It’s October, and it’s a time for some exciting and creepy television shows. One of the best horror anthology shows for kids, pre-teens and early teens was Are You Afraid of the Dark? on Nickelodeon. The show served as an anchor for the network’s Saturday night programming called SNICK.
Are You Afraid of the Dark? was one of the stand-out live action shows for the Nickelodeon network during the 90s with creepy horror stories told around a campfire. Much like The Twilight Zone and Tales from the Crypt, this show contained supernatural manifestations and creepy plots for spooky horror fans.
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8 The Tale of the Dangerous Soup
The season three finale brought one of the weirdest yet creative episodes of the entire series. In the episode, Dr. Vink conjures up a mysterious soup at his restaurant. However, this soup has a sinister side effect. It serves as a liquid visions of fear.
It’s a mind-bending concept for a series targeting teenagers and pre-teens, but it’s also a fun premise that is pulled off to perfection. The episode also features an appearance by future horror icon Neve Campbell.
7 The Tale of the Midnight Madness
This episode serves as a love letter from the series to the classic horror film Nosferatu. The mysterious Dr. Vink returns to give a black and white film to a dying movie theater, as he hopes to save the business. However, the theater manager refuses to pay Dr. Vink.
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These leads to a monster in the film escaping and wreaking havoc on the real world. This episode found a way to incorporate recurring villain Dr. Vink along with one of the most famous vampires in cinematic history.
6 The Tale of the Vacant Lot
A shy protagonist is wiling to sell her soul to be popular but as the story progresses, she comes to regret this decision in this episode of the horror series. This episode is more than just a horror anthology episode as it also conveys a moral message to the kids watching.
Almost everyone in the world will struggle with the concept of fitting in at some point. This episode serves as a cautionary tale. It tackles both greed and trusting the wrong adults while still being an entertaining episode.
5 The Tale of the Dead Man’s Float
A mysterious creature in a swimming pool kills a young boy in the 1950s before disappearing for years. However, when a few kids find the pool, they encounter the monster again. The kids decide to team with the pool’s former lifeguard to use advancements in chemistry to fight the monster.
This episode features one of the scariest monsters in the series, according to many viewers. Meanwhile, the monster, upset that its resting place has been disturbed is very gory in appearance. The great irony of this episode is the fact the Midnight Society wasn’t impressed even though viewers at home were.
4 The Tale of the Night Shift
Working overnights can be tough on workers, but this episode takes it to a whole new level with a night shift at a dark, desolate hospital. This is the second time a vampire stole the show as this time a creepy vampire roams the hospital’s hall and infects patients.
This episode in the show’s fifth season proved the series was not running out of steam as it was viewed as chilling and imaginative. This episode is viewed as one of the darker and more creative episodes of the entire series.
3 The Tale of the Shiny Red Bicycle
Facing one’s own mortality is one of the scariest things in life, but it’s terrifying when the one facing the mortality is a child. In this episode, a boy named Mike is haunted by the death of his friend, Ricky, who drowned in a bridge accident. Mike blames himself for not being able to save his friend and now believes every time he sees Ricky and his bicycle, it’s Ricky seeking revenge.
However, this episode is turned on its head when it’s revealed Ricky’s ghost is trying to stop future accidents from happening. This is a fan favorite due to its poignance and emotional turns.
2 The Tale of the Twisted Claw
Tales about the Monkey’s Paw or some other variation is a ghost story as old as time. Many horror anthology series have adapted a version of it, and Are You Afraid of the Dark? is no different. In this version, two boys play a prank on a woman believed to be a witch. The boys then receive a vulture claw that grants wishes on Halloween, but the wishes backfire.
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The episode stand out for two reasons. It’s the first episode specifically produced to be a Halloween story. And, it features a special opening with an unfinished story revolving around a cloaked figure before getting into the meat of the tale.
1 The Tale of the Dream Girl
Released in 1994, this episode was considered ahead of its time. Premiering as part of the incredibly strong third season of the show, this episode stands out by taking a more subtle approach to its narrative. Rather than bringing thrills, it works on conveying the emotions of love and isolation.
The strength of this episode is the ghostly premise with the clever twist ending. It seems like the main character is being haunted by a ghost who he thinks wants to take him to an early grave until it’s revealed that he is also a ghost who isn’t resting in peace.
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