10 Horror Television Episodes That Are Practically Flawless

Midnight Mass was - pardon the pun - a revelation upon its release on Netflix in 2021.

The supernatural horror was acclaimed as one of the year's more enthralling offerings; an unbridled examination of faith, loss and exploitation set against the backdrop of some legitimately disturbing sequences. One can't tear their eyes away from Midnight Mass, but it's such harrowing viewing that you'll never want to watch it again - something underlined by the desolating masterpiece that is Book V: Gospel.

Mirroring his antics within The Haunting of Hill House, horror virtuoso Mike Flanagan gleefully whipped the rug out from under his audience in stunning fashion. Doing away with purported protagonist Riley could have been a choice that tanked the entire series, but was instead executed to absolute perfection.

Having been turned into a vampire by the series' antagonistic "angel", the episode's climactic sequence sees Riley take Kate Siegel's Erin out on a boat to isolate himself from the population. Riley reveals he has always loved Erin in a hauntingly beautiful monologue, before bursting into flames as the sun dawns. The devastated audience's jaws are left on the floor, as Erin's soul-rending screams continue while the credits silently roll.

As phenomenal as the conclusion to the episode may be, it's not the defining factor in its flawless status. The direction, script and cast are stupendous, carried off by an exquisitely paced series of macabre events before the most explosive of finales. Textbook.