The episode is based on the book of the same name by R. L. Stine and is about Carly Beth, a timid girl who buys a Halloween mask that soon begins merging with her face.

Kathryn Long, who played Carly Beth, obtained a Gemini Award nomination for "Best Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or Series".

Carly Beth Caldwell (Kathryn Long) is repeatedly scared by two classmates, Chuck Greene (Amos Crawley) and Steve Boswell (George Davis).

After putting on the mask again, Carly Beth takes a mold of her head that her mother made for her and leaves the house to meet her best friend, Sabrina Mason (Kathryn Short).

When Stine appeared at the top of the USA Today bestseller list in 1994, Margaret Loesch, the CEO of Fox Kids at the time, took notice.

[3] Producer Steve Levitan said the horror elements of the episode were toned down because of concerns about "the broad demographic appeal" and the "much younger kids" who would be part of the audience.

In this story, Steve, not interested in wearing his mother's homemade pirate costume, finds and puts on a mask with the visage of an old man with spiders in his hair.

The desire to fit in and peer pressure causes Carly Beth to behave in a disturbing manner because, according to Michelle Erica Green from FamilyWonder.com, she does not appreciate her positive qualities.

"[8] The Chicago Tribune's Scott Blakey stated that the episode reveals "the dark side of childhood cruelty toward those who find themselves out of step with their peers or the in-group.

[18] Scott Blakey from the Chicago Tribune stated that, properly presented, "The Haunted Mask" is "a cautionary tale that will thrill viewers 10 and older", but "it has the power to spook younger children.

"[19] FamilyWonder.com's Michelle Erica Green, who gave the episode a C rating, thought that "The Haunted Mask" had genuinely scary and exciting scenes, but felt it had stereotypical characters and a corny feel-good message which weakened its impact.

[15] In 1997, Kathryn Long received a Gemini Award nomination for "Best Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or Series" for her work on the episode.