[AYAOTD? Recap with Erin Callahan] The Season 3 Review!

Before they dive into Season 4, Troy and Erin look back at Season 3 as a whole!

T: And another season of Are You Afraid of the Dark? is in the can. It was a simpler time when we started with “The Tale of the Midnight Ride.” People’s hair was shorter, the kitchens well stocked, and social gatherings weren’t a distant memory.

E: Hard to believe that in the time it took us to recap just one season of a ’90s kids’ show, the whole world as we know it has changed.

T: The Midnight Society evolved this season in a few ways. Firstly, production must have bought some more lights because, wow, those woods are bright now. I guess in between seasons, Gary spends a lot of time clearing out trees for better moonlight.

E: He would though, wouldn’t he? He’s such a careful guardian of this local, youthful storytelling tradition. Speaking of, how long do you think the tradition dates back?

T: I don’t have to think, I know. That’d be a spoiler for season seven though, when we learn about the origins of the Midnight Society. I can’t even imagine what the world will look like by the time we get to season seven…

E: Maybe by then we’ll have established alternative emergency response programs in at least fifty percent of American cities? One can dream.

T: They replaced David and Kristen with Tucker and Sam. They do a good job of making them feel distinct even though they tell the same stories. You know Kristen would have told “The Dream Girl” and come dressed all ’60s. David previously told fairly direct updates of “The Monkey’s Paw” and “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” and Tucker tells a new “Sleepy Hollow.” I’ll be interested to see if Tucker and Sam’s voices become more unique since they’re established before the stories were created.

E: Keen observation, Troyson. Though do you think David would’ve included the absolutely hilarious moment when the Headless Horseman phases materializes out of a shadow on the wall and Ian the protagonist just says, “Brad?” Also, it seems like Ian’s got a bit more of Tucker’s mischievous spunk than David’s milquetoast characters.

T: That’s a total Tucker moment. Good point that in David’s version of the story, Ian would be moping about moving and crying about his bike. And Katie would have been a blonde.

E: Yes, she would’ve been a completely non-threatening version of Kristen. *rolls eyes*

T: Dr. Vink and Sardo both feel much better integrated into their episodes. Previously, Dr. Vink was an odd element that comes and goes, but you can’t have “Dangerous Soup” without him. And after feeling like he was shoehorned into “Dark Dragon,” Sardo gets to be part of the action in “Carved Stone.”

E: I love that these two classic recurring characters get to evolve a bit with each season, but they don’t lose any of the elements that make them classic, like their catchphrases about name pronunciation.

T: Is that part of the reason they’re so memorable - they spend screen time telling characters how to say their names? It reminds me of bad comics with a new villain bursting into a room announcing, “I am...THE ROADBLOCK!” and everyone gasps.

E: LOL. In Sardo’s case, it’s “I am...THE QUEER-CODED CATALYST.”

T: This is a first for our season recaps, but there’s no Midnight Society actor spotlight since no one’s leaving us. We get another full season of this gang. Can you imagine losing anyone at this point? It’s going to be rough when it happens.

E: Oof — I feel so attached to all of them now. And as much as I liked Kristen and tolerated David, Sam and Tucker seem more vivid to me.

T: Several AYAOTD? alum went on to become big names, like Neve Campbell, but season three beats season two’s record for guest stars (at the time). We get Frank Gorshin, Danny Cooksey, and Tatyana Ali. While Melissa Joan Hart was perfectly cast last season, not a one of these guest stars feels out of place like Bobcat did.

E: Exactly! These roles make sense for these actors. None of it reads like a questionable attempt to up season premiere ratings by shoehorning in a comedian who clearly has no idea how to take direction.

T: Erin, what surprised you the most about this season? I’m guessing it’s that Frank became nearly unbearable?

E: I actually found Frank’s tough-guy/smooth-operator act a rather predictable response to Sam joining the group. What surprised me the most is how much imagery from this season had stuck with me since I watched it as a tween, particularly Jewel Saite’s pink jacket painted with a big yellow “X” in “Watcher’s Woods” and the Tatyana Ali’s ghost-summoning ritual in “Quicksilver.”

T: Awards time. Best Villain Award goes to *drum roll* the Crimson Clown! Well deserved. The look is iconic and he’s genuinely very creepy. I still can’t believe they have him tie Sam up in with ribbons in his bed. Honorary award goes to Brother Septimus, who serves some serious bad guy fun.

E: It’s pretty amazing that something approaching a clown bondage scene involving a minor made it onto children’s TV, but, hey, it was the ’90s. That said, the production designers deserve extra snaps for that episode. The way the clown gradually transforms is so uncanny and effective.

T: The Queerest Moment award goes to: “The Tale of the Dollmaker” as told by Betty Ann. This episode didn’t strike me as very queer on my initial reviewing, but you’re reading of it as tween girls bonding together to protect themselves from being made dolls by society is rad.

E: Awww, thanks Troyson! I should also thank my favorite Gender Studies professor from college, Dr. Tonja Olive, who was basically the first academic to tell me that pop culture was just as worthy of feminist analysis as any current event or work of “high art.”

T: The Best Storyteller Award goes to (according to my scientific rankings of our average episode ratings): Frank! He won last season and he’s done it again. He only tells one tale this season, but “Dangerous Soup” is a doozy. I really like Frank when he’s not being all toxic to Sam. I guess if you’re only going to tell one story a year, make it a good one.

E: He may have devolved into occasional macho douchebaggery this season, but his storytelling is still on point. “Dangerous Soup” has got to be one of the top ten episodes of the entire series.

T: After that, the Best Story Award going to “The Tale of the Dangerous Soup” is no surprise. Fantastic all the way around, even if I want to cuddle the gargoyle instead of fear him.

E: Plus there’s pre-famous Neve Cambell showing off her final girl chops.

T: The Worst Storyteller Razzie goes to: Tucker. “Phone Police” really tanked him, although neither “Midnight Ride” nor “Guardian’s Curse” were in the top half of our rankings anyway. I like Tucker over all, it just feels like he doesn’t quite have a grasp on his storytelling voice yet. Maybe that’ll start to solidify next season.

E: He’s young so he’s got lots of time to hone those skills. Plus, all of his stories have such potential, and I kind of love that they’re full of plot holes and feel like they were told by someone who’s just coming into his own.

T: To no surprise then, the Worst Story Razzie goes to Tucker’s “The Tale of the Phone Police.” I want to like this one more, it just can’t find the right tone so it never really goes there in either direction. It’s far from the worst episode of the series (“Locker 22”) which demonstrates how strong this season really is. According to our scientific rankings, season 1 averaged 7.9, season 2 averaged 7.8, and season 3 averaged 8.5.

E: As stories go, you could do worse than “Phone Police.” Beyond all the plot holes, there’s a pretty serious creep-factor and a badass, potentially omniscient older sister.

T: She should have been the protagonist! Would have leapt in our ratings.

E: Totally would’ve. Sassy big sis for the win!

T: What a strong season. We lost two OG Midnight Society members, but I couldn’t be happier with their replacements. There are fewer weak episodes, and some really memorable moments. Closing thoughts, Erin?

E: It feels like the showrunners have really found their groove by season three. I can’t wait for the guest stars and classic episodes coming our way in season four. Bring on the nostalgia!