Highlights
- Anthology series offer viewers a variety of settings, plots, and characters, making them an exciting option for those looking for different adventures in their TV shows.
- Shows like "American Horror Story" and "Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet Of Curiosities" showcase the creativity and diversity within the horror genre, providing viewers with chills and thrills in each season or episode.
- Crime anthology series like "The Sinner," "Fargo," and "True Detective" offer unique perspectives, with "The Sinner" providing a glimpse into the murderer's motive and "Fargo" delivering action-packed storylines with repulsive villains.
In an ever-changing television landscape where networks and streaming platforms are slugging it out for attention, it's easy to be overwhelmed by an ocean of great options. Unlike television shows that span multiple seasons with a single storyline, anthology series present variety in setting, plot, and characters. This genre of television shows allows directors and producers to explore diverse storylines within a single project.
Anthology shows may not be a viewer's first option for a relaxing evening or weekend, but anyone ready to bet on them is assured numerous adventures. Whether hungry for true crime, romance, or horror stories spun differently in multiple seasons, this list boasts some of the best shows in the genre that have graced the screen.
8 American Horror Story
Developed by the legendary Ryan Murphy, this anthology show thrives mainly because it showcases different facets of the horror genre and remains exciting all through. As expected, each season features a new location and period and a diverse cast. There's no shortage of serial killers and chills. Each season has a moniker, and some of the spookiest ones include Apocalypse (Season 8), Hotel (Season 5), Freak Show (Season 4), and Asylum (Season 2).
Notably, some familiar faces that have appeared on the show include Lady Gaga (15 episodes), Kathy Bates (58 episodes), and Sara Paulson (95 episodes). This is one show tailored for horror enthusiasts. It's also one of the longest-running shows with eleven seasons released since 2011 and a twelfth on the way.
7 Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet Of Curiosities
Despite debuting in 2022 on Netflix, this TV show is destined for a spot on the list of all-time great anthology series. A creation of the three-time Academy Award and Emmy award-winning Guillermo del Toro, Cabinet of Curiosities contains eight chilling tales that blend elegance with terror. One interesting fact about this series is that a different director calls the shots for each episode.
Although the eight episodes that comprise the miniseries present viewers with a distinct tale, all share one thing in common. Del Toro always appears in the intro to expose a new portion of a giant wooden cabinet. Each item removed from the cabinet represents what viewers should expect from that episode.
6 The Sinner
Crime anthology show fans won't want to skip The Sinner because of its breathtaking scenes championed by Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman). Pullman plays a detective who, throughout four seasons, works his way through a string of murders. It's a unique breed of slow-paced action that may not appeal to everyone, but for those who endure, a bonfire awaits.
What separates this show from many crime drama offerings is that it offers the audience a glance at the murderer from the get-go. So, it's no longer a typical story of finding the killer, but a nervy journey to uncover the motive behind their action. It's available for streaming on Netflix now.
5 Modern Love
An Amazon Original, Modern Love is a rom-com anthology series that examines several aspects of love. Instead of one plot, viewers enjoy a distinct half-hour story in one episode that is different from the next. The first season premiered in 2019 while the second became available two years later. Conceived from the popular New York Times column, the show aptly details the highs and lows of romance.
What's most exciting about this show is that each story is relatable to the audience. As expected, viewers should expect a mix of happy and sorry endings. TV heavyweights like Anne Hathaway and Tina Fey are among Modern Love's cast.
4 Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Four decades later after his death, Sir Alfred Hitchcock is still considered one of the most dominant figures in cinematic history. Alfred Hitchcock Presents ran for ten seasons (1955 - (1965) with many episodes that spotlighted themes like crime, horror, drama, and even comedy.
Like Del Toro, Hitchcock made an iconic appearance in every episode's opening. The anthology series featured many suspenseful stories revolving around crimes like murder, suicide, and theft. Episodes in the first seven seasons were twenty-five minutes long, but this was expanded to fifty minutes for the last three seasons. The final three seasons were also rebranded as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.
3 Fargo
Set in different periods and locations, Fargo excels in everything a crime thriller series should be. As an anthology show, viewers should expect a fresh action-packed storyline for each of the four chapters. There's no shortage of guns, violence, and villains. V.M. Varga (Chapter 3) is perhaps the most repulsive antagonist in the entire show with manipulation as his biggest weapon. Aside from being a great villain, many of Chapter 3's best quotes are credited to him.
Lester Nygaard's character's transformation from a timid insurance sales representative to an assertive figure is one of Chapter 1's highlights. Despite being a compilation of diverse stories, many of Fargo's characters face a similar fate: tragic death. The series also has a rich selection playlist of soundtracks spanning genres like opera, blues rock, and jazz. A fifth chapter is expected, following the renewal announcement
2 True Detective
One of the finest crime drama shows to hit the screens, HBO's True Detective depicts the complicated lives of law enforcement officers as they tackle grisly crimes. Season 1 was an iconic offering that won awards and drew millions of viewers to the show. Despite touching on controversial themes like religion and masculinity, the duo of Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson gave a remarkable performance.
Sadly, Season 2 did not live up to expectations despite having some solid names in the cast. However, Season 3 restored a flair that many can trace back to the season that ignited the rave.
1 Love Death + Robots
Five-time Emmy-award-winning Love Death + Robots is an amazing anthology TV show that effortlessly blends themes like sci-fi and horror. Each episode is different from the last, and the diverse style of animations and CGI deployed make the series an instant classic. It debuted on Netflix in 2019 with eighteen mind-blowing episodes of varying lengths.
Each episode somehow finds a way to represent one of the themes depicted by the show's title. With an 8.4/10 rating (at the time of writing) from IMDb and mostly positive reviews on the internet, this highly experimental show is a perfect fit for a weekend TV marathon. Given its huge following, Netflix announced the renewal of the genre-bending series for a fourth volume.