Horror anthologies have long been a staple of television, offering creators the freedom to reinvent their scares with each new season. Yet even among a crowded field, Prime Video's Them: The Scare—released in April 2024—stands as one of the most unsettling and distinctive horror experiences on any platform. Created by Little Marvin, this second chapter expands on the themes of racism and supernatural dread introduced in the 2021 debut, Them: Covenant. It also boasts a perfect 100% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, a rarity that underscores its quality. More than two years later, it remains a chilling masterpiece that defies easy comparison.
What makes Them: The Scare so enduring isn't just its jump scares or gore—it's how the show weaponizes every element of the viewing experience to unsettle audiences. The series uses horror as a lens to dissect discrimination in society, painting vivid, nightmarish portraits of what it means to be marginalized. Whether depicting paranormal phenomena or the gnawing anxiety of being the only "different" person in a room, the show taps into fears that resonate deeply with many viewers. It's not just scary; it's a visceral, uncomfortable reflection of real-world terrors that many people live with daily.
Pushing Horror Where Others Won't
Them: The Scare sits within a rich tradition of TV anthologies that reinvent their terrors each season, from Slasher to Channel Zero. The format allows creators to experiment with new characters, new settings, and new blends of psychological and visceral horror. The most obvious modern giant is American Horror Story, which has spent over a decade using fresh premises to frighten audiences. Many of its seasons have tried to incorporate social issues, but often with mixed results—they rarely commit to fully exploring the horror of living under systemic oppression.
Even shows that ground themselves in hatred, like Cult or NYC, tend to focus on characters who have historically avoided the worst of unjust authority. They miss the consciousness needed to use horror as a conduit for the real social issues affecting the most vulnerable members of their audience. Them, however, dives headfirst into these waters. Its first season followed a Black family moving into an all-White 1950s neighborhood, facing both the cruelty of their neighbors and the monstrous entities haunting their home. It arrived during a renaissance of socially conscious horror—think Get Out or Blood Quantum—and resonated with audiences who finally saw their experiences reflected on screen.
A New Chapter of Terror
In Them: The Scare, the focus shifts to Dawn (Deborah Ayorinde), an LAPD detective struggling to track down a serial killer who may be more supernatural than she imagines. She also grapples with her role in a police department that often targets her own community. Parallel to her story is Edmund (Luke James), a wannabe actor whose method acting leads him down disturbing paths. Both narratives are packed with scares, but they also highlight the real fears of corrupt authority and blatant bigotry that persist today. It's a hauntingly visceral representation of societal terrors, executed with devastating precision.
When it comes to pure shock value, Them: The Scare doesn't hold back. The unseen assailant, known as "The Man With the Red Hair," stalks his victims for days, breaking their sanity with mental torture before brutally breaking every bone in their bodies—while keeping them awake for every agonizing moment. This is body horror at its most sickening, and the show doesn't shy away from the clinical details. Dawn's detective work gives viewers a horrifying understanding of each victim's ordeal, and the camera lingers just enough to make the terror unforgettable.
What truly sets Them: The Scare apart is its willingness to go where other shows won't. It doesn't just use horror for entertainment; it uses it to expose the deep-seated fears that society often ignores. For those seeking a horror series that is both terrifying and thought-provoking, this is a must-watch. If you're looking for more recommendations, check out our list of one-season mystery gems or explore horror movie video games for a different kind of scare.
