The Best Episodes From 32 Great Anthology TV Shows

What makes anthology TV shows some of the best television out there is that no two episodes are the same. These types of series continuously deliver new stories that challenge the mind, scare you to death, or even warm your heart.

The question is, which of these diverse tales is the most essential, thought-provoking, and overall entertaining from each of TV's best anthology series? Well, the answer is truly up to you, but these are the picks that we came up with.

Black Mirror - "San Junipero"

Everyone has a different choice for the best Black Mirror episode, many of which posit a tragic take on technology's ever-increasing influence on society. However, topping the list for many fans of Charlie Brooker's Netflix exclusive hit is the Emmy-winning "San Junipero," which is an uplifting romance following two young women (played by Mackenzie Davis and Gugu Mbatha-Raw) in the 1980s... or so it seems.

Are You Afraid Of The Dark? - "The Tale Of The Dead Man's Float"

Nickelodeon's own original horror anthology TV show, Are You Afraid of the Dark? may have been conceived with a young audience in mind, but never held back from delivering genuine thrills. One of the scariest stories the Midnight Society ever told was "The Tale of the Dead Man's Float," which makes the ridiculous idea of a haunted pool effective with its ghostly antagonist.

Modern Love - "When The Doorman Is Your Main Man"

For people who cannot get enough of romantic-comedy movies, Amazon Prime's Modern Love gives you multiple stories about the ups and downs of contemporary romance. However, one of the most acclaimed episodes does not follow a romantic relationship, but a friendship between a New Yorker (played by Cristin Milioti) and her building's doorman (played by Laurentiu Possa), who offers her advice on everything from her dating life to her career.

Room 104 - "Mr. Mulvahill"

Mark and Jay Duplass' Room 104, which could technically count as one of the best horror TV shows on Max, presents a series of distinct standalone tales that each take place in the same motel room. Topping many fans and critics' list of its best episodes is the dark and wildly subversive story about a troubled man (played by Rainn Wilson) who invites his third grade music teacher, Mr. Mulvahill (Frank Birney), to meet, and grows desperate to get him to remember a life-changing encounter they once shared.

The Outer Limits - "Demon With A Glass Hand"

The arguably scarier and undeniably weirder counterpart to The Twilight Zone was The Outer Limits, which lasted a memorable two seasons in the early 1960s. The episode often credited as its crown jewel is "Demon with a Glass Hand," in which the fate of the human race rests on the shoulders of an amnesiac with a bizarre mechanical appendage.

Love, Death & Robots - "Bad Traveling"

Curiously, the one tale most often cited as the best Love, Death & Robots episode has nothing to do with two out of the three titular themes that define the Netflix original animated anthology series. Directed by David Fincher, "Bad Traveling" is a bleak, paranoia-driven story about a sailing crew torn apart (sometimes literally) by a vicious creature that makes itself at home on its ship.

Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet Of Curiosities - "The Autopsy"

Widely considered the best episode of Cabinet of Curiosities is director David Prior's "The Autopsy," starring Oscar winner F. Murray Abraham as a coroner asked to examine the victims of a freak mining accident. The discovery that there is more than meets the eye with one of the bodies leads to one of the most shocking moments in the unsettling fantasy series from creator Guillermo del Toro.

Amazing Stories - "The Mission"

The aim of Amazing Stories was never to scare but to explore the fantastic possibilities of human imagination, and few episodes demonstrate that better than "The Mission." Series co-creator Steven Spielberg helms this story of a gunner (played by Casey Siemaszko) for a World War II-era B-17 crew (also including Kevin Costner and Kiefer Sutherland) who gets trapped in the turret ball underneath the plane after an accident, which also destroys the plane's landing gear.

Goosebumps - "The Haunted Mask, Parts 1 & 2"

R.L. Stine's Goosebumps is a series of creepy children's novels that was later made into an anthology series. The first book adapted for the show, resulting in one of its scariest episodes, was "The Haunted Mask," in which a bullied girl makes the horrifying discovery that her new Halloween costume is causing her to undergo a physical and behavioral transformation

The Twilight Zone - "Time Enough At Last"

The quintessential anthology series would have to be creator and narrator Rod Serling's highly imaginative and always undeniably chilling The Twilight Zone, which would go through several iterations over six decades. One of the most iconic episodes of the original late '50, early '60s run, "Time Enough at Last," stars Burgess Meredith as a bookworm who is finally given the chance to read as much as he wants after becoming the sole survivor of a cataclysmic event. However, the shocking twist sees his luck change on a dime.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents - "Breakdown"

The director of classic cinematic thrillers like Psycho and Vertigo would also bring his expertise in suspense to the small screen with Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Hitchcock directed 17 episodes of the anthology, including a masterclass in simple stories with spine-tingling executions called "Breakdown," which follows a film producer fighting for his life after a car accident leaves him paralyzed.

What If...? - "What If... Zombies?!"

The Marvel Cinematic Universe canon already diverges from the original comics' main timeline in many ways, but Marvel Studios' animated Disney+ series, What If...? explores additional variants of those characters existing in the Marvel Multiverse. One of the most exciting interdimensional tales, however, takes inspiration from the popular Marvel Zombies series, in which surviving vigilantes are forced to fight reanimated corpses of their colleagues following the outbreak of a horrifying virus.

Tales From The Crypt - "Yellow"

HBO's Tales from the Crypt, hosted by the decrepit and kooky Cryptkeeper, was so popular that it inspired a few feature-length spin-offs, including 1995's Demon Knight, which some believe is, technically, the best tale the series ever produced. However, one of its most acclaimed official episodes is "Yellow," which is a World War II-set story from director Robert Zemeckis about a general (played by Kirk Douglas) who attempts to help his son (played by Eric Douglas) avoid death by firing squad.

Documentary Now! - "Waiting For The Artist"

From creators Bill Hader, Fred Armisen, and Seth Meyers, Documentary Now! is a collection of short films inspired by (and poking fun of) some of the most renowned examples of non-fiction filmmaking. For instance, 2012's Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present was parodied in the show's most acclaimed installment, "Waiting for the Artist," which features a stirring, and quite hilarious, performance by Cate Blanchett as a renowned performance artist with over-the-top ambitions.

Creepshow - "Public Television Of The Dead"

Imagine if Ash Williams from the Evil Dead movies pursued a career in hosting a low-budget TV show about painting, a la Bob Ross. The result would have looked a lot like "Public Television of the Dead," which is easily the most fun episode of Creepshow, Shudder's series adaptation of the classic horror anthology movie from director George Romero and writer Stephen King.

Night Gallery - "They're Tearing Down Tim Riley's Bar"

Rod Serling's follow-up to The Twilight Zone was Night Gallery, which was also plenty high on otherworldly themes and creepy tones, but far shorter on episodes that concerned themselves with social commentary. That must be why Serling's favorite episode was one of its most poignant, "They're Tearing Down Tim Riley's Bar," in which a widowed business executive (played by William Windom) finds himself immersed in memories of his past after learning his favorite hangout spot is being demolished.

Lore - "Unboxed"

Before there was Chucky, or Annabelle, or other creepy characters from scary doll movies of the like, there was Robert – a stuffed, child-like toy resembling a sailor that is on display at East Martello Museum in Florida, according to the Key West Art and Historical Society. The infamous legend of its supernatural abilities served as the basis of "Unboxed," which is one of the highest-rated episodes of Amazon Prime's fact-based horror anthology series, Lore.

Monsterland - "Port Fourchon, Louisiana"

One of the best horror TV shows on Hulu is Monsterland, which is adapted from the short story collection North American Lake Monsters by Nathan Ballingrud. The first episode, "Port Fourchon, Louisiana," is anchored by a stellar performance by Kaitlyn Dever as a restaurant server and single mother struggling with poverty when she encounters a stranger with a peculiar talent.

Tales From The Darkside - "Seasons Of Belief"

Horror master George Romero created his own spooky anthology TV show called Tales from the Darkside, which ran from 1983 to 1988 and even inspired a cinematic spin-off in 1990. One of its most revered episodes, also considered one of the scariest Christmas episodes of any show, is "Seasons of Belief," which involves a couple who attempt to scare some Christmas spirit into their children by telling the terrifying story of "The Grither."

Monsters - "The Waiting Game"

The title of the late '80s horror anthology, Monsters, mainly referred to the suburban family of otherworldly creatures tuning in to see the next creepy story, but also teased what each episode had in store. For instance, one of the most acclaimed episodes is "The Waiting Game," in which survivors of a nuclear disaster discover that the dead are rising from their graves.

Dimension 404 - "Cinethrax"

Hulu tried its hand at a Black Mirror-style sci-fi anthology, but with a less earnest and more overtly supernatural edge, with Dimension 404, which is narrated by Mark Hamill. One episode that seamlessly blends its elements of horror and comedy is "Cinethrax," starring Patton Oswalt as a movie buff who takes his niece, played by Sarah Hyland, to see a new blockbuster in an experimental theatrical format that must be seen to be believed.

Two Sentence Horror Stories - "Tutorial"

Creator Vera Maio used the Reddit thread, "Two Sentence Horror Stories," in which users craft something spooky out of just a handful of words, as inspiration for a CW series of scary half-hour tales. One of the most engaging, "Tutorial," is shot in the style of a found footage movie and follows a young internet influencer (Aleyse Shannon) whose makeup tutorial video is interrupted by events that hint at an intruder. However, nothing is quite what it seems.

Star Wars: Visions - "The Ninth Jedi"

The ever-growing universe of the Star Wars saga was further expanded upon in multiple directions with the release of the animated series, Star Wars: Visions. One of its most revered tales is "The Ninth Jedi," which follows the daughter of a lightsaber maker who is pursued by dark forces.

Electric Dreams - "Autofac"

One of the most prolific writers in science fiction history is Philip K. Dick, whose work inspired Amazon Prime's Electric Dreams. Janelle Monae stars in an episode adapted from his 1955 novelette, "Autofac," which follows a rebellion taking form in a dystopian society in which humans are forced to give up their basic human rights for the freedom of consumerism.

Accused - "Val's Story"

Accused is a collection of stories told from the perspective of people on trial for a crime. One of its most powerful episodes, "Val's Story," stars How I Met Your Mother cast member Cobie Smulders as a divorced mom who becomes the top suspect in the investigation of her ex-husband's murder.

American Horror Stories - "Dollhouse"

While American Horror Story tells a different bizarre story every season, American Horror Stories takes things one episode at a time. It kicked off its second season with the fan favorite, "Dollhouse," starring Kristine Froseth as a doll factory employee hopeful who is kidnapped and made to be a part of a toy maker's collection of women dressed as dolls.

The Guest Book - "Story Eight"

TBS' The Guest Book does have an overarching story taking place at the same cottage, but each episode focuses on a different guest. One of the more memorable guests, coming from the first season's eighth episode, is a medical researcher (played by Jenna Fischer) who brings an Alzheimer's patient (played by Orson Bean) to the cottage, hoping to help regain his memories.

Oats Studios - "Rakka"

Neill Blomkamp made extraterrestrial visitors victims of oppression in his 2009 breakthrough feature, District 9, but flips the script for the first installment in his collection of shorts films, available on Netflix, named after his own Oats Studios. Featuring Sigourney Weaver in a major role, "Rakka" peers into the lives of the last remaining humans amid a brutal alien invasion.

Freddy's Nightmares - "It’s My Party And You’ll Die If I Want You To"

In 1988, the menacing villain from one of the classic horror movies, A Nightmare on Elm Street, was given his own show in which he haunted the dreams of various other characters. Often cited as the top episode of Freddy's Nightmares is "It’s My Party and You’ll Die If I Want You To," in which Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) possesses a fake psychic and seeks revenge on an old prom date.

Creeped Out - "The Many Place"

Netflix's own answer to Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Goosebumps is a (somewhat) kid-friendly horror anthology TV show called Creeped Out, which boasts a genuinely creepy episode that deals with cross-dimensional travel and borrows from the "Backrooms" creepypasta. In "The Many Place," pushing every button on a hotel elevator sends three vacationing siblings to an endless labyrinth of hallways and rooms, but the only way home may be impossible to find.

Soulmates - "Watershed"

In 2020, AMC aired an anthology series called Soulmates, set in a near future where there exists a test that can match someone with the true person they are meant to be with, with 100% accuracy. One of the highest-rated stories involving how this test has affected people follows a woman (played by Sarah Snook) who secretly takes the test without the knowledge of her husband (played by Kingsley Ben-Adir).

Bloodride - "Lab Rats"

Most of the episodes of Netflix's Norwegian horror anthology, Bloodride, have a supernatual element. However, arguably its strongest story, "Lab Rats," is a grounded crime thriller in which a pharmaceutical company owner subjects his dinner guests to a night of humiliation and ruthless interrogation when he suspects one of them stole the prototype for a new product.