Trivia

As a child, Robert Englund was anxious to see a Western movie at a friend's birthday party, but he and his friends ended up watching The Bad Seed (1956) due to a mix-up at the theater. He said that for years, he was frightened of girls with pigtails. In the episode Photo Finish (1989), he gets to face-off with Patty McCormack, the lead actress of the film that frightened him so much.

Although Robert Englund hosts the show as Freddy Krueger, only eight of the episodes were focused on Freddy:

• 1.1 No More Mr. Nice Guy
• 1.4 Freddy's Tricks and Treats
• 1.7 Sister's Keeper
• 1.22 Safe Sex
• 2.1 Dream Come True
• 2.4 Photo Finish
• 2.11 Dreams That Kill
• 2.12 It's My Party and You'll Die If I Want You To

In the hospital of the episode It's a Miserable Life (1988), there's a poster in view that reads "Mom and Dad, I use drugs!" This is the first time this poster was seen in the series, but it became a regular staple of the set dressing in subsequent episodes.

Rick mentions that the Beefy Boy is closing early and that the owner never comes in anymore after "the shooting". This is a reference to the second episode of the first season, "It's a Miserable Life", in which the owner's son is shot during his nightmare while working at the drive-thru.

There are several Star Trek references: The psychologist is named Dr. Picard, like Captain Picard from Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987). When Johnny disintegrates, his last words are "Beam me up, Scotty". During Dr. Picard's daydream, when he's infected, he shouts "Captain, the dilithium crystals are gone!". Tim Russ, who played Dr. Picard, went on to star in Star Trek: Voyager (1995) as Commander Tuvok.