Claes Bang as Count Dracula in BBC One's 'Dracula'
Some could argue horror can truly best be experienced on the small screen. Since as early as broadcasting itself, horror has been a dominant force on television, and its success has steadily grown every single decade.
From the highly influential success of The Twilight Zone in the 1960s, the anthology terror of Tales from the Crypt in the late '80s, the frightening magic of Twin Peaks and Buffy the Vampire Slayer in the '90s, to modern pop culture icons like The Walking Dead and Stranger Things, horror's place in TV history is undeniable and deserving of all of its attention. When we think of horror and television, we often think of gripping narratives mixed with genuine fright and suspense. Horror has come in many different ways on TV, from long-running series to only having one season. But, there are also a very few shows that only need three parts to tell their story. The following are five rare but highly intriguing horror miniseries that pack tons of excitement and terror. They're the ones providing decent scares and gripping character drama all into three impactful episodes. From a psychological anthology series from the twisted mind of David Lynch to arguably one of the greatest screenwriting works by Stephen King, these three-part shows are sure to give you an excellent feeling of dread without needing to be drawn out by additional episodes. 5 'Hotel Room' Released on the HBO network in early 1993, Hotel Room is a surreal psychological anthology drama by creators Monty Montgomery and the late legendary filmmaker David Lynch. While not technically classified as horror, it's an eerie, dreamlike story that feels exactly like what anyone would expect from one of Lynch's uniquely bizarre stories of his own. Split into three parts, it tells different stories of people in their own narrative, in a hotel room across several decades, from the 1930s to 1990s. Each episode feels moody and atmospheric, which perfectly blends well into the character-driven stories of each tale. It's also backed by brilliant performances in each part and starring recognizable names like Harry Dean Stanton, Crispin Glover, Mariska Hargitay, and Alicia Witt, all of whom deliver unique and engaging acting that's thanks to Lynch's direction and what he wanted to get out of his performers. Now, Hotel Room isn't exactly the most exciting or scariest show featured on this list, but it is engaging and perfectly shot. Its stories can draw anyone in immediately and never let go until the last episode. It's well worth watching, especially since it came out shortly after Lynch's Twin Peaks, which has almost the same feel when watching this one. 4 'Dracula' The iconic tale of Dracula has been retold constantly throughout the media for over a century now. Bram Stoker's legendary interpretation of this Transylvanian Count has been adapted and told in various different ways across everything from films and television shows to books, comics, and even popular video games. He's become a symbol of pop culture that shall never leave the spotlight. So when the BBC One set out to release a much darker, gorier retelling in 2020, many viewers were certainly delighted, and what they got was unlike any other Dracula version that came before it. Created by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat, the BBC One's Dracula is a near-perfect retelling of Stoker's novel, complete with an expert recreation of the gothic tone and style. Not to mention, it features one of the most intense depictions of Count ever brought to screen, as Danish actor Claes Bang flawlessly portrays Dracula's hypnotic charm and his raw, animalistic dark side. The story here does take notable liberties with the original source material, just like every adaptation, but it's unique, engaging, and utterly terrifying at parts. It's well worth the experience for any Dracula enthusiasts, but its shocking gore and great acting are enough to win even casual viewers over to becoming fans. 3 'The Secret of Crickley Hall' Airing on the BBC in 2012, The Secret of Crickley Hall is a three-part supernatural thriller series based on the novel of the same name by author James Herbert. A ghostly tale full of eerie silence, slow-building tension, and heartwrenching drama, it's a haunted house story that effectively creeps under your skin, following a family who move into a new house to help deal with their son's recent disappearance. However, strange things start happening all around them, and soon they realize a dark secret lurks within the house's walls. This show relies heavily on suspense and tries hard to slowly lead up to the terror. Fans of Jack Clayton's 1961 classic The Innocents would highly enjoy this chiller as they're nearly the same, being both slow-burning, atmospheric haunted house tales that tackle trauma, grief, and the paranoia of being trapped in a home with a sinister presence. The Secret of Crickley Hall is a masterclass supernatural horror series that knows how to scare viewers and leave them with goosebumps long after finishing it. 2 'Rose Red' Created by the legendary horror novelist Stephen King, Rose Red is a 1999 haunted house miniseries, which was originally supposed to be a feature-length film in the early '90s and directed by Steven Spielberg. It's a classic take on the usual haunted house formula, but added with King's signature style and complex storytelling. It's loosely inspired by Robert Wise's 1963 horror classic The Haunting, following a group of paranormal researchers and skeptics staying at an infamous murder mansion to document any supernatural occurrences. And just like in that film, this group slowly becomes terrorized by the vengeful spirits lurking within the house. CL Report: Subscribe and never miss what matters Dive into the world of entertainment with Collider, delivering the latest news, reviews, and exclusive updates from movies, TV, and pop culture Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. This thrilling four-hour-long chiller provides everything one could expect from this type of story, and more, as King's stamp is all over the story, from having fully fleshed-out characters, slow-building suspense, and a balance between horror and camp. It may not be the most original or best well-known as other of King's works, but it's a delightfully eerie ghost show with enough effective scares and the right kind of dark atmosphere to put viewers in a creeped-out mood. 1 'Storm of the Century' In the final spot is King again, this time with truly one of his most fascinating screenwriting works, Storm of the Century, a compelling horror made-for-TV miniseries, which was not based on one of his books, but something he's stated as a"novel for television." Starring Tim Daly, Debrah Farentino, and Colm Feore, it follows a small town in Maine engulfed in a terrible blizzard. Forced to hunker down until the storm passes, the residents are soon visited by a mysterious and sinister stranger with magical abilities to bring all their deepest, darkest secrets to light, and he demands they give him something he wants in exchange for leaving them alone. This perfectly paced, tensely suspenseful, and brilliantly acted horror thriller is honestly one of King's all-time greats, a prime example of his writing talents that even today still feels spine-tingling and deep. From Colm Ferore's complex portrayal as the enigmatic wanderer Andre Linoge, to the talented supporting cast who all flawlessly play their layered and unique characters effectively, this is also one of the best acted from the famed author's projects, and everything else, including the direction, the setting, and even the effects all hold up well, making this such a blast to come back to and enjoy for more rewatches. With Storm of the Century being both a viewership and critical darling, this is easily the greatest three-part horror show in history. Like Storm of the Century PG-13 Fantasy Thriller Drama Horror Release Date February 14, 1999 Runtime 257 minutes Director Craig R. Baxley Writers Stephen King Cast See All Cinematographer David Connell Producer Thomas H. Brodek, Robert F. Phillips Production Company Greengrass Productions, Warner Bros. Television, Walt Disney Television, Rainfall Productions, Mark Carliner Productions Sfx Supervisor Boyd Shermis Budget $35 million Powered by Expand Collapse
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