Can we name 100 Anthology Shows?

[JaseSF]

26) Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1985-1989): Updated remake version of the classic 1950s series. Many of the original stories were redone here with modern era actors and directors and made use of the old Hitchcock host footage as well. There were a few new stories as well. It was fairly well done but honestly it kind of pales a bit next to the original.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsJnRUgXgKY
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[JaseSF]

27) Playhouse 90 (1956-1961): This American anthology series ran for 133 episodes and featured hour and half drama movies presented for TV in its live days, some episodes were presented live while others were taped. This series was known for its high standard and quality stories featuring the work of writers like Rod Serling, Leslie Stevens, James P. Cavanagh, David Shaw, Robert Alan Aurthur, Sumner Locke Elliott, Horton Foote, Frank D. Gilroy, Roger O. Hirson, A. E. Hotchner, Abby Mann, JP Miller, Paul Monash and Tad Mosel. Directors included the likes of John Frankenheimer (who directed the most with 27 episodes), Franklin J. Schaffner (he directed 19 episodes), Ralph Nelson, Vincent J. Donehue, Arthur Hiller, Sidney Lumet, George Roy Hill, Delbert Mann and Robert Mulligan. The show also won a number of awards including Peabody Awards, Golden Globes and Emmy Awards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pdPWz5o-ws
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[JaseSF]

28) Hammer House of Horror (1980): This classic British Horror anthology series from 1980 adapted spooky, creepy and unsettling horror tales, often updates on the classic horror monsters what with stories about witchcraft, werewolves, demons, ghosts, a voodoo killer doll and unpleasant tales of grisly murder. In many ways, this sadly short-lived series was ahead of its time and featured some top British talent of that era including Peter Cushing, Denholm Elliott, Jon Finch, Brian Cox and many more. Some episodes were much better than others while some were rather uneven which is perhaps part of the reason it didn't survive or perhaps it was just too ahead of its time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADcy0mUr3bU
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[JaseSF]

29) Out of This World (1962): This short-lived British science fiction anthology series hosted by the legendary Boris Karloff following his run on Thriller ran for 13 episodes in 1962. It featured adaptations of stories by science fiction writers such as Isaac Asimov, Philip K. Dick and Clifford D. Simak. It was something of a spin-off series of Armchair Theatre which had previously adapted several sci-fi stories. Sadly this series is now for the most part thought lost and this is believed to be the only surviving episode of the show - "Little Lost Robot" based on a story by Asimov.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dK_XqMiOZU
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[JaseSF]

30) Out of the Unknown (1965-1971): British anthology series was sort of a follow-up to Out of This World. It, much like its predecessor, adapted the works of famous science fiction authors including Isaac Asimov, Frederik Pohl, J.G. Ballard, John Wyndham and more. It was originally a black and white series which adapted science fiction stories but would eventually move into the realm of color and in its fourth season would abandon sci-fi in favor of supernatural horror. Very few of the episodes  are throught to remain nowadays but I did find some footage on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fOflUdZDNc
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFJAMiJCQkg
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQBMGl-kjOE
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[Raffine]

31) Kurt Vonnegut's Monkey House (1991)

I was reminded of this by my discussion of bad Vonnegut movies with Mofo and Flick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWfG8SgyWlo
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There were only seven episodes of this Tales of the Unexpected-like anthology. I have the VHS collection somewhere.

Which reminds me:

32) Way Out (1961)

Another legendary short-lived sci-fi/horror themed anthology hosted by Roald Dahl.  Despite great reviews and good ratings in urban areas it was a huge flop in the sticks, so it was cancelled after 14 episodes.

It's never been commercially available since it's owned by the producer David Susskind's estate and for some reason they refuse to let it see the light of day. I can't even find a bootleg copy! If you're in New York you can watch the series at the Paley Center for Media.



An intriguing image from Way Out.

[JaseSF]

33) Masters of Horror (2005-2007): Actually surprised this one hasn't yet been mentioned. This featured then modern day popular directors/legendary so-called "masters" of horror adapting stories, names like John Carpenter, Dario Argento, Tobe Hooper, John Landis, Don Coscarelli, Takashi Miike, Joe Dante to name but a few,  in a kind of shortened film style to the TV screen. The results have varied with some episodes being very good and some being particularly painful to get through. I think it's perhaps a mix of trying to appeal to classic fans with good storytelling and also trying to appeal to more modern fans who prefer visuals, style and gore over story. All in all, it ended up being a mixed bag as a series.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVQTdnrenLI
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[JaseSF]

34) Masters of Science Fiction (2007): This sadly short-lived anthology series that followed Masters of Horror and had the same creators behind it only lasted four episodes on ABC with only six episodes produced in total. Like Masters of Horror, it featured creative talents known for their work in the field - here the field of science fiction. Stories by Harlan Ellison, Robert A. Heinlein, John Kessel, Walter Mosley, Robert Sheckley and Howard Fast were adapted. Directors included Jonathan Frakes, Michael Tolkin, Mark Rydell, Darnell Martin, Harold Becker and Michael Petroni. The show was hosted off-screen by Stephen Hawking. All six episodes have been released to DVD. Kind of sad stuff like this isn't given a chance in today's TV world full of reality crapola.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jM36yVPz_A
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[Couchtr26]

35) Freddy's Nightmares: A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Series (1988-1990): Freddy Kruger introduces us to a cast of characters with their own unique fears before each episode and they meet an end often times that stems from their own desires or weaknesses.  My memory is very vague on it but I remember it from its rather late showing (12:30 AM if I remember correctly) and a friend's obsession with it at the time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPEjsCNX1pQ
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I also vaguely remember one called Fear Itself.  It is more recent and have seen it suggested on Netflix.  However, I believe it was similar to Masters of Horror.  I remember an episode with a woman at a camp in the American West and she killed trappers and travelers to either protect a sister or appease some creature down in this hole.  Can't remember for sure but will look it up and post tomorrow. 

[Couchtr26]

36) Fear Itself (2008): Aired on NBC, short horror movies in a 1 hour format the directors had less control as they had to pick from a group of selected stories.  The specific episode I remember is entitled "The Sacrifice".  A group of Romanian immigrants have made a town/fort to hold a vampire that has stayed with them in their departure from their homeland.  3 girls and their father remain and four men happen upon the scene.  I think I was confusing it with other sources.  It had a hard time competing with the PG-13 style violence and was introduced around the time of the Beijing Olympics which may have also contributed to lack of viewership.  However, if you watch there are quite a few implied creepy moments with not much shown. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMhRSQOJafY&feature=related
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I also seem to remember one from around 1991 - 1994 that was similar to Amazing Stories but dealt with like fairy tales or something similar that was bit darker/creepier in tone.

[RCMerchant]

I seem to remember a tv show on in the 70's hosted by Sebastion(Mr.French on tv's FAMILY AFFAIR)Cabot called GHOST STORY-according to IMDB the title was changed to CIRCLE OF FEAR...hmph-don't recall it ever been called that when I watched it. Ah well...

37.GHOST STORY (aka Circle of Fear)

.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gq73L4eKKC0
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...It was produced by shlock master William Castle! 
Groovy! 

[JaseSF]

38. Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense (1984-1986) (AKA: Fox Mystery Theater in the U.S.): This short-lived anthology series from Hammer followed in the wake of Hammer House of Horror. It was an anthology series that rather like the later Masters of Horror series took top talents in writing and directing, at the time under contract with Hammer, to produce 13 69-73 minute films adapted for television. Most of the stories had fairly good acting, suspense, plot and story but really the series turned out rather uneven with only some episodes standing out as great with the majority being passable and average.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFukzdoBjEQ
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHDVmIaFrpY
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[JayJayM12]

39.  Spine Chillers (2003) - british horror anthology with a dark comedy spin (in fact, a lot of British tv comedy stars made appearances).

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379668/

[JayJayM12]

40.  Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible

Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible is a British television series, created by Graham Duff, co-written by and starring Steve Coogan. Originally aired on BBC2 in 2001, the programme was designed as an anthology series, in the style of Tales from the Crypt, and lampooned many aspects of the horror genre, homaging the British horror films of Hammer, Amicus and Tigon from the 1960s and 1970s. The title is itself a parody of the Amicus anthology horror film Dr. Terror's House of Horrors.

Dr. Terrible (Coogan) acted as the narrator for each episode, a self-contained spoof of a famous horror movie ('victims' included the Hammer Horror films, Fu Manchu, Witchfinder General and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde). The series also benefitted from guest star appearances from former genre stalwarts such as Honor Blackman, Graham Crowden, Sheila Keith and Angela Pleasence, all satirising their earlier film performances. Other notable guest stars include Mark Gatiss, John Thomson, Simon Pegg, Ronni Ancona, and Warwick Davis.

The six-episode series fell short of expectations, and failed to be recommissioned by the BBC, but has since been released on DVD.

[JayJayM12]

41.  Shelly Duvall's Faerie Tale Theater:

Faerie Tale Theatre (also known as Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre) is a live-action children's television anthology series retelling popular fairy tales. Shelley Duvall serves as narrator, host and executive producer of the program, and occasionally stars in episodes. The series was followed by another, shorter series called Tall Tales & Legends which followed the same format as Faerie Tale Theatre and focused on classic American folk tales. Both series feature well known actors and directors, and were inspired by the children's television series Shirley Temple Theatre (also known as The Shirley Temple Show and Shirley Temple's Storybook).

Faerie Tale Theatre originally aired on Showtime from 1982 to 1987. It later aired as edited re-runs on the Disney Channel[1] as well as in syndication on various television stations,[2] including PBS[3][4] and BookTelevision.[5]