11 Scariest Horror-Themed TV Shows To Binge-Watch This Halloween 2020

5. Hannibal

The series debuted in 2013 and borrowed many elements from Thomas Harris’ Hannibal Lector novels, but deviated slightly in terms of plot, adding its own flourishes to create something original.

The crux of the show revolves around criminal psychologist, Will Graham (Hugh Dancy), a man with the unnerving ability to empathise with the most dangerous criminals, to understand their motives, ultimately hoping to capture these murderers before they kill again.

To safeguard Will’s mental wellbeing, he undergoes regular therapy with psychologist, Hannibal Lector (Mads Mikkelsen), at the behest of the FBI. The wicked Hannibal becomes fascinated with Will and has nothing but the worst of intentions towards his new patient.

Hannibal Lector was of course made a household name by the film The Silence of the Lambs with Hannibal played chillingly by Sir Anthony Hopkins, but Mads Mikkelsen portrays the part of the sophisticated cannibal differently and no less memorably. Mads has a special talent for playing villains and it’s clear every time he’s on screen how much he relishes the role.

The show features a whole raft of other serial killers in a monster-of-the-week style format. These deranged killers often employ bizarre gimmicks, and dispatch their victims in inventive and stomach-churning fashion.