I already know what you’re thinking. How can television contribute anything worthwhile to the horror genre? There’s not much gore to be had, no cursing, no naked girls running screaming in to the night chased by an axe wielding murderer…what gives? Oh contraire, dear reader. Television has a long history in the thrills and chills department, pulling off some excellent frights that will cause you to have an uneasy sleep or two. Let’s take a moment to review some of the best made-for-TV horror movies then, shall we?

The Haunted (1991 – FOX)

Based on Robert Curran’s 1988 book of the same name, The Haunted is the supposed true story of Jack and Janet Smurl, a suburban couple who move into a duplex only to realize it’s (gasp) haunted.

Like a made-for-TV Amityville Horror, The Haunted has a slow build with a big payoff. Directed by Robert Mandel (F/X), it shows the ordinary lives of the couple to the extent of the mother going bowling, but when the poltergeists show up, they do it up large. Mom gets thrown against the wall, dad gets raped, and all hell breaks loose. As far as television horror goes, this one’s got lots of atmosphere with some pretty cool scares. If only it were available on DVD…

Trilogy of Terror (1975 – ABC)

Directed by Dan Curtis, this little gem was originally supposed to be the pilot for a new horror anthology series, but failed. Staring Karen Black in the lead role of all three stories written by Richard Matheson, it has since reached cult status and even spawned a TV sequel in 1996. The third story in the film, Amelia, about a woman terrorized by a possessed doll, has been herald as the scariest piece ever crafted under the made-for-TV banner. While that remains to be seen, Trilogy of Terror definitely deserves to be on anybody’s list of made-for-TV horror films.

The Night Stalker (1972 – ABC)

Often hailed as the movie that inspired Chris Carter to create The X-Files, The Night Stalker first aired on January 11, 1972. Starring Darren McGavin as Carl Kolchak, the film later branched out into a television series that lasted one season. At the time, The Night Stalker was the highest rated television movie in history, garnering a 33.2. Based off an unpublished novel by Jeff Rice, the film revolves around hard-nosed investigative reporter Carl Kolchak, who believes that a series of murders on the Las Vegas Strip are being caused by a vampire. For having a touch of the supernatural, some blood and for scaring the crap out of viewers lying on their shag carpets in the 70’s, The Night Stalker makes the list as one of televisions scariest horror movies.

Stephen King’s Television Legacy

There have been a few made-for-TV horror movies based on the works of Stephen King. Most notably, It and Salem’s Lot. Sure, there was that version of The Shining, but don’t even get me started on that.

It first aired in 1990, and centered around a group of adults formerly known as The Losers Club. When they are all called back to their hometown of Derry, Maine, to face an evil they thought they had banished as children, all hell breaks loose. More dramatic than horrific, the film does feature Tim Curry as the satanic Pennywise the Clown, who has an obsession with dragging kids into the sewer and chewing their arms off. Oh, and did I mention that he can transform into a spider? A spider, baby! Can’t get more scary than that. Released in 2 parts, It is one friggin’ long film that’s available on DVD and is getting a make-over in 2011 from Warner Brothers with a big screen release. Interesting…

Salem’s Lot is probably my favorite television horror flick of all time. Probably because the book scared the crap out of me when I was kid. Airing in 1979 on ABC, this one was also released in 2 parts (can Stephen King ever write a novel under 400 words?) and focuses on vampires invading the small New England town of Jerusalem’s Lot. Not to be confused with the Jerusalem in the bible, of course. As Father Callahan found out, not even God can stop the bloodsuckers from doing their dirty work. This one’s already had a make-over, in the form of an inferior made-for-TV remake staring Rob Lowe. It should also be noted that the original was directed by Tobe (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) Hooper, and for that and so much more, Salem’s Lot should top the list of any made-for-TV horror list.

As you can see, horror on the small screen is nothing to snub your nose at. With proper lighting, a half-decent script and the right director, television horror movies can be done right. Of course, they can also fail miserably. All-in-all though, I think that horror on television just keeps getting better and better, and with the recent success of shows like Supernatural and True Blood, the legacy of horror will continue to grow until one of these days, your television set just might get up and bite your head off. Hey, that’s not a bad idea for a movie…