Halloween is coming up, and what's a better way to honor the season than to cozy up with a nice blanket, some popcorn, and the most gruesome serial killer shows out there? There are plenty, but some are a cut above the rest and provide more intrigue and entertainment for the time you invest in them.
The six serial killer shows we can't get enough of at Halloween 2025 are a great mix of things, like a trick-or-treat bag with candy: from the classic stories everyone loves, like Criminal Minds, to the more controversial Dahmer, or the international hit series, The Chestnut Man.
Dahmer, aka Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
Dahmer is the first series in Ryan Murphy's Monster universe, and it's a controversial one, though this isn't unusual for Murphy. He's always been a person who intended to move boundaries with his shows, and Dahmer is one in a series of many shows that made Murphy not only the one to watch but also the author of work that viewers often have a love/hate relationship with. Dahmer is exciting and intense and a treat for fans of serial killer content, with the show's controversies not just overshadowing it but adding to the lore.
Dahmer stars Evan Peters as the notorious serial killer, Jeffrey Dahmer, and it explains and covers his life from his childhood until he was caught. The show emphasizes the moments Dahmer nearly got caught for his crimes and analyzes his relationship with his father, Lionel (Richard Jenkins) and stepmother, Shari (Molly Ringwald). It also shows his neighbor, Glenda (Niecy Nash), who repeatedly called the police on him, but they ultimately responded only once. Though this one time was enough, Dahmer emphasizes how racial biases ultimately became a big part of why he wasn't caught sooner.
Dahmer is available on Netflix and has 10 episodes.
The Chestnut Man
The Chestnut Man is a Nordic Noir series with great performances and a gripping case at its heart. It stars Danica Curcic and Mikkel Boe Folsgaard, and it's a Danish series made in the likeness of the most intense Scandinavian crime novels out there. The Chestnut Man is a moody series with a great revelation at the end, and the two leads are great, but the mystery drives the story forward, for sure. If you like Nordic Noir shows, The Chestnut Man will be a perfect choice.
The Chestnut Man opens in the '80s, depicting the murder of an entire family; the killer leaves a figurine made of chestnuts, but the case remains unsolved. Then, in modern-day Copenhagen, another crime takes place, and a chestnut figurine finds its way to a crime scene once again; the show reveals the killer and their motives slowly and with many chilling details. It's pretty fun, and you'll binge-watch it almost immediately.
The Chestnut Man has one season (Season 2 premieres in January 2026), with six episodes, and is available to stream on Netflix.
The Fall
The Fall is a psychological thriller that will make you feel a bit claustrophobic, but in a good way. Gillian Anderson stars as detective Stella Gibson, and she's intelligent, observant, and hyper-independent. On the other hand, Jamie Dornan stars as Paul Spector, a guidance counsellor with a family and a massive secret—he stalks and kills women and is known across Belfast as the "Belfast Strangler." We learn who the killer is right away, but the police's intense pursuit to catch him remains interesting and attention-grabbing.
Additionally, Stella and Paul develop an unusual bond; she doesn't know he's the killer and is intensely dedicated to catching him, but Paul knows exactly who she is, and he develops an obsession with her. The Fall is an intelligent cat-and-mouse chase with episodes that end on massive cliffhangers and twists that will leave you speechless.
The Fall has three seasons, with 17 episodes, available to watch on Netflix in select countries.
Hannibal
Fans of serial killer content love The Silence of the Lambs and its most iconic character, Hannibal Lecter. If you haven't seen the TV series Hannibal, this Halloween is the time to dive into it. It's a show that verges on body horror and has plenty of thrilling moments throughout; the chemistry between the leads, Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy, is often palpable as we watch their characters develop a relationship that becomes equally toxic and hypnotic. Visually, Hannibal is probably the most beautiful serial killer-themed show you'll ever see.
Hannibal follows FBI agent Will Graham (Dancy), tasked to solve a serial killing case in Minnesota. However, Will's mental health begins declining during the case, and his supervisor hires criminal psychologist Hannibal Lecter (Mikkelsen) to oversee him. What no one knows is that Lecter is himself a serial killer and cannibal, known to the Bureau as the Chesapeake Ripper. Hannibal and Will find a common language, while Hannibal also helps Will solve other serial murders. There are a bunch of new cases to follow, some more gruesome than others.
Hannibal has three seasons, with 39 episodes, and is available on Netflix in select countries.
Criminal Minds
Criminal Minds is one of the longest-running network TV shows and one that's garnered a massive fan base over the years. What's a better way to enjoy the spooky season than to binge-watch one of the most popular crime shows of all time? Criminal Minds has recently been renewed for a 19th season, so there's plenty of material to watch. It's recommended to start from the episodes starring Mandy Patinkin as Jason Gideon, who is, in the show's lore, considered to be the best profiler the FBI has had.
Criminal Minds follows a special unit of the FBI called the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU). It stars a group of agents chasing serial killers and those suspected of becoming that; each team member has a special skill and charm, and the episodes aren't just fun to watch—they're often scary and intense and will have you cheering for the BAU agents with your whole chest. Some of you may even fall for the fan favorites, Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) and Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness).
Criminal Minds has 15 seasons and a revival called Criminal Minds: Evolution that has three seasons thus far and is available to watch on Disney+.
Mindhunter
The best serial killer show out there is David Fincher's Mindhunter. There's a lot to love about it, from Fincher's signature visuals with dark overlays and crisp colors to the fascinating true story behind the events. Mindhunter is currently a hot topic because we might finally get a third season, but Fincher seems to still be reading scripts and deciding on whether they're suitable for the show's established future cult classic status. The show was based on the non-fiction book Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit, which former FBI agent John E. Douglas co-wrote with Mark Olshaker and which describes Douglas' work in the 1970s.
Mindhunter follows FBI agents Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Holt McCallany), who join forces with psychologist Wendy Carr (Anna Torv) to establish a questionnaire they can use to interview serial killers. This would give them insight into the killers' mindsets and motivations and help them teach other agents about how to "profile" killers and predict their future moves. It's eerie, dark, and intense—the perfect Halloween watch.
Mindhunter has two seasons, with 20 episodes, and it's available to stream on Netflix.
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