I fondly remember watching reruns of this show on MoviePlex two or three years ago, when I was twelve or thirteen. Even back then, I knew how much better this was than the more popular shows of the time--"Are You Afraid of the Dark" and "Goosebumps." There are so many reasons, I don't even know where to begin.
I'd say the principal reasons this show was so good was mostly because A) it didn't take itself too seriously and B) it didn't talk down to kids. Too many shows underestimate a child's resilience, and so they throw tired plots and cheesy "scares" at them, thinking (and unfortunately, they are usually correct) that these children will be satisfied. I only believe this works because most kids don't know until later what they are missing. But the thing that irks me most about Goosebumps (and, sometimes, Are You Afraid of the Dark) is that they take these cheesy scares so seriously that it quickly becomes not just silly, but in fact plain ridiculous. Not so with Eerie. Here, the plots are outlandish, unbelievable, and perhaps outright absurd, but the makers realize this, and so they are never _silly_. For example, one episode I remember concerned a group of ladies who are obsessed with a brand of Tupperware called "Foreverware," or some such thing, which keeps all food products fresh forever (one lady comments that she packaged some peas "when Jimmy Carter was president, and they're still as fresh as the day I opened them"). But, Marshall and Simon discover the ladies use Foreverware for more than just food storage--like remaining eternally young! Sounds about as frightening as a killer sponge under the sink (*cough R.L. Stine cough*), but not only do they make it work, they make it fun! I don't believe the intention of the show was ever to frighten (although it does get suspenseful at times). I think it was made to cause wonder, explore some of life's little mysteries, and perhaps even spoof the world we live in. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a satire, of life or of other horror shows, but it definitely has a tongue-in-cheek approach to things, and a dry sense of humor is usually present.
To conclude, I can only say I really hope this is out on video somewhere. It's better than Goosebumps in every way imaginable, and more consistent than Are You Afraid of the Dark. And best of all, it won't induce an urge to puke, groan, or even roll your eyes.
