HBO’s Lovecraft Country is a ground-breaking series that offers an exhilarating story of victory in the face of racial adversity and supernatural horror. Inspired by Matt Ruff’s 2016 eponymous novel, the show follows Atticus Freeman, a black young man, as he transverses Jim Crow’s racially segregated America in search of his father.
Atticus is accompanied by his friend Letitia and Uncle George in what seems like an impossible mission. However, Atticus has an ace up his sleeve as he hails from a family of wizards with connections to the supernatural. He plans to overcome his racial disadvantage with wizardry but is soon faced with supernatural enemies with horrifying ambitions.
This piece will highlight 8 shows that you must watch if you loved Lovecraft Country.
Watchmen (2019)
Lovecraft Country and Watchmen are similar shows in that they attempt to shine a light on black culture and the history of racial discrimination in America. Watchmen is a superhero series that revolves around the racist environment in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 2019. The series goes further back in time than Lovecraft Country as it highlights the often overlooked Tulsa race massacre of 1921.
Watchmen focuses on violence waged against the police by a group of white supremacists who protest the special reparations offered to victims of racial injustice. The supernatural aspects of the show give a creepy but unique and interesting edge. The nine episodes of the show are available on HBO.
Castle Rock (2018- )
Stephen King makes yet another contribution to the supernatural genre as the creators of Castle Rock draw from some of his best stories to create this psychological thriller. Set in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine, the first season of the show revolves around a criminal attorney who returns home after a mysterious prisoner who’s been in jail for nearly three decades asks for him by name.
The attorney, Henry, returns to a town steeped in supernatural horror that seeks to ignite memories of his father’s death. Castle Rock is available on Hulu.
Ash v Evil Dead (2015-2018)
The series is set 30 years after the first three Evil Dead films and is a sequel to that trilogy. The series portrays Ash as a man who’s done little with himself after the events of Army of Darkness. He is content with spending his days drinking alone in bars.
However, the Evil Dead force Ash to awaken from his drunken slumber. He joins forces with Pablo and Kelly, and together they face off against the Evil Dead in a desperate bid to save humanity. Ash v Evil Dead supernatural elements keep you glued to the screen, and the comedy bits provide a bit of respite from the horror that is prevalent in the show.
True Detective (2014- )
True Detective is an anthology series that is based on the police investigations of that season’s mystery. The show goes beyond the mystery and focuses on the lives of the characters.
The mysteries in the show are quite compelling, and you will enjoy trying to figure out the perpetrators of the gruesome murders. Chances are you will get the answer wrong due to the massive twists and turns of the show. The most interesting and shocking things, however, are not the mysteries, but the secrets hidden by the characters. True Detective is available on HBO.
American Gods (2017- )
Days before his release from prison, Shadow Moon receives news of his wife’s demise. He attends the funeral, and on his way home, he meets with a certain Mr. Wednesday who offers Moon the job of his right-hand man. Shadow reluctantly accepts the job, and in doing so, finds himself in a battle between the New Gods and the Old Gods.
The Old Gods fear that their influence is coming to an end due to the rapidly growing influence of the New Gods. Mr. Wednesday sides with the Old Gods, but Shadow is unsure of where his allegiance lies.
11.22.63 (2016)
Stephen King makes another appearance on this list as the show’s producer, James Franco, based the series on King’s novel 11/23/63. Like Lovecraft Country, 11.22.63 focuses on historical injustice, but unlike Lovecraft Country, the injustice on the show doesn’t have racial connections.
The show’s lead Jake Epping travels to the past to try and stop the assassination of United States President John F. Kennedy. However, he grows accustomed to life in 1963 and loses focus of his mission. Jake’s task is difficult as he has to collect information about the assassination without raising suspicion.
Gotham (2014-2019)
Gotham is synonymous with Batman, but this show looks at Gotham before Batman. James Gordon was the officer tasked with maintaining a semblance of normalcy in the messed-up city that is Gotham. The show sees James Gordon grow from a detective to a police chief as he combats the supernatural criminals of Gotham.
At the same time, the show portrays Bruce Wayne morphing into the superhero that will ultimately save Gotham. However, this series is primarily about James Gordon against the kingpins of Gotham’s criminal underworld such as The Riddler and Penguin. Gotham is available on Netflix.
Lore (2017-2018)
Lore was initially a podcast that was turned into a series due to its popularity. The anthology series tells a different story in each episode, combining documentary footage and cinematic scenes in a bid to show that the scariest stories are true.
The show is based on real-life incidents, which are sure to send a chill up your spine. The 12 episodes of the show are available on Amazon Prime.