5 best Netflix shows to watch if Halloween isn’t really your thing

Each year as Halloween approaches, those who love the holiday and the “spooky season” leading up to Oct. 31 dust off their annual favorite horror, thriller, or holiday-centered movies to watch. From Halloween to Halloweentown, there are so many classics, but some people might be more interested in filling their time with a few Netflix shows.

Now, there’s plenty to watch for those who love Halloween and getting into the spooky spirit of the holiday. (Check out our list of the best Netflix shows and movies to watch this Halloween!) But if you fright easily, what should you add to your watch list this year?

As the rest of the year promises lots of new release series, time’s running out to rewatch or catch up on long-awaited favorite series like Dead to Me and Firefly Lane. There’s also a couple excellent titles featuring aliens and ghosts without the jump scares and frightening elements.

Netflix shows to watch if you don’t like Halloween

Check out a handful of the best Netflix shows this Halloween for those who aren’t a big fan of the holiday, beginning below with the teen comedy Boo, Bitch.

Boo, Bitch

Do you prefer your ghosts teenage and angsty? Well, Netflix’s teen comedy limited series Boo, Bitch will be right up your alley. Technically, it’s about ghosts, but it’s not scary or spooky at all — unless you count a teen waking up as a ghost scary.

Lana Condor stars in Boo, Bitch as Erika, a high school senior who has played it too safe, and just when she decides to live life to the fullest, she discovers she died in an accident and is now a ghost. She and her best friend Gia (Zoe Colletti) go through quite the ghostly journey, and there’s a twist you will not see coming!

Dead to Me

Even though Dead to Me isn’t a horror series, there’s plenty of murder and mystery going on in the Netflix original series to make it a perfect title to add to your watch list if you’re not into Halloween programming. Bonus points to the series for bringing the laughs, too.

The third and final season of Dead to Me arrives on Netflix on Nov. 17, and it’s the best time to rewatch the past 20 episodes of the first two seasons. Catch up with Jen and Judy before they make their triumphant final bow next month.

Roswell, New Mexico

Boo, Bitch and Dead to Me each have slight hallmarks of the programming usually associated with Halloween, and The CW’s Roswell, New Mexico follows suit. The latest adaptation of the Roswell High book series arrived 10 years after the three-season cult hit Roswell in 1999. Again, the sci-fi alien drama became another cult favorite with only four seasons.

Over the course of its four seasons and 52 episodes, fans fell in love with the characters and their stories. If you’re looking for a series that has plenty of episodes for a semi-lengthy binge and a high-concept setup without horror elements, make sure to check out Roswell, New Mexico. The complete series is now available to watch on Netflix.

Emily in Paris

Say you want to pivot murder, mystery, science fiction, and all kinds of darker themes altogether this Halloween. Enter Emily in Paris. Of all the Netflix original series, the romantic comedy just might be the best option for pure escapism and comfort. (Although, we wouldn’t mind if the series tackled a Halloween episode in the future. Imagine Emily’s costume!)

Emily in Paris originally made its premiere in October 2020, which doesn’t make it a Halloween series but does make it the ideal series to escape into each fall. The timing couldn’t be better either, as Emily in Paris season 3 makes its premiere in December, just ahead of the Christmas holiday. Sidestep the spooky with a little help from Emily!

Firefly Lane

Staying within the rom-com genre, Firefly Lane is the compelling, time-hopping romantic drama you need in your life. Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke, two very talented former TV doctors, play on-screen lifelong best friends enduring all of life’s ups and downs with each other by their side. It’s been two years since we first met Tully and Kate, but they will be back soon.

Finally, the second season we’ve all been waiting for drops in December. Firefly Lane season 2, which will be the two-part final season, begins with nine all-new episodes on Dec. 2. In the event you’ve forgotten what happens in season 1, spend Halloween rewatching the relatable, tear-jerking, and all-around lovable first season of Firefly Lane.

What Netflix shows will you watch in place of Halloween season titles? Share your picks in the comments!