Television series

Los Espookys

Name: Los Espookys
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
Released: 2019
Cast: Bernardo Velasco, Cassandra Ciangherotti, Ana Fabrega, Julio Torres, José Pablo Minor

Absurdist comedy
Strange

Los Espookys is a bilingual comedy-horror hybrid set in a surreal Mexico City where a group of friends monetize their obsession with the macabre by staging elaborate scares and supernatural pranks for paying clients. It's dreamy, silly, unsettling, and frequently hilarious—a show that treats horror tropes as playthings and finds genuine heart in its weird little found family.

TVMaze rating

2.7

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you find deadpan absurdity about amateur effort funny, and enjoy a horror-loving comedy where the gore is cardboard and the affection for the genre is real, the way a friend's wild hobby can be charming.

Skip it if you want the genre to genuinely unsettle you, since this is a playful comedy that keeps its scares at arm's length and its dream logic can feel slack.

What it asks of you: Half an hour an episode, twelve episodes across two seasons, with a loose, sketchy rhythm where you settle into the oddness rather than being pulled forward by a plot.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

What We Do in the Shadows2019

Like Los Espookys, it's a mockumentary about misfits living a supernatural lifestyle with deadpan absurdist humour and real affection for B-movie horror. The tone is kindred—silly without being mean, spooky without being scary.

But The mockumentary format means constant cutaways and talking heads, which can feel dated or interrupt pacing if that's not your thing.

The Midnight Gospel2020

Both are surreal, visually inventive, and balance genuine weirdness with surprising emotional depth. Each episode is a self-contained adventure that feels like a fever dream you can't quite remember after waking.

But It's animated, which some find gimmicky; the second half gets unexpectedly heavy in ways that might jar you away from the early comedy.

Severance2022

A smart, stylish thriller about a group of oddballs navigating impossible rules and building camaraderie in a surreal workplace. Gorgeous production design and a similar balance of dread, dark comedy, and genuine affection for its weird little characters.

But Slower paced and far more serious in intent; if you're looking for consistent laughs, you'll be disappointed.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Los Espookys

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Cronos1993

Both are Spanish-language films that treat horror imagery as something beautiful and sculptural rather than transgressive. Both find humour in the margins without undermining the genuine strangeness.

Guillermo del Toro's feature debut is a fever dream about obsession, beauty, and the grotesque. Spanish-language, visually intoxicating, funny in unexpected moments, and deeply strange without ever winking at the audience. Pure cinema, not a remake or sequel to anything.

But Black-and-white sequences and deliberately paced; made in 1993 and shot like an older film still. Requires patience and rewards attention in ways that feel far removed from streaming-era television.

ParaNorman2012

Charming stop-motion horror-comedy that treats genre tropes with the same playful respect Los Espookys does. Genuinely funny and surprisingly touching, with a perfect blend of spooky aesthetics and heart.

But It's a children's film, so some may find it too lightweight or sweetly resolved compared to the show's weirder edges.

Roald Dahl's The Witches2020

Guillermo del Toro's adaptation has that same surreal, tactile production design and willingness to make something deeply odd look gorgeous. Darkly comedic, visually inventive, and charmingly weird.

But Changes the ending in ways some find unsatisfying; the CG child protagonist can feel uncanny in ways that undermine the intended warmth.

Harley Quinn2019

Anarchic, vibrant, and genuinely funny animated comedy about outsiders making their own rules. Balances grotesque imagery with genuine sweetness and a found-family core similar to Los Espookys.

But Much cruder and more violent; the art style is intentionally garish, which won't appeal to everyone.

Dead Boy Detectives2024

Young, motley crew solving supernatural mysteries with style and humour. Gothic aesthetics, found-family warmth, and that specific blend of spooky and silly that rewards affection for the weird.

But Newer and less established; the tone can wobble between camp and genuine darkness in ways that don't always land smoothly.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina2018

A teenage girl navigates two worlds—one mundane, one supernatural—with a found family alongside her. Gothic atmosphere, dark humour, and genuine investment in its eccentric ensemble cast.

But Unevenly written across its four seasons; later episodes prioritize plot melodrama over character and tone, and the show takes itself far more seriously than Los Espookys ever does.

The Sparring Partner2022

Both find comedy and warmth in obsession and relationships that shouldn't quite work. Both trust the audience to sit with strangeness without over-explaining it.

A South Korean dark comedy about a man training his wife's elderly father to box. Quietly strange, genuinely funny in ways that sneak up on you, with real affection for its odd characters. Tonally similar—balancing the mundane and the surreal without ever fully committing to either.

But Subtitled, slow-burn pacing, and the plot is genuinely weird in ways that will perplex rather than delight some viewers. Dry humour that requires patience.