Dripping in 1990s nostalgia, this stylish new series puts a sinister spin on Hollywood noir, with more than a passing reference to directors Messrs David Lynch and David Cronenberg. Based on a 1996 novel by horror writer Mr Todd Grimson, it features a captivating central performance from Ms Rosa Salazar as a talented young filmmaker arriving in Los Angeles to realise her dream. After being taken under the wing of a predatory movie producer, things swiftly go west, kickstarting a visceral, hallucinatory journey through witchcraft, eroticism and revenge that’s as disturbing as it is thrilling.

The weather-boarded houses and big skies of the fictional Crockett Island provide a dramatic backdrop for this supernatural series, which sees a community rocked by the return of a disgraced son and a mysterious new priest. Directed by horror grandee Mr Mike Flanagan, this seven-parter plays on the existing divisions among the devoutly Catholic islanders, who – after suffering recent hardship and a dwindling population – now face new existential threats. Reflecting Flanagan’s own upbringing in the Catholic church, it delivers a scathing commentary on religion, punctuated by chilling events, vicious storms and an unshakeable sense of impending doom.

With the latest instalment having just dropped, this hard-hitting zombie epic now spans 11 seasons and more than 150 episodes. Setting the standards for horror TV after its release more than a decade ago, The Walking Dead immerses viewers in a post-apocalyptic world populated by flesh-eating “walkers” engaged in a deadly game of hide and seek with a gang of survivors led by sheriff deputy Rick Grimes. Cinematic visuals, a high-intensity score and game-changing special effects have transformed this comic-book adaptation into a cultural phenomenon – rewind and enjoy a series that continues to set pulses racing.

Turning the work of visionary sci-fi author Mr Isaac Asimov into a TV hit has often been viewed as the ultimate directorial challenge. This autumn, sci-fi screenwriting stalwarts Mr David S Goyer and Mr Josh Friedman deliver the goods with this big-budget adaptation of Mr Asimov’s award-winning Foundation novels. One of this year’s most anticipated releases, it’s an expansive interplanetary saga that sees a glitzy cast, including Mr Jared Harris, locked in an ill-fated attempt to maintain peace during the gradual collapse of a doomed empire.

Race relations and the ugly side of American suburbia are put under the spotlight in this disturbing horror drama set in the 1950s. Following a traumatic event, a black family relocates from North Carolina to an all-white Los Angeles neighbourhood, where it swiftly becomes clear that beyond the white picket fences and immaculate lawns of their idyllic new neighbourhood lurks something far more sinister. Ms Deborah Ayorinde and Mr Ashley Thomas prove strong leads as their world is turned upside down by racially motivated malevolence and black trauma that makes for particularly hard-hitting TV.