Are you looking for a list of the best paranormal series? Procedural TV shows are very popular, but those that deal with the paranormal add another extra layer that makes them even more unique and interesting. Procedural television shows typically have a set formula that each episode follows, and may or may not have a loose plot underlying it. Thanks to this format, the series can appeal to viewers who can drop into any episode and enjoy what is happening, although watching the entire series as a whole will likely add context and enhance the experience.
As procedural shows have become more common, new series in the category have had to find ways to stand out, whether it's by using a new and unique setting or exploring a career or world that many people may be unfamiliar with. One example that has exploded in popularity over the past couple of decades is paranormal adventures. These shows can be comedic, dramatic, or mystical, but they all introduce ghosts, demons, and other ghouls to raise the tension and create something new.
List of top 10 best TV series about paranormal phenomena
10. Angel (1999)
Angel is a spin-off of the popular supernatural series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series aired from 1999 to 2004 and had a total of five seasons. In the original series, Angel was Buffy Summers' love interest, but given his nature as a vampire and his lack of control over Buffy, he decided to distance himself for the greater good.
Having moved to Los Angeles, known as the City of Angels, Angel works on cases brought to him by people in need of help. As a result, Angel becomes a sort of supernatural private investigator who helps solve problems, restore order, and find lost people. While many spin-offs struggle to find their own voice, Angel has become a strong and unique series, with incredible chemistry between the main cast and exciting new stories in every episode.
9. The Dresden Files (2007)
While Angel ran successfully for several years, another supernatural detective series did not fare as well. The Dresden Files, which starred Paul Blackthorne as Harry Dresden, was canceled after one season in 2007. The series was aimed at adapting Jim Butcher's popular book series about a private detective who is also a wizard. Although the core concept was strong, the series did not attract enough viewers for the Sci Fi Channel to decide to renew it for a second season.
However, like Firefly, The Dresden Files managed to earn a reputation as an underrated series and become a lesser-known favorite among science fiction fans. Although the series only has 12 episodes, the story it is inspired by is explored in the original novels, and the execution of the series is worth watching for the sheer enjoyment and visuals alone.
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8. Grimm (2011)
Grimm takes inspiration from the classic fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm and applies the mythology in a thrilling and twisted crime series. When homicide detective Nicholas Burkhardt discovers that he is a descendant of the Brothers Grimm, a whole new world of supernatural intrigue opens up. As a descendant of the Grimm, Nick has special powers and is tasked with protecting the world from supernatural creatures known as the Wesen.
The series ran for six seasons from 2011 to 2017 and achieved great success during that time. The series was a much more pronounced procedural drama than many of its contemporaries, and it managed to find a balance. In each episode, Nick and his friends uncovered a new mystery and conducted an investigation, without separating the world of mysticism from reality. The reluctant hero and his descent into the world of fairy tales, despite his previous work as a detective who only believes in what he can prove, is also a fun juxtaposition in the series.
7. Lucifer (2016)
Another straight-up cop series, Lucifer is a loose adaptation of the character and Neil Gaiman's comics. The series is about a literal devil who is tired of his situation in Hell and wants to live with the living on Earth. The series had a rocky road, being canceled after just a few seasons, but thanks to an active fanbase online, the series was revived and completed with a sixth season on Netflix.
In the first episode, Lucifer Morningstar makes contact with Detective Chloe Decker and discovers that his powers have no effect on her. Intrigued by the mystery and looking for something to do to relieve boredom, he decides to work closely with Chloe as a consultant, and together they solve murders around Los Angeles. The series is fun, engaging, breaks down barriers between genres, and delivers something unique and engaging from start to finish.
6. Scary Tales (2014)
Penny Dreadful is a unique and highly entertaining series that ran for three seasons before its creator, John Logan, announced that the series had ended and the story had been told. Taking its name from popular short story collections published in Britain in the 19th century, Penny Dreadful collected several stories and combined them into a dramatic horror series centered around death and mystery.
The series centers on Ethan Chandler, who quickly comes into contact with unusual figures from mythology such as Victor Frankenstein, Dorian Gray and Lucifer. The story is darker in tone than the others mentioned earlier, but it is very well told and feels complete after three seasons. Featuring mysterious deaths and an exploration of Victorian England, the series is visually beautiful and deeply engrossing throughout.
5. Twin Peaks (1990)
Going in a completely different direction, David Lynch's Twin Peaks raised the bar when it came to mystery and supernatural stories. Lynch had already made a name for himself by creating great films that earned him widespread admiration, but this series was groundbreaking in many other ways. The series revolves around the murder of a young woman named Laura Palmer, but the real mystery is the city and the people themselves.
The series lasted two seasons, with only 30 episodes, but in that short period of time it managed to make an impression. By shifting its focus to surreal dreams and featuring unusual nightmare scenarios, the series was very different from anything else in the category at the time or since, but it added to the mystery and intrigue as each episode revealed a new dark secret about Twin Peaks and its surroundings.
4. The X-Files (1993)
The X-Files originally ran from 1993 to 2002 for nine seasons. However, the series' popularity and increased press attention in the years following its end led to the creation of two more seasons, which aired from 2016 to 2018. The iconic duo of FBI special agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully were one of the most intriguing and exciting series to come out in the 90s.
Mulder and Scully were assigned to investigate cases that most people considered impossible, unsolvable, or even just hoaxes. The reason is that in all these cases there was a paranormal element that could not be explained. However, Mulder is a strong believer in the supernatural and is drawn to these cases, while his partner Scully is an inveterate skeptic who always has some explanation or idea why what looks unusual is actually commonplace. disguised.
3. Edge (2008)
Fringe struggled to maintain high ratings during its original run from 2008 to 2013, but gained an even larger following after the series ended. The series started out as a monster-of-the-week procedural show that gradually mixed genres and became increasingly serialized as the series progressed, but still had a lot to admire nonetheless. A team from the newly created FBI Fringe unit investigates cases that cannot be explained by known or natural science methods.
Creators JJ Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci were closely involved in bringing the series to life. Excellent casting, the series was nominated for three Emmys and received many other prestigious awards. Even though the story gets more serialized as the plot progresses, the series is worth watching.
2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997)
From Angel to the original series it was based on, Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of the best supernatural series of all time. There are elements that run throughout the series and solid character arcs for each of them, but overall each episode can be picked up and enjoyed without the others. Buffy Summers is a seemingly ordinary girl living in Sunnydale, but in reality she is the chosen Hunter, a monster slayer, called upon to protect the world from evil.
Joss Whedon's series is a fun, exciting, coming-of-age drama and paranormal series all in one. Each episode brings a new threat to Buffy and the quaint town that is actually located above the Hellmouth. With the help of her friends and training from her Watcher, Buffy manages to emerge victorious and protect the world from uncontrollable demons and monsters.
1. Supernatural (2005)
Supernatural is another series that started out as a typical monster-of-the-week procedural in its early seasons, but began moving toward longer serialized narratives as it progressed. Considering the series ran for 15 seasons, from 2005 to 2020, it makes sense that the focus has changed over that time. The series was created by the incredible Eric Kripke, who also adapted the 2019 Amazon Prime Video series The Boys.
Sam and Dean Winchester were raised as hunters from an early age by their father, John Winchester, after his wife, the children's mother, passed away. When their father goes missing years later, the pair team up to destroy all supernatural threats in hopes of finding clues that will lead them to him. The series is an incredible exploration of family, loyalty and the paranormal, and its 15 seasons make it the best paranormal series on television.
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