10 Incredible Horror TV Shows With No Jump Scares

Amazing horror TV shows that don't rely on jump scares!

Castle Rock
Hulu

The horror genre has always been famous for providing more than a few cheap thrills.

Still, for as long as the jump scare has existed, it has been an integral part of horror content. After all, seeing the killer finally jump out from the closet or a ghost suddenly appearing to yank our unaware protagonist away has always been an effective way to pay off a moment of built tension.

This technique, however, can and has been overused in various media and has lost a bit of its effect. Whether it is laden throughout the story or comes right out of nowhere, it can become a useless trope and more of a joke than an effective scare.

Thankfully, over the years creators have strayed away from using traditional jump scares too much and at times altogether. This has led to a focus on characters, story and building tension through natural means.

Some of the best examples are found in TV, so here are 10 Incredible Horror TV Shows with No Jump Scares.

10. Channel Zero

Castle Rock
SyFy

Channel Zero is a horror anthology series in a similar vein to American Horror Story where each of its four standalone seasons are all new stories. Each is based upon popular Creepypastas, which are a vast collection of scary stories born from the pages of the internet, each more horrifying than the last.

The adaptations in the show include 'Candle Cove', centering on one man’s obsession about a creepy children’s TV show from the 80s; 'No-end house', a haunted house where no one has ever been able to reach the exit; 'Butcher’s Block', loosely based on Search and Rescue Woods featuring a very strange and sinister family and finally 'The Dream Door' which draws elements from Hidden Door which focusses around a door to a basement which holds dark and ominous secrets.

The entire series is a feast for the eyes with some fantastic cinematography, set and costume designs that bring each of its scary stories to life in the most frightening of ways. I mean, there is literally a creature made only from children’s teeth for crying out loud!

A great mix of psychological, creature horror, mystery and enough dread to keep you set for a while, Channel Zero is certainly a must watch for those who scour the internet looking for all things creepy.

Contributor

Semi-Professional goofball, probably not that guy your parents warned you about