falltv guide

We run down TV's 11 scariest series of all time

By Kenny Herzog
Special to MSN TV

It's hard to be scary. Just ask all the clever producers, directors and writers out there who've tried their hand at horror or sci-fi on ad-subsidized major networks. Hell, look no further than "The River," which arrived at ABC with the pedigree of "Paranormal Activity" maestro Oren Peli and the backing of Steven Spielberg. Yet, as audiences soon discovered, stretching the novel gimmick of found-footage terror out over several episodes wears pretty thin, particularly when more emphasis is placed on manufacturing gotcha surrealism than introducing a story with inherently compelling implications. (Or, for that matter, a single sympathetic character.)

And sure, the premium channels -- HBO, Showtime, et al. -- have increasingly dabbled in the macabre, as evidenced by "True Blood" and "Dexter," among other gory dramedies that feature Roger Corman-worthy buckets of blood and myriad sinister baddies. But if we're being honest, their popularity relies on the softening of pure fright with cheeky meta-humor and a purposeful ambiguity about good and evil.

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(ABC)