Scary Stories, Terrifying Tales and Deadly Documentaries to Watch on PBS this Halloween

Believe it or not, we CAN be scary. This is not for the faint of heart!

Published on October 19, 2022 by Madisson Haynes

Ghosts, goblins and ghouls beware: PBS has stories about you to share. Spookify your October with scary stories, terrifying tales, whispers of witches, daunting documentaries and more, all guaranteed to give you the heebie jeebies. Check out our playlist of creepy content below and on the PBS app.

Subtle Scares

We’re trading in “cute and cuddly” for “creepy and cringey” this Halloween. First stop? Dolls. These three collectors items are brought in to be appraised by Antiques Roadshow, and the end result may spook you. From a Bru doll to an 18th century Queen Anne wooden doll to an entire 1915 doll collection, these iconic treasures are harrowing.

*Beware: these dolls have a mind of their own. We cannot guarantee dolls will sit still if you refresh the page.

Appraisal: Doll Collection, ca. 1915

In Vintage Los Angeles, Richard Wright appraises a doll collection, ca. 1915.

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Appraisal: Doll Collection, ca. 1915

In Vintage Los Angeles, Richard Wright appraises a doll collection, ca. 1915.

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Appraisal: Early 18th-Century Queen Anne Wooden Doll

2m 53s

In Best Bargains, Julie Scott appraises an early 18th-Century Queen Anne Wooden Doll.

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Appraisal: Bru Doll & Accessories, ca. 1880

2m 30s

Watch Richard Wright’s appraisal of a Bru Doll & Accessories, ca. 1880, in Vintage Chicago.

Creepy Crawlers

Exaggerated antennae, lots of legs, always-watching eyes and scaly outer skeletons make microscopic critters high on our creepy crawly list. Take one (close) look at these monstrous breeds and you’ll wish you hadn’t.

Where Are the Ants Carrying All Those Leaves?

Ants don’t eat leaves, they use them to grow white tufts of nutritious fungus to feed their offspring. Their success as farmers has made leafcutter ants into fungus tycoons, complete with their own underground cities and huge half-inch soldiers to patrol them.

Full Length 3m 26s

Full Length

Where Are the Ants Carrying All Those Leaves?

3m 26s

Full Length

This Killer Fungus Turns Flies into Zombies

4m 28s

Something is growing inside that fruit fly in your kitchen. At dusk, the fly points its wings straight up and dies in a gruesome pose so that a fungus can ooze out and fire hundreds of reproductive spores.

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Seeds that Literally Run Away

2m 27s

The seeds of wild oats have an incredible ability to find the right spot to grow...they walk! This ability was selected out of cultivated oats to make it easier to gather the seeds and grow new crops.

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Monsters and More

From the history of zombies and witch hunts to modern warfare and alien invasions, there’s something for every ghoul and goblin in this creepy category.

The Origins of the Zombie, from Haiti to the U.S.

In the first episode of our three-part special series, we explore the complex history of the zombie—from its origins in the spiritual beliefs of the African diaspora to the development of Vodou in Haiti. Learn how one of the most enduring monsters in popular culture evolved in the midst of slavery, racism and prejudice.

Full Length 16m 50s

Full Length

The Origins of the Zombie, from Haiti to the U.S.

16m 50s

Full Length

The Witch Hunts

53m 52s

What started Britain’s century of bloody witch hunts? Lucy Worsley uncovers the story of one supposed witch, whose case lit the fuse for the state-sanctioned killing of thousands.

Full Length

Modern Warfare and Alien Invasions

10m 7s

What really crashed down to Earth in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947? Can we trust the government when they say it was just a weather balloon? Today Danielle looks at the history of alien conspiracies and what they teach us about the legacy of modern warfare, globalization, distrust of the government, and paranoia about foreign invaders.

Hiseerie

Welcome to “Hiseerie”, a new series from Pioneer PBS. We explore the paranormal and macabre corners of Minnesota and the Midwest—regions rich with dark history, local legends, and unexplained phenomena. From haunted sites and mysterious cryptids to chilling true crimes that shook small communities, we investigate the stories that linger in the shadows.

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Hunting Bigfoot

Episode | 26m 46s |
Tonight we go on a hunt for our hairy friend Bigfoot. Come and learn the history of and how to find the infamous cryptid with our friends from the Itasca County Bigfoot Research Center.
Campfire Stories: Part 1

Full Length | 27m 44s |
Join us around the campfire for spooky and strange stories from the Midwest.
Campfire Stories: Part 2

Episode | 26m 43s |
Join us around the campfire for spooky and strange stories from the Midwest.
Farrar Elementary School

Episode | 25m 20s |
Join us on an investigation at the haunted Farrar Elementary School in central Iowa. Owned by popular YouTubers Sam and Colby, we had a chance to learn about the school’s history and conduct our own investigation.

More than Mysteries

Murder and mayhem? A lethal (yet predictable) combination for a haunting Halloween. Check out Moonflower Murders and Marlow Murder Club for harrowing plotlines that will keep you on the edge of your seat. While Lakeshore Classic Movies, a local public television program presented by Lakeshore PBS and WETA, has you covered with haunted classics from the silver screen.

Moonflower Murders

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Marlow Murder Club

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Night of the Living Dead (1968)

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The House on Haunted Hill (1959)

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Terrifying Tales

Something wicked this way comes ... in the form of words. From facts about famous mystery authors to details on other deadly documentaries, PBS has a plethora of creepy content available.

Anne Rice, The Queen of Literary Monsters

Forbes once called her “The Warren Buffett of vampires,” but American author, Anne Rice has established herself as the literary queen of monsters of ALL kinds over her four-and-a-half decade career. Besides her 15 novels of the world-famous Vampire Chronicles series, she’s also written 21 other books featuring all your favorite dark, supernatural, and undead beings.

Full Length 9m 35s

Full Length

Anne Rice, The Queen of Literary Monsters

9m 35s

Full Length

The (Stephen) King of Horror

Few writers have had the sheer staying power, popularity, and prolific output as Stephen King. From insatiably flesh-hungry clowns and sentient cars to telekinetic teenagers and mystical gunslingers. But it’s not just his monsters that have lasting power—it’s also the very human and very psychological elements in his work that linger.

Full Length

Death, Personified

8m 58s

Death as a character reveals how we process one of life’s greatest mysteries, and there’s a lot more breadth to how the grim reaper is depicted than you might think.

Full Length

How a Spy Changed Horror Movies

10m 52s

You may not know their names, but the theremin and the wilhelm scream are ubiquitous in horror films. Today, Danielle and special guest Dr. Emily Zarka tell the spooky tales of how these iconic sounds ended up in your favorite movies!

Pleasant Palate Cleanser

Oh My Gourd! The Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular Story

We’ll admit this isn’t creepy or crawly, but pumpkins pass the Halloween vibe check. This Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular Story features the extraordinary artistic feat that takes place at Roger Williams Park Zoo every October.

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