Television Shows to Watch

 

Haunting of Hill House

Topics explored in this show: nature-nurture controversy, supernatural/biological/psychological approach to mental illness, death instinct, dogmatists, and the nature of the soul

This series follows the plight of the Crain family who, as kids, lived in a notoriously haunted house. The family consists of the parents Hugh and Olivia and their five kids Steven, Shirley, Theodora (Theo), Luke, and Eleanor (Nell). After a tragic night in the home the family fractures and each deals with their own responses to their trauma. After experiencing a tragedy the family is forced back together and must finally face the ghosts of their past. Some believe the ghosts lay solely in their minds while others believe that those ghost wander the halls of Hill House. 

Content warning: suicide, drug abuse and addiction, violence against children, grief, death of a spouse, parental death, and child death


Alias Grace

Topics explored in this show: unconscious memory, narrative psychology, transference, countertransference, hysteria, dream analysis, hypnotism, and artificial somnambulism

This show tells the fictionalized story of Grace Marks an Irish immigrant who is accused and later convicted of the 1843 murder of her employer and his housekeeper. She is interviewed by psychiatrist Dr. Simon Jordan with the hopes of a getting a hysteria diagnosis. As the interview unfolds, the twisted and tragic story of Marks' life is revealed. The story involves ghosts that might be literal or psychological and whether or not it explains or excuses Marks' later actions.

Content warnings: abortion, blood, alcoholism, sexual assault, and (obviously) murder



Evil

Topics explored in this show: forensic psychology, dogmatism, supernatural/biological/psychological approach to mental illness, psychotherapy, nature-nurture controversy, hypnotism, and duality of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Skeptical psychologist Kristen Bouchard joins David Acosta, who is training to be a Catholic priest, and a skeptical I.T. contractor Ben Shakir to investigate unexplained phenomena for the Catholic church. Their investigations include explorations into supposed miracles, demonic possession, and other extraordinary occurrences. The goal of this team is to determine whether or not the incidents can be logically explained or whether the supernatural is to blame.

Content warnings: blood, violence, sexual assault, violence against children, murder, and suicide


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Horror and psychology have a connection that has persisted since its origins. Questions about ghosts or madness stretch all the way to Shakespeare's  Hamlet.  Though Hamlet is not necessarily horror it is a good example of this phenomena being explored in fiction. However, there are pieces of the horror genre that come a little bit later. These questions of ghosts or madness grew in prominence in the Victorian era due to their obsession with spiritualism which led to a spike in frequency of séances and the popularity of supernatural phenomena. Additionally, the increase in the public knowledge of and interest in psychology which was aided by the theories of Jung and Freud. Freud even wrote an essay on this topic entitled "The Uncanny".  This era also saw the increase and popularization of Gothic literature. The biggest theme in this genre of literature is the supernatural and madness. A drawing of a Victorian  séance One of the most well remembered pieces of literatu...
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