History Series / AreYouAfraidOfTheDark

With creative plots, readiness to completely eschew formula, and genuinely frightening imagery that more than made up for the limited budgets, ''AYAOTD'' introduced many a child of [[TheNineties the 90s]] to some of their first HorrorTropes, not to mention [[SpeculativeFictionTropes sci-fi]] and the occasional dose of [[Creator/FranzKafka Kafka]]. The nature of the show's scariness can be likened to Creator/RLStine's ''Literature/{{Goosebumps}}'' novels (Stine's books themselves were [[Series/Goosebumps1995 later adapted into a TV series as well]]).

Of course, no description of the series would be complete without mentioning its terrifying [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b2G8ySKNgA opening credits sequence.]] If you grew up watching the show, chances are there was a time when you or a sibling would run from the room within seconds of it turning up on the TV screen. In fact, when it aired on the Saturday morning show ''Scratchy and Co'', a voiceover was added over the intro warning people to switch off if they scared easily.

The nature of the show's scariness can be likened to R.L. Stine's ''Literature/{{Goosebumps}}'' novels (Stine's books themselves were later adapted into a TV series as well). Creative plots, readiness to completely eschew formula, and genuinely frightening imagery more than made up for the limited budgets. ''AYAOTD'' introduced many a child of [[TheNineties the 90s]] to some of their first HorrorTropes, not to mention [[SpeculativeFictionTropes sci-fi]] and the occasional dose of [[Creator/FranzKafka Kafka]].

* DisproportionateRetribution: Generally Vink's schtick. He'll often lend help to a person or persons in need of it, but it will come with certain stipulations attached. And things go very bad for anyone who fails to adhere to them. Worse yet, often other folk who did not directly make a deal with Vink [[CollateralDamage get caught in the crossfire.]]

* "Curse of the Shadows" opens up with Luke's dad waking Luke up by joking that there was a "kid-napping" (but he woke him up). As the episode progresses, the members of the Midnight Society learn Connor was spirited away by the Shadowman.

* INeverSaidItWasPoison: How Gabby [[spoiler: realized that "Connor" was actually the Shadow Man in ''Curse of the Shadows'']]

The show revolved around a club of teenagers called the "Midnight Society" who meet around a campfire in the woods once a week to tell horror stories. Each of the members had their own quirk and storytelling style; one specialized in fairy-tale like stories, one specialized in TrappedInAnotherWorld stories. The show was just like your typical SpeculativeFiction/horror anthology series like ''Franchise/TheTwilightZone'' or ''Series/TalesFromTheCrypt'', but for the early teen set.

*** Similarly, in "The Tale of the Whispering Walls", while Master Raymond has confirmed male victims, it's the two girls of the party they he tries to keep [[spoiler:before another of his victims thwarts him.]]

* DisproportionateRetribution: Generally Vink's schtick. He'll lend some magic to a business that's in need of help, which will dramatically revitalize it. However, this will come with certain rules attached. And things go very bad for anyone who breaks them. Or [[CollateralDamage often anyone employed by them, even if they never broke any rules themselves.]]

* RapidAging: [[spoiler:Mrs. Valenti]] in "The Tale of the Mystical Mirror" [[spoiler:after Cindy smashes her magic mirror.]]

* WeCanRuleTogether: The titular Watcher of Watcher's Woods offers Sarah something like this while she's trying to find the ghost campers' old whistles. Her counter offer, if he doesn't back off, is her burning the woods to the ground.

* TheBadGuyWins: Happened with many episodes, including [[spoiler:"Super Specs"]], [[spoiler:"Pinball Wizard"]], and most (in)famously, [[spoiler:"Chameleons"]].

!!The orginal seres provides examples of:

* AerithAndBob: One thing the show is frequently teased about is the fact that some of the names they gave the kids in the stories were downright weird. Some of the more strange names included Weegee, Dayday, Clorice, Jam, Perch, Rush, Jersey, Koda, and Bostick. Maybe they were more popular in Canada.
** Possibly justified in that the kids with those names were characters in stories that the Midnight Society made up. Why not give the characters in your stories ridiculous names, especially if you're a kid and you're telling the story to other kids for fun?

** Mr. Pimm and Mr. Collins are incredibly camp, dress in bright colors, act very flamboyant and also live and regularly cook together. One does wonder.

* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: They just might get it, in "The Tale of the Final Wish" or perhaps "The Tale of the Misfortune Cookie". But most notably, "The Tale of the Twisted Claw" evolves around this trope.

* ContentWarnings: When the TV rating system was introduced in 1997, this was the first Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} series to receive one. The disclaimer explained its TV-Y7 rating was due to its frightening content. At the time, every other show on Nick was rated TV-Y with sitcom reruns on Creator/NickAtNite getting a TV-G rating.

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* IfIHadANickel: In "The Tale of Station," a supernatural radio station operator for the undead, upon being told that his latest "customer" isn't actually dead, responds that, if he had a dime for every time someone said they weren't supposed to be dead... it wouldn't matter to him because he's dead and has no use for money.

* KillItWithFire: How do you defeat a vampire? Burn its coffin. How do you defeat a witch who gets her power from a MagicMirror? Throw it in the fire. Need to stop a demon coming after you? Threaten to burn his "precious woods." Evil dollhouse that turns people into dolls? Burn it. This was used so often that the tales of "The Bookish Baby-sitter" and "Many Faces" deliberately deconstructed it.

* LargeHam: [[Creator/BobcatGoldthwait The Sandman]] and [[Creator/GilbertGottfried Roy]].

* NightmareFetishist: Everyone in the Midnight Society to a certain extent, but Betty Ann in particular. Notably when Kristen has a book of dark fairy tales, Betty Ann says her favourite is one where a prince is kidnapped and the kidnapper puts blood on the queen's mouth to make it look like she ate him. Also it turns out her pet is [[spoiler: a snake]].