This canceled horror hit with 100% on Rotten Tomatoes is still one of the best Netflix shows to stream this Halloween

Spooky season is in full swing, and while we’ve got plenty of creepy movie recommendations for you, some of you may be looking for more long-form storytelling to while away the nights until Halloween arrive and if that’s the case, then Marianne on Netflix may be exactly the kind of terrifying TV you’re after.
Between Hill House, Midnight Mass, Stranger Things, Cabinet of Curiosities and more, Netflix is one of the best streaming services for fans who prefer their scares slowly served up over a number of episodes rather than the short, sharp shock of a horror movie, and while some of the above may get all the buzz, Marianne has been a quiet hit with horror aficionados since its debut back in 2019, and for many, ranks among the best Netflix shows.
And it’s not just scare junkies who love the series, with the critics awarding it a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes from the critics. Intrigued? Check out the trailer below.
Marianne comes from Cobweb director Samuel Bodin, and those who have seen his creepy 2023 effort may have some idea of what to expect – when Marianne gets scary, it gets very scary.
The show follows Emma (Victoire Du Bois), the author of a bestselling series of novels revolving around a witch named Marianne. When Emma announces that the series will be coming to an end, an encounter with a childhood friend sends her on a path back home, confronting the childhood nightmares that inspired the books, as the line between fiction and reality begins to blur.
Bodin’s series delivers all the spine-tingling chills and gruesome visuals any horror fan could ask for, while also crafting a rich and intriguing mythology that will have you binging late into the night – not that you’d be able to sleep anyway.
And if you’re hesitant to start a show that has since been cancelled, let me reassure you that while it would’ve been great to dive further into the lore of the show, the lone season perfectly functions as a stand-alone series, there’s no risk of unresolved cliffhangers here.
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What do the critics think of Marianne?
As you’d expect from a show with a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score, the critics have nothing but praise for Marianne, with Polygon calling it “a perfect recommendation for any horror fan” while praising the “viscerally unsettling visuals edited with hair-raising precision.”
Flickering Myth, meanwhile, applauded the show’s "terrific performances and damn fine scares,” while Bloody Disgusting called it simply “nightmares personified.”
A number of critics also drew comparisons with the work of Stephen King, including the master of horror himself who posted on X/Twitter: “(Mairanne) has (I say it with all due modesty) a Stephen King vibe.”
If you're one of those sickos--like me--who enjoys being scared, MARIANNE (Netflix) will do the job. There are glints of humor that give it a STRANGER THINGS vibe. It also has (I say it with all due modesty) a Stephen King vibe.September 26, 2019
What's the subscriber's verdict?
The show has also proven a hit with horror fans, with one subscriber to the platform calling it “one of the best Netflix horror shows I’ve seen.” Another Reddit poster said “it still gives me goosebumps," while a third couldn’t even finish the series because “it was that scary.”
Another user called Marianne “the scariest show ever made by a large margin,” while others echoed that sentiment, calling it “the scariest thing I’ve ever watched bar none” and “my favourite show for a long time.”
Comment from r/horror
Whether you’re a seasoned horror veteran or looking to add some seasonal spookiness to your usual binge watching, Marianne is a must-watch Halloween treat.
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Tom is a freelance writer, predominantly focusing on film and TV. A graduate of Film Studies at University of South Wales, if he's not diving in to the Collector's Edition Blu Ray of an obscure 80s horror, you'll find him getting lost with his dog or mucking about in the water with his board.
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