The fictional horror helping us relax amid real world horror

[View this email in your browser]( [Open Ars Technica in your browser]( We get it. This year has been scary enough. [Worldwide pandemic](. [Continued violence against Black Americans](. [Conspiracy theorists rising in numbers](. Election meddling and disinformation [happening across the Internet](. This week, we're reminded of one of the smallest, most insignificant repercussions of all this: the essential cancellation of Halloween as we know it for 2020. Trick or Treat activities and costume parties literally count as health risks these days. But given our reality, we may need the escapism of Halloween and horror pop culture more than ever. And even if the year has been odd and unprecedented in numerous ways, the reliable creation of horror fiction across genres continues, from HBO's cerebral [Lovecraft Country]( to Amazon's upcoming slapstick-meet-scary series [Truth Seekers](. So for the latest Orbital Transmission, we're giving you a few seasonal recommendations if you're not up for yet another viewing of [Hereditary]( this fall. In recent years, science has gone so far as to study why a few spooky scenarios do us good—"[Horror]( provides us with a means for peering into the dark at no risk and almost no cost,” one group found; "There's evidence to show that s[haring a traumatic experience]( creates a sense of social bonding between people," said another. So even if it's not typically your cup of tea, a good scary story can be beneficial to your health (especially this year). —[@NathanMattise]( Dealmaster's Deal of the Week Dealmaster's Deal of the Week Amazon Kindle Paperwhite for $80 at Best Buy (normally $130) The Kindle Paperwhite is our pick for [the best e-reader](. This deal matches the lowest price we've seen to date and equals the device's going rate during Amazon Prime Day last week. [$80 at Best Buy]( Orbital Transmission 10.22.2020 Orbital Transmission 10.22.2020 [(image) ]( We may not have theaters, but we do have horror movies in 2020 [Read Full Story »]( We may not have theaters, but we do have horror movies in 2020 Maybe there haven't been as many movies to get excited about in 2020 given there hasn't been a place to play them (for boatloads of money) in 2020, but the horror genre in particular has continued to thrive in these quarantimes. Whether you prefer your scares come from cerebral surrealism ([Vivarium](), Kevin Bacon ([You Should Have Left](), or ol' fashioned monsters ([Invisible Man](), there's a strong new Halloween viewing option waiting for you. Hell, Elisabeh Moss even [gifted all of us with two](. [Read Full Story »]( [(image) ]( You don't need a Shudder subscription for great streaming horror [Read Full Story »]( You don't need a Shudder subscription for great streaming horror Many horror diehards in our life continue to recommend Shudder, the streaming service dedicated to all things horror. But given the intense competition for streaming supremacy these days, even the old guard has expanded their spooky genre offerings. Our favorite to date might be Netflix's one-two punch of The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor. The former remains one of our favorite overall series in recent years, as critic Jennifer Ouellette noted its classic brilliance back in 2018: "The Haunting of Hill House offers up plenty of bone-chilling horror, but like all the best ghost stories, that horror is rooted in the complexities of the human psyche." The latter, a 2020 follow-up of sorts to Hill House, may not be the same level of instant-classic but is absolutely "a perfect October binge." [Read Full Story »]( [(image) ]( For those who prefer to play their ghost stories, stick with Luigi [Read Full Story »]( For those who prefer to play their ghost stories, stick with Luigi Halloween 2019's present to the world is still a gift for anyone who prefers their horror in game form. Luigi's Mansion 3 was among our favorite titles last year since it "oozes a sense of playfulness in every direction, from how you interact with its spooky environs to how those aesthetics rival the world's best kid-friendly CGI films," wrote Ars Culture Editor Sam Machkovech. It might lean more towards Ghostbusters than Gremlins on the Halloween fare scale, but some of the game's haunted mansion puzzles can be downright terrifying on first encounter for even a savvy gamer. [Read Full Story »]( [(image) ]( Even those who don't like horror will probably like horror technicians [Read Full Story »]( Even those who don't like horror will probably like horror technicians It may be the time of year for zombies, witches, werewolves, vampires, et al, but some folks don't want to deal with anything even remotely scary no matter what the calendar says. For those entertainment seekers, we heartily recommend HBO's 2019 series, Los Espookys. Comedic minds Fred Armisen, Ana Fabrega, and Julio Torres have put together a hyper stylish, hyper absurdist tale where monsters, multiple-dimensions, and haunted mansions are a ho-hum fact of life. And our heroes, a group of four pals who adore horror films, start a business where they facilitate horror experiences for those in need: a scientist who needs an alien sighting or maybe a priest that needs a successful exorcism. "Los Espookys has a tone and comedic sensibility unlike much else on TV," we wrote when reviewing the show last summer. "It can at times evoke the naivety and obsession of Community, the awkwardness of Nathan For You, or the core group rapport of Broad City." Catch up now before a theoretical S2 lands on HBO Max. [Read Full Story »]( [(image) Condé Nast Spotlight | The breaking news and top stories everyone is talking about. All in one place. The most popular stories from Vogue, GQ, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Wired, Architectural Digest and more. STAY INFORMED]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( Copyright © 2020 Condé Nast, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Condé Nast One World Trade Center New York, NY 10007 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences](newsletter=ars) or [unsubscribe from this list](newsletter=ars).