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Chillers

Chillers

1990Ended1 season12 episodes~53 min/epMidcredits score: 19th percentile of all shows

A 1990 horror anthology series, with host Anthony Perkins presenting and screening tales based on Patricia Highsmith's short stories that display a sinister atmosphere, and delve into the darkest depths of human nature.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Chillers?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Chillers streaming on Prime Video, Shout! TV via Prime Video, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free).

Reception

Is Chillers worth watching?

Chillers' Midcredits score is the 19th percentile of all shows, from 204 ratings across 2 sources. 48% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

19th percentile

Better received than 19% of shows

14th percentile among Drama10th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)26th
Approval (how many liked it)15th

Acclaim

Mixed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

65 /100

26th percentile of all shows

22nd percentile among Drama15th percentile among 1990s

Rating distribution

Ratings scatter across the whole scale — one of the most divisive reactions in the catalog.

Approval

How many liked it

48% liked it

15th percentile of all shows

10th percentile among Drama7th percentile among 1990s
48% rated it 7–1052% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

31st percentile

198 ratings across platforms

19th percentile among Drama14th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 13% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

An anthology series based on Patricia Highsmith stories, with a strong British cast but variable episode quality.

Fans praised

  • strong cast of British character actors
  • faithful to Highsmith's cynical tone
  • some episodes genuinely creepy and atmospheric

Detractors panned

  • uneven quality across episodes
  • dubbed or heavily-accented French episodes ruin immersion
  • some adaptations feel trivial or lose psychological depth

What stands out

ActingDivisive75

creme de la creme of British TV actors; detractors cite one weak performance

AtmosphereDivisive70

sinister Highsmith tone recreated; French episodes break it

Characters65

faithfully unlikeable Highsmith leads but some lose nuance

Sound and musicDivisive65

excellent music by Syrewicz; terrible dubbing in French episodes

Originality60

familiar anthology format but distinct Highsmith cynicism

Plot and storyDivisive55

uneven adaptation; some episodes feel trivial or dull

TensionDivisive55

some creepy episodes but overall uneven

PacingDivisive45

some episodes slow, others keep attention

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 1990 · 12 episodes

  • S1E1
    S1E1

    A Bird Poised to Fly

    Jan 5, 199053 min
  • S1E2
    S1E2

    The Cat Brought It In

    Apr 20, 199053 min
  • S1E3
    S1E3

    A Curious Suicide

    Apr 27, 199053 min
  • S1E4

    The Day of Reckoning

    May 4, 199053 min
  • S1E5
    S1E5

    Old Folks at Home

    May 11, 199053 min
  • S1E6
    S1E6

    Puzzle

    May 18, 199053 min

Watch experience

What is Chillers like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and charged — an even-paced watch that leaves you unsettled.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
DreadTenseMelancholic
Heaviest: middle
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Frame story · 3% of shows: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.Anthology episodes · 6% of showsSingle-season story
ToneThe series plays its psychological stories straight, with a serious, sinister atmosphere faithful to Highsmith's cynical view of human nature.
The rideThe series sustains a brooding tension and sense of dread, with emotional peaks typically in the latter half of each episode.
StructureEach episode is introduced and framed by host Anthony Perkins, creating a consistent framing device across the anthology.
Episode formatEach episode is a self-contained story based on a different Highsmith short story, with no continuing narrative across episodes.
Season formatThe series ran for one season with 12 episodes, presenting a collection of standalone tales.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
UnsettlingHaunting · 9% of shows
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves a lingering unease and a cynical aftertaste about human nature.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% (this title) · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Corruption arc: Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).

4% of shows fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeAs an episode anthology, most stories follow characters whose moral decay or psychological unraveling leads to a dark end, loosely matching the tragedy archetype across episodes.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfDeception
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11% (this title): Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% (this title) · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6% (this title)
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% (this title) · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Morality

Deception · 6% of showsGuilt · 1% of showsTrauma · 5% of shows
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series explores lies, hidden truths, and the psychological fallout of deceit, often leading to guilt and lasting trauma.
StanceThe series questions the nature of deception and its psychological toll, focusing on personal rather than societal stakes.

The world

ContemporaryDomesticUrbanRealistic
Orchestral classicalAmbientSupportive music · original score
SettingVarious international locations, often in upscale homes or city settings.

Cast and crew

Who is in Chillers?

Cast

Doug Rollins
as 2nd Reporter
Assumpta Serna
as Hélène
Stéphane Freiss
as Harry
Ian McShane
as Steven Castle
Ian Holm
as Christopher Waggoner
Paul Rhys
as Adam Marshall
Tuesday Weld
as Jessica
Edward Fox
as Michael Herbert
James Fox
as Skipperton
Nicol Williamson
as Dr. Stephen McCullough

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What other shows share a tag with Chillers?

102 other shows share the rarest tag below, kind of show: anthology. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.