AMC Networks said it promoted Emily Gotto to senior VP of acquisition and production for Shudder, the company’s horror-themed streaming service.

In her expanded role Gotto, who had been VP, global acquisitions and co-productions, will be in charge of film acquisitions and production for Shudder original films and co-productions.

Gotto, who is based in the U.K., continues to report to Scott Shooman, head of the AMC Networks Film Group.

“Emily has been instrumental in elevating the Shudder brand within the genre community and bringing some of the most talented storytellers from this space to the service, as we continue to seek out and showcase titles that underscore the breadth of horror,” said Shooman. “She has a filmmaker-first mentality and is always looking for what’s new and next to deliver something unexpected and something she knows will deeply resonate with Shudder’s passionate members. I’m excited to continue working alongside her in bringing the best of horror to Shudder.”

Gotto joined AMC from Protagonist Pictures in 2017. She recently acquired Late Night With The Devil, which became Shudder’s most-watched film and the biggest driver of acquisition for the streaming service.

“It's been an honor to work with such passionate and dedicated colleagues at Shudder, IFC and RLJE, bringing some of the greatest horror storytellers to audiences via the big and small screens,” Gotto said. “Every day we continue to grow as a brand, distributing the widest variety of breakout and established genre talent. I’m very excited to continue to be part of Shudder’s evolution in what is a very exciting time for the genre.”

AMC Networks said it will be launching ad-supported versions of all of its targeted streaming services by next year.

AMC last year launched an ad-supported version of AMC Plus, its subscription streaming service.

Also Read: AMC Counts on Content, Ad Tech To Reverse Ad Slide (Upfront 2024)

“We’ve been very pleased with the performance of AMC Plus,” AMC Networks chief revenue officer Kim Kelleher said. Despite some distributors still being in the process of enabling the ad-supported version of AMC Plus, the company has gotten a good enough reception to move forward with adding commercials to its other subscription streamers, she said.

Also Read: 

AMC Plus gives viewers access to programming from AMC’s Shudder, Sundance Now and IFC Films Unlimited channels.

Subscribers who want Shudder (horror), Acorn TV (British telly), Hidive (anime), ALLBLK (African-American content), Sundance Now and IFC Films Unlimited on their own, will get the option of watching or not watching commercials. 

Pricing has not yet been released.

The move follows the trend of subscription streaming services that were once touted as commercial-free introducing lower-cost, ad-supported products.

“The successful launch of AMC Plus ad-supported was a major step in creating a fully end-to-end ad-supported distribution ecosystem across linear, streaming and CTV/FAST,” said Kelleher, 

“As we introduce ad-supported versions of all of our targeted streaming services, our ability to sell cross-platform segments and deliver outcomes to our advertising partners becomes even more effective,” she said. “These services have built leadership positions in their respective genres and we’re thrilled to give our commercial partners the power to access these audiences for the first time.”

Paramount Plus’s reboot of the popular 1990s sitcom Frasier leads a busy list of shows set to debut this week.

Frasier premieres on the streaming service October 12 with Kelsey Grammer reprising the role of psychiatrist Frasier Crane. The series also stars Jack Cutmore-Scott and Nicholas Lyndhurst, with guest appearances from original series stars Bebe Neuwirth and Peri Gilpin. The first two episodes of the series will also air on CBS on October 17.

Debuting on October 13 is the premiere of Disney Plus’s Goosebumps, the latest TV adaptation of the R. L. Stine book franchise. The 10-episode, kids-targeted, horror-themed series will also debut its first two episodes on Freeform on the same night.

Also premiering on Friday the 13th is the fourth season of streaming service Shudder's horror-based anthology series Creepshow. The first episode of the series will also debut on AMC Plus and AMC. 

Here are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting during the week of October 9-15. For some videos, viewer discretion is advised.

October 11: Messi Meets America (sports documentary), Apple TV Plus

October 12: Doom Patrol (returning series), Max

October 12: The Fall of the House of Usher (horror), Netflix

October 13: The Burial (drama), Prime Video

October 13: John Carpenter’s Suburban Screams (horror series), Peacock

October 13: Lessons in Chemistry (drama), Apple TV Plus

October 13: Shining Vale (returning series), Starz

October 15: Billy the Kid (returning series), MGM Plus 

AMC Networks will lean on its horror-themed streaming service Shudder to help facilitate its annual AMC FearFest programming stunt as the television industry looks to scare up audience viewership during the traditional Halloween season.

AMC’s two-month "FearFest, Shocked by Shudder" celebration, which officially kicked off in September with AMC’s airing of Shudder’s 101 Scariest Horror Movie Moments of all Time special, will feature more than 700 hours of films, series, and specials within the genre across AMC, AMC Plus and Shudder, according to AMC Networks Executive VP of Streaming Courtney Thomasma.   

“Shudder is the [horror genre] content leader in the streaming space, so we reached out to their producers to help program FearFest,” she said.

Along with airings of classic films from such horror films as Halloween, Rosemary’s Baby, and The Exorcist, AMC will also feature original programming from Shudder, including the season four premiere of Creepshow. 

Thomasma says AMC Networks will also offer FearFest-branded movies and specials for its other networks, including IFC, WEtv, Acorn TV, and Sundance Now. Earlier this month Shudder teamed with Black audience-targeted streaming service ALLBLK to premiere its original horror film The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster.

Now in its 26th year, Thomasma says the FearFest stunt — launched originally as MonsterFest — has endured throughout the years as the horror genre has become more popular with viewers on multiple platforms. 

“Everything is so fragmented these days, but when this season comes around, everyone has a shared interest in the content and the genre,” she said. 

She also welcomes competition in the horror genre both on the linear and streaming front, adding that FearFest continues to curate an expansive lineup of horror content for fans to devour.

“FearFest has continued to deliver what audiences want to see during the season,” she said. 

Netflix’s sequel to the classic comedy sitcom That ‘70s Show and the return of Apple TV Plus’s drama series Truth Be Told top the list of shows debuting this week.

Netflix’s That ‘90’s Show premieres on January 19, picking up two decades after the classic Fox series, with Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp reprising their roles as Red and Kitty Forman from the That ‘70s Show. The two will look after their granddaughter Leia Forman, played by Callie Haverda.

Apple TV Plus brings back Truth Be Told for a third season on January 20. The series stars Octavia Spencer as a true-crime podcaster trying to uncover the mystery of Black girls who have gone missing in the Oakland area. Gabrielle Union and Mekhi Phifer also star in the 10-episode series.

Here are video trailers and premiere dates for multiple shows debuting January 17-22 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

January 18: Are You The One? (returning series), Paramount Plus

January 18: Dirty Old Cars (reality), History

January 18: Grown-ish (returning series), Freeform 

January 19: Sorry About the Demon (horror), Shudder

January 21: Love & Marriage: D.C. (returning series), OWN

Two long-running cable series make their return during a mid-October week of show debuts.

FX’s American Horror Story: NYC debuts October 19, marking the 11th season of the Ryan Murphy-produced anthology series. The latest installment in the horror franchise stars Billie Lourd, Leslie Grossman, Denis O’Hare, Zachary Quinto and Charlie Carver.

Also debuting on the 19th is IFC’s comedy series Documentary Now! The fourth season of the mockumentary series stars Fred Armisen, Cate Blanchett, Alexander Skarsgard, Jonathan Pryce and Nicholas Braun.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for multiple shows debuting the week of October 17-23 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

October 19 – The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks (documentary) – Peacock

October 19 – The School for Good and Evil (drama movie) – Netflix

October 19 – Year One: A Political Odyssey (documentary) – HBO

October 20 – Inside Amy Schumer (returning series) – Paramount Plus

October 20 – One of Us Is Lying (returning series) – Peacock

October 20 – V/H/S/99 (returning show ) – Shudder

October 21 – Acapulco (returning series) – Prime Video

October 21 – From Scratch (drama) – Netflix

October 21 – Ghostwriter (returning series) – Apple TV Plus

October 21 – The Peripheral (sci-fi) – Prime Video

October 21 – Raymond & Ray (drama) – Apple TV Plus

October 22 – The Hair Tales (documentary) – Hulu

Two high-profile series are set to debut during a busy week of summer premieres. 

HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon, makes its much-anticipated debut on August 21. The series, which takes place two centuries before Thrones, tells the story of House Targaryen, according to the network.

Debuting August 19 is Disney Plus' latest Marvel Studios-produced series, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. The nine-episode series stars Tatiana Maslany as a lawyer who gains some of the Hulk’s superpowers after her blood mixes with her cousin Bruce Banner, played by Mark Ruffalo.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for multiple shows debuting the week of August 15 to August 21 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

Aug. 15 – Legacy: The True Story of the L.A. Lakers (documentary) – Hulu

August 16 – Dark Side of Comedy (documentary series) – Vice

August 18 – Glorious (horror) – Shudder

August 18 – The Undeclared War (drama) – Peacock

August 19 – Bad Sisters (dramedy) – Apple TV Plus

August 19 – Echoes (drama) – Netflix

August 19 – Orphan: First Kill (horror movie) – Paramount Plus

August 19 – Sprung (comedy) – Freeve

August 19 – Surfside Girls (drama) – Apple TV Plus

Shudder will feature horror stories from Black directors and screenwriters as part of a new original film, Horror Noire, debuting Oct. 28.

The movie offers six stories presented together as a two-hour film, according to the streaming service. The stories, Daddy, Bride Before You, Brand of Evil, The Lake, Sundown and Fugue State, will feature such actors as Lesley-Ann Brandt, Erica Ash, Luke James, Tony Todd, Rachel True, Peter Stormare, Malcolm Barrett, Brandon Mychal Smith and Sean Patrick Thomas, said Shudder.

Horror Noire writers include Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes, Ezra Claytan Daniels, Victor LaValle, Shernold Edwards and Al Leston. 

The movie, a follow-up to Shudder's 2019 documentary Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror, is produced by Swirl Films and executive produced by Shelby Stone, Derek Dudley, Eric Tomosunas and Ron Robinson.

Cable and streaming services will look to scare viewers with a number of new original series and specials debuting this week.

Prime Video will debut a pair of horror films, Madres and The Manor, on Oct. 8 as part of its development deal with Blumhouse Television.

Peacock will look to build suspense around a high school murder mystery in its Oct. 7 miniseries One of Us is Lying, based in Karen McManus' New York Times best selling novel.

Discovery Plus will team with famed horror film producer Eli Roth on a new paranormal-themed series, A Ghost Ruined My Life, debuting Oct. 8.

Read Also: Discovery Plus Puts Scare into 'Ghostober' with 'Haunted Museum' Scripted Series 

 Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of Oct. 4-Oct. 10 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

Oct. 4 -- On My Block (returning series) -- Netflix

Oct. 5 -- Escape The Undertaker (movie) -- Netflix

Oct. 6 -- Bad Sport (documentary) -- Netflix

Oct. 6 -- Baking Impossible (competition) -- Netflix

Oct. 6 -- V/H/S/94 (horror) -- Shudder

Oct. 7 -- 15 Minutes of Shame (movie) -- HBO Max

Oct. 7 -- Baker’s Dozen (competition) -- Hulu

Oct. 7 -- Craftopia (returning series) -- HBO Max

Oct. 7 -- Create the Escape (reality) -- Peacock

Oct. 8 -- Jacinta (documentary) -- Hulu

Oct. 8 -- Justin Bieber: Our World (documentary) -- Prime Video

Oct. 8 -- Acapulco (comedy) -- Apple TV Plus

Oct. 8 -- Leverage: Redemption (returning series) -- IMDb TV

Oct. 8 -- Muppets Haunted Mansion (family special) -- Disney Plus

Oct. 8 -- Pretty Smart (comedy) -- Netflix

Oct. 9 -- The Zoo (returning series) -- Animal Planet

Oct. 10 -- Buried (reality) -- Showtime

This week's launch of the broadcast networks' 2021-22 TV season hasn't deterred several cable networks and streaming services from debuting their own original series.   

Also Read: Fall 2021 Premiere Dates

Netflix on Sept. 22 will premiere the fourth and final season of its dramedy series Dear White People. Justin Simien will return as showrunner and executive producer of the series along with Yvette Lee Bowser. 

Apple TV Plus on Sept. 24 will debut Foundation, based on the Isaac Asimov sci-fi novel and executive produced by David S. Goyer.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of Sept. 20-26 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

Sept. 23: Code 404 (returning series) — Peacock

Sept. 23: That Girl Lay Lay (comedy) — Nickelodeon

Sept. 23: Creepshow (returning series) — Shudder

Sept. 23: Doom Control (returning series) — HBO Max

Sept. 24: Birds of Paradise (drama) — Prime Video

Sept. 24: The Startling (movie) — Netflix

Sept. 24 — Blood & Water (drama): Netflix

Sept. 24: Goliath (returning series) — Prime Video

Sept. 24: Midnight Mass (horror) — Netflix

Sept. 26: BMF (drama) — Starz

Sept. 26: Nuclear Family (documentary) — HBO

Horror-themed streaming service Shudder will examine the origins of several iconic movie monsters in a new documentary series Behind The Monsters, the service announced Tuesday during AMC Networks' TCA Summer Press Tour session.

The six-part series will take a deep dive on such cinematic horror icons as Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, Candyman, Chucky and Pinhead through interviews with horror experts as well as the writers, directors and actors from the original films, said network officials. 

“In the history of film, only a handful of stars and characters like Mickey Mouse or Marilyn Monroe have risen to the heights of fame to become instantly recognizable the world over. Yet somehow, a small group of monsters who got their start in low-budget horror movies have transcended their humble beginnings to become international pop culture icons,” Craig Engler, Shudder’s general manager said in a statement. “Behind the Monsters will tell the story of their unlikely rise to fame, from the ideas that inspired them to the indelible mark they’ve left on the world.” 

The streaming service also announced premiere dates for several shows including Slasher: Flesh & Blood (Sept. 16), Creepshow (Sept. 23), V/H/S/94 (Oct. 6), and Horror Noire (Oct. 28).

The first full week of June will feature a packed lineup of movie and series debuts heading into the summer television season. 

Disney Plus on June 9 will debut its latest live-action Marvel Studios-produced series, Loki, starring Tom Hiddleston reprising his role as the God of Mischief from the Marvel theatrical films. 

HBO Max will continue its run of debuting movies simultaneously with its theater release with the June 10 premiere of In The Heights, starring Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of June 7 to June 13 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

June 8 -- The Amusement Park (horror movie) -- Shudder

June 9 -- College Sports Inc. (sports documentary) -- Vice

June 9 -- Awake (sci fi movie) -- Netflix

June 10 -- The Cube (game show) -- TBS

June 10 -- Infinite (sci-fi movie) -- Paramount Plus

June 10 -- Starstruck (comedy) -- HBO Max

June 10 -- TrollsTopia (animation) -- Peacock/Hulu

June 11 -- Betty (returning series) -- HBO

June 11 -- Flack (returning series) -- Amazon Prime

June 11 -- Home Before Dark (returning series) -- Apple TV Plus

June 11 -- Love, Victor (returning series) -- Hulu

June 11 -- Timewasters (comedy) -- IMDb TV

June 13 -- Blindspotting (drama) -- Starz

June 13 -- Tuca & Bertie (returning series) -- Adult Swim

AMC Networks said it launched AMC Plus on YouTube TV Tuesday, adding to a list of distributors for the premium subscription bundle that includes Comcast, AT&T/DirecTV, Dish Network, Amazon, Apple TV and Roku.

AMC Plus debuted in June with carriage on Comcast and offers new and library content across the company’s networks including all seven seasons of Mad Men, as well as Hell on Wheels, NOS4A2, The Little Drummer Girl, McMafia, Rubicon and Dispatches from Elsewhere. across AMC Network properties including  AMC, BBC America, Shudder, WeTV,  IFC and others. 

In addition to original programming, the subscription service offers network and SVOD content from AMC (including current series from AMC and BBC America, IFC and Sundance anytime) Shudder (original and classic horror uncut and commercial free); IFC Film Unlimited (theatrically released and award-winning titles from IFC Film); Sundance Now (original and exclusive series) and the AMC Plus linear premium channel. AMC Plus will be an add-on to the standard YouTube TV subscription and priced at about $6.99 per month.   

“We are thrilled to make AMC Plus available to YouTube TV subscribers,” AMC Plus general manager Courtney Thomasma said in a press release. “Especially as we head into April, which is one of the biggest months of the year for Shudder as it marks ‘Halfway to Halloween’ with the return of Creepshow and its huge celebration of horror, thriller and supernatural programming, we know new and existing subscribers will appreciate everything AMC Plus has to offer.”

HBO Max closes out the month of March this week with its premiere of Godzilla vs Kong while TBS' debut of classic competition show Wipeout springs in April.

HBO Max's March 31 of Godzilla vs Kong continues the streaming service's premiere of marquee Warner Bros.-produced films debuting day and date with theaters. The movie is the fourth installment of the monster franchise following 2014's Godzilla, 2017's Kong: Skull Island and 2019's Godzilla: King of the Monsters. 

TBS on April 1 will premiere its competition series Wipeout, a reboot of the reality competition series that aired from 2008-2014 on ABC. 

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of March 29 to April 4 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

March 30 -- The Last Cruise (documentary) -- HBO

March 31 -- Back (returning series) -- IFC

April 1 -- The Challenge: All Stars (reality competition) -- Paramount Plus

April 1 -- Creepshow (returning series) -- Shudder

April 1 -- Made For Love (comedy) -- HBO Max

April 1 -- The Great Pottery Throw Down (competition) -- HBO Max

April 2 -- Concrete Cowboy (drama) -- Netflix

April 2 -- Hysterical (documentary) -- FX

April 4 -- Gangs of London (returning series) -- AMC

April 4 -- Birdgirl (animation) -- Adult Swim

Streaming horror service Shudder has renewed its anthology series Creepshow for a third season and has greenlit a scripted series featuring horror stories from Black directors and screenwriters, the service announced during parent AMC Networks’ Television Critics Association Tour presentation Thursday.

The third season of Creepshow -- based on George Romero’s 1982 movie -- will launch later this year with six new episodes, said company officials. The new season will feature guest performances from actors Ethan Embry and King Bach.

The renewal comes ahead of the series’ season two debut on Shudder on April 1.  Creepshow is executive produced by showrunner Greg Nicotero. 

“Two years ago, Greg Nicotero and his team revived the beloved Creepshow franchise with a spectacular first season followed by two ambitious specials, raising the bar for what a horror anthology series can be,” Shudder general manager Greg Engler said. “We’re thrilled to bring Shudder members two more seasons this year, with new episodes that are even bigger, better, more shocking, and hilarious, and that truly live up to the show’s tag line, ‘The most fun you’ll ever have being scared.’”

Read Also: Horror Streamer Shudder Turns Five

Shudder also announced the greenlighting of an untitled scripted series showcasing stories of Black Horror from Black directors and screenwriters set to debut later this year. The anthology series will feature new work from both established and emerging talents, expanding on a legacy of Black genre filmmaking. Shudder explored the genre during its 2019 documentary Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror.

“When we saw the first cut of our Horror Noire documentary, we realized there was a huge, untapped reservoir of great Black horror stories that needed to be told, and an extremely talented group of writers and directors ready to tell them,” Engler said. “While the documentary was a look back at the history of Black horror, this anthology is a showcase for the future and will introduce audiences to fantastic new stories and characters.”

The first week of 2021 will feature the debut of CBS All Access crime drama Coyote and the return of fantasy drama American Gods. 

Coyote, which was initially scheduled to debut on Paramount Network, debuts on CBS All Access Jan. 7 and stars Michael Chiklis as a border patrol agent who finds himself working for the people he spent his career keeping out of America, said the streaming service.

Debuting Jan. 10 on Starz is the third season of American Gods, which stars Ricky Whittle and Ian McShane and chronicles a war brewing between the Old Gods of ancient mythological roots and the New Gods of modern technology, said the network.

Also Read: 'American Gods' Renewed on Starz'

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of Jan. 4 to Jan. 10 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

Jan. 5 -- History of Swear Words (documentary) -- Netflix

Jan. 7 -- Go-Big Show (reality) -- TBS

Jan. 8 -- Herself (drama) -- Prime Video

Jan. 8 -- Dickinson (returning series) -- Apple TV Plus

Jan. 9 -- A Discovery of Witches (returning series) -- Shudder/Sundance Now

Jan. 10 -- Tiger (documentary) -- HBO

A mix of new series, documentaries and new episodes from two Emmy award winning shows help usher in the month of December on cable and streaming services.

Hulu will debut its adaptation of the classic franchise The Hardy Boys on Dec. 4, while Showtime on Dec. 6 will premiere Your Honor, starring Emmy-award winning actor Bryan Cranston in his first series role since Breaking Bad.

On the sports documentary front, Showtime on Dec. 4 will explore the career of former boxing champion Hector ‘Macho’ Camacho in Macho: The Hector Camacho Story.

HBO on Dec. 6 will debut a special episode of its freshman series Euphoria, which stars Emmy-winning actress Zendaya, while the same night Showtime will premiere the 11th and final season of its Emmy-winning comedy series Shameless.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of Nov. 30 to Dec. 6 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

Dec. 2 -- Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller (reality) -- National Geographic

Dec. 3 -- Anything for Jackson (horror) -- Shudder

Dec. 3 -- Heaven’s Gate: The Cult of Cults (documentary) -- HBO Max

Dec. 4 -- Small Axe: Red, White and Blue (drama) -- Prime Video

Dec. 4 -- Big Mouth (returning series) -- Netflix

Dec. 4 -- Earth at Night in Color (documentary) -- Apple TV Plus

Dec. 4 -- Selena: The Series (drama) -- Netflix

Dec. 4 -- Stillwater (animation) -- Apple TV Plus

Unscripted series dominate the list of shows premiering as the calendar turns to November. 

Nat Geo’s City So Real debuts Oct. 29 and looks at the contentious 2019 Chicago mayoral election, while HBO’s documentary The Soul of America looks at the United States’ current political and historical moment by examining its past.

On the scripted front, Disney Plus returns its Emmy-winning series The Mandalorian for a second season on Oct. 30.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of Oct. 26 to Nov. 1 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

Oct. 26 -- Temple (drama) -- Spectrum

Oct. 29 -- A Creepshow Animated Special (horror) -- Shudder

Oct. 29 -- That Animal Rescue Show (reality) -- CBS All Access

Oct. 29 -- Top Secret Videos (reality) -- truTV

Oct. 30 -- Justin Bieber: Next Chapter (reality) -- YouTube

Oct. 30 -- Truth Seekers (horror/comedy) -- Prime Video

Shudder will stream A Creepshow Animated Special beginning Oct. 29. The special features two stories directed by Creepshow showrunner Greg Nicotero. Survivor Type is based on a short story by Stephen King, with Kiefer Sutherland voicing a man determined to stay alive on a deserted island no matter the cost. The short story is about a surgeon who survives a ship crash and survives by amputating and eating his body parts. 

Twittering from the Circus of the Dead is based on the short story by Joe Hill, son of Stephen King, and adapted by Melanie Dale. It stars Joey King as a teen whose family road trip includes a visit to the gravest show on earth.

A Creepshow Animated Special is produced by the Cartel with Monster Agency Productions, Octopie, Taurus Entertainment and Striker Entertainment.

Part of AMC Networks, Shudder offers horror, thriller and the supernatural. 

HBO's new thriller series The Undoing tops this week's list of new scripted and reality series and movies set to debut on cable and streaming.

The six-part series, which stars Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant and debuts Oct. 25, follows a successful therapist and mother whose life is thrown into chaos after a local murder (see review).

Other series debuts include the Bill Murray starrer On the Rocks from Apple TV Plus on Oct. 23, and Hulu's horror/comedy original film Bad Hair, also on Oct. 23.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of Oct. 19 to Oct. 25 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

Oct. 19 -- Darkness: Those Who Kill (drama) -- Acorn TV

Oct. 20 -- The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Resurrection (reality) -- Shudder

Oct. 20 -- The Magic School Bus Rides Again: The Frizz Connection (family) -- Netflix

Oct. 21 -- My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman (talk) -- Netflix

Oct. 22 -- Equal (documentary) -- HBO Max

Oct. 22 -- The Witches (movie) -- HBO Max

Oct. 23 -- How to With John Wilson (reality) -- HBO

Oct. 23 -- The Queen’s Gambit (drama) -- Netflix

Horror-themed streaming service Shudder seems to have conjured up some positive business spirits heading into the Halloween season. The AMC-owned subscription VOD platform passed 1 million subscribers last month as it continues to build on its original programming portfolio that includes such scripted series as Creepshow and Cursed Films. 

Already in the Halloween spirit, the service has launched several new holiday projects, including a 24/7 Ghoul Log featuring a streaming jack-o’-lantern, as well as Halloween specials surrounding Creepshow and its original unscripted series The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs.

Shudder general manager Craig Engler spoke to Multichannel News about the streaming service’s recent distribution success, its continued commitment to original programming and its strategy to deal with increasing competition within the horror TV genre. Here’s an edited version of the interview. 

MCN: At the five-year mark, is Shudder where you expected it to be at this point in its evolution? 

Craig Engler: We’ve realized our projections and then we exceed our revisions. So we are in a very lucky position of doing fantastically well right now. 

MCN: To what do you attribute the service’s success up to this point?

CE: I think it’s a combination of the original content we've been rolling out. Shows like Creepshow and Cursed Films, as well as our original movies like Host and The Room, have been doing fantastic for us. We offer two original or exclusive movies a month at a minimum, and during this Halloween season, which is really August, September and October, we basically do one original or exclusive movie a week. Our original series, including Creepshow, Cursed Films, Discovery of Witches and The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs, are all returning next year for new seasons, as well as new titles that we haven't announced for next year. We also just picked up [The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula] given the fact that Netflix decided not to continue the series, but we’re going to continue with it. 

MCN: Did the pandemic and stay at home orders actually aid in driving viewers to Shudder?

CE: Yes, absolutely. I think the interest in SVODs has surged as people have been staying home and looking for different types of entertainment. They’re willing to give content that they haven’t tried before a shot. Once we get somebody in the door, we tend to keep them because we have a breadth and a depth of horror, supernatural, and thriller content that can't be matched. 

MCN: Is Shudder’s recent success also a testament to the growing popularity of the horror genre? 

CE: It is a great time for the genre. There’s never been as much interest in the genre as there is now. Horror goes in waves. Everybody forgets that when all the classic Universal [monster] movies came out way back when — or all the ’70s and ’80s movies like The Omen and Rosemary’s Baby — they were huge for the overall movie industry. But what you’re seeing now is in addition to the horror movies, you’re also seeing a lot more horror series, and I think people are really starting to gravitate towards the genre. I don’t think there’s ever been a time where there’s been this many horror series, and people are rediscovering the genre and taking it to places where it hasn’t been before. It’s really an exciting time. Whereas a lot of the other genres tend to get a little bit stale from time to time, horror seems to reinvent itself.

MCN: How does Shudder intend to continue to increase its subscriber base in a crowded digital streaming environment? 

CE: That’s a great question. One of the things that we’ve recently done is we expanded into Australia and New Zealand. We’ve also expanded the number of platforms we’re on. A year ago we weren’t on Apple channels, we weren’t on Dish, we weren’t on Sling and we didn’t have our own Roku Channel. I think that the biggest thing that you can do to get the word out is to offer bigger, better content.

AMC Networks said that it has expanded the role of Miguel Penella, its president of SVOD, to include AMC Plus, its ad-free on demand offering.

Penella also oversees Acorn TV, Shudder, Sundance Now and UMC. Shudder this month became the second of AMC Networks’ targeted SVOD service to surpass 1 million subscribers. Acorn TV achieved that mark a year ago.

“Miguel is a seasoned executive with an extensive track record building successful SVOD products and brands and under his leadership our targeted SVOD services have had tremendous growth,” said Ed Carroll, AMC Networks' chief operating officer. “We look forward to Miguel bringing his vision and deep expertise to AMC+ as we accelerate our ability to serve fans of our shows by embracing the new ways they are consuming our content.”

AMC Plus offers original series from AMC and the company’s other networks with early premieres and without commercials. It is available to customers of Comcast's Xfinity and Flex and Dish’s Dish Network and Sling TV.

“AMC Plus  is a collection of unique, premium content brands, centered around a legacy of groundbreaking and quality storytelling that connects with audiences, and it represents a tremendous growth opportunity for AMC Networks,” said Penella. “I look forward to continuing our history of serving distinct audiences with new content that delivers on the promise of the AMC brand to serve existing as well as new fans.”

If you’re a streaming service focusing on horror, Halloween can’t come soon enough. So AMC Networks’ Shudder will be starting its annual 31-days of Halloween programming a month earlier this year.

Shudder’s “61 Days of Halloween” will feature original and exclusive movie premieres, a new The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs Halloween Special, a collection of Vincent Price films and a third burning of The Ghoul Log.

“We usually call October our ‘Super Bowl month’ but this year we’re starting on Sept. 1, so the 61 Days of Halloween will be our Super Bowl combined with Mardi Gras and Christmas. We start on day one with one of the biggest horror movies of the year, Nicolas Cage in Richard Stanley’s mind-bending Color Out of Space—no less than the best cinematic adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft ever—and roll on through to Halloween with a big premiere every week. And then we’re going to finish October with a surprise that will have horror fans everywhere talking. ” said Craig Engler, Shudder’s general manager. 

Among the Shudder programming appearing during Shudder’s “61 Days of Halloween” are Color Out of Space, starring Nicolas Cage and Joely Richardson based on the H.P. Lovecraft short story; Verotika, a trilogy of erotic horror stories from Glenn Danzig; Scare Me, in which Aya Cash, Josh Ruben and Chris Redd tell horror stories that come to life; and season 2 of NOS4A2, which fans can binge. 

For the second year in a row, Shudder’s head curator, Samuel Zimmerman, will be offering callers live, personalized picks for what to watch over his Halloween Hotline.

AMC Networks said its Shudder horror-focused streaming service has launched in Australia and New Zealand.

Shudder has been expanding internationally and is now also available in Canada, Germany, the U.K. and Ireland as well as the U.S. 

“We’re thrilled to share our unrivaled collection of curated horror and supernatural movies and series with Australian and New Zealand audiences just in time for Halloween season, where we feature our biggest and best programming of the year,” said Craig Engler, Shudder’s general manager. “These new launches continue our growing international expansion and our commitment to offer premium genre entertainment to a global audience."

Shudder features the series Creepshow and Cursed Films in addition to movies and documentaries. Another series, The Dead Lands is available only in Australia.

Shudder is available in Australia and New Zealand on the web, iOS, Apple TV, Android and Android TV, and also FireTV in Australia. Plans start at just AU$5.83 and NZ$6.67.

Streaming services account for the lion’s share of this week's new show premieres as the TV industry continues its summer season. 

HBO Max on July 9 will debut its documentary series Expecting Amy, which follows comedian Amy Schumer through her recent pregnancy, while Apple TV Plus on July 10 will debut the J.J. Abrams and Sara Bareilles-produced Little Voice (pictured), which follows the exploits of a 20-something performer seeking to find her true voice and the courage to use it, according to the service.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several other shows debuting the week of July 6 to July 12 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

July 8 -- Stateless (drama) -- Netflix

July 9 -- The Beach House (horror) -- Shudder

July 9 -- Close Enough (animation) -- HBO Max

July 10 -- Breathe: Into the Shadows (drama) -- Prime Video

July 10 -- Greatness Code (sports reality) -- Apple TV Plus

July 10 -- Greyhound (drama) -- Apple TV Plus

July 10 -- The Old Guard (action) -- Netflix

July 10 -- Palm Springs (movie) -- Hulu

July 12 -- P-Valley (drama) -- Starz 

Disney Plus’ premiere of the Hamilton film highlights a list of new and returning series scheduled to premiere during the July 4 holiday weekend.

Hamilton, which was slated to debut in theaters in fall 2021 but in May was moved up to launch on Disney Plus, was filmed at The Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway in June 2016. The film stars Lin-Manuel Miranda, who earned a Tony Award for his starring role in the play as Alexander Hamilton. 

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several other shows debuting the week of June 29 to July 5 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

June 30 -- Dark Girls 2 (documentary) -- OWN

June 30 --Welcome to Chechnya (documentary) -- HBO

July 1 -- Unsolved Mysteries (reality) -- Netflix

July 2 -- The Family Business (drama) -- BET Plus

July 2 -- Metamorphosis (horror) -- Shudder

July 2 -- Warrior Nun (drama) -- Netflix

July 3 -- The Baby-Sitters Club (dramedy) -- Netflix

July 3 -- Hanna (returning series) -- Prime Video

July 5 -- Outcry (documentary) -- Showtime

Viewers and industry observers will watch closely tomorrow's (May 27) much- anticipated launch of new streaming service HBO Max, which will offer more than 100,000 hours of programming from the Warner Media library. 

New HBO Max series set to debut on May 27 include Love Life, a scripted romantic comedy-themed series that will follow one character looking for love (pictured); The Not Too Late Show With Elmo, a family-friendly talk show featuring Sesame Street character Elmo; and On The Record, a documentary that chronicles women who have accused hip-hop entrepreneur Russell Simmons of sexual assault.

Series returning to television include the May 27 premiere of BET’s sophomore drama American Soul, which follows the life of Soul Train founder Don Cornelius, and the May 29 season two debut of Ramy, Hulu’s Golden Globe-winning comedy starring Ramy Youssef.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several other shows debuting the week of May 26  to May 31 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

May 28 -- Confessional (movie) -- Shudder

May 29 -- Central Park (animation) -- Apple TV+

May 29 -- Space Force (comedy) -- Netflix

May 29 -- The Vast of Night (sci-fi) -- Prime Video

May 31 -- Quiz (miniseries) -- AMC

AMC Networks said it will finish 2020 with between 3.5 million and 4 million combined subscribers for its four subscription streaming services. 

AMC operates Acorn TV, Shudder, Sundance Now and UMC (Urban Movie Channel). It had originally forecasted reaching this subscriber benchmark by the end of 2022.  

Also read: Acorn TV: Everything You Need to Know About the SVOD Service Battling BritBox for Control of the U.S. Anglophile Market

“It has been pleasing to see us surpass what we thought was a milestone that had some ambition, and diagnosing whether that’s early take up or whether that is a greater market opportunity than anybody anticipated is something that will have to wait at least some amount of time. But the trajectory is very good,” AMC CEO Josh Sapan told investors during today’s first-quarter earnings call. 

Most of the other news coming out of AMC wasn’t that good.

The media company reported a 52% year-over-year drop in net income to $69 million. AMC’s Q1 revenue fell 6.4% to $734 million.

Amid the severely depressed pandemic economy, AMC told investors to expect around a 30% drop in second quarter advertising sales on its various linear and streaming channels. 

With movie theaters closed AMC Networks’ Shudder streaming platform is planning an early release of zombie thriller Blood Quantum on April 28.

The release of the film, directed by Jeff Barnaby, is part of Shudder’s “Halfway to Halloween Month”  programming stunt, which also includes Cursed Films and new season of The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs and Australian horror series Wolf Creek.

Shudder is also continuing its extended 30-day free trial for new members.

“We knew the film was important and timely when we acquired it last year, but given recent events, Blood Quantum’s themes of isolation, fear of contagion, and humanity struggling with the ramifications of a global virus have only grown more relevant,” said Shudder general manager Craig Engler. “When a theatrical release became untenable due to the real-world pandemic, we decided to accelerate the launch of Barnaby’s film so it would reach the biggest audience possible.”

Blood Quantum stars Michael Greyeyes, Forrest Goodluck, Kiowa Gordon, Elle-Maija Tailfeathers, Olivia Scriven, Stonehorse Lone Goeman, Brandon Oakes, William Belleau, Devery Jacobs and Gary Farmer.

Blood Quantum is produced by Quebec-based production company Prospector Films as well as John Christou and Robert Vroom. It is executive produced by Todd Brown, Nate Bolotin, Gabe Scarpelli, Ryan Shoup, Adrian Love and Noah Segal. 

AMC will air the first season of sister streaming service Shudder’s original series Creepshow beginning May 4, the network said Tuesday.

AMC will air two episodes of the horror anthology series, based on the 1982 Stephen King movie of the same name, every Monday night beginning May 4 and running through May 18, the network said. The series is executive produced by Greg Nicotero (The Walking Dead).

“Creepshow was a phenomenal success in its first season on Shudder. As we continue to experiment with show sharing across our portfolio of defining brands at AMC Networks, it felt like a no brainer to give fans of Greg Nicotero’s masterful zombie work on The Walking DeadUniverse a chance to see this, his passion project,” said Sarah Barnett, president of AMC Networks’ Entertainment Group and AMC Studios in a statement. “Greg’s Creepshow is a brilliant homage to the original classic horror film and we couldn’t happier to air it on AMC, or more grateful to our colleagues at Shudder.”

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of March 30 to April 5 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

March 31 -- Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert (music documentary) -- YouTube

March 31 -- If Loving You Is Wrong (drama) -- OWN

March 31 -- The Scheme (sports documentary) -- HBO

April 1 -- The Challenge: Total Madness (reality series) -- MTV

April 1 -- How to Fix a Drug Scandal (documentary) -- Netflix

April 1 -- Nailed It! (reality competition) -- Netflix

April 2 -- Siren (returning series) -- Freeform

April 3 -- Dolphin Reef & Elephant (nature documentaries) -- Disney+

April 3 -- Future Man (returning series) -- Hulu

April 3 -- Home Before Dark (drama) -- Apple TV+ (RELATED: Series Review)

April 3 -- Into The Dark (Pooka 2: Pooka Lives (horror) -- Hulu

April 3 -- Tales From the Loop (drama) -- Prime Video

April 5 -- Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children (documentary) -- HBO

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting the week of March 30 to April 5 on cable networks and streaming services (for some videos, viewer discretion is advised):

March 31 -- Coachella: 20 Years in the Desert (music documentary) -- YouTube

March 31 -- If Loving You Is Wrong (drama) -- OWN

March 31 -- The Scheme (sports documentary) -- HBO

April 1 -- The Challenge: Total Madness (reality series) -- MTV

April 1 -- How to Fix a Drug Scandal (documentary) -- Netflix

April 1 -- Nailed It! (reality competition) -- Netflix

April 2 -- Siren (returning series) -- Freeform

April 3 -- Dolphin Reef & Elephant (nature documentaries) -- Disney+

April 3 -- Future Man (returning series) -- Hulu

April 3 -- Home Before Dark (drama) -- Apple TV+

April 3 -- Into The Dark (Pooka 2: Pooka Lives (horror) -- Hulu

April 3 -- Tales From the Loop (drama) -- Prime Video

April 5 -- Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children (documentary) -- HBO

AMC Networks has announced that Charter Communications will launch its full suite of subscription video on demand services, along with its premium ad-free linear channel, AMC Premiere.

The inclusion of Acorn TV, Shudder, Sundance Now and UMC is part of a broader long-term carriage agreement inked between the programmer and cable operator earlier. That deal includes carriage of linear networks AMC, BBC America, IFC, Sundance TV, WE tv and BBC World News.

Terms of the agreement weren’t disclosed. AMC didn't offer a timeline as to when the SVOD services and AMC Premiere will be available to Spectrum TV subscribers. 

Related: Charter X1 Talks Continue, Xfinity Flex Now Part of the Discussion

“As both of our businesses continue to evolve, we are very pleased to expand our relationship by enriching Charter’s offering with our targeted SVOD services. Much like our networks, our SVOD services serve passionate audiences with the content they love,” said Ed Carroll, AMC Networks COO, in a statement.

“With partners like AMC Networks, we’re strategically enabling our customers to have greater control over the content they want, in one place through their Spectrum subscription, and with pricing flexibility to meet their needs,” added Tom Montemagno, exec VP of programming acquisition for Charter.

The announcement that Charter will be adding more app-based services to its customers comes just days after top company executives openly discussed licensing X1 video technology from Comcast—specifically, the No. 1 U.S. cable operator’s Flex streaming box. 

AMC Networks has announced that Charter Communications will launch its full suite of subscription video on demand services, along with its premium ad-free linear channel, AMC Premiere.

The inclusion of Acorn TV, Shudder, Sundance Now and UMC is part of a broader long-term carriage agreement inked between the programmer and cable operator earlier. That deal includes carriage of linear networks AMC, BBC America, IFC, Sundance TV, WE tv and BBC World News.

Terms of the agreement weren’t disclosed. AMC didn't offer a timeline as to when the SVOD services and AMC Premiere will be available to Spectrum TV subscribers. 

Related: Charter X1 Talks Continue, Xfinity Flex Now Part of the Discussion

“As both of our businesses continue to evolve, we are very pleased to expand our relationship by enriching Charter’s offering with our targeted SVOD services. Much like our networks, our SVOD services serve passionate audiences with the content they love,” said Ed Carroll, AMC Networks COO, in a statement.

“With partners like AMC Networks, we’re strategically enabling our customers to have greater control over the content they want, in one place through their Spectrum subscription, and with pricing flexibility to meet their needs,” added Tom Montemagno, exec VP of programming acquisition for Charter.

The announcement that Charter will be adding more app-based services to its customers comes just days after top company executives openly discussed licensing X1 video technology from Comcast—specifically, the No. 1 U.S. cable operator’s Flex streaming box. 

The 2019-20 Fall TV season officially kicks off this week with several cable and streaming services debuting shows as the broadcast networks launch their new and returning series.

Epix’s drama series Godfather of Harlem debuts Sept. 29, and stars Forest Whitaker as notorious gangster Bumpy Johnson, who looks to take back the Harlem underworld in the late 1960s after a long jail stint.

Streaming service Shudder on Sept. 26 will launch a reboot of the classic horror anthology series Creepshow, while Amazon Prime Video on Sept. 27 debuts a special musical finale for its Emmy-winning series Transparent.

Below are video trailers and premiere dates for several shows debuting this week on cable networks and streaming services:

Sept. 23 -- Team Kaylie (comedy) -- Netflix

Sept. 25 -- Buzz (documentary) -- HBO

Sept. 25 -- Cake (animation) -- FXX

Sept. 25 -- Crank Yankers (returning series) -- Comedy Central

Sept. 25 -- It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (returning series) -- FXX

Sept. 25 -- Liza on Demand (returning series) -- YouTube

Sept. 26 -- Untold Stories of Hip Hop (music series) -- WEtv

Sept. 27 -- In the Shadow of the Moon (movie) -- Netflix

Sept. 27 -- The Politician (drama) -- Netflix

Sept, 27 -- Van Helsing (returning series) -- Syfy

AMC Networks will bring its Shudder and Sundance Now digital streaming series A Discovery Of Witches to television with the horror show’s April 7 premiere on BBC America and AMC, the network said Saturday.

A Season of Witches will run over eight weeks on both cable networks beginning April 7, the network announced during the Television Critics Association winter press tour presentation.

The series, set in a world where witches, vampires and demons secretly live and work alongside humans, has set Sundance Now records for total video plays, and in its first week on the site accounted for more than half of all streaming activity on the platform, according to the service.

“Thanks to the critical acclaim and overwhelmingly positive audience response to A Discovery of Witches, the series has found a new legion of fans. We are thrilled to bring it to a wider audience and pair it with Killing Eve on both AMC and BBC America,” said Sarah Barnett, President of AMC Entertainment Networks in a statement. “This is a great example of our cross-network strategy; to expose our series to new audiences across our ecosystem of networks and streaming services.”

In other streaming news, Shudder announced it has begun production on its first long-form series, Creepshow, based on the iconic 1982 anthology film written by Stephen King and directed by George A. Romero.

The six-episode season will be executive produced by Greg Nicotero (The Walking Dead), according to the streaming service.

AMC's horror-themed streaming service Shudder in February will stream a new original documentary that highlights the role of African-Americans in horror films.

Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror debuts on Feb. 7 and chronicles how black voices in front of and behind the camera shaped and impacted the horror film genre, according to Shudder officials.

Horror Noire features interviews with notable horror creators including directors William Crain (Blacula), Ernest Dickerson (Bones), Rusty Cundieff (Tales from the Hood), Jordan Peele (Get Out, Us), Tina Mabry (Mississippi Damned); as well as such actors as Tony Todd (Candyman), Keith David (The Thing), Paula Jai Parker (Tales from the Hood), Richard Lawson (Scream Blacula Scream), Rachel True (The Craft); and authors Tananarive Due (My Soul to Keep), and Dr. Robin R. Means Coleman, according to Shudder. 

Horror Noire is directed by Xavier Burgin, executive produced by Dr. Robin R. Means Coleman, Tananarive Due, Phil Nobile Jr and Kelly Ryan of Stage 3 Productions, and is produced and co-written by Ashlee Blackwell and Danielle Burrows.

AMC Networks’ premium video streaming service Shudder has tapped legendary drive-in movie critic Joe Bob Briggs for a 24-hour movie marathon on July 13 – "The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs."

Briggs, whose “Joe Bob’s Drive-In Theater” and “MonsterVision” shows were staples of late-night cable in the 1990s, returns for one night on Shudder, screening 13 movies over a full day, interspersed with his own commentary before, during and between films.

While there is not likely to be an Oscar nominee in the bunch, many of the films selected have achieved cult status in the horror, thriller and suspense genres, including Tourist Trap, Sleepaway Camp,  and Basket Case.

"Joe Bob is a horror icon and raconteur whose signature wit and insightful commentary entertained viewers for 14 years on TV,” said Shudder general manager Craig Engler in a statement. “We’re delighted to bring him back for this exclusive Shudder event where new fans can discover him, and old fans can rediscover him, as he takes on some of the greatest low-budget horror movies ever made.”

Shudder members will be encouraged join the conversation with Shudder’s Twitter account @Shudder during the marathon, which will include special guests, surprises, and prizes for participation.

Other initiatives centered around the marathon include an upcoming Reddit AMA on July 10th, as well as screenings hosted by Joe Bob at the Nitehawk Cinema in Brooklyn, NY on July 11th and the Alamo Drafthouse in Dallas, TX on July 12th.

Cable networks have scared up some original horror-themed digital projects, now streaming online in time for Halloween.

Alongside original zombie-themed series The Walking Dead — which drew 11.4 million viewers to its Oct. 22 season-eight premiere episode — AMC has also launched several new original documentaries and specials through Shudder, its horror, thriller and suspense-themed subscription streaming service.

Related: What Are We So Afraid of?

The service premiered The Core: Halloween Special on Oct. 26. It takes a behind the scenes look at the popular Halloween theatrical film franchise, Shudder general manager Linda Pan said.

Shudder, which launched in 2016, had earlier debuted its first documentary series, Primal Screen, about how people are simultaneously attracted to and repelled by what scares them the most. Shudder is also developing several scripted series expected to debut in 2018, including Riprore, which follows a brutal homicide investigation in Los Angeles that uncovers a darkness that leads to the end of days; and The Blondes, in which blonde women afflicted with an unexplained disease turn into rabid monsters at any moment.

“For us original programming is super important as part of our programming strategy,” Pan said. “We know that our target audience is interested in getting programming from creators that they know and respect, so really look to develop original programming that isn’t going to be available anywhere else for this fan base.”

BET has tapped the horror genre to launch its first digital scripted series, The Last One. The five-episode BET.com series, which fittingly debuted this month on Friday the 13th, follows four friends who meet up with a mysterious stranger after getting stranded on the road, according to network officials.

BET.com vice president of editorial Jermaine Hall said the success of horror-based content, including Jordan Peele’s breakout theatrical film Get Out, convinced the network that the horror genre was perfect to facilitate its initial play into original digital series.

“We saw with the success of Get Out, that our audiences were clamoring for that kind of content,” he said. “We really wanted to capitalize on the film and the genre’s popularity, and the script that we came up with is inherent to the black experience.”

While admitting the viewership for The Last One has been a “slow build” since its debut, Hall said he expects the numbers to increase this week with the attention given to Halloween.

The Last One, though, faces stiff competition from other streaming services offering horror-themed content heading into Halloween. Netflix this past Friday launched the second season of Emmy-nominated series Stranger Things, while Hulu has debuted the second season of its zombie-themed original horror series Freakish. Amazon on Friday, Oct. 13, launched its original anthology series Lore, based on Aaron Mahnke’s popular podcast.

Shudder’s Pan said the horror genre’s appeal — which draws in men and women across age demographics — will extend well beyond Halloween.

“Ultimately the best horror and thriller entertainment are ones that are visceral dramas that really tap into an audience’s need to be provoked and excited and to have a cathartic experience,” she said.