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Before I began my horror moviefixation, I used to watch a handful of spooky TV shows in the '90s and early 2000's. I was a huge fan of creature features, but I started to get into true crime and reality style TV series as I got older. You remember the ones — they came on later at night, had wacky graphics, and left your teeth chattering while you laid in bed later on? Yeah, those.
As a rite of passage, I've started to introduce my kid to some of the things I watched because he's developed his own affinity for thriller movies and shows. We'll blame that on my intense desire to watch the most horrific things during my pregnancy...
Need a reminder of which shows '90s kids used to watch? I have 7 that you'll be searching for on Netflix, HBO Max, Peacock, or Amazon Prime after you read this!
Nickelodeon
Are You Afraid of the Dark?
My sister and I used to watch this with the curtains closed so we could mimic the group of teens who'd trade scary stories around a campfire. Known as The Midnight Society, these teens would meet in the woods and one would be chosen to relay the spooky tale of the night.
What you'd see next is a physical depiction of the story being told — and some of them were beyond spooky! I used to cover my eyes so I couldn't see all the jump scares, but at least two or three would catch me off guard!
You can stream Are You Afraid of the Dark? on Amazon Prime!
Scholastic
Goosebumps
Author R.L. Stine is known for creating the memorable Goosebumps book series, so my sister and I were overjoyed when they based a TV show on our favorite spooky reads. From the evil Slappy the Dummy to the squelching sponge underneath a family's sink, this show kept us on our feet.
Unfortunately, our mom wasn't the biggest fan of the way my sister and I were glued to the TV whenever new episodes would air. Sorry, mom!
You can stream Goosebumps on Netflix!
Cartoon Network
Courage the Cowardly Dog
If you're not saying, "The things we do for love" on a weekly basis, did you really watch Courage the Cowardly Dog? I'm so glad this show is available on HBO Max because it was one of the biggest shows '90s kids watched.
Living with his owners Eustache and Muriel in the middle of nowhere, Courage tried to warn them of suspicious, weird, or spooky characters that would stop by. Unfortunately, they were the only ones who never understood what Courage was trying to say until it was almost too late.
Were the episodes repetitive? Yes, but the characters weren't, so it never mattered!
You can stream Courage the Cowardly Dog on HBO Max!
ABC
Tales From the Cryptkeeper
I shouldn't have been watching Tales From the Crypt as a kid, but you can blame that on my dad! Unlike the show for adults, this was meant to be a tamer version for kids. The Cryptkeeper still told spooky stories, but we got to see him battle different characters who wanted to be the hosts of his show.
The Cryptkeeper still looked spooky with his sparse strands of hair, but the weird green color made him look more comical in this series.
You can stream Tales From the Crypt on Amazon Prime!
Nickolodeon
Aaahh!!! Real Monsters
This show was as spooky as it was kooky, but I couldn't get enough of it. It followed three friends — Ickis, Oblina, and Krumm — as they attended a school for monsters. Somehow they'd always end up on weird adventures that would land them in direct contact with humans, nature, or other monsters. This would irritate their school's headmaster, The Gromble, to no end!
You can stream Aaahh!!! Real Monsters on Paramount+!
Lifetime Television
Unsolved Mysteries
My fiancé and I revisited old episodes of Unsolved Mysteries shortly after I gave birth, and it put me on the path of all things true crime. Hosted by Raymond Burr, each episode featured details from unsolved cases where some of the victims met grisly ends.
If you want a good scare, turn off all the lights and binge watch the first season tonight.
You can stream Unsolved Mysteries on Peacock!
Twentieth Century Fox
Scariest Places on Earth
You can stream Scariest Places on Earth on Apple TV+!
Take a walk down memory lane by checking out our list of the best scary movies to watch before Halloween!
