Tis the season of spooks, and we at ITL know that you can’t spend the whole time partying or debating on if you are too proud to attempt trick-or-treating again (it’s okay, we won’t judge). But regardless of how you plan on spending your time this Halloween, there is always time to squeeze in a horror movie or, preferably, a series. So here they are, our top ten picks for the best horror film franchises.

1. Alien: Though the Alien films have strayed over the years from nail-curling suspense to gore-filled action, the first two films are dead-on classics. A stalking creature perfectly designed for murder, an ear-piercing soundtrack in an isolated setting, and body horror of every type. Even if you want to go for the more action-oriented sequels or even the Predator crossovers, this is one series that is hard to go wrong with.
2. Friday the 13^th: Oh, man. A Friday the 13^th in October? This happens about once every ten years, so what better excuse to imbibe the franchise that took that fateful date and turned it into a juggernaut of horror? The first four films are the best entries, but the others provide some campy enjoyment outside Camp Crystal Lake. The hockey-masked killer has gone to New York City, Hell, and Jason X takes place in space. Talk about adaptability.
3. Nightmare on Elm St.: You can’t talk about Jason without talking about Freddy in the next breath. While the series suffers from the same issue of deteriorating sequels, the first several movies can be legitimately terrifying. Personally, I find the second film, Freddy’s Revenge, is unsettling at every turn, with the main character slowly losing their mind and their identity. You didn’t need to sleep anyway.
4. Texas Chainsaw Massacre: It is difficult to not be afraid of a chainsaw, given that it is a belt of razorblades spinning on a gas-powered engine. Add cannibalism, a perverse family, and the blazing Texas sun, and you’ve got a recipe for one of the greatest horror franchises of all time. While the rest of the movies suffer from the same flaws as other horror sequels, that revving sound will always chill me to the bone.
5. Halloween: While we are on the topic of horror icons, may as well throw Michael Myers into the mix. The Halloween series is often credited with starting the slasher-horror genre, and with the series being set for a reboot soon, you might want to revisit the original holiday horror franchise. It would be advisable to skip Halloween III, which is not about Myers, but an ill-fated attempt to make an anthology. That said, it is hard to pick an outright bad one, including the two reimaginings by Rob Zombie.
6. House of 1000 Corpses/The Devil’s Rejects: Speaking of Rob Zombie, he has done more than just remake other films. He gave it his own shot in 2003 and 2005 with these two gore-fest films. They are both pretty horrific. That’s not me trying to glorify the movies, it’s just true. While it is arguable that two movies don’t make a series, there are always those audiences that want the envelope pushed further. This pick is for you. I hope you can stomach it, and don’t say I didn’t warn you.
7. Saw: Okay, one last gore-focused series, I promise. To be honest, though, the gruesome traps and visuals that populate the Saw series aren’t what I like best about it. The first film is a suspenseful masterpiece and can stand on its own. However, if you are able to watch all of them, you can see a complex (if flawed) detective story slowly laced together over a period of several years. It is almost as if someone planned the whole thing…
8. Evil Dead: Finally, it is time to lighten up a bit. The Evil Dead franchise is a beloved one, due in no small part to the protagonist “Ash” played by the gregarious Bruce Campbell. Though the first film does have some truly shocking moments, the series as a whole embraces a darker sort of comedy and slapstick. In Army of Darkness, Ash is sent back in time to the medieval age to fight the undead with nothing but a chainsaw and a shotgun. That’s badass, period.
9. Paranormal Activity: This series has gotten a lot of flak from critics, but you have to give the movies their due. The first entry is the most profitable movie of all time, and for good reason. These movies return to the suspense driven horror that relies on understating events, reminiscent of The Blair Witch Project. Sure, they get a little convoluted over time, but what franchise here doesn’t? If you like the quiet, creeping sensation of knowing something is wrong without needing to see it, this is your top pick.
10. Scream: If reading this list was like walking down memory lane, the Scream movies are for you (but you probably already knew that). Orchestrated by horror genius Wes Craven, this series is a meta-commentary on horror films while being a unique horror film itself, twisting common tropes on their heads. The first film revolutionized the genre and, unlike several other franchises, all of the sequels stack up pretty well. So to quote the ghost-faced killer, “Do you like scary movies?”