What to Watch Special Edition: Halloween 2023
It’s Spooky Time! The leaves will begin to turn, the wind will rustle, and the temperatures will drop, making it the perfect time to snuggle under a warm blanket to watch scary (and not so scary) movies and TV!
This is the mother of all What to Watch posts, as it encompasses all kinds of Halloween content to make your month complete. If you don’t want to look up what to watch or where to find it, whether it’s new or well-loved content, we’ve got you covered.
Even better? We’ve got our regular post dropping on Saturday as usual, too. What an incredible gift!
Sunday, October 1
Ash vs. Evil Dead (Hulu)
It seems like forever ago that we got to ride along with Ash, stock boy, aging lothario, and chainsaw-handed monster hunter, who has spent the last 30 years avoiding responsibility, maturity, and the terrors of the Evil Dead ride along with them once again.
When a Deadite plague threatens to destroy all of mankind, Ash is finally forced to face his demons –personal and literal. Destiny, it turns out, has no plans to release the unlikely hero from its “Evil” grip.
And if you’re inclined to finally give this series a shot, we even have a full set of Ash vs. Evil Dead reviews for you to follow along as you watch. Is that miraculous or what?
The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6: Cast, Plot, Premiere Date, and Everything Else You Need to Know
Leprechaun 30th Anniversary Film Collection (Hulu)
Will wonders never cease??
This year marks the 30th Anniversary of the debut of the cult-classic film Leprechaun. To celebrate the holiday horror milestone, Hulu is lucky enough to be streaming all eight of the renowned feature films, including:
Leprechaun (1993), Leprechaun 2 (1994), Leprechaun 3 (1995), Leprechaun 4: In Space (1997), Leprechaun in the Hood (2000), Leprechaun: Back 2 the Hood (2003), Leprechaun: Origins (2014), and Leprechaun Returns (2018). BOOYA!!
And don’t forget a young Jennifer Aniston before she was all that.
Monday, October 2
Appendage (Hulu)
Looking for an entity to give your life a little extra… meaning? Appendage might be the movie for you!
Hannah (Hadley Robinson), a young fashion designer, seems fine on the surface but secretly struggles with debilitating self-doubt. Soon, these buried feelings begin to make Hannah physically sick and sprout into a ferocious growth on her body: The Appendage.
As Hannah’s health declines, The Appendage begins to fuel her anxieties — her perceived lack of talent at work, her deteriorating relationships with her boyfriend and best friend, and her parents’ lack of love and understanding.
At her breaking point, Hannah makes a shocking discovery — there are others out there like her.
Will Trent Season 2: Release Date, Cast, Plot, and Everything Else You Need to Know
Tuesday, October 3
Make Me Scream (Prime Video)
In this hilariously horrifying Halloween special hosted by Tempestt Bledsoe (The Cosby Show) and Darryl M. Bell (A Different World), three celebrity teams led by Jaleel White (Family Matters), Shoniqua Shandai (Harlem) and Lil’ Xan embark on a gruesome game of terror.
A game where they must face a series of bone-chilling scare zones while trying NOT to scream! The team with the lowest score survives the night and takes home the prestigious Medal of Mayhem.
Will the contestants fall prey to the jump scare of it all? It should be a lot of fun to find out!
Wednesday, October 4
9/8c Chucky (Syfy/USA)
In Chucky’s unending thirst for power, Chucky Season 3 now sees Chucky ensconced with the most powerful family in the world — America’s First Family, inside the infamous walls of the White House.
How did Chucky wind up here? What in God’s name does he want? And how can Jake, Devon, and Lexy possibly get to Chucky inside the world’s most secure house, all while balancing the pressures of romantic relationships and growing up?
Meanwhile, Tiffany faces a looming crisis of her own as the police close in on her for “Jennifer Tilly’s” murderous rampage last season.
10/9c SurrealEstate (Syfy)
Could there be a better month than October to premiere SurrealEstate Season 2?
It feels like forever since SurrealEstate Season 1, which was a scary good time.
I was just telling a friend there aren’t enough ghost stories on TV, and now we can go house hunting with our favorite haunted real estate team once again!
Thursday, October 5
The Boogeyman (Hulu)
Missed it in theaters, we’ve got you covered! From the mind of best-selling author Stephen King comes The Boogeyman.
High school student Sadie Harper and her younger sister Sawyer are reeling from the recent death of their mother and aren’t getting much support from their father, Will, a therapist who is dealing with his own pain.
When a desperate patient unexpectedly shows up at their home seeking help, he leaves behind a terrifying supernatural entity that preys on families and feeds on the suffering of its victims.
Friday, October 6
Pet Semetary: Bloodlines (Paramount+)
Did you ever wonder where it all began for Pet Semetary?
Paramount+ aims to set the story straight with this catapult back to 1969, starring Natalie Alyn Lind, Jackson White, Henry Thomas, Pam Grier, Forrest Goodluck, and David Duchovny.
In 1969, a young Jud Crandall is set to leave his hometown of Ludlow, Maine, in search of his life’s purpose. Before he makes it out, however, Jud and his childhood friends encounter an ancient evil that has gripped Ludlow since its founding.
As much as I love the original, anything with animal deaths always rips my heart into pieces. Thankfully, these movies are more about the people than the pets!
Tulsa King Season 2: Plot, Cast, Release Date, and Everything Else There is to Know
Totally Killer (Prime Video)
Starring Kiernan Shipka, Olivia Holt, Julie Bowen, Charlie Gillespie, Liana Liberato, Lochlyn Munro and featuring Randall Park, the theme of this flick is simple:
They had so much time to kill in the ‘80s.”
The ‘80s, horror-comedy, Blumhouse, and Kiernan Shipka? That’s a recipe for success right there!
V/H/S/85 (Shudder)
Did you ever imagine a found footage series based on the VHS format would be so long-lasting?
Experience harrowing tales of found footage horror that pull you into the 1980s with V/H/S/85. Raw fear awaits you… So says the promo for the latest in the successful film sieges.
One small step for Halloween, one giant step for the V/H/S legacy!
Saturday, October 7
Halloweentown Movies (Disney+)
These delightful classics are for audiences of all ages.
Many of you may have grown up watching the Halloweentown capers, and now that they’re streaming on Disney+, you can share them with your children, too.
If you don’t have Disney+, check your local listings because Freeform will be airing the original all month and the first three movies on the 18th. Set your DVR!
9/8c 3 Bed, 2 Bath, 1 Ghost (Hallmark)
A ghostly romance? Sure! It may not be scary, but not everyone loves to be scared. The more the merrier for Halloween, right?
In this sure-to-be delightful Hallmark original, a 1920s ghost refuses to leave estate agent Anna’s newly listed home. Worse, the spirit is convinced she cannot “pass over” until she gets Anna back together with her ex.
When Calls the Heart’s Chris McNally stars. What?
We. Cannot. Wait!
Thursday, October 12
Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix)
At what price would you place success?
On this wicked series from Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House) and based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, ruthless siblings Roderick and Madeline Usher have built Fortunato Pharmaceuticals into an empire of wealth, privilege, and power.
But past secrets come to light when the heirs to the Usher dynasty start dying at the hands of a mysterious woman from their youth.
Thursday, October 12
Living for the Dead (Hulu)
“Think… Gay Scooby-Doo.” From the minds of Scout Productions, the creators of “Queer Eye,” five fabulous, queer ghost hunters crisscross the country, helping the living by healing the dead.
As they explore some of the world’s most infamous haunted locations, they’ll shed light on those not seen and illuminate untold stories.
Together, they’ll push past boundaries to bring acceptance to the misunderstood — living and dead. This is “Living For The Dead,” Ghost Hunties!
Friday, October 13
Friday the 13th Movie Marathon (Max)
Is there a better day to settle in front of the TV to relive the magic of Friday the 13th?
Max has every movie in the original film series through the ‘90s, steaming for the slasher in all of us. That means no Jason X, Freddy vs. Jason (a shame since they’ve got plenty of A Nightmare on Elm Street flicks to check out, too), or 2009 reboot.
But really, who has enough time for them all? If you want to follow my lead, join me for Friday the 13th and Friday the 13th Part 2, my two favorites (hey, I was a kid!) and movies I watch (no kidding) every Friday the 13th.
Creepshow (Shudder/AMC+)
The creepy anthology series returns with all-new tales of horror on the best day of the year!
A Friday the 13th in October? What more could a horror-loving soul want?
More of the Creepshow anthology, that’s what!
Goosebumps (Disney+/Hulu)
Inspired by R.L. Stine’s worldwide bestselling book series? Say no more!
Goosebumps follows a group of five high schoolers as they embark on a shadowy and twisted journey to investigate the tragic passing three decades earlier of a teen named Harold Biddle — while also unearthing dark secrets from their parents’ past.
The trailer really rocks our world. How about yours?
John Carpenter’s Suburban Screams (Peacock)
John Carpenter’s Suburban Screams is a genre-busting unscripted horror anthology series from the mind of legendary director, writer, and producer John Carpenter.
The series explores the dark secrets and unspeakable evil that sometimes lurks beneath the surface of the sun-drenched streets, manicured lawns, and friendly neighbors of suburbia.
Each episode focuses on one true tale of terror, told by the real people who lived through it.
Their firsthand accounts are brought to life through premium cinematic scene work, news clips, home photos, and archival footage, combining the visual language of horror films with the tools and techniques of documentaries, creating a uniquely frightening experience for viewers.
The Puppetman (Shudder/AMC+)
The longline says, “Evil pulls the strings, and he’s chosen who’s next.”
The friends of a convicted killer’s daughter begin dying in macabre ways, and she wonders if his claims of innocence by possession might have been right all along.
We’ve seen this flick, and while it’s easily identifiable in the genre of string-pulling demons, it’s got plenty of surprises along the way to make it well worth watching.
9/8c Shining Vale (Starz)
Starz Season 2 kicks off four months after the events of Season 1 when Pat’s insurance runs out, and she is released from the psychiatric hospital early.
Pat returns home, determined to pick up the pieces of her broken family, but she quickly finds out her children don’t need her, Terry doesn’t remember her, and to make matters worse, Pat’s new neighbor, Ruth, looks exactly like Rosemary.
Meanwhile, the house starts to reveal the shocking secrets of its dark past. Every mother feels like they live in an insane asylum, but Pat may be right!
Saturday, October 14
Hocus Pocus & Hocus Pocus 2 (Disney+)
How many movies get a follow-up decades later?
Hocus Pocus is one such movie, even retaining the original cast of witches.
That’s a rarity in this business, so set some time today to take advantage.
Sunday, October 15
Slotherhouse (Hulu)
I’m not going to lie. I’ve got a wicked soft spot in my heart for creature features — the more B, the better!
Can you think of anything more B-movie than a killer sloth taking on a sorority house? Yeah, me either.
Put succinctly, that makes it even more exciting to imagine the collegiates discovering their sluggish pet — a lackluster furball — is actually nature’s perfect predator… fueled by revenge, protected by adorableness, and armed with three razor-like claws.
Tuesday, October 17
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (Apple TV+)
All Charlie Brown wants is to belong, but he never gets the chance.
Whether it’s his mistaken Halloween invitation or envying his dog, who enjoys the holiday more than he does, Charlie never catches a break.
Then again, at least he’s not embarrassing himself and a girl who adores him with tales of the Great Pumpkin like his buddy, Linus. So, maybe Charlie makes out pretty well after all!
Thursday, October 19
Bodies (Netflix)
It may not be what you traditionally think of when you think in terms of Halloween, but Whitechapel always elicits fear, given the Jack the Ripper connection.
In Bodies, four detectives, living in four different eras, find the body of the same murder victim in London’s Whitechapel.
They soon come to realize their investigations have them central to a mysterious conspiracy spanning over 150 years.
We’re sold!
The Burning Girls (Paramount+)
The Burning Girls is a brand new chilling series based on the novel of the same name by C.J. Tudor.
Starring Fantastic Beasts actor Samantha Morton and Bridgerton and Lockwood & Co star Ruby Stokes, who play a Vicar and her daughter.
Both arrive in a new village in the hope of a fresh start; however, they soon realize this village has a dark past.
Wolf Like Me (Peacock)
In the second season of Wolf Like Me, Mary and Gary leap into the next phase of their relationship, facing their biggest challenge yet: pregnancy. As much as the two try to have a “normal” pregnancy, it seems impossible with so many questions looming over them.
Will their child be a human or a wolf? Just how long can they keep things secret from the rest of their family? Will what happened in the outback come back to haunt them?
And, with Mary’s former professor, Anton, suddenly in the picture, new secrets from Mary’s past are revealed. Can their relationship withstand newly unearthed secrets from Mary’s past?
Friday, October 20
Cobweb (Hulu)
Eight-year-old Peter is plagued by a mysterious, constant tap, tap from inside his bedroom wall — a tapping that his parents insist is all in his imagination.
As Peter’s fear intensifies, he believes that his parents (Lizzy Caplan and Antony Starr) could be hiding a terrible, dangerous secret and questions their trust.
And for a child, what could be more frightening than that?
Sunday, October 22
9/8c Fear the Walking Dead (AMC)
It all comes down to this! The final episodes are upon us.
Can Madison protect everyone from Troy Otto and his army of the undead?
If there’s one thing we know, there is no end in sight for the post-apocalyptic world The Walking Dead unleashed, so we’re not expecting miracles here.
Monday, October 23
9/8c 30 Coins (HBO/Max)
What does it say about me that I never knew there was a 30 Coins Season 1? Maybe it’s just that there is too much TV to keep up.
Well, I’m here now, and since it’s on Max, we should be able to catch up in plenty of time to follow along with Season 2.
This looks right up my alley even when it’s not Halloween, so hey, what a great find!
The Craft (Hulu)
We all know this story. Beware, the schoolgirl scorned. Wasn’t that the whole basis of the Salem witch trials?
In this twist on that horrifying reality, the scorned girls are the witches, and they use all of the power they can conjure up to wreak havoc on those they despise.
This ‘90s classic also stars some of the most celebrated young actresses of the time, including Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, and Neve Campbell.
Friday, October 27
The Enfield Poltergeist (Apple TV+)
Experience the chilling true story of the world’s most famous poltergeist case through original audio recordings made inside the house as the events unfolded.
This isn’t a new story, but it is from Apple, so we know it will be done well.
And if there is anything scarier in this world than listening to original recordings of scary stuff, I’d like you to tell me what it is. It amazes me how much sound can send the spine a tingling!
Five Nights at Freddy’s (Peacock)
The terrifying horror game phenomenon becomes a blood-chilling cinematic event, as Blumhouse — the producer of M3GAN, The Black Phone, and The Invisible Man — brings Five Nights at Freddy’s to the big screen (and Peacock!).
The film follows a troubled security guard as he begins working at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza.
While spending his first night on the job, he realizes the night shift at Freddy’s won’t be so easy to make it through.
Saturday, October 28
The Good Witch Movies (Hallmark Movies Now)
Long before the series Good Witch arrived, Halloween (and other holidays) were marked with The Good Witch movies.
The first premiered in 2007, and from the very first frame, I was hooked.
Catherine Bell was the epitome of an enigmatic good witch. It was less of a series and more of an event, something to look forward to every year. Now, it’s your turn to discover (or rediscover) the magic!
Tuesday, October 31
Halloween (Shudder; Peacock, Prime Video, Tubi for the whole shebang)
It’s crazy that there isn’t one place to watch all of the Halloween movies in one sitting, but that’s the world we live in now.
You can (and should) catch the classic on Shudder. Hell, you should own it, so buy it on your favorite platform for repeat viewing at will.
You can watch Halloween II and Halloween III: Season of the Witch on Peacock and then shuffle back over to Shudder for Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers and Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers.
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers is on Showtime, along with Halloween H20: 20 Years Later and Halloween: Resurrection, while you’ll find Halloween (2007) and Halloween II (2009) on Tubi and Pluto.
Halloween (2018) is on Peacock, Halloween Kills is only available for purchase, and Halloween Ends is on Prime Video.
That’s a lot of Halloween, but this has been a month-long celebration, so why not live it up?
Multiple movies, multiple trailers! Honestly, they should have ended it with Halloween Kills, but that’s just me.
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She’s a member of the Critic’s Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.
