Submitted for the approval: Everything you didn't know about Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, we call this story "Everything you didn’t know about Are You Afraid of the Dark?!"

Thirty years ago, Nickelodeon asked viewers a simple question: Are You Afraid of the Dark?; which doubled as the title of a kid-friendly horror anthology. D. J. MacHale and Ned Kandel’s iconic creation brought together elements of The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, and other previous anthologies while giving them a fresh, new spin. The series’ conceit was that each episode was a story shared around a campfire by a group of kids who called themselves the Midnight Society.

In each episode, one of the recurring members of the Midnight Society took a turn in front of the fire and unveiled their chilling tales of terror. But they weren’t too scary, because this was a show meant for younger viewers. That said, Are You Afraid of the Dark? definitely had its share of unsettling moments. Take for example, the show’s take on vampires. 

The show’s creative team also took their inspiration from literary tales of terror, including “The Monkey's Paw.” Urban legends were also fair game for the series. Another unique touch was that the early seasons tailored the stories for the individual kids of the Midnight Society. For example, a story by Gary tended to feature magical objects, while Betty Ann loved to use twist endings for her tales.

After the original five-season run, Are You Afraid of the Dark? was revived for two additional seasons in 1999. A 2019 update added another season to the total, with a new season reportedly on the horizon.

For more details about Are You Afraid of the Dark?, check out our latest episode of SYFY WIRE’s Everything You Didn’t Know!