12 Terrifying Shows Like SyFy's Chucky To Watch Next

The 1988 slasher film "Child's Play" put a new spin on an old formula, with a diminutive doll at the center of a blood-soaked and wickedly comedic horror film. The film went on to become the genre's newest franchise, spawning a series of sequels that continued into the 2000s. A reboot in 2019 reinvigorated the franchise, but despite its success, the decision was made to return to the continuity of the earlier films when a TV series was greenlit a year later.

The eponymously titled "Chucky" was developed by Don Mancini, who had been a writer on every "Child's Play" film before the reboot. Actor Brad Dourif returned to voice the deranged doll, who turns up decades later in a small town and whose demonic presence sparks waves of death and destruction. Meanwhile, the series serves as both a sequel and a prequel, with a flashback story that explores the origins of Chucky himself and the human killer whose soul inhabits his body. 

Debuting in 2021, "Chucky" has been met with raucous applause for its twisted violence, black comedy, and gothic atmosphere. Whether you're a longtime "Chucky" stan, or a newcomer to the series, maybe you're looking for something new that captures the same feeling as the SyFy slasher. Well look no further, because we've found some new lil buddies for you.

If you don't mind ditching all of the dark comedy and focusing on the horror elements in "Chucky," you'll probably enjoy "The Haunting of Bly Manor." A spiritual sequel to the 2018 miniseries "The Haunting of Hill House," this 2020 follow-up is a new adaptation of the gothic horror novella "The Turn of the Screw," which has been adapted to film more than once. In fact, an adaptation with Mackenzie Davis and Finn Wolfhard was released the same year. This one didn't feature any big names, but what it lacked in star power it more than made up for in scares.

Former child star Henry Thomas is Henry Wingrave, who needs the help of a caretaker when he gets sudden custody of Flora (Amelie Bea Smith) and Miles (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth), his niece and nephew. To that end, Henry hires Dani Clayton (Victoria Pedretti), an American au pair, to be their custodian at his gothic manor in England. But unbeknownst to Clayton, the manor is also home to a sinister apparition that continues to terrorize the mansion. With some of the story told in flashback, we learn about Dani's past, the manor, and the Wingraves' connection to the ghoulish ghost that haunts them.

Less outright slasher horror, "The Haunting of Bly Manor" delights in its eerie atmosphere and sheer terror. If you're looking to have your spine tingled, it should be at the top of your list.

The first of a few anthology series on this list, "Creeped Out" tells a series of strange stories punctuated by loads of hair-raising horror. While nearly every episode of the series introduces a new cast in a different situation, each with its own unique story, they almost all focus on a teenager in the midst of a terrible and terrifying ordeal, often bringing it upon themselves with their own hubris. Like the anthology classic "Tales from the Crypt," "Creeped Out" also boasts a nightmarish host who introduces each story in the form of The Curious, a masked man who collects stories.

Each episode usually concludes with a lesson, a moral, or a word of warning, whether it's to be careful what you wish for or to be cautious about what lurks in the dark. But whatever episode of "Creeped Out" you put on, you're guaranteed some good spills, thrills, and spooky scares. From violent revenge slasher stories to ghoulish demons and ghostly hauntings, "Creeped Out" features any number of different kinds of horror tales to shiver your soul — just don't expect anything too graphic or adult. 

Much more family-friendly than "Chucky," you'll find "Creeped Out" a nice change of pace because it's a horror series you can watch with the young ones. At the same time, there's still enough unnerving imagery and unsettling ideas to leave adults bailing for the blankets too.

The last decade has seen a bevy of TV prequels to classic films that have shined on the small screen, and a few have come in the horror genre, such as "Hannibal." But there's another that is rarely mentioned, perhaps because its predecessor wasn't a horror movie — "Ratched," a prequel to the Oscar Award-winning drama, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." The film, led by Jack Nicholson, might not seem like it would result in a disturbing mystery and horror slasher, but that's what we got in the prequel.

Focusing on the dark and twisted past of the film's villain, Nurse Ratched, the series takes place decades earlier in the 1940s where we meet the young version of the character. Sarah Paulson inherits the role, made famous by Louise Fletcher, as a more innocent-looking, but equally terrifying Ratched. She is a headstrong, ambitious nurse who seeks a job at a California hospital. She claims to want to be involved in their work in psychiatric medicine, but her real motives soon become clear — her deranged, violently psychotic foster brother is a patient there, and is being treated following his trial for a brutal murder.

Part crime thriller, part psychological horror, "Ratched" — like "Chucky" — explores the origins of one of cinema's most famous evil icons. Airing in 2020, it received strong reviews for its dark atmosphere and creepy thrills.

If you love the more supernatural aspects to SyFy's "Chucky" series, don't miss "Evil," starring Mike Colter ("Luke Cage"), Aasif Mandvi ("The Daily Show"), and Katja Herbers ("Westworld"). Created by the husband and wife team of Robert and Michelle King, "Evil" is not an anthology, but a traditional procedural in the vein of "The X-Files," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," or "Fringe," which offers up new stories each week. The series introduces Dr. Kristen Bouchard (Herbers), a criminal psychologist and skeptic who works with a religious believer and a scientific tech consultant (Mandvi) to pursue new cases involving the supernatural.

With many cases involving angels and demons, spiritual possession, and ancient prophecies, Bouchard teams with seminary student and reporter David Acosta (Colter) to help separate the ordinary from the extraordinary. Initially brought in by the New York DA's office to handle a case involving a man supposedly possessed by a hellish demon, she works with Acosta to determine whether the man is telling the truth, or is just trying to get off on an insanity plea. Eventually, the two wind up working well together and formalize their partnership, investigating other instances of the paranormal in weekly adventures.

Though maybe not as violent and graphic as "Chucky," "Evil" has been a delightful surprise for fans of the supernatural, with plenty of thrilling horror stories.

Just as "Chucky" has proven to be more than a reboot, exploring the past and origins of the killer doll, the prequel series "Bates Motel" is much more than a reimagining of the classic Hitchcock film, "Psycho." The iconic 1960s film that practically invented the psychological horror genre, "Psycho" was eventually followed by three sequels and a TV movie itself, with several attempting to provide a compelling backstory for the madman Norman Bates. Ultimately, it would be the 2013 series — not quite a prequel, not quite a reboot — that did it right.

Taking place in the modern day, we meet Norman (Freddie Highmore) as a teenager living with his mother, Norma (Vera Farmiga), after the death of his father. Norma purchases an old motel in an attempt to start a new life, but right away there are horrific problems, after a violent attack leads to a murder they have to cover up. Before long, the troubled young Norman — whose disturbing relationship with his mother takes center stage — begins to lose his grip on reality, forcing them both into more desperate situations. 

A captivating thriller and chilling shocker, "Bates Motel" ran for five stunning seasons, even retelling the events of the classic "Psycho" in its final year. Deeply unnerving, the series is true psychological terror at its finest, and was, like "Chucky," the worthy successor to a decades-old classic that fans had been waiting for.

Arguably the biggest appeal for SyFy's "Chucky" series is its reinvention of a beloved and iconic horror franchise. While many audiences may scoff at yet another new take of a fan favorite, "Chucky" has become one of the surprisingly successful revivals of an old classic. But there's another beloved series that's just making a comeback, with a revival of "The Addams Family." Focused on the morose, dark-haired family daughter and set to debut in November 2022, this new series is eponymously titled "Wednesday."

Originating as a comic strip in the 1930s, the family of spooky ghouls and creepy kids may be best known for the 1960s sitcom adaptation, and of course, a pair of 1990s films. This new version is produced by Tim Burton ("The Nightmare Before Christmas") and stars Jenna Ortega as teenaged Wednesday Addams, who decides to investigate a spate of brutal murders at her school, Nevermore Academy. But more than just a murder mystery, "Wednesday" is a coming-of-age horror thriller that sees its young heroine dealing with emerging psychic abilities that make growing up even more difficult than it already is.

An exploration of the macabre, with an appropriately dark but humorous bent, "Wednesday" looks to be another revival of a celebrated classic that will tickle your funny bone and curdle your blood. With a cast that includes Luis Guzmán, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Fred Armisen, and Christina Ricci with music from Danny Elfman, it's also brimming with all-star talent.