Countless iconic 90s cartoons have come from the Nickelodeon Animation Studio in Burbank, California. The list includes SpongeBob SquarePants, Rugrats, The Wild Thornberrys, CatDog, and Rocko’s Modern Life. The comedic slice-of-life drama Hey Arnold is among the best and most beloved. It showcases the experiences of the titular character, Arnold, and the people around him. He’s been on countless adventures, some involved tangling with the paranormal.
Hey Arnold, Realistic Yet Fantastical
The Hey Arnold series typically focused on the life of its football-headed protagonist. Arnold is a surprisingly wise fourth grader with an above-average moral compass. He even acts as the voice of reason to the people around him. Most Hey Arnold episodes displayed him going through the usual childhood adventures. Arnold has even experienced harsh life events, such as preparing for his grandfather’s death. But every so often, his escapades took a turn for the craziest.
While the world of Hey Arnold was grounded in realism, it wasn’t without some magic. The city in the series was a breeding ground for urban legends. Some episodes depicted Arnold and his friends exploring these folktales. They also featured Arnold’s best friend Gerald or grandfather Phil telling the stories. These tales range from a kid living on a stoop to a prehistoric fish. However, three legends are nightmare-inducing: The Haunted Train, The Headless Cabbie, and The Ghost Bride.
Haunted Train Going Off the Rails
Phil tells Arnold and Gerald a bone-chilling tale in the Hey Arnold episode Haunted Train. Forty years ago, the engineer of Old Engine 25 suddenly went mad. He drives the locomotive off the rails and crashes it into a bank. There was no wreckage except the engineer’s severed hand clutching the train’s throttle lever. Engine 25 returns to the old train station every on the anniversary of the crash. The steam engine lures unsuspecting people onboard and transports them into Hell.
Arnold, Gerald, and their classmate Helga decide to see if the haunted train is real. They wait at the old station, but there’s no sign of the steam engine. The kids decide to leave when Engine 25 thunders into the building. Arnold, Gerald, and Helga enter a car, and the train takes them away. Ultimately, the trio discovers the train is a transport for steel mill workers. Phil takes the kids home as the haunted train speeds down the railroad.
Phantoms on the Railroad
Engine 25 of Hey Arnold could draw inspiration from Ghost Train folklore. One possible specific match could be the story of Lincoln’s funeral ghost train. Rumors say the phantom outline of the train that carried the president’s remains reappears annually. It speeds down the rails of the Hudson River Railroad, carrying passengers and whistling. This aspect is similar to how Engine 25 appears yearly for new victims.
Don’t Hail the Headless Cabbie
In the Hey Arnold story Headless Cabbie, the boys tell ghost stories at Arnold’s house. Arnold soon tells them a tale that took place 100 years ago. A woman who lost her Scottish Terrier requests a cabbie for a ride. They soon hear the woman’s dog barking and chase after it through the park. After a brief encounter with a hook-armed man, the cabbie’s scarf wraps around a branch. The man is decapitated, becoming the Headless Cabbie, as the woman laughs evilly.
After hearing Arnold’s story, the guys venture for some ice cream. They cut through the city park but encounter some startling coincidences. A dog approaches them, a hooked-arm man spooks them, and they find a tree-bound scarf. Lastly, a carriage pulled by a headless cabbie and carrying a laughing woman approaches them. They turn out to be Arnold’s neighbors, Ernie and Mr. Hyunh, respectively. Ernie drops everyone at Arnold’s and then picks up a mysterious woman wanting a ride.
A Homage to a Legend
The Headless Horseman from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow inspired the cabbie in Hey Arnold. Sleepy Hollow’s pumpkin-headed phantom is known for chasing victims for their heads to replace his. Of course, there are prominent differences between the two frightening figures. The cabbie drives a carriage and doesn’t have a pumpkin head. Another contrast is that the headless cab driver serves another, while the Headless Horseman doesn’t.
Here Comes the Ghost Bride
The Ghost Bride episode of Hey Arnold begins with Arnold and friends near the cemetery. Gerald tells everyone the eighty-year-old story of Cynthia Snell, the Ghost Bride. Cynthia was to be wed but gets stood up at the altar. She found out her former betrothed had married her sister, and she now desired revenge. She killed the couple in their sleep and then committed suicide to avoid incarceration. Her spirit supposedly rises on the anniversary of her death and seeks out new victims.
Arnold and the guys choose to investigate the tale since the anniversary is that night. Helga tries to join in, but they reject her, so she pranks them all night. Suddenly, they are all attacked by the Ghost Bride, who chases them into a crypt. Arnold and Gerald manage to escape, but Arnold realizes something odd about the phantom. The Ghost Bride attacks the others, and Arnold reveals her to be their classmate, Curly. He’s left in the graveyard and then attacked by an individual humming the wedding march.
They’re Only Missing the Great Dane
This spooky episode of Hey Arnold can be considered a love letter to Scooby-Doo. The main characters are spooked and chased by two people disguised as phantoms. Helga goes after the guys because they insist she’d be too scared. Curly’s motive stems from wanting to tell the Ghost Bride legend instead of Gerald. Arnold even has a ‘Velma moment’ when realizing the Ghost Bride is Curly.
Final Thoughts
To this day, Hey Arnold is a beloved Nickelodeon show with a massive fanbase. Episodes like Haunted Train, Headless Cabbie, and Ghost Bride are some of the most popular. Their creep factor is on another level, making them perfect for Halloween. All episodes of Hey Arnold are available on Paramount+ and Hulu.
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