I can’t remember how I found out about this podcast, but the fact that it exists and touches on the exact hyper fixations I often have on millennial kids entertainment — and why it is so disturbing most of the time — already got me hooked in. The movies in particular that Christian & Kalyn discuss are the ones that you saw and may have virtually forgotten about, but you have these fever dream flashbacks of bizarre scenes or dark feelings that come unburied in your mind in the best way. I enjoy their banter and the depth of the research on history, literature, themes and more. It’s a good time and helps you sure enough believe you are not alone! It wasn’t just you who are still traumatized by that one episode of that one show.

Nostalgia is something that can bring back the warmest of feelings, and a smile to our faces amongst our busy and stressful lives. Listening to this show is one of those warm smiles. I’ve now listened to every episode, and it’s so much fun revisiting beloved classics, going on the deep dives with TPD, and learning so many little facts about the things they cover (one of my favorite things about podcasts in general) This show has also given me plenty to decide to watch for the first time (many of which I don’t understand how I just missed or skipped over in the very years of original release!) Not only do you get all the above, but Kalyn & Christian make you feel like you’re just one of their friends hanging out with them. This pod is well worth the listen!

This is the best podcast. I think the ghost hosts are just great, I love their banter because you feel included. They provide in depth analysis and research on the dark origins of childrens media and subsequent juggernauts of 80s/90s kids horror, e.g. "are you afraid of the dark" and "Courage the cowardly dog". They challenge the listener to think more deeply about the topics underpinning the shows than mere recollection, and they do so in an easy to listen to format that has me nodding my head in agreement and sometimes answering back as if they are talking to me directly! I just love it.

I love this podcast! The hosts have hilarious banter and always give thoughtful critiques of the programming they’re highlighting in each episode. Plus, it just feels good to go back in time to some of my favorite shows and movies and be a kid again for a while. I’d love for you guys to do some episodes on the 90s show Eerie, Indiana! Keep up the good work!

Easily one of my fave podcasts to listen to! The hosts are hilarious and remind me so much of my little friend group. It’s obvious they put a ton of effort into their research for each project, and I learn something new each listen. Highly recommend if you love 90’s nostalgia!

The back and forth banter isn’t for me personally but it may be for someone else

You can tell they’re very thoughtful and put a lot of effort into their episodes. I don’t agree with some opinions (I very much disliked your critique of Little Nemo. Especially the visual stuff! I always thought it was beautifully animated and colorful in a whimsical some what muted way. I think the plot was fine for a child’s movie of the 80s. I agree some of it was odd with the undertones but I didn’t think it as offensive as you made it out to be. It’s a common trope in a coming of age story… no where near as bad a let’s say, labyrinth. I just felt like you guys were kind of harsh on the movie and it deserved more praise then it got.)Anyway…. I still ADORE your podcast and appreciate the effort, time, and research you put in. Thank you for taking the time to put something so pivotal to our child hoods into words and analyzing both popular movies and shows as well as the more obscure, fever dream, entertainment- the kind we have those bare and fleeting memories of a scene or two. Keep up the amazing effort and content!

You guys did an excellent job of breaking down all the different intricacies in the backstory of characters/actots/production. From things that we didn’t know to things you guys had touched on in previous episodes…. It all ties in. It makes me look up and do even more research. I really appreciate how much you guys uncover from the cinematic archives. Never even heard of you before the first episode I listened to (Hexxus & his toxic love) which was recommended by Apple podcast. Mind you I had only listened to sports, comedic and historically based podcasts to that point. You guys do a wonderful job. Even when you don’t like a movie(see Nemo ep) you’re takes on the good vs the bad of the movies go over very well. For the record, most of us definitely played the video game, Nemo, before we ever saw a movie. Blockbuster nights at the house is where I was introduced to those adventures in slumberland. As a kid, in kindergarten no less, it wasn’t scary. Still, It was traumatizing to a lot of people.

I was really looking forward to listening to this Podcast. I tried to stay engaged (listened to 4 episodes) but found it really hard to focus on their conversation, it’s all over the place and about how they are feeling rather than the actual topics I thought they were going to discuss.

I listened to the Casper episode and it really took me back. The hosts have fantastic energy, the content really tickled that nostalgia itch and I just loved hearing them talk about one of my favorite movies from the 90s. If you love movies and nostalgia, this is one you’re not going to want to miss!

This podcast is amazing. It has given me a new lens to view my childhood from. It is ok for the things that we love to have problematic pasts and scary implications for our culture. The best thing we can do for out culture moving forward is to be honest about it. I am a child of the 90’s. I was raised by a mixture of purity culture and televised babysitting. Unpacking that is now possible because I know that I am not alone. Thank you for making this show!

Even though the topics can be traumatic there is something soothing about this show. Love how thorough you both are. I do hope you continue to do AYAOTD episodes all the time. And, I don’t think you’ve done this but maybe an episode on the dark side of Nickelodeon? Or other nick shows. Or dark side of Disney?

I love the rapport that Kalyn and Christian have and how it comes through in this podcast. They present a good balance of factual information about the movies and shows they talk about with their own feelings. Their friendship shines through every episode and it makes me wish I could spend time in person with them. Keep up the great work!

Found the podcast from their comment on a brave little toaster reel on IG, it is therapeutic to listen to another person talking about their childhood trauma from all these ‘kid’ movies. I appreciate the breakdown, the background, the personal stories. Please don’t stop, us 90s kids need to heal (born in ‘88)

This is a great mix of 80s/90s nostalgia mixed with psychology mixed with social commentary mixed with ADHD rabbit holes of movie trivia. Perfection.

God I love this podcast so much, I look forward to every episode! Thank you both for building an incredible nostalgic show ☺️

The hosts are so great at diving into the classics we all love. They represent the shows in movies in such an authentic way and connect it to all the reasons why our generation is the way it is. Such a great listen to relive childhood memories.

I recently came across this podcast on TikTok in reference to their Brave Little Toaster episode and immediately binged all the Are You Afraid of the Dark episodes right afterward. The hosts are so likable and the effort put in to research and presentation makes this show a wonderful and weird nostalgia trip into the children’s horror genre.

This is a great podcast for a multitude of subjects from 90’s to early 2000’s culture. My personal favorite was the deep dive history on Halloween and the hosts have good banter to keep it fresh on each episode.

I can’t get enough. Such a great duo of weirdos, I say that with positivity because “normal" is boring. For me though the scariest part is I’m almost all caught and will soon have to wait for next episode to drop.

You and Christian have great chemistry and soothing voices. It feels like hanging out with friends talking about our childhoods and the movies that made us. Your podcast really helps me get through my work week. Just listening to you both on my air pods while in the office helps the day go by. I hope you go over two of my favorites Once Upon a Forest and Return to Oz 🖤

You’re not alone 😈😈😈

I’m so happy to have found this podcast and enjoy listening so very much. I love the deep dive of topics both on the production standpoint as well as backgrounds of the people that took part. I can’t recommend this podcast enough and I’m not a person that listens to podcasts. Keep up the amazing content you two!

This podcast performs a much needed analysis into a subject that is not often addressed!! Kalyn and Christian do such a great job at diving down to the deepest essence of these dark nostalgic shows that shaped many of our childhoods, and they’re not afraid to talk about the toughest of subjects.. including being incredibly vulnerable and honest about their own struggles. An inspiring podcast on the rise, don’t miss this one!

I love hearing about the backgrounds of my favorite movies and shows from the 80’s and 90’s. Thank you tiktok algorithm for bringing me to this podcast! I have a hard time remembering my childhood but this has triggered so many memories. I can’t wait until y’all get to Dark Crystal, it’s one of my favorite movies still!

The idea behind this is fantastic but the delivery….eh. I understand many of us were traumatized by many thing but good grief ! Most of the episodes are awkward and filled with talk of how this movie or this scene traumatized the host…..was expecting something better.

Love the concept of this pod, but the pacing needs a lot of work. I was really excited about it when I discovered it…then I listened to an episode. The first 20mins is dangling things we won’t hear in full until later, promising we’ll love it, which drove me nuts. I expected more deep dive info on Hey Arnold and the writers, as opposed to a bunch of vaguely related folk tales. And I found the ‘banter’ between the hosts exceptionally boring and unfunny. I listened to ep 45, so it’s not new podcasters ironing out their style. Better editing and targeted research would vastly improve this.

I love this podcast. Found you all through a TikTok and immediately followed on here. I reference the dark undertone to movies/shows/books that we grew up with all the time. Great to hear deep dives into the background of all these things, and the history behind the creators/producers. Great job guys!

I really loved all the dark animated movies from my childhood and have held them in my heart forever. I love that there’s a podcast talking about this stuff, you must keep making more episodes 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜 Will you guys pretty please discuss the secret of Nimh????

Really enjoying this podcast and the conversation flow between the hosts. It’s such a great breakdown of the 90s television and how that impacted our generation. My only major dislike so far is the regular mentioning of HP because of the authors increasing hate towards trans people. Hoping as I get further into the episodes the hosts either address how JKR is harming the LGBTQ community or they stop making those references altogether.

Midway through a binge of this podcast and so far it is a must listen. Give it a shot it’s fantastic.

Christian and Kalyn combine for a unique look at the spooky shows, movies, and more that defined a generation. Their voices combine for a comedic yet insightful take on some of the best from our past. Each episode adds a new appreciation for the underlying work while also paying homage to its creation. The source material is in good hands here.

A friend recommended this podcast to me and I just started listening yesterday and can’t stop the binge! As an elder millennial, capturing and unlocking memories from my youth feels so nostalgic…and also kind of important and emotional. I also love all the background Kalyn and Christian give to the movies and shows they cover - especially the first episode with all the psychology of television in the 80s and 90s. Highly recommend for anyone into digging in and understanding our collective psyche, or just like to relieve the scary movies and shows from childhood.

I love this podcast. I’m glad there’s a new Are You Afraid of the Dark?/90s podcast.

I love conversational the episodes are, as it’s very similar to how my friends and I talk to each other. Touching on topics that truly dive into what the world was like in the 80’s and 90’s, only to showcase why many people who were raised in that generation are the way they are. The content shared is well researched, and allows for learning along with interesting topics. Shoutout to Kalyn and Christian for bringing to life a new and exciting fire-side chat about things that get, as the title suggests, pretty dark!

Although I’m from a period a bit before the 80’s & 90’s but there’s no doubt that show even before this time period had their dark sides. My children grow up in this period and I always watch these shows with them. Can’t wait for more episode. Kaylyn is a super star!