“The Tale of Laughing in the Dark”

I’m not even scared of clowns and yet this one really did something for me. I mean, get a load of Zeebo’s creepy mug. And what kind of a clown name is Zeebo anyway? It was also a great example of how the show didn’t really pull punches when it came to its plots — I mean, Zeebo literally burned to death in a funhouse fire. BURNED. TO. DEATH.

“The Tale of the Lonely Ghost”

Okay, this one was real. And I mean shit got REALLY REAL for a kid’s show. A little girl is teased so cruelly because she can’t speak that a bunch of sociopathic children lock her in her empty house and she dies of starvation? The backwards writing is eerie enough but that haunted house story, man… that was rough.

“The Tale of the Dead Man’s Float”

Presented without commentary.

“The Tale of the Ghastly Grinner”

Dat blue goop doe. This one always bothered me in particular — I think it was because the victims were all driven insane? Like, actually out of their minds, transformed into blue-drooling idiots. Sanity is a pretty heavy concept for a kid to grasp and uncontrollable laughter is just creepy as-is.

“The Tale of the Doll Maker”

Look at that terrifying doll-girl-thing. LOOK AT IT! It haunts my dreams! (But I WAS super jealous of that sweet dollhouse.)

“The Tale of the Hungry Hounds”

“WHY DIDN’T YOU FEED THE HOUNDS?!” This was the scariest story by far, in my humble opinion. The mysterious fog-filled otherworld, the girl possessed by a spirit with a purpose, and did I forget to mention THE GUY WHO GETS SCARED TO DEATH BY RAVENOUS DOGS? No wonder I turned out so weird.

“The Tale of the Shiny Red Bicycle”

Ahh yes, the classic coming-of-age tale wherein our hero is tormented by the drowning death of his friend who he couldn’t save despite his best efforts. We’ve all been there, am I right?

“The Tale of the Midnight Madness”

Sure, just show that to kids. Don’t see any problem with that. Definitely not going to scar them in any way.

“The Tale Of The Dark Music”

This is another competitor for scariest episode, mainly because there’s no real explanation for the door in the basement and oh yeah, THE RITUAL HUMAN SACRIFICE.

“The Tale Of The Closet Keepers”

Three words: human child zoo.

“The Tale of Watcher’s Woods”

There were some episodes that just felt so much darker than others and this is one of them. The idea of three little girls going missing for 75 years, stuck in the woods, going slowly crazy and dying because a demon called “The Watcher” chose them as victims? Yeesh.

“The Tale Of The Dream Girl”

This episode served as the actual inspiration that caused M. Night Shyamalan to write “The Sixth Sense.” There’s your fun fact for the day!

“The Tale of the Frozen Ghost”

“I’m…cold!” Ahhh, the charm of dead frozen children. You know, there were actually a LOT of dead kids in this show. They sure knew how to toughen us up back then.