An anthology series is like a collection of short stories. Each episode or each season tells a separate story with new characters, so you don’t have to remember what happened five episodes ago. You can watch one episode in an evening and not feel guilty for not making it to the end of the season.
There are two kinds. In some anthologies a new story begins in every episode: that’s how The Twilight Zone, Black Mirror or Inside No. 9 work. In others, a new story takes up a whole season: that’s how True Detective, Fargo and American Horror Story are made. Below are eight projects that have already aired, with facts from Wikipedia pages checked on October 14, 2026. We don’t invent ratings: the choice is based on the format and on what exactly awaits you.
The Twilight Zone
This is a genre classic. Rod Serling created the series, which aired on CBS from 1959 to 1964. According to Wikipedia, 156 episodes came out over five seasons. Each episode is self-contained, usually with an unexpected twist and a moral, and Serling introduces the stories and comments on them himself.
Where to start: with any episode; the order doesn’t matter.
Black Mirror
The series was created by Charlie Brooker. The first episodes aired on Britain’s Channel 4 in December 2011, and the show later moved to Netflix. As of October 2026, Wikipedia lists 33 episodes in seven series, the holiday special “White Christmas” and the interactive film “Bandersnatch” (2018). Each story is about what technology does to people, and each has its own characters.
Where to start: with any episode; they are all self-contained.
True Detective
The creator is Nic Pizzolatto, and the premiere took place on January 12, 2014. Each season is a new crime story with different characters, a different setting and different events, although, according to Wikipedia, the seasons are linked by a shared sequence of events.
Where to start: with the first season, then choose the next one by its description.
Fargo
The series was created by Noah Hawley and is based on the 1996 film by the Coen brothers. The brothers were not involved at first, but later became executive producers. According to Wikipedia, 51 episodes aired over five seasons, from 2014 to 2024. It is a black comedy about crime, and each season unfolds in a different place with different characters.
Where to start: with the first season, to get used to the tone.
Love, Death & Robots
An adult animated anthology series created by Tim Miller, with David Fincher listed among the executive producers. The first volume premiered on March 15, 2019. According to Wikipedia, as of October 2026 there are 4 volumes and 45 episodes, and episodes run from 6 to 21 minutes, so this series works well as “one episode before bed.”
Where to start: with the first volume, then choose by animation style.
Inside No. 9
A British black comedy by Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith. Each episode runs about half an hour and is a separate story with new characters and a new setting; what links them is the number nine. The first episode aired on February 5, 2014. The series ended after its ninth series: the final episode aired on June 12, 2024.
Where to start: with the first episode, to understand the rules of the game.
American Horror Story
Created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk. The first season, “Murder House,” premiered on October 5, 2011. Each season usually tells a separate, self-contained story with its own characters within a shared fictional universe.
Where to start: with the season closest to your taste; the shared universe does not get in the way.
Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities
A horror anthology created by Guillermo del Toro; the premiere took place on October 25, 2022. It has eight episodes, each directed by a different director, including Vincenzo Natali, Ana Lily Amirpour, Catherine Hardwicke, Panos Cosmatos and Jennifer Kent. That is why the episodes differ noticeably in mood and style.
Where to start: with an episode whose director you know, or simply with the first one.
How to choose an anthology by mood
If you don’t know where to start, go by mood rather than by title.
| What you want | What to watch | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Science fiction and unease about technology | Black Mirror | A new story in every episode |
| Very short stories lasting a few minutes | Love, Death & Robots | Short animated episodes |
| Dark humor | Inside No. 9, Fargo | Episodes or seasons |
| A crime plot per season | True Detective | A new story in every season |
| The classic where it all began | The Twilight Zone | A new story in every episode |
| Scary stories | American Horror Story, Cabinet of Curiosities | Seasons and episodes |
To check whether this format suits you at all, watch one episode from each of two different projects. The Twilight Zone will show the classic version, while Black Mirror or Love, Death & Robots show a modern one. If both work for you, the rest of the list should suit you too; if not, you may prefer long stories with a continuous plot.
If you need one complete story instead of separate ones, watch our selection of miniseries for a weekend. And to avoid stumbling on spoilers by accident, read our tips on watching series without spoilers: in anthologies the final twist is usually the main value of an episode.
Tip. Don’t binge an anthology. Episodes follow similar patterns, and when there are many in a row, the twist is easier to guess. Two or three episodes in an evening usually give a better effect.
Frequently asked questions
Can you start with any episode?
In anthologies with standalone episodes, yes, usually: the stories are self-contained. In The Twilight Zone, every episode is complete and has its own twist. In seasonal anthologies the seasons are linked: according to Wikipedia, Fargo and True Detective share a sequence of events, so the references make more sense if you watch in release order.
How is an anthology different from a miniseries?
A miniseries tells one story from beginning to end. An anthology is several separate stories under one brand. The two sometimes combine: Wikipedia calls Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities a horror anthology in miniseries format.
How many episodes should I watch in one evening?
It’s a matter of taste, but for episodes of 30 to 60 minutes it’s convenient to watch one or two. For the short animated episodes of Love, Death & Robots, which run from 6 to 21 minutes, three or four in a row will do.
Where can I watch these series?
Catalogs change, so we don’t list them. Check the page of the series on a service available to you. For which services work in Ukraine, see our separate article about streaming services.
Sources
- The Twilight Zone (Wikipedia)
- Black Mirror (Wikipedia)
- True Detective (Wikipedia)
- Fargo (Wikipedia)
- Love, Death & Robots (Wikipedia)
Data was checked against live official pages and Wikipedia on October 14, 2026.
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