Most kid shows are lighthearted and fun, which is why the internet is going crazy over a horrifying clip from the Australian television series Round the Twist. The series, despite being targeted for young children, is well known for traumatizing kids back when it aired in the 1990s.
Round the Twist is based on supernatural short stories centered around the Twist family whose misfortune has them residing in a haunted lighthouse. The show features bizarre storylines such as a tree impregnating a child after it was urinated on.
However, social media netizens can't get enough of a clip from the episode "Know All," which showcases what can only be described as one of the most terrifying scarecrows to ever exist.
See full clip below:
\u201cAustralian children\u2019s television series \u2018Round The Twist\u2019.\u201d— Horror4Kids (@Horror4Kids) 1662985499
Upon viewing the clip, two oddities immediately become apparent.
First, the character of Linda is wearing heavy makeup done in a peculiar way to convey that she is a young girl. Second, the scarecrow, upon seeing Linda, wags its tongue before stalking her down and breaking into her house.
As the episode continues, the chase culminates with the scarecrow eventually finding Linda and dragging her out from under a bed. Certainly, this programming was almost assured to give its young viewers a terrible night of sleep.
\u201cEvery second just gets better & better\u201d— Horror4Kids (@Horror4Kids) 1662985499
Twitter has since produced a litany of tweets from 90s children who were emotionally scarred by the series.
\u201cWondering why I need therapy and then remembering we grew up watching Round The Twist.\u201d— Kimmi \u2740 (@Kimmi \u2740) 1663063058
\u201cThere's whole bunch of Aussie 90s kids in therapy because of this show.\u201d— amy | \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83d\ude43\ud83d\udcdd (@amy | \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83d\ude43\ud83d\udcdd) 1663152228
\u201cThis episode of round the twist, where the the scarecrow comes alive and chases Linda utterly traumatised me when I saw it as a child - watching it now still makes me uncomfortable \ud83e\udd72\u201d— Nick Thorp (@Nick Thorp) 1663017144
\u201cI am glad that clips of Round the Twist exist, to remind me that this was an actual kids' show that aired in the early evening and not just some fever dream from my childhood.\u201d— John Lees (@John Lees) 1662995124
\u201c@horror4kids That tongue action (\u2060\ua3ff\u2060\ufe4f\u2060\ua3ff\u2060;\u2060)\u201d— Horror4Kids (@Horror4Kids) 1662985499
Meanwhile, others seem to have reveled in the show's content.
\u201cI miss Round The Twist SO MUCH!!\u201d— Arron Sankey (@Arron Sankey) 1663173298
\u201cI loved Round The Twist as a kid and now I'm realising why there is a lot wrong with me now.\u201d— Richard Troupe (@Richard Troupe) 1663191800
\u201c"Round the Twist" on children's TV. I loved that programme, but I probably still suffer PTSD from watching them. I mean, some of those episodes were messed up. Totally messed up.\u201d— David Stephenson (@David Stephenson) 1663020406
\u201cI remember this episode, it scared the crap out of me! Round the Twist is the best though, truly so wild and imaginative.\u201d— Lex Sugden \ud83c\udf08\ud83e\udd87\ud83e\udea1 (@Lex Sugden \ud83c\udf08\ud83e\udd87\ud83e\udea1) 1663017071
\u201c@horror4kids @greg_herriett Loved this show, I got into thanks to my year 6 teacher who read the books to us\u201d— Horror4Kids (@Horror4Kids) 1662985499
\u201c@horror4kids Loved round the twist!!! \nHave you ever, ever felt like this.. when strange things happen, are you going round the twist!?... something like that? Been a while!\u201d— Horror4Kids (@Horror4Kids) 1662985499
It's safe to say that the show had a unique appeal to some viewers. However, a better understanding of the developing brain has made it more unlikely that this type of television will be marketed to children now.
Child psychologists recommend against exposing kids to TV programs that contain content classified as extreme.
This is due to the fact that we know children's brains are highly "plastic," meaning the development of core neural pathways is much more dynamic in children than it is in adults. This makes children more susceptible to the development of disorders when exposed to a traumatic stimulus.
While conventional wisdom suggests that exposing children to frightening stimuli helps to make them emotionally stronger, this is only true when they are taught to cope with these feelings upon exposure. Otherwise, such instances can strengthen fear pathways in the brain, increasing a child's risk for anxiety disorder.
Anxiety researcher and University of Toronto Professor Min Zhuo recommends that parents exhibit caution with TV exposure.
“Younger brains are more plastic, thus, the negative impact (of watching something scary) will be more dramatic. This can have a long-term, negative impact on brains."
Needless to say, maybe it's best for Gen Alpha kids to skip the Round the Twist reruns.
