Masters of Horror is an American horror anthology series that aired on Showtime from 2005 to 2007, created by filmmaker Mick Garris. Each hour-long episode was directed by a different acclaimed genre director, including John Carpenter, Tobe Hooper, Dario Argento, John Landis, Joe Dante, Takashi Miike, and Stuart Gordon, with many episodes adapted from short stories by writers like Clive Barker and Joe R. Lansdale. The show gave its directors considerable creative freedom, which led to graphic, boundary-pushing episodes. Miike’s “Imprint” was so extreme that Showtime refused to air it in the US. The series ran for two seasons, and its uneven quality is often noted, but standouts such as Carpenter’s “Cigarette Burns” and Gordon’s “Dreams in the Witch House” are regarded as highlights. It was followed by a spiritual successor, Fear Itself, on NBC.