Are you really a ’90s kid if you didn’t grow up on “Goosebumps?” R. L. Stine’s hugely popular book series became a cultural phenomenon, causing Scholastic book-fairs around the world to descend into free-for-alls as kids clamored for the latest spooky tale. The “Goosebumps” novels were also adapted into a ’90s TV series, although the real die-hards might remember that one of Stine’s lesser-known creations, “The Nightmare Room,” got the same treatment not long after. However, if you’ve yet to encounter this under-seen gem, never fear: Tubi, which is quickly becoming one of the best streaming services out there, is currently streaming the show for free.
The original Fox Kids “Goosebumps” TV show ran for four seasons between 1995 and 1998, and it was a largely successful adaptation of Stine’s book series. “The Nightmare Room” was very similar in that it was a horror anthology show for kids based on one of Stine’s literary creations, albeit a short-lived one. But the show itself would prove to be equally short-lived, originally airing on Kids’ WB and running for just one season from August 31, 2001, to March 16, 2002.
The “Goosebumps” show hit just at the right time, capitalizing on the success of the books and providing a gateway into horror for an entire generation. Unfortunately, “The Nightmare Room” just didn’t benefit from anything like that. The books were nowhere near as popular, and the appetite for middle-grade gateway horror just didn’t seem to be what it once was when they came out. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give the “Nightmare Room” adaptation a stream, especially since it features what is surely one of the best casts of any kids’ show ever made and is downright creepy at times.
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The Nightmare Room includes all your favorite 90s kids stars
Robert Englund as Mr Bell is seen against a classroom blind in The Nightmare Room – Warner Bros. Television
Aside from being one of the most popular kids’ novelists of the ’90s, R. L. Stine was also prolific in a way that’s actually kind of upsetting. PBS claims he produced more than 350 novels, but you can find other sources that place that number at more than 500. (It’s no wonder publisher Scholastic filed a 1999 lawsuit accusing him of using ghost writers.) Whatever the case, Stine churned out books at a rate that would make Stephen King atomize into the ether of his own macroverse. As such, you’ve probably never heard of “The Nightmare Room,” which the author produced after he parted ways with Scholastic. But this is your chance to get acquainted with this lesser known corner of the Stine-verse via the similarly overlooked TV adaptation.
“The Nightmare Room” has just 13 episodes, so it’s a quick watch. However, those of you wistful for your youth might well find yourself wanting more. Indeed, this series is as fun and nostalgic as the 2020s “Goosebumps” TV show and comes stacked with legends of ‘late-90s/early-2000s kids television. Firstly, it’s narrated by James Avery. Yes, Uncle Phil himself provided the “Twilight Zone”-style narration that book-ends each episode, and making matters significantly cooler is that the producers just lied and claimed it was Stine.
If that’s not enough to pique your interest, how about Amanda Bynes or a young Shia LaBeouf who’s haunted by the ghost of a little boy played alternately by Dylan and Cole Sprouse? Drake Bell also shows up as a boy who discovers a diary that predicts his death, and there’s even a “Malcom in the Middle” reunion (or pre-union, since that show had only just started airing) with Frankie Muniz, Justin Berfield, and Tania Raymonde appearing.
The Nightmare Room features genuine scares and horror royalty
Amanda Bynes as Danielle Warner is seen in closeup in The Nightmare Room – Warner Bros. Television
Produced by Tollin/Robbins Productions, the same company responsible for unimpeachable classics “All That,” “Kenan & Kel,” and “The Amanda Show,” “The Nightmare Room” was one of the first two live-action shows to ever air on Kids’ WB. Like so much ’90s media (including the scariest episodes of “Goosebumps”), “The Nightmare Room” pushed the limits of what you could show on kids television, especially when compared to today’s spooky offerings for youngsters. Episodes included the story of ghost children who lure new victims by making their families forget about them, along with the tale of the mendacious Josh Ryan (played by Justin Berfield of “Malcom in the Middle), whose surprisingly elaborate lies start coming true.
Lending the show an extra helping of horror gravitas is Freddy Krueger himself, Robert Englund, who appears in the third episode as Mr. Bell, a teacher who remains mercifully non-homicidal in the nocturnal hours. If that’s still not enough for you, how about Tippi Hedren! Yes, the starlet of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Marnie” and “The Birds,” as well as an all-round screen legend, is in this series that nobody ever saw and plays a twisted witch who presides over a cruel reality game show for kids. How can you say no?
Well, you can’t really, since “The Nightmare Room” is streaming for free after becoming partially lost media in the years since its original airing. Eight of the 13 episodes were made available via two DVDs, but five of the installments never made it onto any physical media. Now, the whole thing is on Tubi, which also has some pretty great horror movies to offer. So, if you’re the type that likes a heavy dose of nostalgia with your Halloween scares, this one is not to be missed.
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Read the original article on SlashFilm.
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