5 Quintessential ‘Are You Afraid of the Dark?’ episodes to watch on Halloween

Although the quality of television has definitely improved in the last few years, there’s no denying that the 90s gave us some of the most unforgettable and iconic shows to ever grace our screens.

It was an odd time, with a lot of clumsy attempts to tackle heavy subjects, mixed with some of the most deliciously cheesy and over-the-top content. For us, 90’s kids, it was also a great time for being slowly-but-surely groomed into becoming horror fans.

With shows like Goosebumps, Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, Tales from the Cryptkeeper, Courage the Cowardly Dog, reruns of Beetlejuice, and so many others…it was simply unavoidable!

But the most memorable is, arguably, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Nickelodeon’s horror anthology that introduced an entire generation to all types of horror stories. The Midnight Society, the show’s unforgettably creepy intro music, and a phrase most of us know by heart have stayed with us throughout the years.

The series is so beloved Nickelodeon actually brought it back in a reboot just in time for this Halloween. It also has its own YouTube Channel where you can watch all the classic episodes from any of its 7 seasons.

Now that Halloween has arrived, I know I’ll be bathing in nostalgia by re-watching some of my favorite episodes, as well as some of the most well-known ones.

Wish to join me? Then, I submit for the approval of the Midnight Society my countdown of The 5 Quintessential ‘Are You Afraid of the Dark?’ Episodes to watch on Halloween:

Season 1 — Episode 1: The Tale of the Phantom Cab

Are You Afraid of the Dark? really started with a bang! Frank’s trial run for joining the Midnight Society tells the story of two brothers who get lost in the woods while bickering amongst them. There, they meet a man who guides them towards a mysterious loner who could help them out. But their help comes with a price!

Yes, the acting is extremely cheesy in this one, but we meet one of the few recurrent characters that we’ll see in several of the club’s tales -Dr. Vink! With a va-va-va!-, and one of the most terrifying moments of the series takes place inside the spooky phantom cab.

Season 2- Episode 2: The Tale of the Midnight Madness

Dr. Vink returns! This time he has his eye set on a classic movie theater that is running out of business. Its two employees and the place’s greedy owner can barely keep it going until Vink offers to help out. That is, with one condition: showing his strange and maybe too-realistic horror movies, every single night.

The performances are good, the concept is truly fun, and the main villain in Dr. Vink’s movie is quite unforgettable. It also goes perfectly with any horror movie night.

Season 3 — Episode 10: The Tale of the Dream Girl

A must-watch. This is the legendary episode that supposedly inspired M. Night Shyamalan’s The Sixth Sense -an urban legend amongst AYAOTD’s fans, that has apparently been debunked by the director himself.

The tale tells the story of Johnny, a boy who is being haunted by the mysterious apparition of a beautiful girl. Is she real? Or is he imagining her?

This episode is simply one of the best. The performances are good, the is very engaging, with great twists and turns; and the relationship between the protagonists is truly heartwarming.

Season 4 — Episode 9: The Tale of the Ghastly Grinner

Wacky, colorful and truly creepy! The Ghastly Grinner is the name of an unfinished -and extremely dangerous!- comic book. It’s up to a young up-and-coming artist to pick up where the original creator left it…and fight a deeply malevolent entity in the process.

This one is worth it because of its extremely sinister villain, and some spine-chilling images that will definitely haunt your nightmares.

Season 5 — Episode 3: The Tale of Station 109.1

Before the quality of the stories declined in later seasons of AYAOTD, season 5 gave us some really fun episodes worth a watch. Amongst them, The Tale of Station 109.1 stands out with a very straight-forward tale, a deliciously villainous contribution of one hilarious Gilbert Gottfried, and an early performance by a promising young actor called Ryan Gosling.

The tale focuses on Chris, a young kid fascinated with the world of the dead. After a prank, he accidentally discovers a very odd radio station that will take his obsession a little too far.

Bonus round!

If you’re in the mood for more, and are looking for something spooky but also emotional, I would also recommend The Tale of the Lonely Ghost or The Tale of Apartment 214.

For something more on the creepy-monsters side, check out The Tale of Laughing in the Dark, The Tale of the Water Demons, The Tale of the Deadman’s Float -universally hailed as one of the scariest- or The Tale of the Night Shift.

If you like stories that involve time jumps, the Locker 22 and the Train Magic can fill your quota. And if magical situations are your thing, don’t skip the Dollmaker, the Carved Stone and the Vacant Lot are great options.

Have a happy 90's-style Halloween!