What exactly constitutes a good horror show will depend on the individual watching, since a show devoid of gore might be a failure in the eyes of some. What isn’t a given with these shows, however, is the quality of the plot; you might be ensured to have a few good scares, but nothing guarantees a good story.Fortunately, television has produced plenty of horror that delivers more than atmosphere and jump scares. Between supernatural mysteries and post-apocalyptic dramas, these shows prove that horror can be gripping storytelling as well as an excuse to keep the lights on when alone.cnx.cmd.push(function() {cnx({playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530",}).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796");});IMDbThe Haunting of Hill HouseMike Flanagan’s modern Shirley Jackson adaptation uses a haunted house to tell a sprawling family story across two timelines. The mystery gradually reveals how childhood trauma shaped the Crain siblings, making the supernatural elements inseparable from the character drama.IMDbMidnight MassA charismatic priest arrives on an isolated island, seemingly bringing miraculous changes with him. What begins as a story about faith and redemption gradually becomes something much darker, using its supernatural mystery to explore things like addiction and religious belief.IMDbYellowjacketsAfter a high-school soccer team survives a plane crash in the wilderness, the story jumps between their horrifying teenage ordeal and their lives 25 years later. The two timelines gradually reveal how the survivors became the people they are.FromA group of strangers becomes trapped in a mysterious town they cannot escape, while terrifying creatures emerge after dark. The show’s central puzzle continually expands as characters investigate the town, its history, and the forces controlling their strange prison.IMDbThe Fall of the House of UsherMike Flanagan transforms Edgar Allan Poe’s stories into a single sprawling family tragedy. As members of the wealthy Usher dynasty begin dying under mysterious circumstances, the series connects multiple Poe tales while building toward an explanation for their family’s downfall.IMDbInterview With the VampireAnne Rice’s vampires get a lavish television adaptation centered on Louis, Lestat, and Claudia. The framing device of Louis recounting his life to journalist Daniel Molloy allows the story to explore memory, unreliable narration, complicated relationships, and the consequences of immortality.IMDbThe Last of UsThe fungal apocalypse is only the beginning. Joel and Ellie’s journey across a devastated America becomes an emotionally complicated story about survival, love, grief, and moral choices, with the horror providing constant pressure rather than overwhelming the characters.IMDbEvilA skeptical psychologist, a priest-in-training, and a contractor investigate supposedly supernatural cases for the Catholic Church. The clever premise lets the series continually question whether its monsters and miracles are genuinely supernatural or have rational explanations, while developing an overarching mythology.IMDbKingdomSet in Korea’s Joseon period, Kingdom combines palace intrigue with a rapidly spreading zombie plague. The political struggle over the throne remains just as important as the undead threat, creating a genuinely unusual horror story where corruption and survival become intertwined.IMDbThe OutsiderA murder investigation initially appears straightforward until contradictory evidence suggests something impossible. Based on Stephen King’s novel, the series gradually shifts from crime procedural to supernatural horror while maintaining its central mystery and giving investigators increasingly disturbing reasons to question reality.IMDbThe TerrorBased on the doomed Franklin expedition, the first season follows two Royal Navy ships trapped in Arctic ice while their crews face starvation, disease, mutiny, and an apparently supernatural predator. The other seasons have vastly different plots, but maintain the overal quality of the show.IMDbArchive 81An archivist hired to restore damaged videotapes discovers recordings connected to a missing filmmaker, a mysterious apartment building, and a demonic cult. The story moves between past and present, gradually revealing why the tapes (and their new restorer) are connected.IMDbHannibalWill Graham helps the FBI investigate elaborate murders while unknowingly becoming increasingly close to Hannibal Lecter. The series builds its horror around their psychological relationship, gradually transforming a procedural premise into an intricate story about manipulation, identity, and trust.IMDbServantAfter a Philadelphia couple loses their baby, grief leads Dorothy to treat a therapy doll as her living son. The arrival of a mysterious nanny makes the situation even stranger, gradually turning domestic tragedy into an increasingly complicated supernatural mystery.IMDbThe Haunting of Bly ManorAn American au pair arrives at an English estate to care for two orphaned children, only to discover that Bly Manor hides centuries of secrets. Its supernatural mystery is ultimately intertwined with stories of love and loss.The post 15 Horror Shows That Actually Have Good Plots appeared first on Den of Geek.