20 shows to watch in the fall

New seasons of Only Murders in the Building drop every year toward the end of August, which is close to September, meaning it's basically fall. The show, which revolves around a podcast about murders, is an ideal choice for "spooky season."

Go ahead and start watching (or rewatching) Stranger Things now before the last season drops in 2025. This show has everything: supernatural beings, 1980s pop culture references, and, of course, Winona Ryder. It's a Netflix classic and perfect for this time of year.

Do I need to say anything about Bates Motel? The show is based on the characters from the novel Psycho (and a film you might want to add to your watch list). If you're going to watch any psychological horror series, it's this one right here.

We're rewatching Wednesday this fall for obvious reasons; for one, she's creepy, and she's kooky. Of course, I had hoped the second season would be dropping relatively soon, but thankfully, there are so many other fall-ish series to choose from! However, if you want to stick with a theme, go for The Addams Family movies as well.

Riverdale, at least for the first couple of seasons, is an excellent fall watch. The pilot episode gives off major back-to-school vibes with a dash of spookiness for those who aren't into the super scary stuff.

I'll understand if the last one isn't on your personal fall watchlist, but Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is a must-watch. Both Archie comic series may be set in the same universe, but CAOS is darker and certainly witchier, making it the obvious choice to watch around Halloween. That's not to say that Riverdale didn't try with season six.

Now is a wonderful time to revisit Pretty Little Liars or watch it for the first time. The teen drama has twists and turns when you least expect them, always keeping the audience on their toes. Since the show seems to be set in perpetual autumn (at least from my memory), it definitely brings the cozy vibes that come with the season.

Charmed is a 1990s/2000s classic that should be watched anytime, but especially in the fall. Along with its competition, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it is one of the nostalgic supernatural shows we, at least millennials, live to rewatch every year around this time.

More witches? It must be the season. I'm sorry. You didn't think I forgot about the OG Sabrina, did you? Sabrina the Teenage Witch is essential viewing come autumn. I don't make the rules.

Where there are witches, there are sure to be vampires lurking nearby. When The Vampire Diaries took the world by storm in the late 2000s, it quickly became every teen girl's favorite show; we have Twilight to thank for that. As far as fall watches go, it's a no-brainer.

Yes, more vampires! Based on the 2014 film of the same name, What We Do in the Shadows is one of the funniest shows out there right now. It just so happens to also be about vampires. Compared to other vampire shows, there's less mystery and brooding, but it's certainly worthy of your time.

It's only fitting to include The Walking Dead on the list because of zombies, for one, and that the series premiered on Halloween. I'm not sure if it's possible to watch the show in its entirety throughout a season, but maybe try one of the franchise's newer spinoff series.

I'm not quite sure why, but A Series of Unfortunate Events  gives off major fall vibes. Maybe it's Neil Patrick Harris' creepy rendition of Count Olaf, the setting, or simply that two of the three seasons were released in January. Okay, so winter vibes, but I'll let it slide this time.

Maybe something as simple as seeing New York City in the fall makes Gossip Girl essential viewing for the season. There's nothing wrong with that! If you're not particularly into the super scary stuff, at least not all the time, shows like this are comforting when the temperature drops.

Need something a little scarier? American Horror Story is the show for you. You can't have Halloween without a few scares, so mix up your fall lineup with this one or something similar. Perhaps The Haunting of Hill House.

This is Us is fall-like since new seasons would usually drop in September, and it's about family, of course. Sure, there's the spooky side of fall, but there's also the whole celebration of giving thanks that brings families together. It is dramatic and emotional, much like this time of year can be.

One Tree Hill's main appeal is that, while it's comparable to some of these other teen dramas, it tackles more adult themes. Any show that revolves around teenagers being teenagers during the school year automatically takes me back to the feeling of starting a new semester in the fall. High schools also typically play basketball and football around that time, so you might as well watch Friday Night Lights while you're at it.

Gilmore Girls is a fall show if I've ever seen one. It's the small-town vibes and cozy wardrobe, I suppose that makes us want to cuddle up on the couch and watch it over and over, but especially in autumn. It's a fall staple.

The X-Files is a 1990s classic still very much talked about today. The show inspired other science fiction series that probably belong on this list if they aren't already. It's the number one pick for fans of the supernatural and, of course, spooky season (TM).

What show could be more perfect for the season than Twin Peaks? The cult classic has influenced various series of horror and mystery genres over the years and is rightfully considered to be one of the best television shows of all time.