26 years since Arthur first aired, and it still remains a much-loved kids show. But other programs aimed at children aren’t always as light and fluffy as they seem. “It’s just a kid’s show.” How many times have audiences heard those words and thought how wrong they actually were? No matter how cartoonish, how goofy, or how out there a kid’s show is, some can actually end up being pretty scary if done properly.

  • Kids shows are still going strong, and although some stick around for a long time, as the generations change, so do some other shows. The general feel of children’s programs is of warmth and light. But on some surprising occasions, the shows have taken a darker turn to deliver a scarier episode.

Typically yes, cartoon-oriented series try to appeal to younger audiences with cute animation and jokes. Yet, in just about every series, there always seems to be a few scenes that are frightening enough to leave any child scared in more ways than one.

Magic School Bus (1994): Arnold’s Head Freezing

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Now, when talking about any kid’s show, “normal” is a relative term. Every kid shows have something out of the norm that separates the series from others. As such, the scary moments, like in Magic School Bus, usually happen during those out-of-the-norm adventures.

When the class took a trip into space, no one could’ve foreseen Arnold, the naysayer of the group, getting so fed up that he removed his helmet on Pluto and was instantly frozen. Even though he was saved, it was a scary scene for viewers.

What’s New, Scooby-Doo (2002): Ghostly Wail

Available To Stream On HBO Max

With some of the best villains in What’s New Scooby Doo?, scary moments weren’t uncommon in Scooby-Doo. The premise of a gang hunting down ghosts that end up being guys in masks isn’t meant to be scary. However, when the gang encounters the unexplainable, that was when the cartoon actually got scary.

In “Big Scare In The Big Easy,” Shaggy and Scooby find Daphne after she goes missing thanks to what sounds like her screaming. By the episode’s end though, it’s revealed Daphne was couldn’t have been the source, followed by a ghostly wail that shakes viewers to their core.

SpongeBob SquarePants (1999): Health Inspector

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Although a lighthearted show, there have been surprisingly dark moments in SpongeBob SquarePants as it’s gotten more disturbing in some of its content and ideas. However, the episode “Nasty Patty” takes the cake for scary moments when a health inspector visits the Krusty Krab, eats a disgusting burger, and dies.

Even though the inspector isn’t actually dead, it’s still horrifying to watch for any age. Especially when SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs bury the body, meaning they’re burying someone alive. No amount of kids’ humor, annoying laughs, or jokes can cover up that horrific moment.

Rugrats (1991): Angelica’s Brother

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Whilst there are adult jokes missed in Rugrats, there’s also some pretty scary moments, and there’s nothing more powerful than the influence of a bad dream. Usually, Angelica from Rugrats is seen as an older and powerful character and almost antagonist for the series about surprisingly intelligent babies. Yet, when she has “Angelica’s Worst Nightmare,” audiences start to feel bad for her.

When it’s revealed Angelica has another sibling on the way, she has a nightmare about her family all but forgetting about her and her “brother” is a freakishly large baby that chases her around the house before eating her.

Powerpuff Girls (1998): Fifty Years Later

Everyone always imagines what their lives may look like in the future and yet, sometimes, it may be better to not consider the future. For Powerpuff Girls, this is more than the case as the trio are teleported fifty years into the future in the episode “Speed Demon”.

Rather than finding themselves in a perfect world, the girls are horrified to find a terrifying future where a suspiciously satanic-looking villain called HIM rules over all. Full of disturbing moments, the episode is not meant for the faint of heart and likely might not have aired unedited had it been released today.

Star Wars The Clone Wars (2008): Zombie Worms

Available To Stream On Disney+

For one reason or another, studios believe that zombies can make everything better. While that’s not the case, sometimes, like with Star Wars: The Clone Wars, zombies can benefit a series immensely.

By the end of the second battle of Geonosis in the ‘Legacy of the Terror," Anakin, Obi-Wan (one of the best characters in Star Wars: The Clone Wars), and a squad of clones uncovers undead Geonosians infected with brain worms. The concept of the worms is horrifying on its own, but is lifted to new heights in the following episode when they infect a ship full of clones.

Teen Titans (2003): The Thing That Keeps You Up At Night

Not all scary moments have to be right in the audience’s face. In one of Teen Titans’ best episodes, Robin believes he’s hunting down the presumed dead villain Slade despite being the only one who can see him.

However, it’s revealed Slade is only in Robin’s mind, pushing him to his limits to the point of killing him through mental strain alone. Imagining Robin doing all that harm to himself and Ron Perlman’s iconic monologue and performance as Slade culminates in a chilling moment that leaves audiences feeling “Haunted.”

Avatar The Last Airbender (2005): Blood Bending

Available To Stream On Netflix

In a world like that of Avatar: The Last Airbender, there are not many moments that feel scary. After all, there are plenty of adorable creatures like Appa, and the idea of bending the elements is epic and a fantastic concept.

Yet, all that changes when the Gaang and audiences encounter “The Puppet Master”. In one of TV’s greatest Halloween-themed episodes, audiences are introduced to the effects of blood-bending as the bender Hama terrorizes the gang through the night, topped with the notion of Katara carrying Hama’s dark legacy.

Gravity Falls (2016): The Ghost Of Northwest Mansion

Homages are one of the best things a series or movie can do. Paying tribute to the inspiration of something is the highest honor and shines through with every genre, including horror.

Of course, that then leads to some truly horrifying homages, like in Gravity Falls. Already a series with some questionable moments and jokes, the series raises the bar with an ode to Evil Dead as the fiery skeleton of a vengeful spirit rises and causes chaos, making stuffed heads of animals bleed and causing goosebumps to spread along audiences’ arms.

Invader Zim (2001): Dark Harvest

A series about alien invaders was always going to get a little on the darker side of things. Yet, there are a few times Invader Zim crossed the line, and one that sticks out was the “Dark Harvest.”

What starts out as an innocent enough episode with Zim and Dib trying to pass for human devolves into a horrifying affair as Zim hunts down children and steals their organs. The dark humor of Zim replacing their organs with household objects makes it a miracle that this episode was even aired.