Do you yearn to recreate the specific joys of kid Halloween? With all due respect to big parties and intense haunted houses, this time of year instills in me a deep longing for the Halloween shenanigans of my childhood. Mainly, I want to eat a lot of candy and watch all the kids’ shows that terrified me on an average 90s Saturday night. Of course, the kids’ horror show to end all kids’ horror shows is Are You Afraid of the Dark?The tales of the Midnight Society ranged from stories of classic monsters like vampires to more psychological threats such as the power of your own fear. They’re still a great, spooky way to pass an autumn evening, ideally with friends and fun-size Snickers bars by your side.
Nearly all the classic episodes of Are You Afraid of the Dark? are now available with a Paramount+ subscription, so we thought it was time to remind you of 8 of the most spine-tingling and delightful episodes available. (I’m heartbroken to report The Tale of the Quicksilver is not currently available.)
Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society…
The Tale of the Dangerous Soup
I’ll tell you for free this won’t be the last episode on this list featuring Dr. Vink (with a va-va-va). The only real recurring antagonist of the show –showing up in five episodes– was Aron Tager’s villainous “nutbag.” Vink always had a different job when our heroes met him, and in this exceptionally titled episode, he’s the head chef at a popular restaurant. When diners are handed their menus, they simply say, “No need. We’ll have the soup.” So, what makes Vink’s soup so delicious? Teen employees Reed and Nonnie (Neve Campbell, bringing some early iconic Scream Queen energy) will soon discover the sinister secret behind the soup’s powerful flavor.
It’s a horror story about soup, friends. Get in there.
The Tale of Old Man Corcoran
A lot of Are You Afraid of the Dark? episodes are built from the very relatable childhood fear of being an outsider. Brothers Jack and Kenny have just moved into a new and “nicer” neighborhood, where they’ve not yet made any new friends. Kenny is eager and Jack is suspicious when a crew of local kids on bikes roll up to their driveway and invite them to a game of hide n’ seek. “Hide n’ seek with a twist,” says Midnight Society member Kiki (Jodie Resther) in her introduction. The twist is that this game takes place in the local graveyard, complete with its own spooky legend of the old groundskeeper who went crazy there. The twist of the episode itself, however, is one of the better ones in the series.
The Tale of the Lonely Ghost
Alright, this is the one that did honestly make me and my friends scream upon a recent re-watch. At the beginning of summer vacation, bookworm Amanda is stuck spending the season with her Aunt Dottie and her jerk cousin Beth. Beth has some really specific rules for Amanda if she wants to be able to hang out with her and her friends. Part of initiation into the crew? Spending the night at the abandoned house next door where a little girl died years ago… "The Tale of the Lonely Ghost"captures the tragedy as well as the power of love inherent to horror. Despite having one of the best jump scares in the series, there’s a really sweet and satisfying ending here.
The Tale of the Pinball Wizard
Putting this episode back to back with "Lonely Ghost"really demonstrates the excellent variety among all these episodes. Are You Afraid of the Dark? was never a formulaic show; each episode might hit familiar beats within its own spooky flavor, but the series itself keeps things diverse enough to be unpredictable. In "The Tale of the Pinball Wizard",a young ne’er-do-well named Ross uncovers an old, medieval-themed pinball game at the mall. After losing track of time within the game, Ross attempts to leave the mall, only to find the game has come to life around him.Pinball Wizard is a reminder that, even in kids’ horror, a happy ending is not guaranteed, especially when you think you’ve won.
The Tale of the Chameleons
This episode has everything: the Mowry sisters, an evil doppelgänger showdown, a truly surprising and scary ending… One thing it doesn’t actually have is a chameleon! Yes, those are iguanas portraying the titular evil reptile in this episode. Even amid the herpetological confusion, though, this is an incredible episode. Tia Mowry plays Janice, a teen who gets bitten by a chameleon at the local pet store. When the chameleon (Tamera Mowry, who eats a pet goldfish here like a true MVP) follows her home and starts to take over her identity, will best friend Shannon be able to tell who the real Janice is? “Bite you once, bite you twice, a little water, pay the price” has stuck with me since 1995, a testament to the power of this episode.
The Tale of Laughing in the Dark
Clowns. Why did it have to be clowns? Like Pennywise before him, Zeebo is a horror icon. His origin story is very goofy: Zeebo was a circus clown in 1924 who tried to run off with the circus’ money, only to get caught in a funhouse fire set by his own cigar. Now, of course, he haunts the very funhouse where he perished. This episode does an incredible job of building fear, from the off-putting carney (Aron Tager, in his only non-Vink appearance) who welcomes Josh and his friends into the funhouse to the foreboding smell and sight of cigar smoke throughout the episode. Sometimes the suggestion of the monster is scarier than the monster itself.
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The Tale of the Midnight Madness
Oh, hello again, Dr. Vink! Always a pleasure to see you. In this one, Pete loves his job (and one of his co-workers) at the old movie theatre, The Rialto. The Rialto isn’t doing so hot, though, with fewer and fewer customers coming in to see the classic black and white films presented by the theatre. Pete starts handing out flyers on the street, determined to save a place he loves. Enter our favorite eerie weirdo, and a vampire film he claims will save the Rialto. This is the episode I remember scaring me most as a kid; the creepy sight of Nosferatu’s hand reaching out through the silver screen and entering our reality was a terror that hadn’t yet occurred to me. This episode toys with the perceived safety of being a horror fan. It’s all just a movie, right? Movies can’t hurt you.
The Tale of the Dead Man’s Float
Part of the joy of re-watching these episodes as an adult is the ability to giggle and poke fun at some of the sillier effects, props, and costumes. You start to get brave and think, “Well, this show wasn’t even scary at all. What was I thinking?” And then you get hit with the Pool Zombie. Actually credited as “The Corpse,” the monster in this episode is legitimately terrifying, giving off a sort of early, low-budget Vecna vibe long before Stranger Things. In this story, science nerd Zeke is afraid of the water, but his discovery of the old, mysteriously-closed school swimming pool is his way to get to know Clorice, his athletic and crush-worthy classmate. Turns out the old pool was closed back in 1954 after a tragic accident, and Zeke and Clorice are going to have to work together to put an end to an old nightmare. "The Tale of the Dead Man’s Float"absolutely belongs on the list for any Are You Afraid of the Dark? watch party.
