The term "occult" typically refers to anything involving supernatural powers or beings from beyond. This includes, angels, demons, witchcraft, or any form of magic. It's a term that lends itself quite well to the horror and fantasy genres, and is something that has been a prevalent theme in both categories over the years.
As such, it's not hard to find some good occult-themed TV shows out there. It should be noted, however, that these aren't strictly limited to horror shows, and that they might even be sitcoms. But there is one thing these shows all have in common: they all feature elements of the occult, involving Biblical beings or black magic beyond human understanding.
10 'Charmed' (1998-2006) Created by Constance M. Burge
No one said that all shows about the occult have to be scary! Charmed is a show that is pretty... well, charming. The series follows three sisters who discover that their family lineage is made up of generations of witches, and that they, too, possess this magical gift, and are destined to use this so-called "Power of Three" to fight off evil in their hometown.
This fantasy-drama series speaks to the importance of family, with the bond being shared between the siblings being a key and crucial part of the show's overall narrative. While it's the furthest thing from a horror show as can be, there's still a lot of dark content in it, particularly in the later seasons. But ultimately, it's a series about witchcraft and family that remains every bit as touching and immersive as it was at the time of its release.
Charmed (1998)
Release Date Rating Seasons
Watch on Amazon Prime
9 'The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself' (2022) Created by Joe Barton
The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself is based on the novel Half Bad by Sally Green. The story follows Nathan Byrne (Jay Lycurgo), an ordinary human who discovers that he is the son of the notorious evil witch Marcus Edge (David Gyasi). Unbeknownst to him, he has been monitored since his birth by a coven of witches, who are at war with a different coven. As this conflict comes to a boiling point, Nathan is caught up in a magical tug-of-war between the opposing covens, all while he struggles to find himself and his place in the battle.
As far as adaptations of young adult novels go, this is definitely one of the better ones, presenting a storyline about dark magic in a palatable format for multiple age groups, from pre-teens to adults alike. There are some scenes that get a bit boring, but for the most part, the show was praised for its razor-sharp wit, which manifests itself in its superb dialogue.
The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself TV-MAActionAdventureDrama
Release Date October 28, 2022 Cast Jay Lycurgo , Nadia Parkes , Paul Ready , Isobel Jesper Jones , Karen Connell , Jeska Pike , Hector Hewer , Emilien Vekemans Seasons 1
Watch on Netflix
8 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch' (1996-2003) Created by Nell Scovell
Sabrina the Teenage Witch has seen multiple iterations since its inception as a 1970s comic, but the 90s sitcom remains by far the best adaptation of the source material. As the title implies, the show follows Sabrina (Melissa Joan Hart), a seemingly-normal teenager who has been gifted with the ability to perform witchcraft, and who must navigate adolescence while trying to control and master her magical talent.
The hijinks that ensued proved successful in the end, as the show ran for a whole seven seasons before coming to a close. The show is kept consistently exciting with its wide cast of characters that come and go as the seasons go on, and the dialogue between Sabrina and her talking cat, Salem (Nick Bakay) has been nothing but iconic in the decades since its release. It is a nostalgia-filled comedy show that hasn't aged a day, and is probably the best occult-themed sitcom ever made.
Sabrina the Teenage Witch Sitcom
Release Date September 27, 1996 Directors Tibor Takács Cast melissa joan hart Seasons 7
Watch on Hulu
7 'The Order' (2019-2020) Created by Dennis Heaton
The Order is a Netflix supernatural horror series about a secret society known as the Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose, which practices dark magic. A new initiate is indoctrinated into the order, but upon researching its origins, uncovers a whole well of familial secrets, and a slew of information concerning a war between werewolves and practitioners of the dark arts.
The series scored six Leo nominations in 2019, but ultimately proved to be not quite as successful as some of Netflix's other endeavors, leading to what some may deem a premature cancellation. But honestly, this series didn't deserve this, and it wound up being a really interesting story about the occult that came as a breath of fresh air, and as a highly bingeable series during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Order TV-MADramaFantasyHorror
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*Availability in US Release Date March 7, 2019 Cast Jake Manley , Sarah Grey , Adam DiMarco , Louriza Tronco Seasons 2 6 'Salem' (2014-2017) Created by Brannon Braga and Adam Simon
If the title weren't enough of an indication, Salem is also about witchcraft and other forms of black magic. The series follows the events of the real-life Salem Witch Trials, during which a series of women, and even one man were executed by the Puritans of Salem, Massachusetts in the late 17th Century on suspicion of witchcraft. In real life, it is known that these accusations are entirely unfounded, but the show gives a neat little "what if" story, one in which some of the victims really are witches.
One of these witches has a plan to perform a ritual and invoke the spirit of the Devil, summoning Satan himself to the sleepy little town of Salem. With prominent features of romance and gothic horror, Salem is a moving period piece that is every bit as haunting as it is touching. Unlike other witchy shows like Charmed, Salem is dark and mysterious, and very little is good about the rites invoked by the witches throughout the show.
Salem TV-MADramaFantasyHorror
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*Availability in US Release Date April 20, 2014 Creator Brannon Braga, Adam Simon Cast Janet Montgomery , Shane West , Seth Gabel , Tamzin Merchant , Ashley Madekwe , Elise Eberle , Iddo Goldberg , Oliver Bell Seasons 3 5 'Midnight Mass' (2021) Created by Mike Flanagan
Midnight Mass comes from horror maestro Mike Flanagan, who is known for crafting some of the greatest horror miniseries ever made. Of course, this one is no exception. The seven-part miniseries follows a young man who returns to his isolated hometown on an island, to find that the townsfolk have come under the influence of a mysterious priest and have formed themselves into a sinister cult.
But this cult is more than meets the eye, as the priest is revealed to have supernatural powers, dabbling in the occult and distributing this dark magic across the town for his own nefarious purposes. Midnight Mass was praised for its criticisms of religious extremism and for how deeply engrossing it is, taking audiences by the end on an apocalyptic journey to dark places best left undiscovered. Not only is it about a cult, but about the supernatural influences maintaining the cult, too.
Midnight Mass TV-MA HorrorDramaFantasy
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*Availability in US Release Date September 24, 2021 Creator Mike Flanagan Cast Kate Siegel , Zach Gilford , Kristin Lehman , Samantha Sloyan Seasons 1 4 'The Magicians' (2015-2020) Created by Sera Gamble and John McNamara
The Magicians is about a man who trained as the real-life version of the term, meaning he focuses a lot on card tricks and pulling rabbits out of hats. However, he soon finds himself becoming a very different type of magician, one that is actually magical, as the fictional world from his childhood is revealed to be real, and posing a dangerous threat to humanity.
With its name and its content, it of course focuses on a lot of occult themes, including magic, supernatural abilities and creatures from beyond. There have been some bits that didn't age well, but the series seems capable of pulling more than just rabbits out of hats as it comes up with some pretty amazing plot twists, weaving an intricate narrative that never, ever gets boring.
The Magicians TV-14DramaFantasyMystery
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*Availability in US Release Date December 16, 2015 Cast Arjun Gupta , Stella Maeve , Hale Appleman , Summer Bishil , Jason Ralph , Olivia Taylor Dudley Seasons 5 3 'Archive 81' (2022) Developed by Rebecca Sonnenshine
Archive 81 is a show that received a befuddling premature cancellation in spite of rave reviews and overall success. It lasted only one season, which is far more than the horror series deserved. The story takes place in two timelines: one in 1994, starring Melody (Dina Shihabi), a college graduate who has filmed a documentary for herself, and one in the present starring Dan (Mamoudou Athie), who is hired by an unseen and malevolent company to restore Melody's video footage involving an apartment complex that mysteriously burned to the ground.
Before long, Dan becomes caught up in a conspiracy involving an evil cult and the dark magic they practice. Reviews were excellent, which is why it hurts so much that Archive 81 was canceled too soon. Critics were quick to commend it for its intriguing blend of neo-noir and horror themes, as well as for how addictive and binge-worthy it was. While it doesn't look like fans will be getting a Season 2 any time soon, it's still a show about the occult that is more than worth checking out.
Archive 81 TV-MAMysteryHorrorDrama
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*Availability in US Release Date January 14, 2022 Cast Mamoudou Athie , Dina Shihabi , Evan Jonigkeit , Julia Chan Seasons 1 2 'The Exorcist' (2016-2018) Created by Jeremy Slater
Since the original 1975 film The Exorcist came out, there have been multiple attempts at a reboot, most of them proving disastrous and rather unsuccessful. So, when the TV series was released in the mid-2010s, expectations were far from high. Yet, the show proved to be a really excellent addition to the franchise, utilizing many of the tools that made the original so great.
Now, the original is one of the scariest movies ever and is also regarded as being among the greats, so it goes without saying that the show didn't really measure up to it. That said, it's still terrifying and brilliantly done, and with its plotlines about demonic possession and exorcism, it established itself as an underrated classic in the horror genre and one of the greatest horror shows of all time.
The Exorcist TV-14 HorrorThriller
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*Availability in US Release Date September 23, 2016 Cast Ben Daniels , John Cho , Li Jun Li , Alfonso Herrera Seasons 2 1 'Ash vs. Evil Dead' (2015-2018) Developed by Ivan Raimi, Sam Raimi, and Tom Spezialy
Ash vs. Evil Dead is a television installment in the Evil Dead franchise, which at heart, is an action/comedy/horror about zombies. However, these zombies are brought back to life using an ancient Satanic text known as the Necronomicon, which is filled with witchcraft and evil incantations, so it still counts as being about the occult.
Fans of the original indie horror movies will come to appreciate the return of Bruce Campbell as the eponymous Ash, reprising his role from the 80s, as well as the influence of the original director, Sam Raimi, who returns to the franchise to work on the show. It had all the right pieces to make for the perfect comeback, and a perfect comeback it certainly was. It's got all the classic conventions of the nostalgic originals, and proves to be exciting, scary, and hilarious all at once, making it the best occult show ever made.
Ash Vs. Evil Dead TV-MA HorrorComedyAction
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*Availability in US Release Date October 31, 2015 Cast Bruce Campbell , Lucy Lawless , Ray Santiago Seasons 3
NEXT: The Scariest Witch Movies, Ranked