Parents' Guide to Are You Afraid of the Dark?

This self-contained three-part series is shivery, quivery fun for tweens and teens who like scares. Viewers are introduced to Rachel, a thoroughly sympathetic new kid in town who doesn't make acquaintances easily but falls into a group of like-minded horror fans and discovers the kind of friendships she's longed for. Unfortunately her happiness is short-lived, as the Midnight Society members threaten to turn on her when she can't explain how her nightmares wind up threatening their town in a very real way. As they attempt to solve the mystery and get drawn into the fearsome happenings, Rachel becomes more concerned with keeping her friends alive than with keeping her friendships going.

Are You Afraid of the Dark? takes a refreshing stance on the diversity of the characters; both boys and girls are represented, and there are notable racial and social status differences among them, all of which reminds viewers that people can relate to each other on various levels despite what separates them. It also does a good job escalating the fear without actual violence. Most of what scares here is the power of suggestion, the hint of the unexplained, and the characters' visceral reactions to what they see and hear. Depending on your tweens' sensitivities, this may make it a slightly safer option than a show with more physical violence. Ultimately it's a real know-your-kid scenario; the scares are real, so knowing up front whether these kind of scares will affect yours is the key.