The Best Horror Show Of The 1990s Is Now Streaming For Free

Published Sep 7, 2026, 5:45 PM EDT Adrienne Tyler is a movies & TV features writer, with a focus on horror. She has written for Netflix, FanSided, & more. She was a regular guest on the Netfreaks podcast and was a YouTuber at some point. Guillermo del Toro said “hi” to her once. The 1990s saw some of the best horror TV shows, and the best of the decade is now streaming for free. The list of the best TV shows of all time includes many from the 1990s and from different genres, such as Friends and ER, and there are some notable horror shows there, too. Some of the best horror TV shows of the 1990s were aimed at teenage and adult audiences, such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Twin Peaks, and The X-Files, but there was also kid-friendly horror content available. The 1990s were a great decade for kid-friendly horror, thanks to shows like Goosebumps, Tales from the Cryptkeeper, and the animated show Beetlejuice. However, the best of all was the anthology series Are You Afraid of the Dark?, created by Ned Kandel and D. J. MacHale. Are You Afraid of the Dark? aired on Nickelodeon from 1992 to 1996 for five seasons, and it was a huge success. Are You Afraid of the Dark? is one of the best TV shows of the 1990s and of all time, thanks to its creativity, writing, and approach to horror. Are You Afraid of the Dark? has been rebooted twice, but the original run of the show is still regarded as the strongest one, as well as one of the most influential shows of the decade – and, luckily, the original run of Are You Afraid of the Dark? is now streaming for free on Tubi. Are You Afraid of the Dark? Made Horror Accessible To All Viewers As an anthology show, every episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark? tells a different story, but with a fun twist. At the front and center of Are You Afraid of the Dark? is a group of teenagers who call themselves “The Midnight Society”, and they meet in a secret spot in the woods at midnight to tell scary stories. Each episode is a new story told by a different member of the Midnight Society, and thanks to this, the show covers different branches of horror, such as supernatural, sci-fi, fantasy, and psychological. The biggest strength of Are You Afraid of the Dark?, and the main reason why it became the best horror show of the 1990s, is that it made horror accessible to viewers of all ages. Are You Afraid of the Dark? is mostly aimed at a young audience, with the Midnight Society members and every story led by young characters being the biggest hooks. The stories are also easy to follow and understand, but they cover mature themes to appeal to a mature audience, too. Are You Afraid of the Dark? brilliantly blended kid-friendly horror through common fears with truly scary stories and characters that more grown-up viewers can relate to as well. Are You Afraid of the Dark? has some memorable villains that, to this day, are quite scary (such as the Ghastly Grinner), which speaks volumes about the show’s impact, legacy, and endurance. Why The Second Are You Afraid of the Dark? Reboot Failed As mentioned above, Are You Afraid of the Dark? was rebooted twice, but only one was successful. The original run of Are You Afraid of the Dark? ended in 1996, and the show was revived in 1999 with a new cast. However, the new Midnight Society members were linked to the original ones, with Gary’s younger brother, Tucker, who was once the Midnight Society’s youngest member, now leading the group and inviting his friends to join. The revival of Are You Afraid of the Dark? delivered some memorable episodes, among them one paying homage to Re-Animator and another to The Phantom of the Opera, and ran for two seasons, ending in 2000. Are You Afraid of the Dark? was brought back once more in 2019, though with a major change. The 2019 version dropped the anthology format and instead told one story per season. After three seasons, the second Are You Afraid of the Dark? revival was canceled. Are You Afraid of the Dark? proved once that it can have new protagonists, but the core of the show is its anthology format and the stories not being part of the Midnight Society’s reality, which is where the second revival failed. At the time of writing, there are no more plans to bring Are You Afraid of the Dark? back, but its best seasons can now be enjoyed for free. Release Date 1992 - 2000-00-00 Network YTV, Nickelodeon, Family Channel Directors Ron Oliver, David Winning, Lorette Leblanc, Adam Weissman, Michael Keusch Writers Scott Peters, Alison Lea Bingeman, Cassandra Schafhausen, Naomi Janzen, Stephen Zoller Cast Alisha Morrison Uncredited