The Tale of the Nightly Neighbors

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Midnight Society

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Air Date: Saturday, October 10, 1992
Storyteller: Betty Ann (Raine Pare-Coull)

Frame: As night sets in around the Midnight Society campfire, Kristen (Rachel Blanchard) makes a point of asking why people only ever tell scary stories at night, for if they are frightening enough, shouldn't they be just as effective during the day? Some of the others have their reasons why night works better. As Betty Ann takes her seat in the storyteller's chair, she alludes to the conversation matching up with the story she's about to tell, which everyone except Eric (Jacob Tierney), who feels he's in for something boring, seems excited for.

Story: One night, while siblings Dayday (Noah Godfrey) and Emma (Suzanna Shebib) enjoy a presentation of 'Night of the Living Dead,' they notice some new neighbours move in across the street, coming across as seemingly odd considering the late-night hour. Over the next few days, Emma notices strange things unfolding throughout her community, as well as across the street, such as peculiar neck wounds on people and large crates labelled as refrigerators getting dropped off at the neighbour's house. Soon enough, Emma suspects the family of being vampires, taking the investigation (and possibly her own life) into her own hands.

Review: This episode borrows elements from 'Fright Night,' and as a result, it becomes a kid-friendly version of the horror classic. It works out well for what it is. Some kids need to dip their toes into horror lightly, as opposed to others who can dive in. This is another episode I meet very much in the middle; however, as it has a level of fun to it, much like 'Fright Night.' Still, the twist ending to this episode is somewhat lame and tacky, even for this series, which already wears its "lame and tacky" label proudly (it's honestly why I have so much fun with this show). Still, Eric is no longer bored by the end of Betty Ann's tale. 

Final Rating: Spooked

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