Best of TV – October 2015

Horror is an established genre and it’s easy to scare people in a dimly lit theatre on a 70 mm screen, but to bring out that same effect through a TV series and to maintain the supernatural element at a lower budget is tricky. Nilanjana Dutta, lists some of the TV shows, who achieved just that

Supernatural
The story of two brothers born with a destiny to prevent or propel the apocalypse, this show has depicted numerous dimensions of the supernatural with such finesse that it’s hard to pull away and register reality after you binge watch a season. Although the story tends to get a tad bit repetitive with each season, but the eye candy that is Sam and Dean, the near perfect special effects and the array of good, bad and grey characters is enough to keep one hooked.

American Horror Story
The series is like a set of mega movies with each season concentrating on one set of characters. The plot line is simple enough and changes with each season, as the story revolves around a troubled family which moves into a haunted mansion or a group of dark magic followers. But a smartly structured storyline of thrills and chills that run down the spine and up, an ensemble cast and a creepy and borderline erotic execution, this show manages to give your goosebumps a scare.

The Vampire Diaries
In the forefront is a Twilight inspired love story for the teens to yet again drool on the hunky, good hearted vampires but on the background is an array of vampires, witches and werewolves lurking on edges of reality. This show dwells on how these creatures came about and the rules and restraints the mythically creatures may have and how that makes them vulnerable. For the first time, the humans are not a mere clueless victim, but an aware participant in the world of the supernatural.

The Walking Dead
This drama series revolves around a handful of survivors of a zombie apocalypse as they move around in search of safety. Based on the comic book series by Robert Kirkman, the series effectively captures the eerie aftermath and manages to keep one on its toes as the walking dead lurk around in their rotting grotesque form, as the survivors begin to give up their own humanity to continue to survive.

Death Note
A powerful storyline about a high school boy who finds a notebook which grants him the power to kill anyone whose face and name is known to him and a detective’s attempt to stop the former from doing so isn’t even the high point of this series. The best part of the show is the dramatic illustrations and effective animation which is gripping and addictively scary.