Tim Burtonneeds no introduction, his style so unique that a simple glance at the animation style or the macabre atmosphere associated with his movies tells fans they are immersed in one of the multi-award-winning director’s iconic films. Burton is the genius behind some of the best movies that have defined the gothic genre, such asThe Nightmare Before Christmas,Sleepy Hollow,The Corpse Bride,Edward Scissorhands, andBeetlejuice.
Tim Burton is notorious for hismelancholic movies that are full of suspense, darkness, charm, and whimsy. Burton has also dabbled in directing TV shows, such as the hitWednesday, a spin-off ofThe Adams Family. Burton’s style is unique and highly influential, and those classic Burton vibes can be seen in other TV shows that have possibly been inspired by his movies of the gothic genre itself.
10The Irregulars (2021)
Created by Tom Bidwell
The Irregularsis a great show for Tim Burton fans as it’s packed with gothic vibes and full of suspense. For those who likeWednesdayandSherlock, tryThe Irregulars, which follows a group of misfits working for Dr Watson and his suspicious associate - Sherlock Holmes.
The Irregularsis full of big twists and tragedies, set against the backdrop of Victorian London.It’s about time the fascinating world of Sherlock was given a dark supernatural spin, and it’s no wonder Tim Burton hasn’t made something Sherlock-inspired already.
The Irregulars
9American Gothic (1995-1998)
Created by Shaun Cassidy
The horror cult-classicAmerican Gothiccenters around the Hawthorne family’s chilling discovery, and encompasses dark supernatural happenings, an angel with a sinister warning, a boy who could be evil incarnated, and a seemingly charismatic sheriff who has demonic powers -welcome to Trinity, a small town in South Carolina that’s even less inviting than Hell.
Fans of Tim Burton should watchAmerican Gothicfor its eerie atmosphere, strange and unexplainable events, and a sinister atmosphere throughout. For great writing and memorable characters, makeAmerican Gothicyour next watch.
American Gothic
american gothic
8Courage The Cowardly Dog (1999-2002)
Created by John R. Dilworth
For Tim Burton fans who love his animated movies,Courage The Cowardly Dogis one of thecreepiest children’s animated series- and full of Tim Burton vibes. The cartoon follows the adventures of Courage, the pet pink dog of elderly couple Muriel and Eustice, who live in a rickety house in the middle of a deserted place called Nowhere, a placefull of supernatural horrors that terrify poor Courage. But despite this shaky, nervous dog being dubbed as “cowardly”, he is often the one to save the day and rescue his owners from evil supernatural monsters and events.
Something that Burton seldom gets credit for is hisloveable and memorable characters, which his iconic aesthetic and gripping stories can unintentionally overshadow.But true Burton fans know that the characters from his movies are just as quirky and full of life as his fun and strange movies are - andCourage The Cowardly Dogis a show that captures that essence. Despite how strange the show is, its larger-than-life characters will make this show feel like a comfort show,full of 90s nostalgia that Tim Burton fans will love.
Courage the Cowardly Dog
7The Sandman (2023)
Created by Neil Gaiman, David S. Goyer and Allan Heinberg
The Sandmanwas originally a comic series byNeil Gaiman, who is a huge name in the fantasy genre and is best known for his dark gothic-esque fantasy stories such asThe Ocean at the End of the Lane,Good OmensandAmerica Gods. But out of the movies and shows adapted from his books,The Sandmanis the show with the most Tim Burton vibes. However,it could be argued that all of Gaiman’s work is like Burton’s, and vice versa.
The Sandmanfollows Morpheous, the king of dreams who has been trapped for several decades and must fix both his world upon release and the effect his entrapment has had on the dreams of people in the human world.It’s a surreal and captivating show with a lot of heart, but something that Burton fans might want to keep in mind is the controversy surrounding Neil Gaiman, which has caused production on thethird season ofGood Omensto be paused after Neil Gaiman offered to step back- before stepping into the world ofThe Sandman.
The Sandman
6The Midnight Club (2022)
Created by Mike Flanagan and Leah Fong
Eight patients from the same hospice for the terminally ill meet up in a mysterious manor to tell spooky stories and share their interest in the supernatural. These eight people meet at midnight every night and call themselvesThe Midnight Club, a show that, despite being placed in the horror genre, is not a terrifying watch, and is considereda horror show with heart.
The Midnight Clubis one of the best horror miniseries.It’s full of mystery, spooky vibes and has a strong emotional core, despite the creepy atmosphere. It’s also full of classic horror elements, such as a scary, seemingly-haunted Manor House, the threat of supernatural happenings, and characters with interesting backstories. The show was inspired by the writings ofChristopher Pike, predominantly his 1994 novelThe Midnight Club.
The Midnight Club
5Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet Of Curiosities (2022-)
Created by Guillermo del Toro
Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiositiesis an anthology series of harrowing stories whose eerie episodes are full of suspense and creepy imagery.These unsettling stories will stay with fans long after they’ve watched them, and are reminiscent of Burton’s darker movies, such asSleepy HollowandSweeney Todd.
For great gothic horror and disturbing stories across different timelines,Cabinet of Curiositiesis a must-watch.Episodes of this unique anthology series include a grave-robber who must navigate a series of rat-infested tunnels to get what he wants in ‘Graveyard Rats’, a dead body discovered in the woods in theEmmy-nominated episode ‘The Autopsy’and unspeakable creations from a missing macabre painter in ‘Pickman’s Model’.
Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities
WATCH ON NETFLIX
4A Series Of Unfortunate Events (2017-2019)
Produced by Neil Patrick Harris (Season 1), Joe Tracz, and Rand Geiger (Seasons 2 & 3)
The show about an evil distant relative trying to get his hands on the Baudelaire fortune is full of Tim Burton vibes.A Series of Unfortunate Eventsfollows three children - Violet, Sunny and Klaus Baudelaire - as they try to escape their murderous and money-hungry relative known as Count Olaf.
After the Baudelaire children’s parents die, the three siblings are sent to live with Olaf, who will stop at nothing to get his hands on the children’s inheritance. It’s anincredibly fun story full of macabre aesthetics and gothic vibes. On the surface, it seems like something that would derive from the mind of Tim Burton. ButA Series Of Unfortunate Eventsis actually adapted from a thirteen-book series that was written for children byLemony Snicket, and has also been adapted into a movie that starsJim Carreyas Count Olaf.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
3What We Do In The Shadows (2019-2024)
Created by Jermaine Clement
What We Do In The Shadowsis a horror comedy series filmed in the style of a mockumentary that shows the lives of vampires who have lived together for over a century. The show isjust what you’d expect out of a Tim Burton movie: dark, gothic, and a lot of fun.
What We Do In The Shadowsis hilariously witty, and follows vampires Viago, Deacon and Vladislav as they struggle with the ordinary aspects of human life such as paying rent and completing chores. It is the “mundane” interspersed with blood and death that makes this quirky showan entertaining and Burton-esque show to watch.
What We Do in the Shadows
2The Umbrella Academy (2019-2024)
Created by Steve Blackman and Jeremy Slater
The Umbrella Academyfollows an odd-ball group of seven “siblings” who are adopted by billionaire Sir Reginald Hargreeves with the purpose of saving the world, hence why the Umbrella Academy was formed. Life for the Hargreeves family is far from perfect or happy as the siblings become estranged over time, with six of the Umbrella Academy only reuniting upon the news that Sir Reginald Hargreeves has died.
The Umbrella Academyis one of Netflix’s most popular shows, and depictsa dark and quirky take on the superhero genre.It’s a show that’s full of laughs and fun which are interspersed with more serious scenes and action sequences. There are also some great dance scenes inThe Umbrella Academy, which will remind Burton fans of scenes such as Wednesday’s iconic dance inWednesday, and of the fun dance numbers in bothBeetlejuiceandBeetlejuice, Beetlejuice.The Umbrella Academywas adapted from the comic series written byGerard Way, who most will know as the lead singer ofMy Chemical Romance.
The Umbrella Academy
1Sleepy Hollow (2013-2017)
Created by Alex Kurtzman
Adapted from the short storyThe Legend of Sleepy Hollow(1820) byWashington Irving, theSleepy HollowTV series follows Ichabod Crane as he is brought back to life and transported through time to solve a mystery. Meanwhile, a headless horseman has also been brought back at the same time, and it becomes up to Ichabod Crane to stop this murderous beast.
As Tim Burton fans will already know,the movieSleepy Hollowis one of Burton’s horror classics, which starredJohnny Deppas Ichabod Crane, alongsideChristina Ricci, who played Wednesday in the 1991 adaptation ofThe Adams Family. The TV show starsTom Missonand is a dark drama set in the present day, giving thisVictorian gothic story a modern twist.
Sleepy Hollow
Keep Reading:‘Wednesday’ Season 2: Everything We Know about Jenna Ortega and Tim Burton’s Spooky Reunion
