Jason Voorhees. Predator. Xenomorphs. Movie monsters are some of the most memorable characters to grace the silver screen.
But what about TV? Well, that’s what today’s list is ALL about. Most will be entries from horror-themed shows…with a few surprises, too.
Let’s go ahead and jump right into this one. Here are 10 Memorable TV Show Monsters:
10. Demogorgon (Stranger Things)
Though I haven’t watched the series…I know…sorry…I’ve seen images and clips of the demogorgon and it is terrifying. If I bumped into this thing in the middle of the night (or the day for that matter!) I’d not only piss myself, I’d punch myself in the face and then throw myself off a cliff….okay, I’m being dramatic, but can you blame me? The long, gangly limbs, the blossom head filled with rows of teeth, and that shriek…dead.
9. The Flukeman (The X-Files)
Mutant sewer worm man…yuck. This creature is not only disturbing, but if it bites you, it injects some of its young into you. These parasites feast on the living host body. That alone is memorable…but then you SEE the flukeman. It’s the size of a man, pale, slimy, and has a suction shaped mouth with four fangs for locking into flesh. A classic creature from X-Files that still haunts my dreams….sometimes.
8. Gooey Gus (Ghostwriter)
Okay, this is 100% a personal choice (and therefore probably isn’t as scary as I remember). If you are too young to remember, or missed this show, let me explain the premise of Ghostwriter. A group of friends solve mysteries in their neighborhood with the help of the ghostwriter, a ghost who can only communicate using written or typed letters it manipulates into sentences. Gooey Gus was a doll that “leaked” goo. It was a creepy looking doll that had a mind of its own. I never actually saw the conclusion to this story…but I remember one scene. I can’t remember their names, but I remember a boy and girl. The girl is in a wagon covered in slime (and blows a bubble) and the boy is telling her to chew…and that’s it.
7. Walkers (The Walking Dead)
The make-up and practical effects for this show are on another level. The progression of decay on all of the zombies are so hauntingly beautiful. I don’t have much else to say about it.
6. The Haunted Mask (Goosebumps)
This episode of Goosebumps, for SOME reason, was the scariest for me. It wasn’t even necessarily because of the mask’s design…no…that’s a lie…it was. It was the mask. Specifically the row of creepy masks. I mean if you watched the Goosebumps TV Show this was really the episode that proved it wasn’t going to pull ANY punches.
5. Gremlin (The Twilight Zone)
It may not have aged well, but this thing scared me so bad as a child, I STILL have small panic attacks if I have to sit in a window seat on a plane. I remember walking in when my dad was watching this episode (a re-run, obviously…I’m not THAT old) and recognizing William Shatner. I, the innocent child that I was, sat down on the couch and screamed so loud when the gremlin appeared in the window my mom thought I’d hurt myself. When I learned the same story was in the Twilight Zone film…I noped right out of watching it until I was older…classic.
4. The Gentlemen (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
I don’t know what it is about tall, gangly men that make them perfectly terrifying. Though to be fair, these weirdoes from Buffy also seems to glide around with creepy smiles, black eyes, and ate the hearts of humans…so maybe that has something to do with it. It’s true the vampire designs in the show were memorable, too, but I thought I’d pick these gentlemen because they may have only been on screen for one episode…but they made a LASTING impact.
3. Deadites (Ash vs. Evil Dead)
I…love…this…show…and that’s the main reason this entry is included. Deadites come in all shapes, sizes, and….dead-ness. They’re undead spirits that possess….well, ANYTHING really, but most commonly humans. Though they have possessed trees, cars, puppets, dolls, houses, and body parts just to name a few. And somehow they add gallons and gallons of blood to whatever they possess…no matter the size.
2. Weeping Angels (Doctor Who)
Sometimes the most innocent looking things can be the scariest. Appearing as simple stone angels, these creatures can only move when you aren’t looking at them. And if they catch you, they feed on your…potential life energy? I don’t know if that is an accurate description, but basically they send you into the past (either decades before your birth or thousands of years…possibly more…) and they feed off what could have been your life if you stayed in the present. Doesn’t sound too bad, but if you’ve ever played a game with something chasing you that can only move when you aren’t looking or blinking…you understand the horror of these monsters.
1. Bent-Neck Lady (Haunting of Hill House)
I mean…I had to add SOMETHING from Hill House. And I think between the Bent-Neck Lady and the Tall Ghost…Bent-Neck Lady wins. She is terrifying. She actually epitomizes one of my fears. Opening my eyes in bed and seeing a woman over me…so yeah…I’m gonna remember this bitch the rest of my life.
Time for some honorable mentions….to be fair, I asked friends and family to help with these so there are a couple I’m not familiar with, but they assured me they deserved to be acknowledged.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
5. The Plague Kings (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina)
4. Nightcomers (Penny Dreadful)
3. The Insect Monster (X-Files)
2. The Silence (Doctor Who)
1. William Hill/Bowler Hat/Tall Man Ghost (Haunting of Hill House)
I know I missed a lot of creatures from the small screen. Make sure to comment ones that scarred you for life down below.
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