This Terrifying New Netflix Series Will Have You Sleeping with the Lights on

*Warning: Minor spoilers ahead*

Move over, Bly Manor, there”s a new spooky series streaming on Netflix and it’s causing nightmares among some viewers (namely, us).

Called Paranormal (no not Paranormal Activity), the six-part anthology series happens to be the streaming service’s first Arabic-language original series (AKA subtitles might be necessary), as well as its first series out of Egypt. The show’s official synopsis reads, “Set in the 1960s Egypt, Paranormal sees Dr. Refaat Ismail, plunged into a series of supernatural events as he attempts to unravel the mysteries behind each unique and unusual case.”

Interest piqued? Keep reading for everything we know.

Based on the bestselling Ma Waraa Al Tabiaa series by the prolific author Ahmed Khaled Tawfik, the TV series follows Refaat Ismail, a hematologist who is forced to rethink his lifelong scientific convictions when he turns 40 and starts experiencing paranormal activities. The series is set in 1969 but travels back to earlier years as he experiences the ghosts from his past. Each episode is a standalone story centered around one of the “Paranormal” tomes.

Of course. So, if you’re not exactly sure you want to give episode one a try, maybe start by watching the quick preview.

In the clip, we meet Refaat's family who openly teases him about his first crush being a girl who happened to be a ghost. He denies such accusations until a tarot card predicts that terrible things will happen if he doesn't confront his past. The rest of the trailer gives off some Paranormal Activity vibes with figures running across the screen, drafts blowing open windows, chandeliers mysteriously crashing and doors suddenlyly closing on their own. Overall, it’s pretty creepy. See for yourself, below.

3. Who’s in it? 

Paranormal stars Egyptian actors Ahmed Amin, Razane Jammal, Ayah Samaha, Reem Abd El Kader, Samma Ibrahim and Rushdi Al Shami. 

4. Why are fans freaking out?

Well, there are a handful of reasons. Some viewers have compared the show to Netflix’s popular series The Haunting of Bly Manor, stating that fans will enjoy Paranormal because of the psychological horror angle. (Who doesn’t love a good deep dive into the dark corners of someone’s mind?) However, the mini-series also offers other aspects commonly found in the horror genre, such as suspense and gore. In fact, there’s a handful of gross-out moments featuring dead bodies, nasty bugs and bloody death scenes. 

If you decide to give it a go, we recommend sleeping with the lights on. 

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