7 Horror Shows That Hook You in the First 10 Minutes

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Horror movies can grab your attention quickly, but a scary TV show needs a compelling idea that can last for an entire season. It also needs to be consistently unsettling or frightening, without relying too much on cheap jump scares.

It’s tough for horror shows to strike the right balance – they need a genuinely interesting story and enough frightening moments to keep viewers hooked. The opening ten minutes are crucial; a good show needs to grab your attention and hint at the scares to come without revealing too much. Luckily, there are some fantastic horror shows that manage to do just that.

Bates Motel Introduces Fans to a Younger Norman Bates

Bates Motel (2013-2017) is a contemporary take on the classic film Psycho (1960). It also serves as a backstory, showing a teenage Norman Bates and his relationship with his mother, Norma. The series explores Norman’s development, revealing the events that led him to become the infamous serial killer and owner of the Bates Motel seen in the original film.

The first episode of Season 1, titled “First You Dream, Then You Die,” begins with the discovery of Norman’s father’s death. Norman finds his father in the garage, seemingly killed by a heavy object falling on him. Distraught, he searches for his mother, but Norma reacts with unsettling calm. The episode doesn’t clearly reveal what happened, leaving viewers to wonder if Norma or even Norman himself might be responsible.

Okay, let’s be upfront: the very first episode of Bates Motel is rough. It doesn’t pull any punches, and honestly, it’s pretty disturbing. There’s a particularly intense and upsetting scene involving Norma early on, right after they move to White Pine Bay, that’s genuinely difficult to watch. Even if you’re a horror fan, be prepared. However, despite how intense it is, those first ten minutes are incredibly gripping. They absolutely hooked me and will likely draw anyone in who’s even a little bit curious about the story of Norman Bates.

The Walking Dead Introduces an Unsuspecting Sheriff to a Zombie Apocalypse

The Walking Dead is a TV series about a zombie apocalypse, but it’s really about the struggles people face with each other. Though the show had its ups and downs over its eleven seasons, it was once one of the most popular shows on TV, focusing on a group of survivors who find that other people can be more threatening than the zombies themselves.

The first episode of Season 1, titled “Days Gone Bye,” begins with a disturbing image: Rick driving along an empty highway, dodging abandoned vehicles. He soon runs out of gas and has to walk to find help. He encounters his first walker – a young girl wearing bunny slippers – and desperately tries to help her, quickly realizing she’s already deceased and is forced to shoot her. Starting the series with such a tragic event was a bold move, but it immediately highlighted just how harsh and unforgiving the new world had become.

The story begins with Sheriff Rick Grimes regaining consciousness in an empty hospital after being in a coma. The initial part of his experience intentionally mirrors the beginning of the film 28 Days Later (2002). The first episode primarily shows Rick trying to survive in a world filled with zombies – referred to as “walkers” – and desperately trying to reunite with his wife and son.

Alien: Earth Doesn’t Wait to Reveal the Xenomorph

The new series Alien: Earth (premiering in 2025) is the latest addition to the popular Alien franchise and was a major hit with fans. With high expectations, Season 1 delivered, earning a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It quickly became a top show on Hulu, surpassing even established favorites like Only Murders in the Building.

The first episode of Season 1, “Neverland,” immediately grabbed viewers’ attention by diving straight into the action. Unlike previous stories that built suspense with a slow reveal, this episode began with chaos. We’re introduced to the story aboard the Maginot, a research ship carrying various alien creatures – including a Xenomorph – that is rapidly crashing to Earth. As the ship goes down, a Xenomorph attacks the crew, creating immediate danger and excitement.

There are many things that make Alien: Earth a great show. It immediately features the iconic Xenomorph, a key element of the Alien franchise. But it also offers more than just that—it introduces interesting new characters, unique alien creatures, and expands the Alien universe in a way that feels respectful to the original film and established lore.

Penny Dreadful Opens with a Mysterious & Gruesome Murder

From 2014 to 2016, Penny Dreadful was a horror series set in the past. It centers on Vanessa Ives, an enigmatic and striking woman. The first season follows Vanessa as she assists an explorer in searching for his daughter, who has been taken by a bizarre being. The show’s name references “penny dreadfuls,” inexpensive, popular fiction published in Britain during the 1800s.

The first episode, “Night Work,” begins with a terrifying scene: a mother is suddenly attacked by a bizarre creature while inside her home. She’s violently pulled out a window, leaving her daughter to discover the gruesome aftermath in the hallway. The attack is brutal and leaves the mother dismembered, immediately grabbing the viewer’s attention.

The show Penny Dreadful centers around classic literary characters like Dracula, Frankenstein and his monster, Dorian Gray, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The series portrays these figures as real people and reimagines their origins, but doesn’t make them the sole focus of the story.

The Last of Us Makes a Zombie Apocalypse Seem a Little Too Realistic

The Last of Us (2023-Present) is a TV series based on the popular video games, The Last of Us (2013) and The Last of Us Part II (2020). It’s been widely praised by both critics and viewers, proving that video game adaptations can be successful.

Okay, so the series kicks off with an episode called “When You’re Lost in the Darkness,” and it’s a really clever setup – they present the whole story as a 1968 talk show. The focus is on these two epidemiologists, Neuman and Schoenheiss, who are discussing a terrifying fungus. It’s already taking over insects, completely controlling ants, and they lay out this chilling possibility that, given the right circumstances, it could evolve to do the same to humans. It’s a creepy and effective way to introduce the central threat.

The show draws inspiration from Cordyceps, a real type of parasitic fungus that takes over its hosts. This makes the show’s premise feel increasingly believable, especially as scientists learn more about the conditions that could allow such a fungal outbreak to occur. The episode “When You’re Lost in the Darkness” also delves into Joel’s past, revealing the tragic story of how his daughter was killed by a soldier while they attempted to flee the initial outbreak in Austin, Texas.

Stranger Things is One of the Biggest Shows Ever Made

Stranger Things, which originally premiered in 2016 and is set to conclude in 2025, is a hugely popular series on Netflix. The creators, the Duffer Brothers, didn’t anticipate the show becoming so massive and lasting five seasons, but it’s clear Stranger Things will be remembered as a truly impactful show when it finishes on New Year’s Eve.

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The first episode of Season 1, titled “The Vanishing of Will Byers,” begins with a thrilling game of Dungeons & Dragons. Mike Wheeler is hosting the game for his friends Dustin, Lucas, and Will. During the game, Will’s character is attacked by a dangerous creature, but the game is interrupted when Mike’s mom calls them in for the night. As Will bikes home, he’s followed by a strange monster that ultimately abducts him, seemingly taking him to another dimension and leaving no sign of where he went.

Although the show has become incredibly popular and complex, its first season was much simpler. Many fans still consider Season 1 the best, praising its heartfelt story about a mother coping with the loss of her young son.

IT: Welcome to Derry is a 2025 Heavy Hitter

2025 has been an incredible year for horror on TV. We’ve seen the final season of Stranger Things, and the new series Alien: Earth premiered on FX and Hulu in August. Adding to the excitement, Pennywise the Dancing Clown is back in IT: Welcome to Derry, which started airing this year.

The first episode, titled “The Pilot,” immediately grabs your attention. We meet Matty, a young boy who’s run away from home and is hiding out at the movie theater. He ends up traveling with a seemingly kind family, but it quickly becomes clear they’re actually a dangerous illusion created by Pennywise.

Welcome to Derry is inspired by Stephen King’s novel, IT, and acts as a backstory to the films IT (2017) and IT Chapter Two (2019). While fans were eager to see this new series, there was also concern it wouldn’t measure up, particularly given the mixed reactions to how IT Chapter Two ended. Fortunately, the series has started strong, immediately establishing a compelling and impactful atmosphere.

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2025-12-28 04:14