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Air Date: Saturday, January 14, 1995 Storyteller: Gary (Ross Hull)  Frame: As Gary wanders into the Midnight Society meeting, he's first distracted by Tucker (Daniel DeSanto), hiding in the bushes, confessing to him that even though it's his turn to tell a story that night, he hasn't come up with anything quite yet. Gary, however, sees this as an opportunity to tell a story that he has been working on in the meantime. The group agrees to let Gary go instead and give Tucker until the following week to finish his, reminding us all that, since Frank is the next storyteller, there really isn't much continuity to the series.
Story: Cody (Jewel Staite, returning from 'Watcher's Woods') is an aspiring artist who isn't quite connecting with her artwork as she thinks she should. One day, while sketching in a park, Cody sees a little girl who runs off when Cody addresses her, leaving her hat behind. Cody tries to return her hat and, while tracking the little girl down, stumbles into an art gallery full of paintings of people, evidently done by Mrs. Briar (Vivian Reis), who soon invites Cody to finish a work she has already started. Little does Cody know, however, that within the brushes Mrs. Briar supplies, lies some dark, mystical power that keeps her young. Review: On the surface, this one feels light, as it remains a kid's show, but in the details, the whole concept is creepy and harrowing. The idea here is that the painters, once finished, get trapped in a sort of eternal limbo within the painting, playing out like a dream on a loop. Conceptually, this episode is nightmarish, and it comes complete with a creepy-looking shrunken head. So the creep factor is on point. However, the story feels incomplete and rushed in a few places, leaving me, more than a few times, thinking I had missed something, only to realize upon a second watch that I hadn't. This one has its moments, but altogether, it's weak. Final Rating: Nervous
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Air Date: Saturday, January 21, 1995 Storyteller: Frank (Jason Alisharan)  Frame: The Midnight Society gathers, awaiting Frank's arrival, as he's up for storytelling that night. The waiting, however, gets under an unnecessarily impatient Sam's (Joanna Garcia) skin, so when she reaches her wit's end, she decides to leave. Just as she's heading out, however, she's stopped in her tracks by a bright light and the sound of a train, which turns out to be Frank, carrying a boombox, emitting train sounds, which provides a segue into his story, which isn't only about trains, but also about how the deep desire for something can lead to disaster.
Story: Tim Williamson (Gregory Smith) is obsessed with trains and wants to follow in his late father's footsteps and grow up to be a conductor. One night, while on a stroll with his brother, Hank (Jesse Moss), the two get separated, and Tim bumps into a strange conductor (Colin Fox) who gifts him a model passenger car for his train layout and promises to make him a conductor. It turns out this passenger car is a replica of one that once crashed near the Williamsons' home, and it serves as a sort of vessel for the deceased passengers. The mysterious conductor wants to pass his position on to Tim, allowing him to be free. Review: While there are some questionable aspects to this episode, it came across better than I expected. I grew up with a Dad who had a passionate model train hobby. Though I had respect for his skills and talent, I didn't follow in his footsteps, so I typically don't relate to the whole "fun with trains" thing. However, I enjoy the storytelling here, and the episode features an "uncle" type character to Tim named Cap (Ray Aranha), who ranks among the most likable in the series. Even though this isn't something that would have typically been up my alley, it's really not bad in the long run. Final Rating: Spooked Air Date: Saturday, January 7, 1994 Storyteller: Kiki (Jodie Resther)  Frame: Gary (Ross Hull) is not having the best night, as Frank (Jason Alisharan) and Sam (Joanna Garcia) come into the Midnight Society meeting together, giggling, and triggering a bit of jealousy. After a while, Kiki enters the scene in a lovely dress as opposed to her usual tomboy style. She mentions that she's wearing the dress to make a statement: that there are two sides to every person, and that one day, your very life may depend on the side you refuse to see. In other words, "don't judge a book by its cover," which is pretty commonplace for this series.
Story: Stacey (Bethanny Nurse) has everything going for her except that she's deaf, which can make communication frustrating for some, particularly Billy (Tommy J. Michaels), who wants to boot her from their basketball team, seeing her as an inconvenience. Hurt, Stacey runs off and hides in a seemingly abandoned townhouse, where she discovers a green, glowing closet and decides to explore it, only to find herself on the other side, in another world, trapped inside a zoo display. Eventually, Billy finds his way in there too, and the pair have to set aside their differences and work together to figure out an escape. Review: I will admit that the idea of turning human beings into a zoo display is always a fun, if scary, concept I enjoy, done in many different ways. However, this take feels particularly dated, given how it portrays different races of captured humans, which, sadly, I believe was meant to be educational. There's some pretty harsh dialogue as well, which includes lines like "it's not my fault she's sensitive about being deaf!" To top it off, these aliens use ear-piercing sounds that keep the kids imprisoned, which gets truly irritating. Altogether, it makes for a bad episode that may have had good intentions, but didn't entirely succeed in its delivery. Final Rating: Calm Air Date: Saturday, December 10, 1994 Storyteller: Tucker (Daniel DeSanto)  Frame: The episode opens with Sam (Joanna Garcia) and Kiki (Jodie Resther) fighting about how someone stole Kiki's sweater from Sam's locker. That's when Tucker comes running in with the water bucket, tripping and spilling it, and his older brother, Gary (Ross Hull), starts insulting him for being a clumsy fool. Betty Ann (Raine Pare-Coull) puts a stop to the bickering with a sharp whistle and invites people to cool out so they can start the meeting, with Tucker up for storytelling. Conveniently, Tucker's story involves things getting "heated up."
Story: During a surprise party for divorced father, Dan Preston (Larry Day), at his fire station, where his kids, Jimmy (Myles Ferguson) and Roxy (Vanessa King), learn about a "fire ghost" who supposedly haunts the station, they are left alone due to an emergency call. When the power goes out, and Jimmy lights a candle for some light, and soon learns the horrible truth about the vengeful fire ghost (Tim Post) being real, unleashing it by looking into the candle's flame. Soon, Jimmy and Roxy find themselves face-to-face with the victim of a fire, who is out for revenge against the whole station for not having gotten to him in time. Review: It's hard to get my head around how I really feel about this one. On the one hand, the part of the story related to Jimmy's bitterness over his parents' divorce feels unnecessary. This story primarily revolves around battling a vengeful spirit. On the other hand, the episode does bear a creepy atmosphere, and I like the design of the fire ghost, finding him genuinely disturbing. But unfortunately, the solution for stopping the spirit is painfully simple. It's one of the most middle-of-the-road episodes I can think of, but it would have been effective if I had seen it as a kid, as around this point, I had started channel surfing past this show. Final Rating: Spooked Air Date: Saturday, December 3, 1994 Storyteller: Betty Ann (Raine Pare-Coull)  Frame: An exasperated Gary (Ross Hull) and an impatient Frank (Jason Alisharan) are trying to get a fire started unsuccessfully, when Frank gets the idea to swipe Tucker's (Daniel DeSanto) comic book to use as kindling. Betty Ann enters the scene and takes the book from Frank, saying it would be perfect for her story, while Tucker, still annoyed, is at least happy it's in safer hands. She then offers a "what if?" scenario, with the idea that comic books can be gateways to another dimension, as the campfire roars to life, eagerly awaiting another tale.
Story: Ethan Wood (Amos Crawley) is a talented young artist who comic book companies constantly reject as he seeks to prove his talents to the world. One day, at a comic book shop, a young lady named Frankie (Missy Christensen) sees his artwork. She introduces him to a similar artist's work, that of Sylvester Uncas (Danny Raboy), who designed a character known as the Ghastly Grinner (Neil Kroetsch). Ethan goes home with a free copy of 'Ghastly Grinner' #1, and through a series of improbable events, manages to bring the character into the real world, and has to figure out how to stop him and get him back inside the book. Review: While I really like the idea of a comic book villain coming into the real world, and while this is an episode that ought to be right up my alley, especially as one of the more famous episodes of the series, upon watching it, I actually found it lacking in quality, aside from perhaps a little humour coming from Ethan's nerdy helper, Hooper Picalarro (Heidi Burbela) who plays the dry, humourless nerd pretty damn well. The Grinner's design is excellent, but I'd still never cast Kroetsch as The Joker. They could have done more with this, such as showing us the world inside the comic book, but there's only so much one can do. Final Rating: Spooked Air Date: Saturday, November 19, 1994 Storyteller: Sam (Joanna Garcia)  Frame: Kiki (Jodie Resther) comes running in late to the Midnight Society meeting, out of breath, and finds that she's somewhat unnecessarily winded, as it's Sam's turn to tell a story, and she's busy writing a message on a greeting card, and according to most of their reactions, the group is getting impatient and want her to get on with it. Sam, however, expresses no regrets in making them wait, because it's never a good idea to leave something undone, as there's no telling if you'll finish it. Kind of like getting to the story, but either way, she finally gets started.
Story: Jessie Dixon (Alyson Hildreth) lives with her grandfather, Samuel (Walter Massey), and likes to take on odd jobs to keep herself busy, one being taking care of her neighbour, a psychic named Sara Simpson (Sheena Larkin). Meanwhile, when Samuel falls ill, he posts a sign for a room for rent to make a bit of extra money. One night, when Jessie and her friend Alex (Melissa Altro) return from a movie, they go to Sara's house to collect Jessie's earnings, only to find her summoning the spirit of her old love, Jacob (Andreas Apergis), in some ritual. Much to Jessie's dismay, the ghost turns out to be her grandfather's first tenant. Review: This is another episode that ends up making for a good, fun Halloween romp, along with a side of real sweetness, and a backstory involving what Samuel, Jacob, and Sara were all up to during World War II. Effect-wise, back then, one had to forgive a lot of the early CG, and I've always seen practical effects to be a bit more powerful for the era. However, as long as you can look past the effects and the occasional corny acting in the kids' parts, the story itself has a certain charm. It has an ending that's bittersweet, perhaps very predictable, but sometimes it's a nice change of pace when done right. Final Rating: Scared Air Date: October 29, 1994 Storytellers: Gary (Ross Hull) / Frank (Jason Alisharan)  Frame: When we last left the Midnight Society, Frank and Gary had teamed up to deliver their best story, using their individual strengths; their strengths going as far as their individually created characters of Frank's Dr. Vink (Aron Tager) and Gary's Sardo (Richard Dumont). Just as the story was getting good, the group had to be left hanging due to rain, but they have returned, eagerly awaiting the rest of the story. Frank and Gary provide a brief recap of what happened in 'Part 1,' and the story picks up right where it left off.
Recap: The previous chapter told the story of two brothers, Rush (Dominic Zamprogna), a typical teenager interested in a girl named Sandy (Emily Hampshire), and Max (Andrew Sardella), who wants to hang out with his big brother. To keep Max out of his hair, Rush buys him a magic set from Sardo's shop, but while there, opens a strange chest that no one is supposed to be able to open and finds a busted old spy glass inside that he gives to Max, which appears to be a gateway for pirate ghosts to be able to come to the land of the living and eventually kidnap Max, leaving Rush with a mission to save him. Story: The pirate ghosts, led by Cutter (Charles S. Dutton), kidnap Max, as Cutter mistakes Rush for being an old nemesis, and he's trying to force him into a final duel, using Max as the bait. Upon the kidnapping, Rush goes to Sardo's shop to confront him about the spy glass, and Sardo points him in the direction of Dr. Vink, who is better suited to answer his questions. Here, we find out that Rush was able to open the chest in Sardo's shop, thanks to being part of the bloodline of one Ian Keegan (Chip Chuipka), who was the only man to try to take on Cutter in the days of piracy. Rush doesn't just have a rescue mission now, but a destiny to fulfill. Review: This may be a somewhat obvious statement, but 'Part 2' is where all the good stuff is. I appreciate that there are real stakes to this story, and it plays out almost like a movie in some ways, considering aspects like fulfilling one's destiny as a sort of "chosen one." Vink is featured more here as well, and I always liked him a little more than Sardo, but the guy who really makes this episode is Dutton. He's a lot of fun to watch as a ruthless pirate, and you can tell he's having a lot of fun with the role. I wouldn't call it "scary," myself, but it does make for a fun adventure, nonetheless. Final Rating: Scared Air Date: Saturday, November 5, 1994 Storyteller: Kiki (Jodie Resther)  Frame: The episode opens with Frank (Jason Alisharan) walking into the clearing with Tucker (Daniel DeSanto) in a headlock, with Tucker complaining. Kiki then tells everyone to be quiet and listen for the absolute silence of the night. Gary (Ross Hull) claims it to be impossible (apparently unaware of soundproof rooms), as where there's life, there's sound. However, Kiki says that, to put it another way, if you take away sound, you take away life, and that's followed immediately by a very melodramatic musical tone as Kiki begins her story.
Story: A focused, hard-working student named Laurie (Shannon Duff) gets paired up with a somewhat careless jock named Jace (Aaron McConnaughey) for a history assignment. The pair doesn't get along so well. After doing some work at the library, Laurie later realizes that she had left her notebook. If she doesn't get it, the assignment is screwed. Later that night, they broke into the library after hours to retrieve said notebook. While searching, they find a door labeled "Quiet Room" that wasn't there before, and soon find themselves dealing with a librarian ghost who can silence anything or anyone with a mysterious box. Review: Maybe it's just me, but conceptually, I don't find silence scary, although one may argue the loss of voice can be. The frightening part of this episode lies in the idea that this librarian has been holding noisy kids hostage in the mysterious "quiet room," although we never really see what goes on inside, aside from the kids sitting at an old, dusty table, somewhat zombified. For that, I can give the episode its creepy factor. Still, the title character is far from a favorite, and neither of the lead kids is particularly likable with their back-and-forth bickering. It's not the worst episode, but it doesn't do much for me. Final Rating: Nervous Air Date: Saturday, November 12, 1994 Storyteller: Betty Ann (Raine Pare-Coull)  Frame: Frank (Jason Alisharan) and Kiki (Jodie Resther) arrive at the clearing, claiming to be upset with Betty Ann because she wouldn't theatre hop with them based on her morals, and in the process, got them all thrown out. Despite the other two being upset at her, Betty Ann still stands up for herself, stating that she had a choice and that sometimes staying silent doesn't necessarily lead to good things. In my opinion, this makes Betty Ann a bit of a buzzkill, but since this is for kids, we can let things slide. Support your local theatres, kids.
Story: A kid named Jarred Conner (Jesse Tendler) is visiting his cousin Anne (Kimberly Warnat) at her farm home. The pair play a game of catch in the front yard, which leads to the ball going through the front door window, resulting in Jarred's Uncle Pete (Brian Dooley) and older cousin, Mark (Tyler Labine), making them do some chores. While making a delivery, they find an old scarecrow that Jarred believes might work on keeping away deer for some reason. Upon propping it up, they discover that this scarecrow can perform tasks for them, making chores significantly easier. Still, they also find that one has to be careful what they wish for. Review: Some may recognize this as a basic retelling of the Jewish folktale of the Golem, a being made of clay that would do its creator's bidding and eventually spins out of control. In some ways, it reminds me of 'Twisted Claw' in that it's a 90s-modern, child-friendly retelling of a classic tale with the same basic lessons in place. This one even comes with its own harbinger of doom, "Crazy George" (Sam Malkin), who does a great job at being genuinely off-putting and creepy. The episode, as a whole, is quite solid and does a good job of creating an overall atmosphere, making it one of Betty Ann's better stories. Final Rating: Scared Air Date: October 22, 1994 Storytellers: Gary (Ross Hull) / Frank (Jason Alisharan)  Frame: Gary stands in the middle of the Midnight Society clearing, announcing that while the usual routine of the gang gathering to tell their individual stories, that night would be special, as he and Frank would be joining forces that night to tell a story they made up together, which would require the best of both of them. Being that they are the only two members of the group who have created recurring characters with Gary's Sardo (Richard Dumont) and Frank's Dr. Vink (Aron Tager), any fan of the show is sure to be in for a treat.
Story: Rush (Dominic Zamprogna) and his little brother, Max (Andrew Sardella), are left alone when their parents go on a trip, tricking their babysitter by faking measles. Wanting to hang out with his uninterested older brother, Max's alternative is to have Rush buy him a magic kit to keep him quiet. In Sardo's magic shop, Rush gets the kit, but also manages to unlock a mysterious chest that no one else can seem to open, containing a mysterious spyglass that appears to have some ability to bring the past to life, putting Rush and Max up against a gang of old pirates whose leader, Cutter (Charles S. Dutton), mistakes Rush for an old nemesis. Review: A lot of this "part 1" is about the sibling rivalry between the brothers, as Max is constantly interrupting Rush's desire to make out with a girl named Sandy (Emily Hampshire), which, as a little brother, I found kinda humorous. Thus far, any "scares" are little more than something likely seen in 'Pirates of the Caribbean,' and altogether, things are a little lackluster. Still, I appreciate things like the idea of Sardo and Vink teaming up in some way, and pirates are a classic route to go with Halloween specials, so far, not too bad. Final Rating: Spooked Air Date: Saturday, October 15, 1994 Storyteller: Tucker (Daniel DeSanto)  Frame: Frank (Jason Alisharan) enters the campfire clearing alone (seemingly over his fear of the dark) and finds no one there, but someone seemingly left a backpack there that he decides to root through, finding a diary which he reads, assuming it belongs to Sam (Joanna Garcia). Inside, it reveals what seems to be Sam's true feelings about Frank, but it turns out to be a prank set up by Tucker, using it to prove a point: never take people's things, or you might have to suffer the consequences, especially when you steal from the dead.
Story: Shawn Mackenzie (Tony Sampson) is sent to spend the summer with his uncle (Luis de Cespedes) and cousin, Dean (Charlie Hofheimer), who works in his Dad's convenience store. One day, Dean receives a delivery order for coffee to the town character, Captain Abraham Westchester (Griffith Brewer). Excited about something finally happening, Shawn joins Dean on the delivery and meets Westchester, who claims he's haunted by "water demons" who come every time he goes to sleep, thanks to his plundering of sunken ships. At first, the cousins dismiss it, but after a fight with his uncle, Shawn learns the terrifying truth pretty quickly. Review: Conceptually, I really like this one, but something is holding it back from being as good as it could be, and that's Shawn. Sam (Michael Barry) from 'Crimson Clown' is probably still the worst, but it's practically a coin flip between the two characters for "worst character." It's also hard to believe that Westchester didn't discover the solution to his problem for a whole three years; however, Brewer's performance here is excellent, and to the episode's credit, the "water demons" (which are more like average zombies) present a good creep-factor. The balance here is okay, but could be better if Shawn were just a bit more likable. Final Rating: Spooked Air Date: Saturday, October 8, 1994 Storyteller: Sam (Joanna Garcia)  Frame: The episode opens as the Midnight Society gathers around Sam, who's lost in a history book, trying to get her attention. Once she comes to attention, thanks to Kiki (Jodie Resther), Frank (Jason Alisharan) comments on how boring history is, to which Sam retorts, revealing Frank seemed interested when he asked her to study with him. Sam, however, uses Frank's ignorance to introduce her story, stating that some may think history is boring material to learn; however, if we don't learn from our past, we're doomed to repeat it.
Story: This one centers on a high school student, Jimmy Armstrong (Will Friedle), who has a crush on his friend, April (Kim Johnson), but faces competition from another friend, Josh (Joel Gordon). One day, while walking home, Josh seemingly encounters a time portal that leads back to 1780, in the midst of the American Revolutionary War, where he meets Lt. William (Paul Hopkins), a man on the run from some British Redcoats, aiming to escape the British and reunite with the woman he loves and tell her how he feels. Able to relate, Jimmy is all too happy to help him with this task. Review: Time travel stories can be fun, but with a show entitled 'Are You Afraid of the Dark?', we could stand just a few more scares. I'd even say this episode almost feels like it belongs to some other show. It's furthermore tough to buy into Jimmy's lack of confidence, and the whole message here is to express your feelings to the person you have feelings for before it ends up being too late. Altogether, this is probably the lamest episode of the series so far, at least as far as my taste goes, reminding me a lot of 'Hungry Hounds' in the sense that I'm just too far separated from the subject matter to take much of an interest. Final Rating: Calm Air Date: Saturday, October 1, 1994 Storyteller: Gary (Ross Hull)  Frame: As the Midnight Society gathers, Sam (Joanna Garcia) asks why Gary's late to the meeting. Tucker (Daniel DeSanto) informs them that Gary got caught up dealing with a computer virus that consumed his book report, forcing him to rewrite it. It's unspoken at the campfire, but it seems abundantly clear that Tucker is responsible for planting said virus. Gary then uses this virus to segue into his story, suggesting that, as scary as a computer virus can be, there's one computer we never want to get infected by a virus: our own brain.
Story: A kid named Simon (Christopher Redman) is friends with another kid named Evan (Micah John Gardener), but seems to enjoy being "above" him in several ways. One day at school, the pair heads to the computer lab to test out a new game created by one of their teachers, Mr. Poe —a virtual reality game that people can play not with a controller, but with their minds. Simon tries it out first, but soon finds that things are a bit glitchy, and it's all thanks to a "virus" (Paul Cagelet) that has taken control of the game and intends to use the very fictional VR technology to enter and take over Simon's brain. Review: This episode is a guilty pleasure. It's by far one of the most dated episodes, considering the technology was so limited back then as compared to now. The internet was still in its infancy, and people used computers primarily for gaming or writing documents. It makes for an interesting time capsule that way. Beyond that, I love Cagelet's performance in this. You can tell he's having a blast with it, almost coming across as a Freddy Krueger type. So, despite being stuck in the past, it's an episode that many in my generation can enjoy today. I know I did. But again, this is in the guilty pleasure sense of things. Final Rating: Spooked Air Date: Saturday, April 9, 1994 Storyteller: Gary (Ross Hull)  Frame: At the Midnight Society clearing Frank (Jason Alisharan) tries asking Sam (Joanna Garcia) on a date, trying just a little too hard, when things are disrupted by Tucker (Daniel DeSanto) riding piggyback on Gary, and when asked about it, Tucker mentions that he's blackmailed Gary into being his servant for a week after finding an embarrassing poem. Gary, who's up for storytelling that night, uses it as an opportunity to teach Tucker a lesson in the simple case of "what goes around comes around."
Story: Mike (Christopher Redman) is a good kid who takes on the responsibility of a paper route to save some money to buy his Mom (Suzie Almgren) a birthday present. His little brother, Sam (Michael Barry), on the other hand, is a selfish brat. When Mike drags Sam out to go shopping with the money he saved, however, things come to a head when Mike finds his saved money missing, and he uses a creepy antique clown to try to scare Sam, suggesting it goes after bad kids. What started as a gag seems to go a bit far, however, when it appears to Sam that the "Crimson Clown" really is out to get him. Review: On a top 10 list of terrible characters this show has to offer, Sam is, bar none, the absolute worst, with all the bark and absolutely no bite. This kid has an attitude that makes your hair stand on end. When the scary stuff starts happening, it's hard not to root for the clown to get him, although that's really the only cool piece of the whole episode, slightly reminiscent of 'Poltergeist.' However, the rest of it is best paralleled with something like 'A Christmas Carol,' where it's all about trying to turn a kid from being bad to good, using harsh lessons, and in the end, you still somehow manage to look at Sam with disdain. Final Rating: Nervous Air Date: Saturday, April 16, 1994 Storyteller: Frank (Jason Alisharan)  Frame: In one of my favourite intros, Frank goes around the Midnight Society circle, having everyone fess up to their worst fears, ending on Tucker (Daniel DeSanto), who tries to say he's not afraid of anything. Frank then shares his fear of the dark, admitting to it fully, and how we're all fearful of something irrational. Despite knowing it won't or can't hurt us, there's still something about whatever it is that scares us that makes us nervous. He concludes his introduction by stating that his story is about fear, which lends itself beautifully to the title of this show.
Story: A fancy restaurant known as "The Wild Boar" is a place people flock to from all around for their signature soup, which, despite looking somewhat unappetizing, turns out to be a taste sensation. One day, a young man named Reed (Greg Haberny) applies for a job. He gets interviewed by Nonnie Walker (Neve Campbell), who is assisting the restaurant's owner, the one and only Dr. Vink (Aron Tager), after a slew of workers quit for unknown reasons. Before long, Vink gives Reed and Nonnie the nightmarish explanation that links the flavour of his famous soup to the reason his employees keep quitting. Review: At this point, Campbell was a little-known entity, save for her parallel appearance in 'Party of Five', which aired the same year as this episode. But as cool as it always is to see a known celebrity in their beginnings with this show, her appearance is a little extra special to me, as she would then go on to become a scream queen as Sidney Prescott in the 'Scream' films. Otherwise, I enjoy the episode's intro a lot, and I always like Vink as a "nut bag" character. However, the scares are pretty basic, and even repeat in one case with a snake. It's perfectly passable, but the writers could have added a little more fuel to this fire. Final Rating: Spooked Air Date: Saturday, April 2, 1994 Storyteller: Kiki (Jodie Resther)  Frame: A beautiful night surrounds the Midnight Society clearing, as Sam (Joanna Garcia) and Kiki gaze up at the stars. Their peace is interrupted, however, when Tucker (Daniel DeSanto) enters the scene, playing a "magic flute" he snatched from his and Gary's (Ross Hull) Dad's shop off-key. While the flute is supposed to make it rain, Tucker complains that his Dad's magic items never work. Kiki then pipes up to guide everyone into her story by suggesting "never say never," and that magic can work if you know how to harness it right, but you have to be cautious.
Story: Aaron (Kyle Alisharan) and Doug (Stuart Stone) Johnston have recently moved into a new neighbourhood and therefore a new school, where Aaron meets and befriends Connie Turner (Tatyana Ali), who resided in their house two years before her family moved due to an unfortunate fatal incident involving her identical twin sister, Laura. Soon, the brothers find themselves haunted by a "Creature of Darkness" (Alain Laroche), and Doug begins to fall ill. With everything going on, Aaron seeks Connie's help, which will ultimately involve her facing her past, but it could also mean banishing this restless spirit once and for all. Review: As it goes with this nostalgic show, it's always a treat to see a cameo pop up, and Tatyana Ali is no exception, especially when she puts on a pretty good performance here. It's also fun having Kyle Alisharan pop up here, as he's Josh's (Midnight Society Frank's) brother in real life. Apart from the actors, however, the makeup on the "Creature of Darkness" is a solid upgrade from past episodes like 'Magician's Assistant,' and it's admirable how dark things get here - kid's show dark, but still. I can appreciate a story that delves into the concept of death and loss, and with that, this is a solid episode that strikes a balance between frights and feels. Final Rating: Afraid Air Date: Saturday, March 19, 1994 Storyteller: Betty Ann (Raine Pare-Coull)  Frame: In a more relatable intro that most of this show's viewers would be able to relate to, the Midnight Society has brought old photos of themselves, collectively laughing at how they used to look. Betty Ann goes on to tell them all how their pictures reveal their individual personalities and how they'll all turn out. Using this to segway into her story, she questions what if we didn't want to know what our futures had in store? What if our future held something truly terrible that we didn't want to face, and there was no way to avoid it?
Story: When a high school basketball team gets their pictures taken, once they're developed, Matt Dorney (Eddie Kaye Thomas) finds that he's not even in his own photo. When he goes to the photographer, Mr. Calhoun (Richard McMillan), to get a refund, Calhoun refuses but offers him an old-style camera for free. Though Matt's grateful, after bringing it home, he comes to realize that everything he takes a picture of gets ruined seconds later, which he soon comes to realize includes people's lives, upon taking a picture of his bully, Kullback (Christian Tessier), which results in a near-miss when a locker falls on him. Review: This was one episode I had to think on for a while, but all in all, I rather enjoyed it. I like the concept overall, but there are things I would eliminate, such as the (spoiler alert) "little gremlin" that lives in the camera, causing all the mayhem. It could just be a cursed camera. Aside from that, it's a little predictable, but I don't have a lot of negative to say about it because the whole climactic sequence here actually hits surprisingly well. It's also sort of fascinating to see a pre-'American Pie' Eddie Kaye Thomas, and the frame of the episode is another solid one from Betty Ann. It's not quite a favourite, but it's solid. Final Review: Scared Air Date: Saturday, February 26, 1994 Storyteller: Tucker (Daniel DeSanto)  Frame: The episode opens with Gary (Ross Hull) chasing his little brother, Tucker, who has taken his Ankh from his private drawer without asking, insisting he needs it for his story. After a bit of a struggle, Sam (Joanna Garcia) is finally able to calm the pair down, allowing the meeting to proceed. With this, Tucker shows the group of questioning faces the Ankh, explaining what it represents and how it relates to his story, which is full of symbols that one must know how to read properly; otherwise, they might unleash something unexpected.
Story: When an excavation at a historical museum reveals an ancient Egyptian sarcophagus. With this, the museum calls on Professor James Dugan (Martin Doyle), an expert on ancient artifacts who is better at his job than raising his kids, Josh (Danny Cooksey) and Cleo (Vanessa King). Disappointed that they have to miss a vacation due to their Dad working again, Josh and Cleo decide to check out this sarcophagus, which reveals more about the body inside. However, when they accidentally spill a vial of a strange substance on the mummy's body, it comes to life, seemingly chasing them down, but there's more to the curse than meets the eye. Review: Aside from a mild sense of humour that is much weaker here than in other episodes, there's not much to this one that really stands out for me. There is an interesting enough twist to the climax, but then, when the episode ends, it concludes in a rather corny manner. Still, I credit the story for cramming quite a bit into a 22-minute episode, even if the story isn't entirely up my alley. On the other hand, I find Tucker's introduction to the story somewhat nonsensical. To paraphrase him, "some things are far worse than death, even life," which sounds like it comes straight from a 'South Park' goth. This one is passable at best. Final Rating: Nervous Air Date: Saturday, March 26, 1994 Storyteller: Sam (Joanna Garcia)  Frame: As the episode opens, we have some fun with Kiki (Jodie Resther) and Tucker (Daniel DeSanto) engaging in an arm wrestling match, and things are set up to look like a pretty typical episode. Things even begin to come off as particularly cheesy once the arm wrestling finishes and Sam begins her story. She engages her audience by telling them about how her story is about something truly terrifying: true love. This intro is a corny-sounding one, sure, but what follows is likely one of the most pleasant surprises of an episode in the series.
Story: Close-knit siblings Johnny (Fab Filippo) and Erica Angelli (Andrea Nemeth) work at a bowling alley together; she as a waitress, and he as a repairman. One night, while closing, Johnny finds a girl's ring in his locker and curiously puts it on his finger, where it gets stuck. Suddenly, he starts having dreams of a beautiful girl named Donna Maitland (Shanya Vaughan) who seems to be drawn to Johnny. Confused as to how or why this mysterious girl has appeared in his dreams, he's soon quite literally haunted by her, and in the meantime, Erica seems to know more about his situation than she's letting on. Review: Without revealing too much, there is a famous movie that ends in a very similar way, often said to have drawn inspiration from this episode, which came years before. But aside from a fantastic twist to the episode, much like 'Shiny Red Bicycle,' this episode earns bonus points for the heart involved, not just between the love interests, but also among the siblings. It all ends on a note that's surprisingly emotional and unexpected for a show that seems to wear its cheesiness with pride. It could be debated that this could be the best episode of the series, and if not, it's certainly among them. Final Rating: Afraid Air Date: Saturday, February 12, 1994 Storyteller: Betty Ann (Raine Pare-Coull)  Frame: The episode opens with Frank (Jason Alisharan) getting some comeuppance, and once Tucker (Daniel DeSanto) teases him about it, he then turns his attention to a book Betty Ann brought with her. Using it to introduce her story, she mentions how the scary stories they tell all share the idea that the listener's imagination is what makes them frightening, because, in a way, they're able to become a part of it. They begin to wonder what they would do if faced with the monster. What follows is another one of my personal favourite stories in the series.
Story: Ricky Winter (James Sherry) is your typical preteen brat whose mother (Lynne Adams) still insists that when she's out, he needs a babysitter. Enter babysitter Belinda (Natalie Radford), a somewhat mysterious young woman, who is big on books and comes highly recommended. Her method is to try to get Ricky to read a book instead of lounging around watching TV. The catch is, these books come to life, and before Ricky knows it, he finds that after attempting to read several books, the book worlds collide, and soon Ricky finds himself having to use the power of imagination to get out of this mess. Review: This was always a stand-out episode for yours truly. I have to admit that nowadays, Ricky is enough to get on my nerves, but otherwise, the episode is great. The concept of your imagination when it comes to reading, being able to hook you just a little better than TV, spoon-feeding you imagery, is still relevant today. I also like the character of Belinda; it's a fairly obvious nod to 'The NeverEnding Story,' and even the closing scene back at the Midnight Society campfire is humorous, showing a bit of Betty Ann's darker side. It's a little cheesy now, yes, but I have to admit, it's still among my favourites. Final Rating: Afraid Air Date: Saturday, February 5, 1994 Storyteller: Betty Ann (Raine Pare-Coull)  Frame: While the Midnight Society gathers, Tucker (Daniel DeSanto) races into the scene. When Sam (JoAnna Garcia Swisher) grabs hold of him, asking what the rush is, he mentions excitedly that Betty Ann was up for storytelling; the excitement comes from Gary (Ross Hull) telling him how weird and spooky her stories are. With the pressure on, Betty Ann brings out a doll, much to Tucker's disappointment, so he rudely sets up for a nap during her story. However, Betty Ann's intro holds Tucker's attention, and he remains secretly engaged with it.
Story: A girl named Melissa (Maia Filar) heads to her Aunt Sally's (Eve Crawford) and Uncle Pete's (Sam Stone) house for a weekend visit, where she would typically hang out with the neighbour girl, Susan Henderson (Amanda Walsh). However, since Susan's family has moved, Melissa is now stuck being bored, which eventually leads her to explore the now-abandoned Henderson house. There, she finds a dollhouse in the attic, along with a mysterious door. Upon opening that door, Melissa sees another world, and Susan is wandering around, seemingly lost. Melissa takes it upon herself to try to rescue her, despite people not believing her. Review: Conceptually, I wouldn't count this episode among those in my wheelhouse. The whole doll thing doesn't bother me, and the episode contains so much sweetness that it's tough to be creeped out by anything, even the idea that Susan is slowly turning into an actual doll. The aunt and uncle overact a bit too much, and Melissa can get on one's nerves every so often. Still, it's Susan, evidently being directed to act stiff due to her transformation, that really hurts the episode. With no emotion, it just doesn't feel like a real threat. This episode will likely be decent for some, but I'm pretty far removed from it in terms of personal taste. Final Rating: Calm Air Date: Saturday, February 19, 1994 Storyteller: Gary (Ross Hull)  Frame: As the majority of the Midnight Society approach the clearing for their meeting, they notice a mysterious figure dressed in a black cloak and black large-brimmed hat. Assuming it's Gary, since he's the only one not among them, they try calling him out on his prank, only to discover Gary's right behind them. However, Gary soon confesses that he set it up to tell his story, obtaining the cloak and hat from his Dad's shop (as seen in 'Super Specs'), which has a fascinating origin that Gary uses to introduce his tale.
Story: Alison Denny (Aidan Pendleton) has just moved into town and is having a tough time making friends. After an accident involving gag glasses, Alison heads to Sardo's (Richard M Dumont) shop to buy a new pair. Here, she's convinced by Sardo to purchase a mysterious black stone that will magically make her popular. The stone doesn't do that, but it does provide a time portal through her bedroom mirror, where she meets Thomas Jefferson Bradshaw (John White). However, soon, both the kids and Sardo must confront a strange, cloaked man named Septimus (Frank Gorshin), who will stop at nothing to obtain the powerful stone. Review: I like this episode, but I'm not sure I'd consider it one of my favourites. I enjoy the time-travel aspect, the intimidatingly hypnotic villain in Gorshin's performance, which has a sort of discount Hannibal Lecter aspect to it, as well as the likable heroes. However, there are aspects, such as how time travel might work and the concept of no consequences, which render the butterfly effect moot in this context. On the other hand, being a show for kids, one can look past it and find more of what they're looking for in an episode of this series. It's far from perfect and doesn't top my list, but it's still worth checking out. Final Rating: Spooked Air Date: Saturday, January 29, 1994 Storyteller: Tucker (Daniel DeSanto)  Frame: The Midnight Society gathers, impatiently awaiting Tucker's arrival, as he's supposed to be up for storytelling that night. Gary (Ross Hull) reassures the rest of them that he'll be along soon. Suddenly, a portable phone rings. Gary answers, and it turns out to be Tucker on the other end. Gary hooks the portable phone up to a speaker (in a scene that screams early 90s, these days) so that everyone can hear, and Tucker proceeds to tell his story through the phone, if only for atmosphere, as his story has everything to do with proper phone usage.
Story: Two boys, Jake (Marcus Turner) and Chris (Ryan Kent), are hanging out one night and decide to make some prank phone calls. Catching them in the act, Jake's sister, Annie (Marlowe Dawn), tells them an urban legend about the "Phone Police," who, one day, hauled away a kid for messing around with the phone. When Jake finds the apparent, odd six-digit number of the kid (in a time when there were seven digits, unless it was a long-distance call), he brings it to the attention of the "Phone Company." They then accuse him of prank calling people, take him away, and the urban legend becomes all too real. Review: This episode was undoubtedly better in its time. Back in '94, the world of phones was very different from what it is today. Half the fun of a prank call was that the other side had little to no way of knowing who you were without the advent of Caller ID. It's by far one of the most dated episodes considering its subject matter, and wasn't the scariest concept for its time either. There's a bit of atmosphere to it, but it's simply not enough, and the ending feels rushed, as though they had no idea how to end it. I'd classify it as one of the weaker titles in the series, especially in this day and age of technology. Final Rating: Calm Air Date: Saturday, January 15, 1994 Storyteller: Kiki (Jodie Resther)  Frame: As the Midnight Society gathers around the campfire, Tucker (Daniel DeSanto) is caught messing around with the "midnight dust," much to Gary's (Ross Hull) dismay. Meanwhile, Frank (Jason Alisharan) walks in, aching from helping his brother move all day, which prompts a discussion on how much moving sucks. Everyone agrees except for Kiki, who argues that she loves it and ends up using the concept to introduce her story, but not without Tucker playing a prank on her first by stealing the midnight dust away again.
Story: Stacy Cooper (Lea-Helen Weir) and her mom Bonnie (Denise McLeod) move into a new apartment complex, complete with a strict and grouchy landlord (Paul Mackan), and a lonely older woman who resides across the hall named Madeline Koegel (Beth Amos). Soon, Stacy meets Madeline, and they agree to become friends, visiting each other regularly. But when Stacy's new friend, Angela (Marie-Chantal Savard), gets them tickets to a Battle of the Bands, upon her return to apologize for missing their visit on an important day, Madeline shows Stacy just how much that visit meant to her by turning a friendship into a haunting. Review: I can give this one some credit for being genuinely creepy for young audiences at the time, but it takes a little while for things to pick up. At this point, much of it is amusing, but I enjoy Beth Amos' performance here, playing both sides of the coin between a sweet, friendly lady and a crazy, lonesome crone. Despite a few accidental laughs that come mainly from the episode's landlord (Tibold Holstrom) and a slightly slow pace, it's still a decent episode if you like a simple haunting ghost story. It's an example of an episode I might use to introduce someone to the show's concept, if only because it's pretty basic. Final Rating: Spooked Air Date: Saturday, January 22, 1994 Storyteller: Sam (Joanna Garcia)  Frame: As a calm thunderstorm rolls through the clearing, the Midnight Society gathers, along with a new potential member named Sam (Joanna Garcia), with a bag over her head, whom Betty Ann (Raine Pare-Coull) has recommended for initiation. As Frank (Jason Alisharan) unsuccessfully hits on her, Gary (Ross Hull) asks her if she's aware of the rules. She reviews them and eventually takes her seat in the storytelling chair to tell her tale, using the forestry setting and thunderstorm to her advantage to set the mood.
Story: An overachiever named Sarah (Kendall Saunders) enrolls in an all-girls' summer camp where, upon her arrival, she meets Kelly (Jewel Staite), a "mean girl" type who attempts to scare Sarah with a folk legend about the nearby woods and the three sisters who got lost. The next day, the girls go out on a hike together and end up lost and separated from each other, Kelly finding herself captured by three old hags (Sheena Larkin, Victoria Barkoff, and Babs Gadbois), needing Sarah to save her. Meanwhile, Sarah deals with a creepy tree man (Tom Rack) who seems to be stalking her. Review: This is a fun episode to look back on, mostly in knowing who Jewel Staite eventually became (namely, the far more likable Kaylee in 'Firefly'). Her character here isn't the best, but it's always interesting to see someone's humble beginnings. This particular story has become one of the more famously scary episodes over the years, particularly between "The Watcher" (the creepy tree guy) and many of the set pieces that could give any Halloween yard display a run for its money. In the end, I credit this one for standing out among some of the other titles, if only due to its genuine creepiness, even if the characters aren't among the most likable. Final Rating: Scared |
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