[electric flickering]
- [panting, whimpering]
[gasps]
[gasping, whimpering]
[water dripping]
[male voice laughing]
[footsteps thump]
[metallic clank]
- [gasping, panting]
[whimpering]
[electric static surge]
[gasps]
[male voice laughing]
[laughter continues]
- It's okay, you're okay,
you're okay, okay--
[gasps]
- Help me, Rachel.
[baby's distorted laugh]
[eerie carousel music]
♪ ♪
[music grows louder]
♪ ♪
[metal squeaking]
- [gasps, whimpers]
♪ ♪
It can't be real.
[panting]
Wake up.
Please wake up.
[thump, thud]
[thump, thud]
- Hello, Rachel.
Welcome to the show.
- No.
[gasps]
[panting]
[birds fluttering]
[whispering]
It was just a dream.
It was
just a dream.
[eerie music]
♪ ♪
[distant screaming]
[somber music]
♪ ♪
[metal thumping]
[children laughing]
♪ ♪
[match striking]
[birds chirping]
[door thuds]
- You still haven't finished
unpacking?
- [mumbling]
Soon.
- It is your first day of
school,
and we are
in a new town.
This is a very big deal.
- Why are you so caffeinated?
- I haven't even had a cup of
coffee, yet.
Can you believe it?
That's how excited I am
about this.
Aren't you excited?
[Liam Gallagher's
"Shockwave" playing]
Rachel?
Rachel, Rachel!
- ♪ Now I'm back in the city ♪
♪ The lights are up on me ♪
- Rachel?
Well, this is a chance to
reinvent yourself.
You're starting
with a blank slate.
You get to decide
who you wanna be.
Rachel.
- ♪ All your darkness...♪
- Going to a new school
provides new opportunities.
This is an entirely
different speech.
- ♪ Brace yourself world,
it's about to blow your mind ♪
♪ It's comin' 'round
like a shockwave, hey ♪
♪ It's comin' round like
a shock-- ♪
- Hello, young man.
- Hello...lady.
- We're your new neighbors.
- Right, uh...
I noticed.
- Rachel, say something
to the boy.
- I'm Rachel?
- Is that a question?
- No, no, I mean, um--
- Gavin.
- See, making friends already.
[melancholy music]
- ♪ Darkness falls into...♪
- Are you thinking
about that boy?
I mean, that young man was
a real Timothée "Shalamat."
Did I say that name right?
- No. It's Chalam--I think.
- I mean, he looks like he
could be the love interest
in a teen romance movie,
doesn't he?
- Mom!
- What?
He's handsome.
It's the first day of school,
honey.
This is the best day ever.
- ♪ The world goes dancing ♪
♪ On and on ♪
♪ To the ever-moving ♪
♪ Onward song ♪
♪ And all there was ♪
♪ Is left in the dust...♪
[song fades]
- Have a good day, sweetie!
[thunder cracks]
- Now, listen,
honey, I am so proud of you.
- No more speeches.
You love me.
I get it.
You also think I'll make
friends this time around,
which is
excessively optimistic.
I'm just gonna do my best,
Okay?
- That's all I ask.
- You know,
I'm rooting for you.
I am your biggest fan.
- I know, Mom.
- Love you.
Be careful.
- [sighs]
[groans]
[overlapping chatter]
[Tony and The Monstrosities'
"Igor's Party" playing]
♪ ♪
- ♪ Through my mailbox,
a letter dropped ♪
♪ An invitation
to a rock'n'roll hop ♪
♪ Sent to me by
a friend of mine ♪
♪ Who lives in a castle
with Frankenstein ♪
- Yo, Porky!
Watch this.
- ♪ Igor, Igor,
what's your plan? ♪
♪ Going out tonight
and dig a rock'n'roll band ♪
- Hey, man, what'd you
do that for?
- Dude, I'm sorry.
- ♪ The band was great
and the floor was wide ♪
♪ Three big cats rocking
side to side ♪
♪ Up one side,
down the other ♪
♪ Dracula was dancing with
Frankenstein's mother...♪
- [groans]
[sighs]
- Need some help?
- Uh...
- Not many things I'm good at,
but I've mastered the art
of opening
these death traps.
The trick is you gotta--
you gotta--
- Oh, back, got it, yeah,
Mm-hmm.
- You gotta--you gotta--
[locker slams]
- Nice going, Adam.
- Apply force the first time.
They get pretty sticky.
And then...
Huh?
[bell rings]
That didn't work.
- I appreciate the attempt.
[overlapping chatter]
- Who's that?
- Oh, I see we have
a new student.
All right, come on up
to the front of the class.
Okay,
everybody please be quiet
while the new girl
introduces herself.
[upbeat instrumental music]
♪ ♪
- [softly]
Hi, I'm Rachel Carpenter.
- You'll have to speak up.
I don't think
they can hear you.
- [louder] Hi,
I'm Rachel Carpenter.
- And tell them something
about yourself.
- I'm...new.
[laughter]
- Well, thank you
for sharing that very...
informative information
with us today.
Okay, I'm assuming
that you all know
that the square root
of is--
- [whispering]
Hey.
Strong speech.
- [sighs]
Thanks.
Put a lot of work into it.
- I can tell.
- [chuckles]
- I'm Graham.
- Watch horror movies?
- Yeah.
Just a suggestion.
- H-have you seen
"The Changeling"?
- Have I seen "The Changeling"?
Please.
Wait, have you seen
"The Changeling"?
- [chuckles]
- My performance
of Harold Hill
was referred to as, uh,
intensely loud.
Referred to as loud on stage...
[soft music]
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
[bell rings]
- Okay, uh, don't forget.
Page by tomorrow.
All right,
thanks, everybody.
[overlapping chatter]
- [whispering]
No.
No way.
It's just a drawing.
It's a--
Oh, that's a smoothie.
That's a moldy smoothie.
Graham, you're the hero.
You can do this.
You can do this.
[upbeat electronic music]
Nope.
Okay, don't puke, don't puke
don't puke, don't--
[coughs]
[squirts sanitizer]
[upbeat electronic music]
[sighs]
[eerie whispers]
Mr. Tophat?
[camera clicks]
[indistinct chatter]
[somber electronic music]
♪ ♪
- Sorry, it's taken.
♪ ♪
- Gavin, that's so funny.
[laughs]
♪ ♪
- Mind if I join you?
- Are you serious?
You are serious.
Oh.
Wow, uh...
I'm bad at talking
to people.
- That's okay.
I-I like silence.
- Awesome.
- Attention students of
Herbert West Middle School...
[camera clicks]
[bell rings]
- I think it was good,
but it was more like...
[upbeat instrumental music]
That.
- That was good.
- Hey, buddy.
- I'll see you guys later.
- See ya.
- I can't believe you did that.
- Okay, I know it's slightly
creepy to take this picture
without her knowing,
but I just--
- No, I mean I can't believe
you took it out of the trash.
You wash your hands
times a day.
- At that moment, my curiosity
outweighed my germophobia.
- Has that ever
happened before?
- [whispering]
Never.
- You might have
something here.
Talk to Akiko.
- Okay.
Uh, see you later, Louise.
- No.
[dramatic music]
- [groaning]
- Oh, no!
It's a zombie!
- Cut!
Cut, cut.
[music fades]
[sighs]
The line is,
"Oh my God,
it's a zombie."
- Does it really matter,
Akiko?
- You're fired.
- You're joking.
- Am I?
- Aah!
- [gasps]
- I knew...
that was a kid in makeup.
[upbeat electronic music]
- You haven't picked
a brain yet.
- The good one.
- Hey, Akiko, when are you
gonna let me do the music
for one of your productions?
- I don't work with friends,
Graham.
- That's a weird rule.
- I must push my collaborators.
I'd be too worried
about your feelings.
[police siren wails]
Party's over.
Look, it's Argenta's finest.
- We've received many
complaints from the neighbors
in the area.
- Hmm. Can't imagine why.
- Something about a slide
covered in blood?
- Mommy?
- It's corn syrup.
- I also heard
there were explosions.
Plural?
- Please.
Those were very minor
pyrotechnics.
I've got it all
under control.
[boom]
- [screams]
- I'm sorry!
- [sighs]
That's a wrap, everyone.
Great work today.
- You know, it seems like it
would be kinda cool
to have a cop as a brother.
- How?
- I don't know.
Like if--if you got a ticket?
Maybe he could help you
with it?
- I don't drive.
So you really took a piece of
paper out of the trash?
- Yes, why is that
so surprising to everyone?
Right, 'cause it's totally
out of character for me.
[whispering]
That was weird.
- What's the new girl's
name?
- Rachel.
- And she'd asked you if you'd
seen "The Changeling".
- Yep.
- Not terrible.
It shows some promise.
Let's see if she's got
the right stuff.
- I realize what went wrong
yesterday.
I shoulda used
my other shoulder.
I'll get it right this time.
Oh.
- Adam.
Save me a spot at lunch.
[eerie music]
TMS?
"What is scarier...
A vampire or a werewolf?
"Put your answer in the wall
behind the curtain
"in the theater classroom.
"PS--do not tell a soul
about this
or you will be
disqualified."
A vampire is much scarier.
A werewolf only changes
during a full moon.
A vampire is a vampire
every night.
♪ ♪
"Would you rather be a ghost
or a zombie?"
♪ ♪
I'd rather be a ghost.
Ghosts at least get to keep
their personalities.
Besides, sometimes I feel
like a ghost already.
♪ ♪
"Would you rather spend
the night in a haunted house
or a cemetery?"
♪ ♪
I'd sleep in a cemetery.
That sounds peaceful.
Unless it's raining,
then I'd risk staying
in a haunted house.
PS--is the house haunted by
scary ghosts or nice ghosts?
That makes a big difference.
♪ ♪
"Congratulations!
You have passed the challenge.
Be there at midnight."
Yes!
[giggles]
Who are these guys?
[somber music]
♪ ♪
[heavy breathing]
I can do this.
[animal calls]
[wings fluttering]
[surprised yell]
[animal squeals]
♪ ♪
[water sloshing]
[grunts]
Almost there.
[wood snaps]
[heavy breathing]
Hello?
[wood snaps]
[ominous music]
[birds squawking]
Hello?
Is someone there?
[foliage rustling]
[twig snaps]
[whispering]
Don't be scared.
Don't be
scared.
Don't be scared.
Don't be
scared.
Don't be scared.
[wings fluttering]
[gasps]
This is a bad, bad, bad idea.
[running footsteps]
[gasps]
[rapid footsteps]
[voices giggling]
- Rachel.
- [screams]
[suspenseful music]
[frantic breathing]
♪ ♪
- Put this on.
- Now.
- [shallow breathing]
[gasps]
[animal calls]
- Take a seat.
- You have passed
the initial trials.
- Trials?
- There is one final step.
- You'll meet us
at the exact same place,
tomorrow at midnight.
You have hours to come up
with a story.
- A story?
- A truly scary story.
- If we like your story,
you'll join our group.
If we don't,
we will never contact you
ever again.
You get one opportunity,
Rachel.
Do not waste it.
- I-I'm gonna need
more than a day
to come up with
something great.
- That's all you get.
- I declare this meeting of
The Midnight Society closed.
[fire sizzles]
- [gasps]
- Do not tell anyone
about us.
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
- [chuckles]
[knock on door]
- Coming, coming, coming.
Oh, Rachel, there's someone
here to see you.
Oh, thank you.
[laughs]
I know.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Morning.
- Hi.
- Your mom and I were just
talking about
the hot summer nights here.
Well, I just figured you could
give your mom the day off
and walk me to school today?
- Uh...
- It's not that far.
Plus it's good exercise.
[upbeat instrumental music]
- Sure.
Whatever, I guess I could walk.
- Cool.
So I saw you last night.
- W-when?
- At : a.m.
- Um, uh--
- You were climbing
in your window.
- Uh, I was at a party.
- Oh, really?
- Oh, for sure.
I love partying.
- Yeah, cool.
- Oh.
- What was that?
Practically saw a light bulb
appear over your head.
- I'm trying to come up with
a good idea for a story.
- Oh, for what?
- For class.
- What class?
- Story class?
- What kind of story?
- I have to come up with
something scary.
Can't decide what to do.
- That's easy.
Yeah, we're all afraid
of something.
I'm afraid of vampires,
spiders, pop quizzes.
- [laughs]
- What are you afraid of?
What scares you the most?
- Um...
I know what
I'm gonna write about.
- Glad I could help.
- Me too.
- Lightning always strikes
in a concentrated area.
Why am I telling you this
in math class?
[baby's distorted laugh]
The atmospheric condi--
[eerie music]
- [mumbling]
[upbeat electronic music]
[sighs]
♪ ♪
[heavy breathing]
[gasps]
♪ ♪
- It's all part of the show.
- Let's do this.
[ominous music]
♪ ♪
Bring on the bag.
I'm ready.
[gasps]
- Toss a handful of this
in the fire.
♪ ♪
[fire whooshes]
♪ ♪
- Every story begins
with these words,
followed by the title
of your story.
- "Submitted for the approval
of The Midnight Society.
I call this story..."
"The Tale of Mr. Tophat
and the Carnival of Doom."
They called it
The Carnival of Doom.
- Are you ready?
- Her parents promised her
it wouldn't be that scary.
[fire whooshes]
- Wow!
- Isn't that something?
- The Carnival of Doom lives up
to its name, huh?
Come on.
- Thank you, have a nice--
- They promised her
it would be fun.
- Move along, folks.
- But what they didn't know
was she liked being scared.
- Is it--is it really
free admission?
I mean, what's--what's
the catch?
- No catch, my friend.
Tonight only.
Come right in.
- Or at least, she did.
- [laughs]
- Okay, come on, yeah.
- Because after that night,
she never set foot
in a carnival again.
[suspenseful music]
- [screaming]
- The young girl grabbed her
mother's sleeve and--
- W-w-w-wait.
The clown had no eyes?
- Yes.
- Nothing at all?
Like, nothing
in his eye sockets or anything?
- Look, if the story
is too scary,
I can always tone it
down for you.
- [laughs]
Too scary? Ha.
What? I-I mean,
if anything, it's not
too scary enough, so...
- Please continue.
- As I was saying...
the young girl grabbed her
mother's sleeve
and told her what she saw.
- He has no eyes.
Have him take off his glasses.
You'll see.
- Your glasses--would you mind?
- Not at all, ma'am.
[suspenseful music]
[eerie orchestral music]
♪ ♪
- Seems like someone's letting
her imagination get to her.
- Yeah.
- Maybe this is
too much for you.
You wanna go home?
Nothing bad will happen
tonight.
I promise.
You can trust me.
- If only her mother knew
how wrong she was.
- Popcorn, honey.
- Everyone enter the big tent.
Tonight's spooky festivities
will begin right inside.
Everyone report directly
to the big tent.
[applause]
[microphone feedback]
- Welcome to tonight's
main event.
I am Bartholomew.
It is my honor
to introduce to you
the master of ceremonies,
king of the carnival,
emperor of the night,
and friend to no man.
[cheers and applause]
[floor thumping]
You may call him...
Mr. Tophat.
[cheers and applause]
- Ladies and gentlemen,
boys and girls,
cats and dogs,
ghouls and goblins,
fast zombies, slow zombies,
creatures of the night,
enemies of the day,
lovers of fun, and haters of
everything good and decent.
[laughter]
Welcome
to The Carnival of Doom.
[all murmuring]
Ladies and gentlemen,
please forgive these
technical difficulties.
- What's going on?
- Let's just wait.
- We'll be right with you
in just a moment.
- I'm right here.
- We should--we should go home.
- It's all right.
- [screams]
- [shouts]
Very good scream.
Use that one later.
Oh, don't be alarmed,
everyone.
It's all part of the show.
You may experience things here
that are going to...
Shake you to your very core.
Right down here, right?
[laughs]
[smooches]
But just remember, everyone,
it's all part of the...
- Show.
- Yes.
- She understood
what was happening.
- [gasps]
Look.
- They were putting on a show.
She liked being scared.
This was fun.
- Oh, now the real fun begins.
[laughter]
Outside of this tent,
adventure is in store.
We've got rides.
- Rides.
- We've got food, thrills,
danger,
whatever you could
possibly want,
whatever you could
possibly feel.
But remember,
no matter how it may seem,
it's all part of the show.
[cheers and applause]
- [laughs]
- Let's go on some rides!
- Sure, yeah, okay.
Whatever you wanna do, honey.
- All right.
- Let's go.
Fun.
That was fun.
- I gotta go to the bathroom.
- Do you want me
to come with you?
- I'll be fine.
- The Carnival of Doom was
too big for someone so small.
And little did she know,
one wrong turn would
lead her to a place
where no child
was meant to be.
- [laughing]
[snake hisses]
- [gasps]
- [laughing]
[ominous music]
♪ ♪
- Mr. Tophat.
- Hello.
[grunts]
- [frantic breathing]
[crunching]
- Is this
part of the show?
- [grunts]
[gasps, grunts]
What's wrong, little girl?
I thought you liked
being scared.
- [screams]
- [laughs]
- The scorpions were crawling
out of his pant leg?
- Yes.
- And he took one,
and he ate it.
[rock thumps]
Ow.
- Just let her tell the story,
Graham.
- Graham, is it?
- This is not the Graham
you know.
This is an entirely different
one that you don't know.
- Well, I like that Graham.
- Really?
- [whispering] Yes.
- Please continue.
- To make matters worse,
the young girl ran directly
into the two meanest girls
in her school.
- What's wrong, little girl?
- Someone looks scared.
- Looks like
someone's gonna cry.
- Don't go back there, please.
- Why, you think there's
something back there
that we can't handle?
- We're not babies.
- We're gonna tell everyone
in school
that you couldn't handle
the carnival.
- It's not--
Mr. Tophat's back there.
He's...
Evil.
[laughter]
- It's all part of the show,
you baby.
Come on, let's go check it out.
- She watched them leave.
She hoped she was wrong.
She hoped they'd be safe.
- Oh, oh!
- Whoa, honey.
- She begged her parents
to go.
- He ate one.
He ate a scorpion.
- Okay, honey, let's go.
- He picked it off the ground.
- She knew they weren't safe.
The young girl woke up
the next day,
and her memories from the
previous night felt more like
a nightmare than something
she actually experienced.
She was grateful
it was all over.
- Interest from
economic analysts.
And in breaking news,
two middle school girls
have been reported missing.
Police have begun the search
with the help of
friends and family.
Sources say
that neighboring counties
will also be donating
resources in the coming days
until the girls are found.
Both the parents and police
urge anyone
who may have had
recent contact with the girls
to come forward
as any and all leads
will be crucial in this case.
- They were at the carnival.
- We will continue to report
on this story as it develops.
- I-I told them not
to go back there.
- What carnival?
- The Carnival of Doom.
- [laughs]
Such a dramatic name.
[laughing]
- You--you don't remember it?
- [laughs]
I'm sorry, honey,
I honestly don't know what
you're talking about.
[ominous music]
- We went there,
together.
[mixing loudly]
Th-the three of us?
[slurping loudly]
- Sweetie, are you okay?
[eerie music]
- [breathing heavily]
♪ ♪
- There was no sign
of the carnival.
No one in town even
remembered that night.
[distant screaming]
Not her parents,
not her friends,
not her teachers...
[crunching]
[laughing]
No one.
And in time, the girl forgot
about the carnival too,
and the man in the top hat
faded from her memory.
The two girls were never found.
The end.
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
Let me guess.
Adam?
[sentimental music]
- You didn't know it was me?
- It literally
never occurred to me.
- I thought I asked you
too many questions.
I had to make sure
you wouldn't rat us out.
- I'm Louise,
by the way.
And this guy over here, who
couldn't handle your story,
is Graham.
- I handled it.
- We know each other.
- You were scared
out of your mind.
- Yeah, but that's
a good thing.
I want to be scared.
I like to be scared.
Why am I the only person who
understands that concept?
- And this is Akiko.
- Greetings and salutations.
- You took off your masks.
You told me your names.
Does this mean what
I think it means?
♪ ♪
- You do the honors.
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
Welcome to the club, Rachel.
- Well, it's a lot of pressure.
Hope you can handle it.
- Don't worry.
I can.
- I declare this meeting
of The Midnight Society
closed.
[fire sizzles]
- I'll have to tell you about
my first story sometime.
It was about a leprechaun
who drinks blood.
- A vampire leprechaun?
- Uh, no, it's not, um, you
know what, it's complicated.
- You could annoy her
another time, Graham.
The weird thing is
I hate camping.
- Do you wanna know a secret?
You're not annoying.
- Well, I knew that part.
I thought you were gonna tell
me an actual secret.
- Hey.
Um, you wanna walk home
together?
- If you don't mind me asking,
why--
- Why did we choose you?
- Yeah.
- It was your drawings.
- What--what drawings?
- There was one of Mr. Tophat
and one of a giant spider.
- You--you all saw my drawings?
- Yeah, they were amazing.
Really creative stuff, and, um,
more importantly,
they were pretty scary.
- Thanks.
[chuckles]
So how long have you been
in The Midnight Society?
- Uh, around two years.
I think.
- I wouldn't have guessed
you like scary stories.
I-I-I mean, I guess
I don't know much about you.
- Oh, okay, um...
I don't eat meat--that's not
like an ethical choice.
I just--I don't like it.
- Right.
- The taste, not...
sometimes I worry
people will think I do that
just to seem interesting,
but then I remember it doesn't
matter what people think.
So--
- Right.
- [laughs]
Uh, I like the Knicks.
[both chuckling]
Um, what do you really
want to know?
- Why do you like telling
scary stories?
- I think I prefer listening,
actually.
Yeah, it's fun to see what
people come up with.
'Cause that's the whole fun of
The Midnight Society, right?
We get scared,
we get to let our imaginations
run wild.
But then we get to go home
and sleep,
safe and sound
in our beds,
knowing that the real
world is much simpler
and nothing's out there going
bump in the night.
- Yeah.
- Hey.
Good night, Rachel.
- Good night, Gavin.
Yes.
[giggling]
[whispering, giggling]
Yes, yes, yes!
[creaking]
[dog whines]
[wind roaring]
- Come on, Jefferson.
[melancholy piano music]
♪ ♪
[car honking]
- Hey, watch it!
[workers shouting indistinctly]
- Move it over here, let's go.
- Move it off the back
of the truck--
pull the -footer!
- No! Jefferson!
Come back!
Wait!
[man shouting
indistinct orders]
[music intensifying]
[eerie chords]
[dog barking]
[dog whining]
- Adam?
Adam?
Jefferson, where's Adam?
Adam!
[thunder rumbles]
- I'm over zombies.
Next movie is werewolves.
Okay, it's a really
underused genre.
- Cops.
- What?
Hideo?
[eerie music]
♪ ♪
What's wrong?
[backpack thumps]
- Hey.
When do I get
my own scary mask?
- [whispering] We don't
talk about TMS at school.
- Oh, sorry.
Sorry, my bad.
- But the answer is--soon.
- All right, everybody,
settle down, take your seats.
Okay, quiet please, quiet.
I've got something I need
to share with you.
- You got fired?
- Jeremy, come on.
[laughter]
All right, look.
It appears that one of
your fellow students
went missing this morning--
Adam Lynch.
Now if any of you have seen him
or know anything about it,
please come talk to me
or someone in
the principal's office, okay?
Now, on a more positive note.
You wanna hand
those back, please?
Thank you.
There's a really fun thing
going on this weekend.
- Class, pass these back.
- Pass it along.
- Hand that back.
A carnival's coming to town
this Thursday.
[eerie music]
♪ ♪
- Oh my God.
- Shh.
It's all part of the show.
[laughing]
[eerie music]
- ♪ New school, new life ♪
♪ New locker ♪
♪ With notes
that make you wonder ♪
♪ What kinds of stories ♪
♪ Likes the Midnight Society ♪
♪ She told the tales
of Mr. Tophat ♪
♪ A man that's friends
to no one ♪
♪ It's all part of the show ♪
- Adam went missing the same
day the carnival came to town.
I think Mr. Tophat took him.
We should go tomorrow night.
Together.
[laughter]
Adam?
[suspenseful music]
[all gasp]
[all screaming]
- Aah!
- Aah!
[laughter]
- Hello, Rachel.
- Get off!
- [screams]
You need to take me to school
right now.
08x01 - Part One: Submitted for Approval
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Both series of Are You Afraid of the Dark? revolved around a group of teenagers who referred to themselves as "The Midnight Society".
Both series of Are You Afraid of the Dark? revolved around a group of teenagers who referred to themselves as "The Midnight Society".