The Horror Sci-Fi Series That Traumatized 90s Kids Is Now Streaming
For kids too young to watch Tales From The Crypt, and before Nickelodeon launched Are You Afraid Of The Dark?, the terrifying horror series Eerie, Indiana stoked fears of everything from dogs to the optometrist. Turning a seemingly normal suburban town into a hotbed of bizarre behavior, aliens, and a corn-worshipping cult should have been a recipe for success. Instead, the series lasted one season and slowly faded despite retaining a fervent cult following.
Shares the Same DNA As Gremlins
Airing in 1991, Eerie, Indiana was created by Karl Schaefer, who would go on to create Z Nation, and Jose Rivera, an accomplished playwright, with creative assistance from Gremlins director Joe Dante. The lifelong horror fans had fun developing the series, filling it with in-jokes and references to popular films. Today, as an adult, I can appreciate tossing in a Twin Peaks, or They Live reference, but when the show was first airing, I found it equally comical and terrifying.
The Strangest Town In The Country
Eerie, Indiana episodes are mostly standalone. There are a few references here and there to past episodes, but for the most part, you can grab one and go. The show follows Marshall Teller, a new kid in town, and his best friend, Simon, as they find themselves wrapped up in strange adventures.
“Retainer,” the second episode, is about one of their friends developing the ability to hear the thoughts of dogs thanks to his large metal retainer. Turns out, the dogs are planning to overthrow the humans, and “Metal Mouth” is now standing in their way. Other episodes involve an organ transplant transplanting more than expected and a school nurse creating an army of drones through an eye exam.
Filled With Winks And Nods To The Horror Genre
Even as a kid, as terrifying as the concepts were, the way Eerie, Indiana handled even the most disturbing plot setup with a sense of detached humor did a lot to shape my future pop culture consumption. Marshall and Simon get scared and put in danger, but since it’s a show, you know they will always make it out, and oddly, the show knows it’s a show, too. “Reality Takes A Holiday” messes with this, taking us behind the scenes of the series as Omri Katz, the actor behind Marshall, has to stop a second-tier star from killing him to become the new lead.
It’s absurd, but if you enjoyed the strange humor of Gremlins, this show is right on the same wavelength.
Oh, and Big Foot is the garbage man.
Surprising Guest Stars
Not only did Eerie, Indiana, benefit from Joe Dante’s involvement, but the show ended up having an amusing run of guest stars, including my generation’s Spider-Man, Tobey Maguire, as a ghost, NewsRadio’s Stephen Root as the oddly named “Mr. Chaney” which I know now wasn’t a subtle clue at all and a pre-Unhappily Ever After Nikki Cox. Star Trek’s Renee Auberjonois drops by as a ruthless businessman named The Donald (hey, wait a minute, now I get it!).
Multiple Ways To Stream
REVIEW SCORE
After being unceremoniously canceled by NBC months after debuting, Eerie, Indiana came back as part of the Fox Kids programming block in 1996. It became so popular this time around that Fox tried to make a sequel series/spin-ff, Eerie, Indiana: The Other Dimension, which failed to match the charm and wit of the original.
Today, you can binge-watch one of the best kids’ shows of the 90s for free on Tubi, Plex, or The CW. It’s also available on Peacock.
