How to Find and Watch the Berenstain Bears Episode "In The Dark"
The Berenstain Bears "In The Dark" is Season 1, Episode 31 of the original animated series. It originally aired in 1986. The plot follows Brother and Sister Bear being scared of a power outage, which is about as original as it gets for a children's show, but it works. I've spent years trying to help people find this because it is not easy to stream legally. Most places that claim to have it are either outdated or pushing you toward some sketchy site. Let me walk through what actually works.
The Berenstain Bears In The Dark Streaming Options
Amazon Prime Video has the full series available for purchase or rental. You can buy individual episodes for around $1.99. That is the most reliable method. I've used this for years and never had an issue with buffering or broken links. The video quality is decent, though it is still a 1980s cartoon so don't expect HD. Vudu also carries the complete series. Pricing varies between $1.49 and $1.99 per episode. The interface is clunky and their customer support is nonexistent, but the streams work fine when they load. I once tried to watch it on Vudu during a power outage in my own house, which felt oddly thematic, and the stream dropped every three minutes. Switched to Amazon and it worked immediately. The official Berenstain Bears YouTube channel occasionally uploads clips, but not the full episode. If you are looking for the complete thing, you will not find it there. Some fans have uploaded it, but those get taken down for copyright reasons faster than you can bookmark them.
Where The Methods Break Down
Netflix does not carry the original 1980s series. They have a reboot from 2015, which is different. Do not bother searching Netflix for the old one. Hulu similarly only has the reboot. This trips up a lot of people who grow up with the original and assume it is on every streaming service. Scholastic's website sometimes has clips and educational materials related to the books, but no full episodes. If you are a teacher trying to show this in a classroom, your options are limited to purchasing a DVD or buying episodes digitally. The DVDs are available on Amazon. The Complete First and Second Seasons box set runs about $25. Shipping adds time and sometimes the discs arrive scratched. I once ordered one and the disc was damaged in transit. Amazon replaced it within a week, but it was still a hassle. The digital purchase route avoids that problem entirely.
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A Note on the Book Version
If you are looking for the original Berenstain Bears book rather than the episode, it is widely available. Most big-box bookstores carry it, and the Kindle edition is usually under $5. The book and the episode cover similar ground but the book goes deeper into the fear-of-dark theme with more dialogue between Papa Bear and the cubs. It is worth reading if the animated version feels too thin to you. I recommend the Amazon Prime Video route unless you specifically need a physical copy for archival reasons. It is the lowest-friction option and the episodes actually play without issues. The Vudu alternative is fine if you already have an account there and do not want another subscription. Avoid any site that asks you to install software or create an account just to watch one episode. Those are almost always malware vectors disguised as free streaming sites. I have seen too many people fall for those over the years. The episode runs about 25 minutes. It is short, simple, and does exactly what it sets out to do. Nothing more, nothing less.
