Kids of the 80s and 90s had so many ways to stay entertained. We of course could go outside, play with friends or talk on the phone for hours. There was the radio, tapes, and CDs for an endless supply of music. We also had a non-overwhelming amount of television shows and movies to watch from the comfort of our own home.
The TV lineups included before-school programming. All the acclaimed after-school specials. And can’t forget the prime-time viewing of TGIF. Then, in 1992, Nickelodeon launched their Saturday night lineup catered specifically for older kids and teens: SNICK.
Several shows flourished during this time but one in particular that had the longest run and even a recent reboot… Are You Afraid of the Dark?
The series originally aired on Canadian television network YTV in 1990. It was then picked up by Nickelodeon in 1992 and ran until 1996. Since then, there were 2 short reboots of the series. One in the late 90s, and the other just recently in 2019, ending in 2022.
The premise of the show was a teen’s club, The Midnight Society, that would gather around the campfire every Saturday night. Each week, one member would share a ghost story. These stories were beyond terrifying and the production on this show was pretty darn incredible, especially for the time.
Now, I know I’m not the only one who remembers being frightened by Are You Afraid of the Dark? And my generation grew up with Tales from the Crypt!
The scariest episode for me was definitely “The Tale of the Quicksilver.” I don’t want to throw a spoiler alert but basically, an exorcism gone horribly wrong so somehow years later we have to make it right? Hmm… Ok, let’s do it!
Every single time the ghost appeared on screen, I got goosebumps. Even just recently watching it again, yikes! I just imagine how I’d react if this ghost appeared like this in my room. Although, I don’t believe I’d try to summon it. So coming back to reality, it’s a non-issue.
A couple of runner-ups I’d like to give shoutouts to:
- “The Tale of the Curious Camera”
- “The Tale of the Midnight Madness”
- “The Tale of Locker 22”
The show’s popularity led to a handful of future stars including Tatyana Ali (Ashley Banks in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), Eddie Kay Thomas (Finch aka Shit Break in American Pie), Neve Campbell (Sidney Prescott in Scream), Will Friedle (Eric Matthews in Boy Meets World), Ryan Gosling (Noah Calhoun in The Notebook), Jay Baruchel (Kevin Sandusky in Tropic Thunder), and Melissa Joan Hart (Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Clarissa Explains it All).
It has been fun going back and watching a few of these episodes. And still becoming scared stiff at moments, just like I did as a kid.
Full episodes of Are You Afraid of the Dark? are available to stream on Paramount Plus and a handful of episodes can be found on YouTube and Dailymotion too!