While every episode features a standalone villain (homaging classic horror tropes and films), Season 1 introduces a serialized thread:

The narrative backbone of Season 1 is the "Curse of Crystal Cove." The gang is manipulated by a mysterious figure known as , who leaves cryptic clues including:

This show has nightmares. A ghost that tears out people's shadows. A phantom that replaces you with a living puppet. If you watched this as a 10-year-old, you had nightmares.