Editorials
Luiz Picks the Best Horror Shows of 2016!
5 Pretty Good Horror Movies You Might’ve Missed in 2016
[Poll Results] The Bloody Disgusting Readers Chose the 10 Best Horror Movies of 2016
10 Biggest Horror Stories of 2016
Let’s Play Pretend and Give Academy Awards to 2016’s Best Horror Movies
Since The Walking Dead premiered back in 2010, it seems that horror in television has been going through an unexpected renaissance. What was once an extremely small corner of TV history has since become mainstream, with more shows like American Horror Story, Hannibal and many others proving that general audiences are ready for genuine scares on the small screen. This has given networks a chance to take risks with their more terrifying material, resulting in some amazing shows.
2016 has continued this delightful trend with what may as well be one of the best years for horror television in history. Not only did we see a lot of creepy new programming, but some established shows also found their footing this past year. Below I’ll be listing my personal choice for the Top Five Best Horror Shows of 2016. However, I’d love to see what your favorites are as well, so post them in the comments!
5. The X-Files
Many viewers don’t quite appreciate the lasting effect that The X-Files had on television in general. This monster of 90s pop culture was everywhere back then, and there’s a good reason for that. When the new season was first announced I couldn’t help but squeal like a schoolgirl, anxious to see what Chris Carter had in store for Mulder and Scully after so many false starts over the years.
While the new season wasn’t exactly the best that The X-Files has to offer, I can honestly say that I wasn’t disappointed. Seeing Duchovny and Anderson onscreen together again was one of the highlights of the year for me, despite that frustrating cliffhanger and some questionable humor. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait another 14 years for the next season.
4. Ash vs Evil Dead
I probably wasn’t the only one that felt a little skeptical when it was announced that Starz would be bringing Ashley Williams to the small screen, but I’m glad they did. The first season may have had some ups and downs, but Ash vs Evil Dead is definitely a welcome addition to Sam Raimi’s franchise.
The show’s sophomore season has only improved so far, with a great cast, clever writing and exceptionally brutal gore, stretching the limits of violence on television. The network has already confirmed a third season, which is great news for those who, like myself, would like a frequent dose of Bruce Campbell in their lives.
3. Channel Zero: Candle Cove
Few people would have expected SyFy to deliver one of the best pieces of serious horror entertainment of the year, but they most certainly did. Based on the eponymous Creepypasta, Channel Zero: Candle Cove was a pleasant (not to mention extremely creepy) surprise and I can’t wait to tune in next year for their adaptation of the No End House.
I’ve done a full review of the series before, so suffice to say that SyFy gave us a tremendously entertaining Halloween treat. However, I’m sure many viewers will agree that if we never see the horrific Tooth Child again, it’ll be too soon.
2. Wolf Creek
The Wolf Creek franchise doesn’t seem like an obvious choice for a TV adaptation, but Greg McLean’s latest foray into the gruesome adventures of Australia’s favorite serial killer is certainly worth a watch. John Jarratt’s Mick Taylor is memorable as always, and he finally has a worthy adversary in Lucy Fry’s Eve Thorogood.
I’ve also done a full review of this one, and I stand by my opinion that it’s one of the best television events of the year. The cinematography is nothing short of beautiful, and the story takes itself seriously, resulting in a more-than-worthy sequel to the Wolf Creek films.
1. The Exorcist
From the first few trailers and TV spots, I didn’t have much faith in Fox’s The Exorcist series. I honestly didn’t think it was possible to adapt such a perfect film (and novel) to the small screen without losing something in the process. When the first episode finally aired, it didn’t seem like anything special, though it certainly wasn’t the disaster many were expecting.
However, much like Trace, my opinion of the show improved with each passing episode, and by the time we reached the mid-series twist, I was hooked. From the perfect cast to the meaningful story about faith, loss and love, there is so much to like about The Exorcist. There have been many quality horror stories on television this year, but I don’t believe any of them are on the same level as this one. Now, we can only hope that Fox listens to the fans and renews the series before it’s too late.
Honorable Mentions
There were a few other contenders for this list that didn’t quite make the cut for one reason or another. Penny Dreadful was one of them, as I didn’t think the third season felt like a proper conclusion to the series, especially considering the heights that it reached last year. Supernatural also came surprisingly close to being featured, as the second half of the 11th season felt like a return to form after a disastrous couple of years, but the show still feels redundant at this point. Finally, MTV’s Scream was also briefly considered, as I honestly enjoy the show, but it still comes off as a guilty pleasure.
The trailer for Ti West’s upcoming adaptation of A Christmas Carol raised a lot of eyebrows when it dropped earlier this week. While plenty of folks initially dismissed Ebenezer as a derivative project meant to cash in on the recent wave of unnecessary prequels that expand the backstory of beloved characters (such as 2023’s Wonka), Charles Dickens’ original novel already made a point of exploring Ebenezer Scrooge’s origins in detail – meaning that this new film is likely just a particularly faithful adaptation of the source material under a different name.
Couple that with the fact that the movie is being helmed by a genuine horror auteur and I think it’s safe to say that the latest iteration of the first modern ghost story is in good hands.
That being said, one detail that immediately jumped out at me during the brief teaser (other than a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it nod to Johnny Depp’s iconic bedroom death scene from the original A Nightmare on Elm Street) is the fact that many of Ebenezer’s ghosts appear to have been directly lifted from the iconic John Leech illustrations that accompanied the first edition of Dickens’ novel.
Here are a couple of stills from the trailer compared to the original artwork:
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come in ‘Ebenezer’ and ‘A Christmas Carol’
The Phantoms in ‘A Christmas Carol’ and ‘Ebenezer’
Marley’s Ghost in ‘Ebenezer’ and ‘A Christmas Carol’
Mainly working with old-school wood and steel engravings that would later be transferred to print, Leech was instrumental in crafting the iconic look of history’s most influential phantoms – especially since Dickens is said to have been deeply involved with the creation of these so-called “comic illustrations.”
And since the novel is commonly said to have popularized spiritualism in Victorian England, much of the ghostly iconography that we still see in genre media to this very day (including some of Ti West’s previous films) can be traced back to the author’s partnership with Leech.
Ebenezer won’t be the first A Christmas Carol adaptation to borrow heavily from these designs, but I can appreciate how Ti West is incorporating an important part of horror history into his latest film.
Ebenezer will be available in theaters starting November 13.
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