HBO Max has found the perfect show to set the mood for the upcoming late-night spooky season. While many turn to horror movies and Halloween specials, one unlikely contender has made its way to the top, and that is Scariest House in America.
A Haunted House Tour Led by Retta
Scariest House in America, led by Parks and Recreation star Retta, is now in its second season and offers something far beyond your usual ghost stories. Retta travels across the country, stepping into homes that look straight out of nightmares and meeting the people who actually live in them. Each stop ends with a rating on the “Scare Meter,” which judges the house’s appearance, livability, and overall fright factor.
The top house from each episode moves on to the finals, where one property earns the grand title of Scariest House in America. The winner does not get an exorcism but a $150,000 renovation from HGTV designer Alison Victoria, who manages to upgrade the home without erasing its haunted charm.
The show is a twisted spin-off of Ugliest House in America, where Retta used to find the most dreadful designs for HGTV makeovers.
Do you still like scary houses? Don’t miss Scariest House in America Fridays at 9|8c on @HGTV with Hulu + Live TV. pic.twitter.com/OAKo26MkBc
— Hulu (@hulu) September 26, 2025
Inside The Frightening Fixer Upper That Won Season 1
The houses themselves are far from staged attractions, as real families live in these places, some willingly, while others hold onto homes that carry decades of unsettling history. In the first season, the winner was a property in Saunderstown, Rhode Island, dubbed “Hansel and Gretel’s Frightening Fixer Upper.” Behind its storybook façade lay an unsettling collection of peculiarities, such as a seven-foot kitchen ceiling, a TV mounted over the bed, a heart-shaped bathtub filled with mouse skeletons, and even a homemade elevator.
Get ready for the fright of your life because Rhetta is back and taking you on a journey to find the Scariest House in America—tune in tonight at 9/8c on @HGTV! pic.twitter.com/wJeN4HUCxB
— Philo (@philoTV) September 19, 2025
Season 2 Brings New Scares Across The Country
Season two pushes the envelope further. Retta has divided the country into regions, uncovering the most haunted corners of America. One episode features a house with a “corpse door” leading to a basement once used for mortuary work, complete with old concrete stains where blood once drained away. Another in Maryland ties into the legend of the Bowie Goatman, a half-human creature said to stalk the woods with an axe. The local lore even caught the attention of the White House decades ago, prompting a decree to eliminate whatever was terrorizing the area.
The Perfect Family Binge For Halloween Nights
Scariest House in America has quickly become a seasonal favorite. Retta’s humor and disbelief turn the fright into fun, making the series ideal for a family binge during the Halloween season. It is entertaining and full of strange true stories from across the country.
The show airs on Fridays at 9.00 p.m. on HGTV, and every episode is available for streaming on HBO Max.
#hgtv Scariest House in America preview l Retta pic.twitter.com/XumqeqkmlY
— #savegoodgirls 💵 (@GoodGirlsSource) August 30, 2024
Check out our recommendations on What to Watch
Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Google News
