There’s never a bad time to start your kids on horror. And that’s not a recent thought either; through the decades, we’ve been putting out show after movie after show of scary things for children, ramping up in the last few years or so — probably because those kids who grew up on early horror are now the ones making it for new generations. Like our previous article we’re going to talk about horror that has stuck with us through the ages, starting with a classic.
Scooby Doo, Where Are You! (1969-1970)
We’re bringing it back old school with everyone’s favorite mystery-solving teens and pet great dane: Mystery Incorporated. The gang is known for showing us that there are no real monsters, just people that have fallen on hard times and chose to live a life of crime to get by (this changes in later renditions with actual paranormal stuff, but I digress). Even if you didn’t watch, Scooby Doo is set in everyone’s minds as the OG of horror cartoons, from their groovy van, the Mystery Machine, to catch phrases like “Zoinks” and “Jinkies.”
Scooby Doo is the kids’ horror of your parent’s time, but old doesn’t mean not scary. Even though the “monsters” always turned out to be people, we were right there with the gang solving mysteries and wondering how a mere mortal could pull off such incredible stunts like ghost projections and moving walls, all set to spooky backgrounds like an abandoned circus or dark castle. Scooby Doo is pretty much loved by all regardless of age, and though it might not register in people’s minds as horror, the amount of still-recognizable monsters from the show proves otherwise.
Beetlejuice (1989-1991)
It’s technically before my time, but anything Tim Burton does is timeless in its own right. Beetlejuice, the animated series, came after the smash hit of the same name, and its goofy antics are definitely the star of the show. A few decades ago, horror for kids looked a lot different than it does now. Things were more colorful, funnier, and less serious, probably because of the political climate (“Satanic Panic”) and unfortunate rebellion against gory, moral-less media that was 80s horror.
So we get an extremely childlike take on the actually horrifying being that is Betelgeuse, cartoonishly and playfully having adventures with Lydia Deetz, causing no real harm to those living or undead. On a scale from R. L. Stine to Stephen King, Beetlejuice is definitely a Goosebumps kind of show, but it’s a fun take on horror that gives a sometimes needed vacation from the scares we’re accustomed to.
Stranger Things (2016-Present)
Stranger Things is probably the most famous horror/sci-fi crossover of all time, or at least of the present time. Set in the 80s, this series has cemented itself in pop culture and spawned Funko Pops, Halloween costumes, and even houses at Halloween Horror Nights. It may seem like a given that an 80s-inspired show be loved by all ages being that we’re in a sort of 80s revival right now, but I think Stranger Things has just the right amount of retro with a compelling story to have it continue into its fourth season.
With a DnD monster, a telekinetic protagonist, a Goonies-esque group of friends, an alternate dimension, evil science corporation, and the right mix of danger and mystery, Stranger Things is the perfect concoction for horror at any age. There are points of pure horror followed by typical 80s teen fare and then sci-fi elements — something for everyone. Though I don’t consider Stranger Things to be the most horror-centric show out there, it’s a great starting point for those trying to get into the genre and a sneaky way for those not interested in horror to still watch.
Aaahh!!! Real Monsters (1994-1997)
Are you even a 90s baby if you didn’t watch Aaahh!!! Real Monsters? The story of young monsters going to school to learn how to scare better is one of the most missed series from my childhood. Ickis, Oblina, and Krumm serve up the concept of scares, as opposed to actual scares themselves. It’s like Monsters, Inc. before there was Monsters, Inc.
Everyone had a favorite monster, and all three of our main characters exemplified what our kid-brains thought monsters could be — vile creatures that could do amazingly scary things, like take their eyeballs out of their face or hide in plain sight as an animal or umbrella pole. Aaahh!!! Real Monsters isn’t necessarily meant to scare, but it does settle in quite nicely with our brain-banks of famous monsters in the media. You don’t really have to be scary to be considered horror, you just have to show an appreciation for it, or be heavily influenced by it.
Courage the Cowardly Dog (1999-2002)
If you grew up in the late 90s and early 2000s, your vocabulary is pretty much all Spongebob and Courage the Cowardly Dog phrases. So many episodes are classics, from “King Ramses’ Curse” to “King of Flan” and my favorite, “Freaky Fred.” And a bunch more are memorable in their own right, parodying horror favorites like The Exorcist (“The Demon in the Mattress”) and directors Quentin Tarantino and George Romero (“Everyone Wants to Direct”). Even the music is awesome, namely the funky tune that accompanies the character Katz. Courage the Cowardly Dog is an adult series dressed up for a child.
The adventures of a timid pup and his elderly owners escaping horrific entities on a daily basis is so simple, yet so enticing. Every episode packs a punch, whether it’s making you hide under a blanket, making you laugh out loud at the cartoon antics, or pulling at your heartstrings with a character that isn’t actually out to hurt them. Courage shows us it’s OK to be scared because, let’s face it, sometimes the world is a scary place. What matters is that we have the spunk to get past it and people to help along the way.
Just as there are many genres, there are many types of kids shows. Now we have many to choose from, but we mustn’t forget where we started and how those shows of our past influenced the ones we see today. Perhaps the reason we’re able to have such gritty and actually frightening shows now is because the people watching the kids’ horror of yesteryear are subconsciously pulling from their memories of what scared them as children, something I’m wholly grateful for. Either way, it’s a wonderful thing we have where kids can be free to express emotions besides happiness and sadness. There is a place for fear, even for the youngsters.
Got any kids horror recommendations? Let us know in the comments!
