
In an attempt to bring back movie serials in a TV format, each episode ofCliffhangerswas split into three 20-minute segments in which a story in varying genres was presented. The three segments included a mystery, a sci-fi and Western mash-up, and a horror story, the latter being titledThe Curse of Dracula.
The Curse of Draculasees the title character (Michael Nouri) posing as a college professor in San Francisco and centers around a young woman set on getting revenge against him.The characterization of Dracula was humorous and combined both modern and archetypal componentsof the famous character. The horror story was the only one of the three to conclude beforeCliffhangers' cancelation. Airing at the same time asHappy DaysandLaverne & Shirley, the innovative horror series was unable to compete with the more successful shows' ratings.
Beasts
Beasts is a series of six television plays by writer Nigel Kneale, each exploring a distinct narrative intertwined with bestial horror. Produced by ATV for ITV, the anthology aired in the United Kingdom beginning in October 1976.
Consisting of six self-contained episodes,Beastshas a recurring theme of bestial horror throughout its run. Though some episodes are a bit more general, depicting typical supernatural occurrences, most deal with psychological horror.Each of these episodes sees its protagonist haunted by some sort of animal, including “What Big Eyes,” where a man obsessed with wolves believes he is one.
Screenwriter and author Nigel Kneale, who is celebrated for his influential horror and thriller TV series, is the creator ofBeasts.
Screenwriter and author Nigel Kneale, who is celebrated for his influential horror and thriller TV series, is the creator ofBeasts. With a career spanning over 50 years, Kneale’s talents helpedBeastsstand apart from other horror anthology shows at the time. The series, while noticeably dated in some areas, does its best to remain timeless by avoiding as many monster horror clichès.
Supernatural
Supernatural (1977) is an anthology series where aspiring members of the “Club of the Damned” must recount a horror story as part of their application, judged on its fright factor.
While some horror series rely on violence and a large amount of blood to scare audiences, others employ a heavy amount of suspense and tension. The British anthology seriesSupernaturalaims to do the latter, encapsulating the characteristics of horror films from the 1920s and 1930s.
The series has a unique premise, which sees various members of the “Club of the Damned” go around and tell a horror story to the group. The stories, revolving around ghosts, vampires, and other supernatural creatures, are then judged depending on how frightening they are.If the stories aren’t scary enough, the person is killed.Unfortunately,Supernaturalaired during the summer, with its goth tone not being aligned with the season, resulting in low ratings and an inevitable cancelation after one season.
Monster Squad
Monster Squad is a television series that aired on NBC from 1976-1977, featuring Fred Grandy as Walt, a criminology student. The show follows Walt and reanimated wax statues of Dracula, the Wolfman, and Frankenstein’s Monster, who become superhero crimefighters tackling various villains.
Not to be confused with the horror movie of the same name released a decade later,Monster Squadis a TV series that ran for 13 episodes on Saturday mornings on NBC. Like Fred Dekker’s movie, the TV series featured iconic monsters like Dracula (Henry Polic II), the Wolfman (Buck Kartalian), and Frankenstein’s monster (Michael Lane).
In the series, the three monsters are originally wax figures but are brought to life by the wax museum’s night guard, Walt (Fred Grandy).Determined to right their past wrongdoings, the monsters become superheroesand take on a variety of villains in each episode with Walt’s help. The beloved monsters are paired against exaggerated villains, which makesMonster Squadan extremely lighthearted show and easy to watch.
Tales of the Unexpected
Tales of the Unexpected is a British television anthology series released in 1979. Known for its sinister and comedic undertones, the show featured stories with unexpected twists. Early episodes were written and presented by Roald Dahl, and the series attracted numerous big-name guest stars.
Airing for nearly a decade, many episodes ofTales of the UnexpectedadaptedRoald Dahl’s darker short stories. Dahl introduced many of these episodes by sharing with audiences what inspired him to write them. Compared to other supernatural TV shows at the time, the stories inTales of the Unexpectedhad realistic settings, which easily allowed audiences to picture themselves in the unsettling scenarios unfolding on TV.
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Though the show was produced on a low budget,it stillmanaged to impress, both in its ability to scare and with its featured guest stars, which include names like Joan Hackett and Brad Dourif. The spooky imagery throughout the show and the mix of odd characters in each episode are nightmare fuel, makingTales of the Unexpecteda classic TV show that’s genuinely terrifying.
Night Gallery
Night Gallery is an anthology series released in 1970, featuring Rod Serling as the narrator. It presents a collection of fantasy, horror, and sci-fi tales, all connected by a sinister art gallery setting with each chilling story represented by a haunting piece of artwork.
FollowingThe Twilight Zone’s finale a few years earlier, Rod Serling continued to work as an anthology series host. This time, Serling was the face of NBC’sNight Gallery. With Serling as the show’s host, each episode would open with him standing in an art gallery, unveiling a series of paintings whose images were representative of the stories audiences could expect throughout the episode.
Differing from most other anthology series at the time,Night Gallerywasn’t as concerned with sci-fi stories. Instead,the horrific tales presented to audiences dealt with the supernatural, giving the show a distinctly eerie feel. However, much to Serling’s displeasure, the second season of the show saw a slight shift in tone. In season 2,Night Gallerybegan including shorter comedic sketches in between the standard scary stories the series had become known for.
The Evil Touch
The Evil Touch is an Australian anthology television series that premiered in 1973. Each episode presents a self-contained thriller or horror story, with themes ranging from the occult to science fiction, featuring different guest actors and twist endings. The series showcased a variety of characters and narrative styles.
While it may not be one ofthe best anthology horror series ever made,The Evil Touchis still an exciting watch. Originally broadcast in Australia, each episode of the anthology series featured a self-contained story in the thriller or horror genre, which starred a number of notable guest stars, including Leslie Nielsen and Darren McGavin.
Anthony Quayle opened and closed each episode with a chilling message that tied into the haunting atmosphere of the show. Like any good anthology series,the variety offered byThe Evil Touchmeant there was always something for everyone to enjoy. While some episodes dealt with the occult, others had a bit more suspense to them as they detailed chilling murder schemes, presenting audiences with a fun whodunit mystery to solve.
Salem’s Lot
Ben returns to his hometown of Salem’s Lot to write a book about the supposedly haunted Marsten House, which sits on a hill. His project is interrupted, however, when he discovers that someone has bought the long-empty property. When people around Marsten House start dying mysteriously, Ben discovers that the owner of the mansion is actually a vampire.
Stephen King is known as the “King of Horror,” with many of his novels having been adapted into films and TV shows over the years. It’s not always guaranteed that the small or big screen adaptation of King’s work will be a success, but one that’s beloved by many is 1979’sSalem’s Lot.
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Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot is his quintessential vampire story, and has so far been adapted into multiple films and shows of varying quality.
The two-part miniseries adapts King’s novel of the same name and makes a handful of appreciated revisions. Like the book, the series revolves aroundan author who returns to his hometown only to discover its residents are turning into vampires. The ancient vampire behind the town’s chaos, Kurt Barlow, is less of a human, as described by King, and is more so what audiences would expect a classic, frightful vampire to look like.
Kolchak: The Night Stalker
Kolchak: The Night Stalker is a 1974 television series following a Chicago newspaper reporter who probes into mysterious crimes overlooked by law enforcement. Set in a world where supernatural and science fiction elements prevail, the series explores themes of unorthodox investigations and encounters with fantastical creatures.
Darren McGavin’s Carl Kolchak was first introduced in the 1972 made-for-TV horror film,The Night Stalker, whichholds up well to theatrical horror releasesand earned impressive ratings at the time. The success of the movie led to the ABC series a few years later with McGavin returning as the famous investigative reporter.
Kolchak often relied on coincidence in obtaining proof of the supernatural, which allowed audiences to have fun predicting the ways the reporter would succeed in the end.
Kolchak: The Night Stalkerexpands on the premise of the original film, withKolchak taking on a series of investigations dealing with supernatural activity.Kolchak often relied on coincidence in obtaining proof of the supernatural, which allowed audiences to have fun predicting the ways the reporter would succeed in the end.Kolchak: The Night Stalkerdidn’t gain the same viewership success as its preceding film, but despite being canceled after its first season, it’s still considered a cult favorite.
