This terrifying Netflix show is a cross between Animal Planet and Cabin in the Woods.

Nature documentaries and horror — a match made in heaven, it seems. 

Netflix has built quite the reputation for delivering spine-chilling horror content that keeps viewers glued to their screens — from Ryan Murphy's gripping Monster anthology series to the masterfully terrifying The Haunting of Hill House. 

They've proven time and again that they know how to craft genuinely unsettling television that burrows under your skin and stays there. But I did not expect this. 

Taking the traditionally calming world of nature documentaries and transforming it into something that resembles a scary movie? That's taking the genre to an entirely new level. And their new docuseries, Nightmares of Nature does exactly that.  

I can confirm, it's a lot of fun.

Watch the trailer for Nightmares of Nature. Article continues after video.

Leave it to Blumhouse — the masters of low-budget, high-impact horror — to see the cinematic potential in nature's darkest moments.

Nightmares of Nature is a chilling documentary series that masterfully blends the visceral thrills of horror with the raw authenticity of a nature documentary. Think Animal Planet, but infused with all the classic horror tropes you know and love. From a chilling score to tension-building and jump scares, this gripping show captures the brutal drama, ever-present danger, and haunting dark beauty of the natural world through the terrifying perspective of prey animals fighting for survival. 

Each episode unfolds like a nightmare made real, showcasing nature's most ruthless predators and the desperate struggles of those trying to escape their clutches. Season one — yes, a second season has already been announced, so they must be doing something right — titled Cabin in the Woods and narrated by Maya Hawke, transforms a traditional wildlife documentary into an edge-of-your-seat horror movie that shows just how merciless and unforgiving the natural world can truly be.

The concept — a horror nature documentary, that is — is genius. From the first shot, there's no doubt that these two genres are a perfect fit, and it feels almost unbelievable that they're not used together more often. Because for some — animal lovers, sensitive souls, myself included — nature documentaries are, in fact, horror movies. Seeing animals in fear or in pain is my literal nightmare. Watching prey being chased and narrowly escaping death is genuinely nerve-wracking. 

Image: Netflix.

So, using music, cinematography and narration to heighten the already-fraught experience just feels like a no-brainer. And it works. 

Over three episodes, we follow three unlikely heroes: a pregnant mouse, a hungry raccoon, and a young bullfrog. Tug at my heartstrings, why don't you? And you find yourself completely encapsulated by this world and rooting for the little guys at every point. 

The cinematography is stunning. The horror movie cut-aways and jump scares absolutely take the storytelling to another level. And the close-up shots of all the animals? Breathtaking. So much so that it makes you wonder — how did they capture these intimate moments? 

At the beginning of the first episode, a disclaimer appears on-screen that reads: "For the safety of our heroes and monsters, some scenes have been dramatised. All animal behaviours are natural." Very interesting. 

While it's hard to be sure what exactly this means, my suspicion is that parts of the show were captured in a studio of some sort. But I guess there's no way to know for sure. Either way, it's an absolutely gorgeous piece of nature filmmaking.

My only beige flag that is worth noting with this show is that while it's both nature doco and horror movie, it's also neither. The documentary does its best to balance the informative, educational nature of a wildlife documentary with the more dramatic, tense elements of a horror movie, and, at times, it feels like it's caught between two worlds, not quite committing fully to either genre. 

Image: Netflix.

For someone like myself — not necessarily an avid nature documentary consumer or a true horror movie fan — it strikes the perfect balance. And the sheer novelty of the idea itself really carries you right through all three episodes. 

I learnt some new facts I didn't know, certain moments had my heart rate racing, and I was on the edge of my seat, rooting for a little mouse. I had fun! 

But I fear for the certified horror movie fans, the occasional scares may not be quite scary enough. And for nature documentary lovers, the horror movie elements may feel like a distraction from the more educational aspects of the show. 

But for me, it's exactly the kind of bold, genre-bending experiment that television needs more of.

Feature Image: Netflix.