It feels like summer was here just yesterday. Everyone was basking in the sun and enjoying their ice cream. However, fall is upon us and we are looking toward wool sweaters, get-togethers with loved ones, and even spooky season. These five shows will give you summer shenanigans, eerie settings and some twist-filled mysteries.
“Gravity Falls”
Twins Dipper (Jason Ritter) and Mabel Pines (Kristen Schaal) are sent to spend their summer vacation in Gravity Falls, Oregon with their eccentric and greedy Great Uncle Stan (Alex Hirsch). Soon the twins start to suspect not all is normal in this small forest town. Despite being set during Summer, the woodsy setting and the ominous atmosphere is what you need to go into autumn. There is even an episode about the town’s second Halloween set during summer called “Summerween.” This show filled with weird creatures and a compelling mystery is great for all ages.
“Gravity Falls” is available to stream on Disney Plus and Hulu.
“Santa Clarita Diet”
One day in sunny Santa Clarita, California, Sheila (Drew Barrymore) develops confidence, charisma and a hunger for human flesh. From there, Sheila and her husband Joel (Timothy Olyphant) go on a mission to find a cure while also trying to be good parents to their teenage daughter Abby (Liv Hewson). This show exemplifies how things can go wrong for people who seek out what they were missing from their perfect lives. “Santa Clarita Diet” has all the funny wild adventures associated with Summer combined with the gorefest wanted by many this time of year.
“Santa Clarita Diet” is available to stream on Netflix.
“Only Murders in the Building”
A sarcastic and charming Mabel (Selena Gomez) befriends Oliver (Martin Short) and Charles (Steve Martin) after a resident dies under mysterious circumstances in their Manhattan apartment building. The new trio does what anyone would do in this situation: make a podcast in hopes of finding out what happened. Cozy comedic murder mysteries blush when “Only Murders in the Building” is mentioned. This does not have gore or supernatural forces which makes it the perfect watch for those who want a fun show with a touch of suspense.
“Only Murders in the Building” is available to stream on Hulu.
“What We Do in the Shadows”
Castles and caves are known residences of vampires, but nobody mentions three-story houses on Staten Island. This creature feature follows a group of traditional vampires trying to navigate their way through everything the 21 century has to throw at them: feuds with werewolves, vampire leaders and how to deal with Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch). Guillermo (Harvey Guillen) has a lot to put up with as the familiar of the group’s leader, Nandor the Relentless (Kayvan Novak). The show puts a hilarious twist on the classic vampire stories spun by Bram Stoker. Come for the slaughter and stay for the shenanigans.
“What We Do in the Shadows” is available to stream on Hulu.
“Archive 81”
For those looking for a darker and more sinister show to kick off the spooky season, “Archive 81” is here. Following Dan (Mamoudou Athie) who restores VHS tapes and cassettes for a living, he is hired by a mysterious company to fix the tapes of Melody Pendras (Dina Shihabi). The audience is beside Dan trying to put together the story behind the 1994 fire at the Visser Apartments in Manhattan. The show has a compelling mystery and phenomenal acting from Athie and Shihabi that will make watchers sympathize with their situations and fear what will come next.
“Archive 81” is available to stream on Netflix.
Depending on how you like to spend the upcoming season, any of these shows will do the trick to scratch the autumn itch.