It’s time to celebrate, ghouls and goblins! Spooky Season has come to its climactic end, as today is Halloween! That means it’s time to stock up on candy, carve a few pumpkins, put together a costume that you’ll inevitably regret wearing after about 20 minutes, and settle in for some appropriately haunted entertainment. Of course, what qualifies as Halloween viewing can vary dramatically from person to person; some of us want to spend the evening screaming at masked killers, while others are perfectly happy watching three silly witch sisters terrorize a small Massachusetts town. And then there are those who would prefer their Halloween celebrations to involve considerably more laughter than actual terror.

Fortunately, there’s no shortage of movies and TV shows to satisfy every kind of Halloween mood. Whether you’re looking for the terrifying classics that helped define the horror genre, some family-friendly favorites, a delightfully ridiculous horror comedy, or a nostalgic Halloween episode from your favorite sitcom, we’ve rounded up plenty of options to make your All Hallow’s Eve viewing as entertaining — and potentially terrifying — as possible.

The best Halloween movies and TV shows to stream

Classic horror movies

There’s a reason certain horror movies have remained essential viewing for generations. Long before CGI monsters and increasingly elaborate jump scares became commonplace, filmmakers were finding inventive ways to terrify audiences with shadows, suspense, unsettling performances, and the occasional knife-wielding maniac. From the iconic Universal monster movies to Alfred Hitchcock’s masterful psychological manipulation to John Carpenter’s creation of one of cinema’s most indestructible villains, these are the movies that helped establish the rules of the genre.

Bloody Halloween movies

If your idea of a successful Halloween movie marathon involves an ever-increasing body count, an assortment of questionable teenage decisions, and at least one character who absolutely should not have gone into the basement, this category is for you. The slasher genre has given us some of horror’s most recognizable villains, but the best entries offer more than creative ways to dispatch their unsuspecting victims. Whether they’re building unbearable suspense, satirizing the genre’s familiar conventions, or giving the Final Girl all that she can handle, these movies know exactly how to make an audience scream.

Modern horror movies

For anyone who thinks the golden age of horror is somewhere in the distant past, the past decade or so has provided some pretty compelling evidence to the contrary. Contemporary filmmakers have increasingly used the genre to explore grief, identity, family dysfunction, racism, and all manner of deeply uncomfortable human experiences, often while delivering some truly spectacular scares.

Funny, spooky movies

Not everybody wants to spend Halloween hiding behind a pillow, and thankfully, there are plenty of movies that see the silly in ghosts, vampires, zombies, and assorted other creatures of the night. Some of these films are affectionate parodies of horror conventions, while others simply embrace the ridiculousness of their supernatural premises. Either way, they’re perfect for viewers who want to get into the Halloween spirit without worrying about what might be lurking under the bed.

Family-friendly Halloween movies

There’s something particularly wonderful about experiencing Halloween through the eyes of a child, when even the most innocent witch or friendly ghost can feel like something special. These movies deliver plenty of pumpkins, costumes, supernatural mischief, and holiday atmosphere without requiring quite as much emotional recovery time as the more terrifying entries on our list. Some are childhood classics that have become annual traditions, while others are imaginative animated adventures that deserve a spot in the family rotation.

Witchy movies

Halloween wouldn’t be the same without a few witches, and cinema has certainly given us an entertaining assortment over the years. Some are misunderstood outsiders, others are charmingly eccentric, and a few would happily turn you into something considerably less human if you happened to annoy them. These movies range from romantic fantasies and musical adventures to genuinely unsettling supernatural stories, proving that there are almost as many ways to tell a witch story as there are ingredients in a particularly questionable cauldron.

Spooky TV shows

Sometimes two hours of supernatural entertainment simply aren’t enough. Fortunately, television has spent decades proving that haunted houses, vampires, witches, monsters, and inexplicable small-town mysteries can sustain entire seasons of captivating storytelling. Whether you prefer an anthology that introduces a fresh nightmare with every episode, an engrossing supernatural drama, or a comedy about extraordinarily incompetent vampires, these series provide more than enough material to keep the Halloween spirit alive long after the trick-or-treaters have gone home.

The best Halloween TV episodes

For many people, Halloween television traditions have less to do with frightening monsters than with watching familiar characters put on elaborate costumes and get themselves into increasingly absurd situations. Sitcoms have a particularly wonderful history of embracing the holiday, whether through competitive costume contests, spectacularly ill-advised pranks, or the occasional supernatural detour. These are some of the best episodes to revisit when you want a little Halloween nostalgia without committing to an entire movie.

Halloween TV specials

Before streaming services made it possible to watch practically anything at practically any time, holiday television specials were appointment viewing. Families gathered around the television to revisit beloved characters, enjoy some seasonal mischief, and occasionally learn an earnest lesson about friendship or kindness. There’s still something wonderfully comforting about returning to those traditions, even if modern technology means we no longer have to consult the TV Guide to figure out when they’ll be on.

Halloween reality shows and competitions

Not every Halloween viewing experience needs to involve a fictional monster, a masked killer, or a haunted house. Sometimes, watching talented bakers construct elaborate edible nightmares or special effects artists transform ordinary people into horrifying creatures can be every bit as entertaining. From impressively intricate costumes and spectacular makeup creations to deliciously disturbing desserts, these reality shows and competitions celebrate the creativity, artistry, and imagination that make Halloween such a uniquely entertaining holiday.