No show geared towards kids was scarier than Nickelodeon's Are You Afraid of the Dark?. It was a peek-through-your-fingers kind of viewing experience, and anyone who watched the '90s show can attest to its utter ghoulishness. Some of the scariest episodes involved creepy clowns, a jester-like monster who made victims go into uncontrollable fits of laughter until they low-key exploded, and unseen entities that dragged you under the water and drowned you. Now, the spooky series is returning for a 2019 reboot.
Arguably, AYAOTD was ahead of its time: It premiered before other creepy kid-themed shows did, such as Goosebumps and Disney Channel's So Weird, and ran for seven seasons. The series about a group of kids — dubbed The Midnight Society — who sit around a campfire and tell ghost stories ended in 2000, so why decide to reboot it now? Basically, because it hadn't been done before and showrunner/writer/executive producer BenDavid Grabinski wanted to shoot his shot.
"I just feel very lucky [to be the one to reboot the show] because it’s very much tonally in my wheelhouse. Also, it’s just exciting because I think the concept of it works for any generation," BenDavid told Seventeen.com earlier this summer during a set visit in Vancouver. "As long as you’re kids, and as long as you like being scared, and as long as stories exist, it’s all kind of relevant."
As we gear up for the limited series reboot, we'll be updating this article with new information as it drops. Submitted for approval by The Midnight Society, this October is definitely going to be one to remember.
What is the show about?
As previously mentioned, the original series followed a group of kids, who called themselves The Midnight Society, as they gathered around a campfire to tell creepy tales of terror.
Each episode opened with Midnight Society members setting up the story, then ~iconically~ throwing "midnight dust" onto the fire to produce a spooky glow. (It was really a non-dairy creamer because "midnight dust" is not an actual thing, sadly.) The bulk of the episode would then feature other characters acting out the eerie tale. Each episode would end by showing the other Midnight Society members' reactions to the story.
However, that's not how this three-hour, limited series revival will be set up. After a new crop of Midnight Society members sit around a campfire for a story, they quickly watch in horror as the tale comes to life — and they're now part of it. With this format, we'll get to know a lot more about The Midnight Society this time around than we did back in the '90s.
When does the show premiere?
The revival will consist of three hour-long episodes spread out across a three-week timespan. Part one will debut on Friday, October 11, at 7:00 p.m. (ET/PT), with parts two and three to follow October 18, and October 25, respectively.
Is there a trailer?
Yup! Nickelodeon dropped the official trailer on September 12. It's equal parts spooky and adorkable, giving off some serious It, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and The Goonies vibes.
Who's in the cast?
Meet your new Midnight Society members! FYI, each of their last names appears to pay homage to a famous horror movie icon.
Gavin Coscarelli (Sam Ashe Arnold)
Who he is: Gavin is neighbors with Rachel. He's cool, kind, confident, and thoughtful.
Where you've seen Sam before: Netflix's Best. Worst. Weekend. Ever.
Akiko Yamato (Miya Cech)
Who she is: "She is sassy, tough, and determined. She’s an inspiring director; she directs and films her own DIY horror movies. She’s very nice inside, but she creates this barrier of toughness for herself. She gets very nice later on in the series," Miya told Seventeen.com.
Where you've seen Miya before: The Darkest Minds and Netflix's Always Be My Maybe
Louise Fulci (Tamara Smart)
Who she is: "She’s very popular, cool, and has a lot of friends, but underneath, she had a bit of a deeper past. That past was that she used to be quite a nerd. She got bullied a lot and completely reinvented herself, becoming this whole new cool girl with new friends," Tamara said to Seventeen.com.
Where you've seen Tamara before: Netflix's The Worst Witch
Graham Raimi (Jeremy Ray Taylor)
Who he is: "Graham is kind of the comedic relief of the film. He’s a germaphobe, he loves old horror movies, and he’s an aspiring composer. He’s funny, but he doesn’t realize that he’s funny," Jeremy told Seventeen.com.
Where you've seen Jeremy before: It, It Chapter Two, Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween
Rachel Carpenter (Lyliana Wray)
Who she is: Rachel is the newest Midnight Society member. After moving to a new town, she quickly goes from an extrovert to an introvert. She likes to draw, especially images of monsters. Her story about the Carnival of Doom comes to life, wreaking havoc for the horror-loving bunch.
Where you've seen Lyliana before: CBS All Access’ Strange Angel
Who is the villain in the reboot?
Unlike the original series, which had a different antagonist every episode, the reboot's main villain is a carnival owner named Mr. Tophat. He's equally part charming, part evil. He's played by Rafael Casal, who previously starred with Hamilton's Daveed Diggs in Blindspotting.
When asked if he stayed in character in between takes, Rafael admitted he didn't scare the kids on set when the cameras weren't rolling, but he did share a funny story about walking out in full Mr. Tophat attire.
"The first time I put the whole outfit and makeup on, I just walked into the back of one of their scenes and sat down," Rafael told Seventeen.com "In the middle of the scene, one of them turned around and sort of [gasps] … and I was like, ‘I think we found it. I think we found the look.’
What can fans of the OG series expect with the reboot?
As with most reboots, don't go into this one expecting to see a carbon copy of the original series. Reboots (if done right, imo) are supposed to bring something new and fresh to the table, and based on what the cast had to say about it, that's exactly what audiences are going to get.
"It’s the same show, same concept, but it’s not going to be like watching the old one again with a new cast," Sam told Seventeen.com.
Tamara echoed Sam's sentiment, explaining how the changes they've made have been for the better, but it's still obvious it's part of the AYAOTD universe. "It is pretty creepy. It’s exciting. It’s more action-packed than ever and there are some really funny awkward scenes in it, too."
Will anything from the original show be in the reboot?
You bet. Jeremy explained, "There are a few references that pay homage to the original ones, so I think people will love that and have a big nostalgia factor, especially around the campfire."
OK, but what does that mean, exactly? Are we talking actors returning, unanswered questions finally being addressed, characters remerging, what? BenDavid went into a little more detail when we pressed him for info. He immediately noted how fans should expect to see some "intense and vague Easter eggs," so get ready.
"We also are building on a lot of, I would say, pre-existing concepts from [the original show]," he said. While he may not necessarily call this reboot a sequel, he wouldn't argue with someone who views it that way. "Everyone at Nickelodeon has been really supportive about making something that feels fresh and new but is also completely in every way respectful to the original show."
There's also a cliffhanger that got several crew members who watched the original series to come up to BenDavid after the scene was filmed and ask him if so-and-so just said what they thought he said. "If you love the show or a certain very scary character from the original show, you’ll probably be amused by it."
Considering how nearly all the characters from the show could arguably be called "scary," this doesn't exactly narrow down the suspect pool. However, Zeebo the clown comes to mind right off the bat.
While most characters were one-offs, there were a few who were recurring (besides The Midnight Society members, of course), such as Sardo and Dr. Vink, played by Richard Dumont and Aron Tager, respectively. Now, not to be a downer, but Mr. Tager unfortunately passed away in February 2019, so he won't be in the reboot, but maybe Sardo will make an appearance. Fingers crossed!
During the AYAOTD panel at New York Comic Con on October 4, it was revealed some of the '90s show's original actors will be in the reboot.
Will there be another iconic opening credits sequence?
The original show's opening theme is still creepy to this day. The music is unsettling, and the ghoulish clown and haunting echoes of laughter rightly set the mood.
So, if you hold the credits close to your heart, rest assured the reboot won't destroy your childhood with a hammer. "Our theme credits are going to be very, very similar," BenDavid admitted.
While the OG show itself is great, it's the credits that have arguably withstood the test of time. As BenDavid accurately states, "The credits, to me, were 90% of the show so if we didn’t [pay a loving homage to them], I think we would be fools."
BenDavid later revealed a major dealbreaker for him would be if Nickelodeon didn't want to have a similar credits sequence to the '90s version. Thankfully, everyone was on board with that sentiment.
How will technology play a role in the reboot?
Obviously, technology has come a long way since the "brick" cell phones of the '90s. The reboot is set in modern times, so the kids are going to have phones with them. Many old horror movies' plots wouldn't make sense if they came out today, because people can just call for help now.
This makes it harder to up the scare factor and sense of impending doom for characters. Thankfully, the reboot is ready for the challenge. BenDavid shared that technology plays an "interesting" role in the revival. "We do have a fairly important plot function revolving the 'Find a Phone' feature for your phones, which is not something a ‘90s show would have."
On another end of the technology spectrum is special effects. Many of the scary elements from the OG show simply don't hold up nearly two decades later because we're constantly improving post-production techniques. (Granted, the effects of today probably won't hold up in 2050.)
When asked how a modern take on the AYAOTD franchise will compare to the '90s version, Jeremy said, "It’ll change a lot, like [with] clothing and cars in general, but even off the show, from the screen, the CGI will be so much different. I think [fans] will be very happy with the result."
Where can I watch the original show?
If you want to refresh your memory of the OG series — or watch it for the first time — you need to look no further than Amazon Video. You can stream the series here.
The interviews conducted have been edited for length and clarity.
Stacey Grant is a senior editor at Seventeen who runs the brand's Snapchat Discover channel. She also covers entertainment topics specializing in nostalgia, such as classic '90s and '00s Disney Channel and Nickelodeon content.
