10 TV Shows Like Crystal Lake You Should Watch Next
The new Crystal Lake series takes us back to the early days of the Friday the 13th franchise to explore the origins of hockey-masked killer Jason’s power and rage—and once again focuses on his mother (Linda Cardellini). Did we really need that backstory? Probably not! But I’m glad to revisit America’s bloodiest (and most depraved) summer camp. If you’re looking for other similarly themed horror adaptations, here are 10 chilling series worth checking out.
Bates Motel (2013–2017)
Want to know more about the backstory of the iconic serial killer and his mother? Say no more. Freddie Highmore plays Norman Bates, a character created by writer Robert Bloch based on real-life killer Ed Gein, and Vera Farmiga plays his mother, Norma (before she became a desiccated corpse victim). Norman may not have committed as many murders as Jason, but he’s far more charming. Like many other adaptations of Alfred Hitchcock’s cult classic Psycho , this film is better than expected, with impressively compelling character development and a few surprises, even if we more or less already know where it’s going. Watch Bates Motel on Prime Video .
Hannibal (2013–2015)
More elevated than Crystal Lake , this reboot/prequel/fresh take on the Thomas Harris novels comes from Bryan Fuller, who first helmed the Friday series before A24 decided it needed something closer to cinema than what he was offering. Fuller returns to the source material, adapting the first Lecter novel in a grand, operatic style and with a visual grace unmatched on television (you’re still unlikely to find more beautifully constructed carnage scenes). What’s more, the deeper, more sensual relationship between the Doctor (Mads Mikkelsen) and profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) adds a brilliant subtext as they hunt serial killers together. The series ended a bit early, but three seasons are still a joy. Watch Hannibal on Prime Video .
Crash (2022–2024)
A British meta-slasher comedy set on a ship (at first). Oscar Kennedy stars as Jamie Walsh, who takes a job on a cruise ship to investigate the disappearance of his sister, last seen working on the same vessel. Once aboard, he soon realizes that everyone is a suspect, and since he’s on the ship, he can’t escape the deadly web of conspiracy he’s deliberately entangled himself in. The series has an infectious energy, combining elements of an Agatha Christie-style detective story with brutal murders among a predominantly queer group of suspects. Season two shifts the action to an island campsite for the super-rich, offering an even more overt Friday the 13th vibe. Watch Crash on Hulu.
Stan vs. Evil (2016–2018)
Inspired by the film Evil Dead , Stan vs. Evil tells the story of a grumpy and obnoxious former sheriff of a New Hampshire town haunted by vengeful spirits, played by John C. McGinley. Janet Varney arrives to replace him, and they soon realize the restless spirits and demons aren’t going to stay quiet for long. The awkward chemistry between the leads is one of the show’s greatest strengths, as are the old-school practical monster effects, reminiscent of the great slasher horror films of the late ’70s and ’80s. The show is more funny (and often very funny) than scary, but the monster effects are well-done, and the show doesn’t shy away from some great, ’80s-style gags. Watch Stan vs. Evil on Shudder and AMC+ .
Chucky (2021–2024)
One of the most enduring horror franchises has gone the way of a television series, with impressively clever results—unsurprising for fans of the ironic, increasingly metaphorical film series. Zachary Arthur plays Jake Wheeler, a gay teenager constantly bullied at school and abused at home by his homophobic father. Jake discovers America’s favorite serial killer doll at a garage sale while participating in a school art project, and Chucky begins to see the (justifiably) angry boy as a potential protégé. Characters from Chucky’s past soon appear to complicate matters, but the relationship between Jake and Chucky remains the heart of the series. Even with its dark sense of humor and over-the-top kills, the series has become an unexpected critical darling. Watch Chucky on Peacock and Prime Video .
Slasher (2016–2023)
Each season of this series tells the story of a single serial killer and his potential victims, stretching out the traditional slasher plot over several hours. During this time, the series (like Crystal Lake ) truly builds the lives and backstories of its characters, something films don’t always have the time or inclination to do. It works here, and each season introduces some compelling characters—it doesn’t hurt that the focus is primarily on adults, rather than the typical teenage victims. The entire series is excellent, but for our purposes, I’ll focus on the episode “The Guilty Party” from season two, in which a group of former counselors return to the scene of a crime to recover the body of a child they all accidentally killed and whose death they deliberately covered up years ago.Watch Slasher on Netflix .
Fear Street (2021 – )
The inclusion of this episode, technically a film series, is a bit of a cheat, but it’s so similar to a miniseries that it’s practically indistinguishable. An adaptation of R.L. Stine’s books, Fear Street Part I: 1994 begins the series with an introduction to the town of Shadeside, known to local teenagers as “Shittown,” which has a dark history of multiple murders. A group of teenagers desecrate a witch’s grave, sparking the revival of a murderous cult, which requires time travel to understand. There are genuine gore scenes and scary moments (this is more or less YA literature, but definitely not children’s), as Janiak pays homage to a wide range of horror films of the past, especially with a flawless parody of the kitschy slasher film in Fear Street Part Two: 1978 , and then an origin story that concludes the first trilogy in Fear Street Part Three: 1666.Watch Fear Street on Netflix .
The Midnight Club (2022)
Mike Flanagan never misses a beat, and this series has a summer camp vibe with a deeper, darker undertone, yet it’s rarely entirely depressing. Based on several young adult novels by Christopher Pike, it follows a group of eight terminally ill young patients at an idyllic hospice run by a secretive and enigmatic doctor (Heather Langenkamp, author of A Nightmare on Elm Street ). Each night, the kids gather to share scary stories of varying genres and styles, each promising to return from the afterlife when their time comes. It’s creepy and often touching, yet never saccharine or sentimental. The series was never intended to be a miniseries, so its cancellation leaves a few unanswered questions—but it works in terms of the overall tone and themes, which explore the unsolvable mysteries of life and death.Watch The Midnight Club on Netflix .
American Horror Story: 1984 (2019)
American Horror Story: 1984 is always controversial and practically immune to criticism. The hilarious 1984 season is as extravagant as you’d expect, and the show’s style is firmly rooted in the era of ’80s slasher sequels. Beginning with a prologue in which a summer camp gangbang turns into a massacre, we jump forward 14 years to find ourselves back at the same camp with a new group of counselors, this time stalked by both the fictional Mr. Jingles (John Carroll Lynch) and the real-life Night Stalker Richard Ramirez (Zach Villa)—at least until a midseason twist turns everything upside down. The references are plentiful, and the period atmosphere is simply delightful. Watch American Horror Story: 1984 on Prime Video and Hulu .
Friday the 13th: The Series (1987–1990)
You might be wondering: What does Friday the 13th have to do with the Jason mythos? Nothing—not a bit, nothing in common with the film series other than the title, a couple of actors, and the involvement of producer Frank G. Mancuso, Jr. And yet, this creepy nighttime masterpiece has many virtues, combining an anthology format with elements of serialized storytelling and a recurring cast. The plot: cousins Mickey Foster (Louise Robie) and Ryan Dallion (John D. Lemay) inherit an antique shop from their uncle, who died under mysterious circumstances that turn out to be linked to years of dealings with Satan that ended in tragedy. Now they must try to recover a multitude of cursed artifacts with the help of family friend and occult expert Jack (Chris Wiggins). Jason isn’t here, but much of the horror is impressively brutal, even though we know our protagonists will (mostly) survive to the end. And if you’re still not convinced, consider this: guest directors David Cronenberg and Atom Egoyan deliver outstanding performances. Watch Friday the 13th on Fubo.