Are You Afraid of the Dark? | ABS-CBN 90s Horror Anthology Television Series

Are You Afraid of the Dark? was a joint Canadian-American horror/fantasy-themed anthology television series around the 90s which was locally aired in the Philippines on ABS-CBN every Friday nights. Are You Afraid of the Dark? originally ran in Nickelodeon (in the US) and YTV (Canada) from October 31, 1991 to June 11, 2000. This iconic American horror anthology series featured a group of teenagers called the Midnight Society sharing light-hearted to disturbing tales of suspense and horror with frequent elements of moral values. Let's go down memory lane with Are You Afraid of the Dark?.

Are You Afraid of the Dark? - The Show
About Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Are You Afraid of the Dark? revolves around a group of teenagers who referred to themselves as "The Midnight Society". Are You Afraid of the Dark's Midnight Society (on the first Season) comprised of Gary (portrayed by Ross Hull), An unassuming, bookish looking boy. The founder of the Midnight Society; Betty Ann (Raine Pare-Coull), A vibrant girl who has an open and eager passion for the bizarre and twisted; Kiki (Jodie Resther), A spunky, tomboyish girl who often makes fun of others; Frank (Jason Alisharan), A punkish teenager with an in-your-face attitude; Tucker (Daniel DeSanto), Gary's younger brother, and the youngest member of the Midnight Society; Samantha (Joanna García), A shy girl with an obvious mutual crush on Gary, which becomes one of the highlighted arches of both their developments in the series; Kristen (Rachel Blanchard), A girl who though squeamish about much else, has a fondness for ghost stories and fairy tales; David (Nathaniel Moreau), A quiet boy with a mysterious expression; Eric (Jacob Tierney), ric is portrayed as a diminutive teenager with visible Irish ancestry that influences his first story; and Stig (Codie Wilbee), His nickname may come from the term stigma, as he is marked an outsider for his notable lack of hygiene, Stig is the last initiate to be entered into the Midnight Society's generation at the time.

Every week The Midnight Society meets at a secret base located in the woods where one member would tell a scary story to the group. Each storyteller (per episode) would begin their story by saying "Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, I call this story..." at which point he or she would toss a handful of "midnight dust" from a leather pouch into the campfire to heighten the flames and produce an eerie white smoke. The storyteller would continue by announcing its title "The Tale of..." with the title of week's episode. Each story was displayed to the television viewer. The story was shown between the group's arrival at the site and their departure.

The themes of the stories usually revolves around a variety of paranormal phenomena such as ghosts, goblins, magic, dragons, haunted houses, magical curses, aliens, witches, vampires, etc. Usually, the episodes were either filmed in the woods, in abandoned houses, or in public places like schools or libraries. Sources of these tales vary in different ways; many were adaptations of public domain fairy tales and short stories or urban legends. Sometimes, the stories were inspired by a certain event in the life of the storyteller. In the episode "The Tale of the Crimson Clown", for instance, Tucker blackmailed his brother Gary with a poem he had found, which Gary had written for Samantha. Gary then told a story in which a naughty younger brother was punished cruelly for his evil deeds. At the end of the episode, Tucker gave the poem back to his brother. At the end of most episodes, one character would conclude the Midnight Society's meeting by throwing a red bucket of water onto the fire, stating "I declare this meeting of the Midnight Society closed." and the group would leave the campsite, thus ending the storytelling and episode.

Are You Afraid of the Dark? Opening Theme
Are You Afraid of the Dark? Series Intro

Are You Afraid of the Dark? was one of the most popular television series back in the 90s amidst its scary nature. This anthology series could also be the reason why I am personally into horror movies as an adult.

The family would usually tune in to ABS-CBN that Friday night just to get spooked out of the week's episode. Although the opening and closing credits didn't feature any lyrics in it, its creepy tune and imageries become the signature trademark, well besides that midnight dust throwing in the beginning of each stories. Thinking of it now, those kids were really gutsy to first have a secret base deep set up in the woods in the middle of a dark night only to share tales of horrors. I vaguely remember each episode now, but there was this one episode that seem to planted itself firmly on my consciousness everytime I remember the series. I can't remember the exact episode title but it is the story where a group of people were trapped underground and there was this monster that kills (the show never actually shows the killing of the victims) or takes each of them away. With the last part of the story ending with them seeing a light at the end of this cave only to find themselves trapped and the monster on the same area. So if you guys still remember it, you can share that episode's title.

How about you guys, what's your most memorable Midnight Society storyteller, moment, episode or stories in this popular 90s horror anthology television series? Share your thoughts about Are You Afraid of the Dark in the comments section below:

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | 90s ABS-CBN American Animated Series

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or TMNT was an American animated television series that began back in December 28, 1987 starting as a 5-part miniseries and later becoming a regular Saturday morning syndicated series on October 1, 1988 with 13 more episodes. TMNT the cartoon series originally ran from December 28, 1987 to November 2, 1996. Contrary to its original Mirage Studios comics source that was created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series placed a much stronger emphasis on humor than the comics. The series was produced by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson Film Productions Inc (later Fred Wolf Films). Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon series originally aired in various syndicated channels in the United States from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The cartoon series also fell victim to heavy censorship that time, In the UK, TMNT was released under the name Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles aired in ABS-CBN around the 90s on a Saturday-Sunday morning block. Let's take a look back at the well loved turtles in a half shell, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - The Story
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Series Plot

An honorable ninja master named Hamato Yoshi, banished from the Foot Clan in Japan was exiled and moved to New York where he was forced to live in the sewers. One day he found four turtles, recently bought from a pet store by an unnamed boy who accidentally dropped them in the sewer. After exploring the sewers along with his friend rats, Toshi found the turtles covered with a strange glowing ooze that caused the turtles (most recently exposed to Yoshi) to become humanoid, while Yoshi (most recently exposed to sewer rats) became a humanoid rat, and started going by the pseudonym "Splinter". Yoshi adopts the four turtles as his sons and trains them in the art of ninjitsu. He names them after his favorite Italian renaissance artists: Leonardo da Vinci (Leonardo), wears a blue mask and wields two Katana; Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi (Donatello), wears a purple mask and wields the bō staff; Raffaello Sanzio (Raphael), wears a red mask and wields a pair of sai; and Michelangelo Buonarroti (Michaelangelo), wears an orange mask and wields a pair of nunchaku.

Oroku Saki, the man who deceived and disgraced Yoshi's name left Japan and tracked Yoshi to New York City, where he intends to destroy him once and for all. He become associated with Krang, a disembodied alien brain who has been banished from his home, Dimension X. Saki then took a new persona, donning a suit covered with razor spikes, complemented by a long cape, and a metal mask over his mouth. He has also taken on the pseudonym "The Shredder". The two is later joined by Bebop and Rocksteady, two street thugs morphed into an animal humanoid form by exposure to the Shredder's mutagen; and a small army of robotic Foot Soldiers. Their aim is try to destroy the Turtles and take over the world. In their quest to restore their master's honor, Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michaelangelo begin to take on the role of vigilante crime-fighters against any criminals. The team is later joined by Channel 6 reporter April O'Neil who usually needs rescuing from Shredder and later with another vigilante Casey Jones.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Opening Theme
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Series Intro

The idea of anthromorphic group of teenage mutant ninja turtles protecting the world from evil was very entertaining to kids growing up in the 90s, myself included. It featured brothers bounded by a common cause who still have time to be jolly and happy. Looking back at it now, it sure has some phased out 90s funny moments but it doesn't hold well if you compare them with a much more serious tones of animated series nowadays. Well it was a different time back then and even if they followed the original serious tone of the comic source it was based from, it might eventually get censored out.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was purely for kids who won't dare to ask us what could have happened to the people living in that apartment that the Technodrome just destroyed. Well it was fun while it lasted. The show made me crave for pizzas back in the days. For a kid living in a small suburban provincial neighborhood, pizza became that dream snack. It made me ask who are those famous people behind the name of the four turtles making me know that besides being artists in their time, they were also scientists. There are also later incarnations of the Teenage Mutant ninja Turtles, but this one holds a special memory as this is the first TMNT animated series which the film also took inspiration from.

How about you guys, what's your fondest memory, episode, characters, or memorabilia of the 90s US cartoon show? Share your thoughts about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the comment section below:

Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills | ABC 90s American Superhero Kids Show

Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills was a American television series which was released by DIC Entertainment and aired on the USA Network which originally ran from October 3, 1994 to December 8, 1994. In the Philippines, the Associated Broadcasting Company (now known as TV5) aired Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills on a weekend afternoon block. Let's take a look back on this low-budget kids show that tried to emulate the success of Saban's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills - The Story
Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills Series Plot

Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills featured four central teenagers selected by a blob-like brain alien named Nimbar (Head Protector of the Power Portals) to fight off the monsters sent by an evil alien empire lead by Emperor Gorganus. Gorganus want to conquer Earth because it is the focal point for a network of "Power Portals" that would facilitate conquest of the galaxy. Nimbar recruits four high school students and with a touch by his "finger" gave them each a tattoo which is based on a constellation in the celestial sphere. When their tattoos flash, this means Nimbar needs them and a power portal appears that they can pass through to enter his chamber.

The teens could then stand atop platforms called "Transo Discs" and transform into "Galactic Sentinels" with super powers. These four teenagers are Laurie Foster as the Galactic Sentinel Scorpio; Gordon Henley as the Galactic Sentinel Scorpio; Drew Vincent as Galactic Sentinel Centaur; and Swinton Sawyer as the Galactic Sentinel Apollo. When they put their hands together in an interlocking square they form the ultimate Galactic Sentinel called Knightron.

Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills Opening Theme
Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills Series Intro

What is there to say about Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills? It is one of those US Shows that tried to emulate the success of the Power Rangers. Unlike other kids shows that can just "borrowed" stock footage from Japanese tokusatsu shows, the Tattooed Teenage tried a different approach. You can clearly see that it is pretty much American in its high school setting and its heroes reminiscent of fighters from the American Gladiators. Looking at it now I can't help but laugh a bit and made me ask myself "Did I really dug that show before?". Well it can't be help, I was but a child then. I probably got hooked in it because it resembled the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers with its teenage protagonists; reminds me of Ultraman and Magmaman when they transform into Galactic Sentinels, and vaguely resembles Voltes V in some way when they put form Knightron... not to mention father and I were into World Wrestling Federation back then, the Galactic sentinels somehow looked like wrestlers.

How about you guys, do you remember this US show? What do you remember most about it? any special memory, collectible, or experience you have related to the show? Share your thoughts about the Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills in the comments section below: