The show references other horror movies such as Shining (1980), Rosemary's Baby (1968) and Amityville : La Maison du diable (1979). Rosemary's Baby is Courteney Cox's favorite horror film.
The town centre is the same set that was used for Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls and Rosewood in Pretty Little Liars, and the high school also doubled for Stars Hollow High and Rosewood High respectively.
The scenes of Pat and Gaynor dancing with the Walkman, plaid shirts, and jeans are a reference to The House of the Devil (2009). The shots with the pool table are shot for shot recreations.
The opening scene of Episode 5 shows Pat (Courteney Cox) trying to rouse her family out of the haunted house and it is an homage to Poltergeist (1982).
The master bath of the Phelps' home is clearly fashioned to bring to mind the bathroom of Room 237 in Stanley Kuberick's version of The Shining.