Terror Television: American Series, 1970-1999

by John Kenneth Muir

Although horror shows on television are popular in the 1990s thanks to the success of Chris Carter's The X-Files, such has not always been the case. Creators Rod Serling, Dan Curtis, William Castle, Quinn Martin, John Newland, George Romero, Stephen King, David Lynch, Wes Craven, Sam Raimi, Aaron Spelling and others have toiled to bring the horror genre to American living rooms for years. This large-scale reference book documents an entire genre, from the dawn of modern horror television with the watershed Serling anthology, Night Gallery (1970), a show lensed in color and featuring more graphic makeup and violence than ever before seen on the tube, through more than 30 programs, including those of the 19981999 season. Complete histories, critical reception, episode guides, cast, crew and guest star information, as well as series reviews are included, along with footnotes, a lengthy bibliography and an in-depth index. From The Night Stalker to Millennium, from The Evil Touch to Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Twin Peaks, Terror Television is a detailed reference guide to three decades of frightening television programs, both memorable and obscure

Genres: Nonfiction

675 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

John Kenneth Muir (born 1969) is an American literary critic. He has written as of 2023 thirty two books, many in the fields of film and television, with a particular accent on the horror and science fiction genres. He has been described as one of the horror genre's "most widely read critics", and as an "accomplished film journalist". He is the creator of the 2023 audio drama Enter the House Between, as well as the new novellas based on the series.

Reviews

[Saffron Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an excellent companion to David Deal’s Television Fright Films of the 1970s and Amanda Reyes’ Are You in the House Alone?: A TV Movie Compendium 1964-1999. In John Kenneth Muir’s book we get to specifically review the corresponding terror-filled TV series that either competitively or complimentarily aired parallel to the Made-for-TV movies from 1970-1999. Each show has it’s own chapter that reviews the critical reception, the format, the history, critical commentary, cast and credits, and an episode guide. It concludes with several interesting appendixes for further consideration.

The TV Shows discussed are:
Rod’s Serling’s Night Gallery (1970 - 1973)
The Sixth Sense (1972)
Ghost Story / Circle of Fear (1972 - 1973)
The Evil Touch (1973 - 1974)
Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974 - 1975)
Quinn Martin’s Tales of the Unexpected (1977 - 1978)
The Next Step Beyond (1978 - 1979)
Cliffhangers: The Curse of Dracula (1979)
Darkroom (1981 - 1982)
The Hitchhiker (1983 - 1991)
Tales from the Darkside (1984 - 1988)
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1985 - 1990)
Werewolf (1987 - 1988)
Fright the 13th: The Series (1987 - 1990)
Freddy’ s Nightmares: A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Series (1988 - 1990)
Monsters (1988 - 1991)
Tales from the Crypt (1989 - 1997)
Twin Peaks (1990 - 1991)
Dracula: The Series (1990 - 1991)
She Wolf of London / Love and Curses (1990 - 1991)
Stephen King’s The Golden Years (1991)
Dark Shadows (1991)
Beyond Reality (1991 - 1993)
Nightmare Cafe (1992)
Forever Knight (1992 - 1996)
The X-Files (1993 - )
American Gothic (1995 - 1996)
Kindred: The Embraced (1996)
Poltergeist: The Legacy (1996 - 1999)
Dark Skies (1996 - 1997)
The Burning Zone (1996 - 1997)
Millennium (1996 - 1999)
Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997 - )
Sleepwalkers (1997)
Prey (1998)
Charmed (1998 - )
Brimstone (1998 - 1999)
Strange World (1999)
G vs E (1999 - )
Angel (1999 - )
- - -
Amazing Stories (1985 - 1987)
The Twilight Zone (1985 - 1987; 1988 - 1989)
The Outer Limits (1995 - 2000)
The Ray Bradbury Theater (1985 - 1992)
Nightmare Classics (1989)
Welcome to Paradox (1998)
- - -
Dead at 21 (1994)
Nowhere Man (1995)
- - -
Tucker’s Witch (1982 - 1983)
Shadow Chasers (1985 - 1986)
The Munsters Today (1988 - 1991)
Free Spirit (1989 - 1990)
Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996 - )
Baywatch Nights (1996)
- - -
Sightings (1994 - 1997)
Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal (1996 - )
- - -
Space: 1999 (1975 - 1977)
- - -

For a more comprehensive review of the period, I would also like to someday see a companion volume published referencing some of the really cool British supernatural television programs too. Overall, a highly recommended reference book for fans of horror/thriller television from the appointment days of TV watching prior to streaming.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know, I know--it sounds terribly hokey. But if you grew up on these shows as I did, this is a great set of books for your shelf. Wonder who directed that old Night Gallery episode that used to scare the bejeebers out of you? Need synopses of all Twin Peaks episodes? How about Tales From the Crypt or The X-Files? The answer is here. Fun stuff. And Muir is known for doing THE definitive books in these genre anthologies.

[James Caterino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flat-out the best television reference book I have read. This mammoth, thorough, insightful book is jam-packed with just about everything you want to know about your favorite TV series. What is staggering to me is the amount of research (and time!) that must have went into writing this bible.

It covers just about every horror or supernatural themed show you can think of that aired anywhere between 1970-1999. I am an episode guide addict, a habit I acquired as a young boy when I stumbled upon a copy of "Fantastic Television" by Gary Gerani and Paul H. Schulman at a Walden Books many decades ago.

"Fantastic Television" was my bible at that time, but this book gives so much more. Not only do you get a complete (and accurate) episode guide for each show, you get historical context, production background, media reactions of the time, and most of all, the author's own personal analysis. And John Kenneth Muir is not just a reviewer or critic. He is a brilliant media analyst, always giving us keen insights into what a story is really about, and why it does or does not work.

Another astounding find for me was the inclusion of "The Sixth Sense" and "Circle of Fear" here. I was about six when I saw those shows broadcast and was never sure if what I remembered was something I'd seen on TV or from a dream. "The Sixth Sense" in particular haunted me. It may never be released on DVD or streaming, but at least I can read the episode guide now.

Bottom line: If you are a fan of supernatural themed television shows, this book is a must own!

[m. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid tramp through American television, charting its highs and lows and the occasional injustice dealt out by the networks towards shows that were either not given the time to flourish or else meddled with and hacked apart so incompetently as to render them unwatchable.

Each show is laid out in the same way: some critical reviews followed by an overview of the format and history, then a critical evaluation of the show and ending with a list of episodes synopses and cast listings.

I now have a large list of shows to watch, some I'd heard of and overlooked and some which are completely new to me - can't wait!

[Glen Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terror Television is a very niche reference book but also a very worthwhile one. Author Muir chronicles all the horror American TV series produced from 1970 until 1999 in great detail and has clearly viewed the series under review. It may seem dated at first as it concludes in 1999 but this is actually its strength as a reference. It focuses on those 29 years with pinpoint accuracy, not only discussing the individual series but also weighing them against each other, comparing their similarities and deficiencies.
Night Gallery, Kolchak the Night Stalker, Twin Peaks, The X-Files, Charmed and Buffy the Vampire Slayer are all covered but so too are a range of series we've forgotten about. Series that only lasted a season or two or in some cases just a few episodes before being yanked. He also reminds us of trends like the Horror Anthology boom of the 1980s and the X-File derivatives that came hard and fast when that series became a monster hit.
I love the respect he shows towards the lesser shows that tried but failed to deliver something special. He's clearly given these shows a lot of thought, and rather than just dismiss them, delves deep into what they were trying to achieve.
20+ years later, I can barely remember some of these series. I'm in Australia and I don't think they made it this far or were slotted into the midnight hours. I recall Ghost Story, Tales of the Unexpected, Darkroom, The Hitchhiker, Tales from the Darkside, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Freddy's Nightmares, Monsters, Tales from the Crypt, American Gothic and Millennium. Some of these had bigger success on VHS here. I also recall the Twilight Zone and Outer Limits remakes. They got a good run here.
Dracula the series, She Wolf of London, The Golden Years, a Dark Shadows series remake? There is a whole decade of 90s productions that are a blank to me. Still it was great to read about them. One fun addition is the 1970s series The Evil Touch, a Australian-American co-production filmed in Australia but featuring American stars. This show was repeated for years and years.... and I mean years and years. It wouldn't surprise me if it popped up in late hours again tonight.
Muir writes with academic authority and a sense of humor, making this an informative and entertaining read.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back then, before the internet, we took our inspiration from books like these. 40 different horror series from Rod Serling's Night Gallery to Werewolf, Friday 13th, Tales from the Crypt, Twin Peeks, Dracula, Poltergeist-The Legacy to almost horror like Twilight zone, Amazing stories or pseudo reality TV. Inform yourself on the fifty most common concepts in modern terror television, the best and the worst programs from 1970 to 1999. Still love books like that. Really recommended!