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A man returns to his hometown to determine if his brother’s disappearance is somehow connected to a bizarrely sinister children’s television show in Channel Zero.

If this sounds familiar to you, don’t be surprised. Syfy’s newest horror anthology show comes hot on the cult popularity of the “creepypasta”: online stories that touch on the terrifying elements of reality and the supernatural. With the success of FX’s American Horror Story, it’s a surprise that Syfy has been the only one to capitalise on this brand of storytelling – going so far as to do it better than the original.

Based on Candle Cove by Blank Label Comics’ Kris Straub, we follow psychologist Mike Painter (Paul Schneider) as he solves the mystery of his brother’s death. Reconnecting with his mother (Harry Potter’s Fiona Shaw) and childhood friend (Luisa D’Oliveira), Mike discovers that the same disappearances that ended in his brother’s killing are repeating themselves again. The only thing the victims have in common is that they have watched an unheard-of show: Candle Cove. Featuring a grotesque cast of puppets with haunting catchphrases (“You have. To go. INSIDE!”) it’s clear that something creepy is going on. As Mike’s search continues, he alienates others, breaks countless laws, and almost loses his mind on the hunt for whoever, or rather whatever, is responsible for the death of these children.

Syfy has hardly been a reputable outlet for content in the last few years (their latest artistic endeavour being critically panned Sharknado 5: Global Swarming) but it seems Channel Zero is the beginning of a boost for the network. With a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.2 on IMDB, Channel Zero’s unsettling writing has not gone unnoticed by critics. Unlike its stylistic predecessors, it has not yet fallen into the trap of incessant gore and cheap scares. Director Craig William Macneill (The Boy) elicits stunning performances from the cast and constructs a version of reality so close to home it’s hard not to feel involved. His pièce de résistance, however, is a monster so skin-crawlingly terrible you’ll see it in your dreams for weeks.

With six episodes in the first season, and the second newly released, it’s the perfect binge watch for the Halloween season and beyond. This as yet uncovered masterpiece is beyond deserving of five stars. Horror has found a foothold in Channel Zero – and it hasn’t slipped up yet.