Top 10 Darkest Childrens TV Shows

#10: Pipkins (1973-81)

This retroactive idea of appraised darkness doesnt always have to be intentional. Oftentimes, childrens programming designed with the best of intentions can occasionally achieve the opposite effect. Were sure that the creators behind Pipkins didnt intend for their animals to retain this dead-eyed and disturbing look to the features. Yet, many of us who watch back the surviving episodes of this series now cant help but wonder how these things made it to air? The old adage it was a different time certainly speaks to some of why Pipkins looks the way it does, while those of us who actively seek out this sort of grotesquery cant help but celebrate how effectively off Hartley Hare and company appear today.

#9: Orm and Cheep (1984-87)

It isnt out of the ordinary for programs designed even for very young children to feature some sort of antagonist. Sometimes its an evil wizard, or a bad guy with this very nebulous desire to take over the world. Then, theres the situation with Orm and Cheep, a worm and bird who become friends after the latter falls out of its nest. Opportunities for lessons and learning do present themselves for our titular duo, but much more pressing is the presence of a rat and crow. These latter villains actively attempt to consume our protagonists during the run of Orm and Cheep, which is admittedly pretty dark stuff for a program thats essentially aimed at toddlers.

#8: Worzel Gummidge (2019-21)

We admit that its nice, for a change, to be able to single out the missteps of a more recent programme. This, as opposed to the numerous sins so many older shows have committed against their youthful, innocent audience. The OG adaptation of the Worzel Gummidge series of novels remains beloved by many, with the titular scarecrow being wonderfully portrayed by Doctor Who actor Jon Pertwee. Enter the 2019 reboot, and a character redesign that frankly seems beyond the pale. Some fans and parents complained that this new iteration of Worzel Gummidge possessed more than a passing resemblance to Freddy Krueger of the Nightmare on Elm Street horror franchise. And you know what? We totally see it, and would like it taken away please.

#7: Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids (2000-06)

Every new generation of kids has that first show to lend them some real scares. For some, it was Goosebumps, while others watched Are You Afraid of the Dark? The Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids book series was another one of these anthology franchises that saw its book series adapted for television. The end results proved to be a fan favorite among many youths that grew up during the early millennium. This was a series that could be funny, scary and at the same time provide some very realistic consequences for those characters that run afoul of morality or good behavior. Oh, and that claymation intro certainly feels like nightmare fuel today, doesn't it?

#6: Doctor Who (1963-89, 2005-22, 2023-)

It may be true that Doctor Who isnt a programme thats designed specifically with children in mind. That said, the series prestige as one intrinsically linked with U.K. identity meant that a lot of children were certainly watching Who, whether they were allowed to or not. This meant that Doctor Whos many, many examples of character deaths were being aired into homes all around Britain. Older Who episodes were actually quite infamous for how much sci-fi violence was involved within their plot lines. Meanwhile, characters such as the Daleks, Cybermen and particularly the Autons from The Doctors Spearhead From Space serial remain profoundly creepy today.

#5: Emu's All Live Pink Windmill Show (1984-86)

We really only have a single word to reference this programme featuring Rod Hull and his puppet EmuGrotbags. This was a wicked witch whose arrival was usually accompanied by the screams of all children playing inside The Pink Windmill. Grotbags was consistently trying to take Emu away, although the witch did occasionally come across a little nicer during her game show segment. Even this part of Emu's All Live Pink Windmill Show wasnt perfect, however, since its game of chance often contained some rotten prizes that would go home with the contestantshould they fail at bargaining with Grotbags.

#4: The Animals of Farthing Wood (1993-95)

Theres a long and somewhat troubled history of animated animals being placed within dramatic peril, while simultaneously scarring young viewers for life. One standout is The Animals of Farthing Wood, a book series adaptation that never shied away from realistically depicting death and loss to its youthful audience. Small animals, cute animalsbasically no animal from Farthing Wood is safe from the jaws of death, the barrel of a gun or the wheels of a lorry. We understand the importance of having difficult discussions about mortality with our children, but The Animals of Farthing Wood almost felt prurient with its fixations upon tragedy and death.

#3: Look and Read (1967-2004)

The long-running Look and Read series wasnt one that featured traumatically scary stuff on a weekly basis. That said, there have been examples, such as Dark Towers [xref] or The Boy from Space that left an indelible mark upon those who watched them back in the day. The latter special in particular featured a character called The Thin Man whose arrival was underscored by some unsettling synthesizer music. The danger of his creepy approach towards the children is played up with dire seriousness, and this makes The Thin Man feel like an early experiment with fear for much of Britains 1980s youth.

#2: Jigsaw (1979-87)

Everybodys fear tolerance is different, but for the life of us, we cant figure out how anybody saw Mr. Noseybonk from Jigsaw and didnt cower in the corner. Theres just something shudder-inducing and profoundly weird about this big-nosed, dead-eyed monstrosity. Mr. Noseybonk wasnt a villain, nor did he seem to possess anything but the best of intentions. Jigsaw, after all, wasnt a show that intended to scare its audience. Were assuming that its creators simply saw Mr. Noseybonk as silly or irreverent, but one look at thisthing, and we frankly cant see anything remotely safe about this character.

#1: Children of the Stones (1977)

Never underestimate the power of music. The soundtrack by Sidney Sager and The Ambrosian Singers to 1977s Children of the Stones lends an incredible amount of atmosphere to this dark fantasy serial. Heavy breathing, howling and choral chanting set up what essentially feels like a my first folk horror book for children. Science fiction and pagan rituals collide within an intelligent script that never talks down to its young audience. Instead, Children of the Stones seeks to thrill, excite and fear in equal measure, ramping up the tension to a finale that feels successfully earned. Its dark, programming sure, but also one of extremely high quality; a highly recommended watch, for sure. Whats your earliest memory of being scared by the telly? Let us know in those comments below.