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The 10 Scariest Horror Anthology TV Shows

There's something about horror that makes it a natural fit for the anthology format. From the days of yore when ye olde folks would tell each other ghost stories around the fire, the horror genre arguably works best in short bursts – just enough to build up a sense of dread and then wallop the audience with a big scare at the end.

8) Tales From The Crypt

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The Tales From the Crypt franchise is one of the oldest horror anthologies around and has endured over the years in a variety of different mediums. Originally a pre-code comic book from EC Comics that was as beloved by its young readers as it was hated by conservative adults, Crypt eventually inspired a movie version in 1972. Finally, in 1989 HBO created a TV series around the premise, which is now the most familiar iteration for modern audiences.

Lasting for seven seasons, Tales from the Crypt gleefully recreated the no-holds-barred nature of the comics by featuring levels of profanity, sex and gore that were unprecedented for TV at the time. It was genuinely creepy, too, and is most remembered today for the wraparounds segments that starred the Cryptkeeper – a wizened, pun-filled ghoulie played by John Kassir. That and the litany of famous faces who appeared over the years – including Tom Hanks, Brad Pitt, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Michael J. Fox.

Recently, it was revealed that M. Night Shyamalan is working on a new version of the show – let’s hope he can capture the anarchic spirit of the original.