TV
R.L. Stine’s Forgotten Early 2000s Horror Series ‘The Nightmare Room’ Is Now Streaming on Tubi
The free streaming service Tubi has become a treasure trove of horror entertainment you can’t find anywhere else, with Tubi notably bringing “Freddy’s Nightmares” back to streaming this Halloween season. But that’s not the only obscure horror gem that Tubi is bringing to the table this Halloween, as the R.L. Stine series “The Nightmare Room” is also now streaming!
Just thirteen episodes of “The Nightmare Room” aired on Kids’ WB from August 2001 – March 2002, with the tales pulled from the same-titled book series that was penned by Stine. The series was positioned as a sort of new age “The Twilight Zone” for modern teenagers, and like the Goosebumps television series from the 1990s, it presented an anthology of terror tales.
Guest stars who made appearances in Stine’s “Nightmare Room” included horror legend Robert Englund as well as young stars at the time including Amanda Bynes, Frankie Muniz, Drake Bell, Brenda Song, Shia LaBeouf, Kaley Cuoco, and Dylan & Cole Sprouse. One episode even featured the late Angus Scrimm, who played the Tall Man in the Phantasm saga.
Each episode began with a Rod Serling-esque opening narration from “R.L. Stine,” but it wasn’t actually Stine who provided the voice. It was “Fresh Prince” actor James Avery!
“When the lights fade and the moon rises, anything can happen. The world becomes a carnival of shocks and chills. A whirling merry-go-round that never stops, spinning faster and faster, taking you on a frightening ride.
“I’m R. L. Stine, don’t fall asleep… or you might find yourself in The Nightmare Room.”
Chris LaVigna wrote on Bloody Disgusting back in 2017, “While The Nightmare Room might not be the scariest kids show around, it certainly holds up as a markedly darker entity, something that was certainly trying to provide some real scares for its young audience. Both the show and its literary source were an earnest attempt at darker stuff, and I’m honestly a bit stumped as to why both ended so quickly and seem to have been forgotten even quicker.”
The standout episodes Chris particularly recommended in that piece were “Don’t Forget Me,” “Scareful What You Wish For,” “Full Moon Halloween,” “Locker 13,” and “Four Eyes,” while the episode Robert Englund fans will want to watch first is titled “The Howler.”
Stream all 13 episodes of “The Nightmare Room” on Tubi now!
As the inaugural season of Apple TV+’s stellar new series “Widow’s Bay” barrels toward its finale in two weeks, the latest episode gives Kate O’Flynn the spotlight as her character revisits her trauma with the Boogeyman.
“Your Baggage“, directed by Andrew DeYoung (Friendship), sees O’Flynn’s scene-stealing Patricia once again renew her fight with the Michael Myers-like stalker that slaughtered her peers during her adolescence. Thrillingly, it makes for one extended chase sequence that sees Patricia trying to warn others, while evading the undead killer.
In short, this episode’s incredible riff on Halloween and the slasher subgenre transformed Patricia into a fierce Final Girl.
“Well, that felt like a bucket list that I didn’t know was on my bucket list until I did it, but when I did it, I just lapped up every minute,” O’Flynn tells Bloody Disgusting of her triumphant turn this episode. “It felt fantastic for her to get that moment where she is becoming a badass. That was amazing.”
The actress turned to a few notable references for her performance. “Horror-wise, I go back to my youth, which was referenced in some of the episodes: Wicker Man, Carrie, and Rosemary’s Baby, that sort of thing is my kind of vibe.”
O’Flynn also notes how the series’ unique tone allows for so much creative freedom to make bold swings. “There’s something very freeing about it. Every moment is up for grabs, so it’s like we don’t have to totally land in one direction or another. It keeps it alive.“
Patricia is the eccentric assistant to Matthew Rhys‘ Mayor Tom Loftis, who’s at the forefront of trying to solve the island’s pesky curse predicament. Rhys felt the same about “Widow’s Bay” and its rare ability to make you laugh and scream in equal measure, stemming from series creator Katie Dippold.
“The mandate was, ‘It’s a real world with real people. You play for real.’ There’s no playing for comedy or horror,” Rhys echoes O’Flynn’s sentiments on how freeing the series’ tone has been.
New episodes will release every Wednesday through June 17 only on Apple TV+.
Kate O’Flynn in “Widow’s Bay,” now streaming on Apple TV.
You must be logged in to post a comment.