5 Best Stephen King-Approved TV Shows To Watch Next

Master of horror. Wordsmith. Tastemaker. Is there anything that Stephen King can't do?

While the author has become famous for his books, such as "The Shining," "It," and "Carrie," he also loves to discuss the latest happenings in pop culture. This has led to him providing recommendations for TV shows, both on his social media accounts and during interviews. For showrunners, it's the ultimate thumbs-up to get King's nod of approval, as fans may take his viewpoint more seriously since he's one of the best storytellers of all time.

There's no shortage of King-approved TV shows, but let's take a look at five of the best that everybody should have on their watchlist. If you like what's recommended here, be sure to thank the author for plugging these series. He doesn't have to do it, but he does, because he's a fan like all of us.

When it comes to thought-provoking storytelling and rich themes, Alex Garland is one of the best. In 2020, he created the brain-tingling FX series "Devs," which centers on software engineer Lily Chan (Sonoya Mizuno), whose life turns upside down when her boyfriend — who is also her coworker — dies. Lily suspects the company's involvement in a wider cover-up, leading her down a rabbit hole of secrets and unexpected discoveries.

The basic premise intrigues and sensational performances from the likes of Mizuno and Nick Offerman entice, but it's the question about how much free will humans actually have that will rattle viewers' brains. Across eight episodes, "Devs" is a TV show that feels like a long movie – and that's meant as the highest compliment.

The series also received praise from Stephen King. "['Devs'] is brainy, beautiful, and mind-bending," the author posted to X. "I was totally engrossed. If you decide to watch, go into it cold, knowing nothing. Better that way."

What more can be said about Netflix's "Midnight Mass" that hasn't been said already? Apart from exploring the idea of false prophets and blind faith, it addresses humanity's precarious connection with organized religion. It's also one of Mike Flanagan's best horror TV shows, establishing itself as a series that deserves multiple rewatches.

Having been released from prison, Riley Flynn (Zach Gilford) comes home to Crockett Island, hoping for a fresh start and opportunity to rebuild his life in a familiar setting. Father Paul Hill (Hamish Linklater) makes his way to the town as well, taking over St. Patrick's and wowing the congregation with his ability to conjure miracles and unbelievable feats. However, all is not what it seems here, as something more sinister brews on Crockett Island.

Stephen King is a fan of this miniseries, and he stated so in a now-deleted X post (via Dread Central). "Mike Flanagan has created a dense, beautifully photographed terror tale [in 'Midnight Mass'] that climbs to a high pitch of horror by the [seventh] and last episode."

While Stephen King often promotes well-known shows, there are the occasional rare gems that he discovers and shares with the world. Case in point: the 2009 British BBC series "Paradox."

The five-episode show features a unique premise, as detectives and a scientist team up for what effectively is a sci-fi procedural crime drama. In the story, scientist Dr. Christian King (Emun Elliott) receives images from the future that seemingly predict upcoming events, so he works with the police to understand and avert terrible situations. While there were plans for further seasons of "Paradox," the show didn't do the numbers that the network wanted, leading to its cancellation.

Discovering the series over a decade after its debut, King decided to give it a shoutout on X in 2020. "The show I've had the most pure fun with this summer is ['Paradox']," he wrote. "Maybe a plot hole here and there, but the central situation is intriguing, the pace is relentless, and the cast is winning."

It's obvious that Stephen King is a Mike Flanagan fan, especially considering how the filmmaker has tackled several adaptations of King's work. While the "Doctor Sleep" movie is different from the book, the author praised Flanagan's adaptation, as well as his ability to merge the best qualities of Stanley Kubrick's version of "The Shining" and King's own novel.

Unsurprisingly, King turned out to be a fan of Flanagan's modernized reimagining of Shirley Jackson's "The Haunting of Hill House," which takes place over two timelines and explores the Crain siblings' traumatic past and present. The Netflix show stars several regular Flanagan collaborators, such as Carla Gugino, Kate Siegel, and Henry Thomas, and received critic and viewer acclaim.

"I don't usually care for this kind of revisionism, but this is great," King said of the show on X. "Close to a work of genius, really. I think Shirley Jackson would approve, but who knows for sure."

There's no disputing that "Breaking Bad" is one of the best TV shows of all time. In fact, in 2023, fans on Rotten Tomatoes picked it as the No. 1 best series of the past 25 years. Walter White's (Bryan Cranston) transformation from mild-mannered high school teacher and devoted family man to ruthless crime kingpin is a journey that every TV fan needs to experience at least once in their lifetime.

In a 2014 interview with Rolling Stone, Stephen King discussed television and how it changed thanks to shows like "The Shield." However, he reserved special praise for "Breaking Bad" during the discussion. After being asked his personal pick for the greatest series of the past 15 years, King didn't hesitate when answering. "'Breaking Bad.' I knew it was great from the first scene you see him wearing jockey shorts. I thought it was amazingly brave since they look so geeky."

That wasn't the only time King would sing the show's praises, as he wrote a story for Entertainment Weekly where he laid out the reasons that he connected with "Breaking Bad." In the 2020 article, King referred to it as "the best-scripted show on TV" at the time, saying that "the only thing that comes close is 'Twin Peaks.'" Now those are some serious plaudits right there!