Ah, October. A month filled with tricks, treats, and college applications lurking around every corner. What better time to start a new tv show and distract yourself from the fact that the first trimester’s already almost over? Here are three that kill two birds with one stone by A) getting you into the spooky spirit and B) preventing you from having to write that essay that’s due tomorrow, at least for the next 30-45 minutes.

Crazyhead

The creators of Crazyhead really took the phrase “stop while you’re still ahead” to heart—this wonderful witty series only lasted a season (meaning a meager six episodes since it hails from across the pond) but somehow hit its stride within that short time frame and left me wanting more. The series follows Amy and Raquel, two women who are fairly normal except for the fact that they can see what no one else can—demons. As their paths happen to cross, the two are flung into the demons’ plot to destroy the world. Sounds pretty straightforward. Toss in the fact that the demons are hard to kill (they have to be exorcised from the body of the human they possessed before they’re killed), everyone in Raquel and Amy’s lives think they’re delusional, and the few who don’t are the kind of incompetent sidekicks that are prone to be demon-bate, and you’ve got a dynamic, hard-to-stop-watching show. But the virtues of Crazyhead don’t stop at the plotline—not only do leads Susan Wokoma and Cara Theobold have excellent chemistry, but they (and the writers of the show) manage to balance on the fine line between comedy and drama. A show that keeps the laughs coming while somehow also making its audience care about the main characters in only six episodes is rare and worth witnessing for yourself. Find it on Netflix.

What We Do in the Shadows

Three vampires and a reality TV crew move into a house on Staten Island… While the premise may sound corny and a bit far-reaching, this is one of the very few TV shows I’ve ever committed to watching as it was released on TV—in this case, on FX this past winter. Based on the deservedly award-winning movie of the same name (directed by and starring Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi), the series follows the same premise that made the movie so great: the aforementioned TV crew following a group of vampire housemates around on their decidedly un-vampire-like excursions. Waititi’s very specific brand of comedy—always bizarre, sometimes dry, and often startingly sweet—oozes from this series, which somehow manages to never miss a comedic beat, even in its first season. The show is about as light-hearted and escapist as it gets, and its unique premise, tone, soundtrack, and general aesthetic all add up to a clever, funny, whimsical sum. Find the series on Hulu or fx.com.

Freaks and Geeks

To be quite honest, I initially hated Freaks and Geeks—each episode felt like a re-hashing of the same discouraging storyline, in which each vaguely annoying character was once again foiled within the social landscape of school. Then I stuck with it, and understood why it has gained a cult since its release (and subsequent cancellation after only one season) in 1999. The show takes place in 1980 and follows two friend groups: the freaks, a group of high school slackers and stoners of which former rule-follower and general goody-two-shoes Lindsay is a new member, and the geeks, of which Lindsay’s little brother, Sam, is a member of. Unsurprisingly, the geeks are the nerdiest of the nerds, perhaps the most painfully uncool middle schoolers to ever exist, and thus perennial bully-fodder. The genius of this show is its methodical way of ensuring every character, including those hovering at the periphery of the main ensemble, are fully fleshed-out, complicated human beings. Each character’s flaws are put at the forefront, but their strengths and collective statuses as underdogs are undeniable.

Freaks and Geeks isn’t necessarily scary, per say—unless you count Lindsay, Sam, and co.’s horrifying social lives—but it seems to always take place in the fall, and makes you want to grab a cup of something hot and cinnamony and watch as these enormously relatable characters take the L, over and over and over again. The series currently isn’t available on any streaming platforms but can be found on Dailymotion or Vimeo.