"Top 10 Bone-Chilling Paranormal TV Shows to Watch Now"

Paranormal narratives leave a lasting mark on the mind, unlike typical horror genres. The immersive feeling they evoke lingers long after the screen fades to black, and before you know it, you're checking behind closed doors or under the bed. But why do audiences keep coming back for more? It's difficult to pin down, but one thing is certain: new ways of telling ghost stories are emerging all the time, and they never fail to capture audiences. In fact, with such a rich selection to terrify, paranormal shows are more popular than ever.

Whether you're in the mood for a fictional tale, a true encounter, or a full-blown night-vision experience, there is no shortage of spine-tingling series that will deceive your senses into thinking that sound wasn't just the cats.

Paranormal Investigators: Phasmophobia

Phasmophobia, a reality series hailing from Australia, features Andrea Kaldy, a psychic who investigates well-known haunted areas to determine if they are genuinely haunted by ghosts, poltergeists, or even demonic entities. After her investigation, Kaldy invites three brave participants to enter the location alone and complete a challenge before they are allowed to leave, provided they don't run away first. Available on Prime and YouTube, the show is creepily entertaining, and watching people overcome by fear can be quite frightening. But are the participants (and audiences) too quick to jump to conclusions?

Image via Netflix

This Netflix show has it all: true ghost stories, eerie visuals, and chilling reenactments. People who have experienced paranormal trauma discuss their terrifying tales in a round-table format with their friends and/or family members between dramatic retellings of their encounters. Often, families hold back details from each other, leading to emotional moments on-screen, while friends and acquaintances of the victims are visibly shaken. The production value, particularly in Season 3, is exceptional, making the reenactments as suspenseful as they are cinematic.

Image via Netflix

The first Egyptian Arabic original series by Netflix - based on the novels by Dr. Ahmed Khaled Tawfik - offers a fresh take on paranormal storytelling. The protagonist, Dr. Ismail (played by Ahmed Amin), is a reserved and level-headed man who makes a conscious effort to ignore his past encounters with the supernatural and focuses instead on more verifiable causes. He is a skeptic but is pulled back into his past when a former love comes back to Cairo.

Experience the unsettling tale of Ismail during two critical periods, 1940 and 1969, set against the strife of the Arab-Israeli war. As he grapples with his own doubts, his nephew is plagued with eerily similar haunting incidents. Tawfik's bestselling series fully captures the horrors of the unknown, stunningly shot yet chilling to the bone.

Image via Syfy

Delve into two seasons of this Netflix show boasting the commanding presence of Kim Coates (Sons of Anarchy) and Vincent D'Onofrio (Hawkeye). Despite occasional awkward dialogue and pacing, the show makes up for it with an abundance of ghosts haunting the small Alaskan town's residents. Expect gripping action loaded with guns, gore, and car crashes, but brace yourself for heart-stopping scares too.

Image via Graham Morris

Prime serves up a thrilling three-part limited series based on true events. The story is set in 1977, where a mother and her three children face a relentless poltergeist's wrath. When paranormal investigators played by Timothy Spall (Harry Potter) and Matthew Macfadyen (Succession) arrive, the terror only intensifies. Nominated for two BAFTAs, The Enfield Haunting keeps viewers on the edge of their seats with its eerie brown and orange-toned visuals, the inclusion of children, and the malevolent entity lurking within.

Image via Amazon Prime

Explore the real-life paranormal trauma of the Fourmen brothers in this documentary reality show available on Prime and YouTube. Join the brothers as they travel across the US to assist individuals struggling with the supernatural, driven by their own devastating childhood experiences.

The accounts of those interviewed by the hosts of the show are truly chilling, but the real terror sets in after sunset. Armed with night-vision cameras and EMF readers, the hosts capture images and sounds so eerie that it's impossible to look away.

Mike Flanagan's adaptation of Shirley Jackson's novel, The Haunting of Hill House, has become one of Netflix's most popular series. The story follows the Crain siblings as they reunite for a funeral, only to be haunted by their past.

The long-running Ghost Hunters series, led by Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson, has captivated audiences with their quest for paranormal activity. With 14 seasons available to stream, the team's use of video footage, EMF readers, and sound recordings have terrified viewers.

Based on James Herbert's novel, a young couple moves to a sprawling estate only to realize it was once an orphanage with a dark past. The gripping three-part series, featuring Maisie Williams, offers a quick pace, flashbacks of the orphanage's last days, and terrifying events.

Overall, these shows are a must-watch for horror fans who want to be creeped out and scared.

Introducing the latest addition to Netflix's esteemed collection of original works, Surviving Death breaks away from the mold by exploring an array of intriguing topics, ranging from mediums to signs from the beyond, reincarnation, apparitions, and first-hand accounts from those who have lived to tell the tale despite having passed on.

A riveting blend of talking-head documentary and educational programming, this show is not for the faint of heart, as it will undoubtedly send shivers down your spine. Delivered with unwavering sincerity, each guest's tale of encounter is nothing short of riveting. What's more, scientific professionals, including medical doctors, lend their voices, delivering bulletproof ethos that is as chilling as it is hard to refute. Sweet dreams tonight.

Up next on the horror roster: The Best Horror Movies of All Time.