The best horror TV show pilot episodes stand out compared to their peers when they excel at moving the plot forward through genuine scares. Many TV shows begin with an initial episode that should achieve the goal of getting the series picked up for a full season by a network or streaming service. The pilot also seeks to draw audiences into the series by concisely laying out the show’s premise and introducing its main characters, while keeping any major revelations under wraps.
A horror series works the same way, but has the added bonus of introducing a deadly threat that raises the stakes. This ensures that both the characters and the audience feel anguish at the same time. From programs like Yellow Jackets to UndeadThe best horror pilot episodes consist of a strategic balance between interesting settings and terrifying scares.
10
Supernatural (2005-2020)
Supernatural It ran for a total of 15 seasons, but it’s easy to see how the pilot episode laid the groundwork for the paranormal procedural’s success. The TV show follows brothers Sam and Dean Winchester, who were terrorized by a demon as children. The series premiere works so well because it introduces the audience to their mission to rid the world of monsters while also showing how far they will go to find their missing father.
One reason SupernaturalThe pilot episode of was a huge success because it explained the show’s inciting incident effectively. After Dean pulls Sam back into the monster hunting business, the tension between the brothers is on full display. In addition to establishing the tense relationship between Sam and Dean, the pilot makes the promise that the show’s structure would ultimately answer the question of what happened to his father.
9
Ash Vs Evil Dead (2015-2018)
Sam Raimi’s unique vision led him to create the beloved cult classic evil Dead franchise. In 2015, 34 years after the film’s creation, Raimi revived the original universe with Ash vs Evil Dead. Bruce Campbell’s hilarious comedic performance in his return as Ash pairs perfectly with the terrifying images of demons. The pilot episode offers fans of the original films a faithful reintroduction, while also welcoming new viewers with a great starting point.
The pilot episode of Ash vs Evil Dead provides the audience with a glimpse into how Ashs’ life hasn’t changed much since the supposed end of his story in Army of Darkness. He discovers that the Evil Dead have returned after reading the Necronomicon during a night of partying. Shortly after, Ash gets back in the saddle and resumes his demon hunt. The pilot of Ash vs Evil Dead is certainly one of the best series openings because it stays true to its source material with over-the-top humor, Raimi’s signature camerawork, and gory demon deaths.
8
From (2022 to present)
Part of what makes a horror series pilot exciting is the ability to scare the viewer before they can fully comprehend the threat, which is the backbone of the first episode of Of, a hair-raising triumph. The TV show premiered in 2022 and focuses on a small town where the roads leading to it form a circle. All of the city’s inhabitants are trapped and surrounded by a forest full of monsters that only appear after dark.
The initial sequence in Of reveals the consequences of trusting a monster when a girl is tricked by one into letting him into her home. The result is a fatal encounter for the family that ends a streak of almost a hundred days without incident. Residents are aware of the threat they face, but have not adapted well to their reality. This is exploited by a family of newcomers who become trapped in the city circuit. The pilot ends with a desperately perfect shot that shows his overturned trailer being surrounded by monsters in the woods.
7
Lovecraft Country (2020)
The pilot episode of the 2020 miniseries Lovecraft Country is notable because it combines social commentary with Lovecraftian horror to create a debut that is as irresistible as it is frightening. The series instantly hooks viewers with an opening dream sequence that feels like a classic black and white wartime film. However, the next shot takes on color as flying saucers and creatures invade the battlefield. The pilot also explains that fear is not reserved for otherworldly monsters, but can be encountered daily as a black person in America during the 1950s.
Lovecraft CountryThe main character, Atticus, enlists the help of his uncle George and his guide to search for his missing father. The guide acts as a roadmap that helps you navigate the intolerant area. The final minutes of the pilot take a frightening turn that confirms the existence of monsters and cements the entry as one of the most impressive pilots in a horror series.
6
The Fall of the House of Usher (2023)
The Fall of the House of Usher It’s also a prime example of an exceptional pilot episode because it balances compelling characters with horror elements, resulting in a story that keeps audiences glued to the screen and delivers on the promise of the title. The miniseries created by horror icon Mike Flanagan debuts on Netflix in 2023 and centers on a wealthy, selfish family led by their intimidating father, Roderick Usher.
The pilot episode of The Fall of the House of Usher deftly juggles changing timelines while providing insight into each member of the dysfunctional Usher dynasty. This episode shows that the Usher family is going through a federal lawsuit, but each of them is more focused on their own selfish goals. From Tamerlane’s desire to boost the launch of his brand to Victorine’s medical experiments using dangerous sedatives, each member of the Usher family has their flaws exposed. The pilot highlights their wickedness and invites the audience to judge them as each of them faces paying off an old debt.
5
American Horror Story (2011-present)
The first episode of the anthology series American horror story perfectly captures the dark tone of the show and gives the audience plenty of reasons to feel uncomfortable. Better known as the season of Murder House, the opening of the series presents the house destroyed and quickly shows that the ghosts that reside there are threatening and deadly.
The series premiere American horror story centers on the Harmon family looking for a fresh start after Vivien catches her husband, Ben, cheating. They then decide to move with their daughter, Violet, to a new house. Upon arrival, they learn some of the dark history of the house, which becomes a selling point for Violet. The series premiere ensures that the Harmon family never feels a moment of comfort as the tension continues to rise with character introductions that are jarring and disorienting.
4
The Walking Dead (2010-2022)
The highly successful series Undead spans an impressive 11 seasons and has spawned a series of spin-offs centered on zombie killing and survival. The series’ longevity began with an excellent pilot episode that adapted its story from Robert Kirkman’s acclaimed graphic novel. The opening of the series introduces the audience to its main character, Rick Grimes, after he wakes up from a coma and discovers that society has completely collapsed.
UndeadThe film’s pilot episode was successful beyond expectations due to its unique approach of focusing on humanity’s massive loss. The show’s debut creates space for dread to seep through the silence, emphasizing landscapes of eerily silent streets and barricaded, crumbling buildings. The pilot episode works so well because it focuses on Rick’s confusion when he wakes up, which allows the threat of zombies to take a backseat to the isolation he experiences.
3
Yellowjackets (2021 to present)
The 2021 Emmy-nominated series Yellow Jackets remains one of the most intriguing and unnerving horror pilot episodes in recent history. The series follows a high school girls soccer team whose plane crashes in the Canadian desert. At first, the plot makes it seem like it’s essentially a survival story, but the series immediately strikes with a cold opening of a scared girl being chased through a snowy forest while strange calls and chirps echo around her.
The pilot of Yellow Jackets oscillates between the events leading up to the 1996 crash and the current survivors, who have kept the true story of what happened a closely guarded secret. The reason the series premiere hits so hard is that it cloaks its plot in mystery. The episode implies that the group of teenagers were terrified and had to make difficult choices if they wanted to have a chance of survival, but it challenges the viewer to continue the series to uncover the secret even further.
2
The Stranger (2020)
The HBO miniseries that aired in 2020 is based on #1 New York Times Bestselling novel written by legendary horror author Stephen King. It consists of a total of ten episodes and features a robust cast, including actors Ben Mendelsohn, Cynthia Erivo, and Jason Bateman. However, The strangerThe pilot episode of is also one of the best introductions to a series that masquerades as a gritty crime thriller but slowly evolves into a horror story rooted in the supernatural.
In the first episode of The strangerAn upstanding citizen and family man named Terry Maitland is arrested for a horrific murder in his close-knit hometown. Despite eyewitness accounts and his DNA being recovered at the crime scene, he has a solid alibi that places him out of town at the time of the murder. The pilot episode cleverly tricks the audience into expecting a suspenseful story about a killer, but lays the groundwork for a paranormal presence that leaves a trail of heartbreak and ruin.
1
The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
Mike Flanagan’s adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House – based on the classic novel of the same name by Shirley Jackson – is a terrifying look at the trauma shared by a group of siblings, who were exposed to ghosts during their childhood. The pilot episode left its mark on audiences because it focuses on the family aspect between the Crain brothers as they struggle as adults to overcome their disturbing experience at Hill House.
The episode begins with a monologue taken almost word for word from the first page of his novel of the same name. By establishing shots of Hill House’s dark display, eagle-eyed viewers will realize that the true horror lies in recognizing that ghosts are almost always present and often hiding in plain sight. The series premiere The Haunting of Hill House creates the perfect mix of fear and empathy for the Crain family as they try to deal with their loss.