Since the early ’90s, R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps has been a gateway to horror for generations. The classic stories have been adapted for television and film, with the original beloved TV series airing from 1996 to 1998. Now, 25 years later, Disney+ and Hulu are launching a reimagined series that will have fans of all ages wanting more. This review will cover Goosebumps season 1, episodes 1-5, which will air on Friday, October 13th, as part of the Hallowstream and Huluween lineups.
Unlike the original series, Disney’s Goosebumps is not an anthology. It centers on a group of teenagers who attend an ill-fated Halloween party at a house where a boy named Harold Biddle (Ben Cockell) once met a tragic end. As Harold’s vengeful spirit locks in on them, they must solve the mystery of his death and how it relates to their parents. The storylines, most of which will be recognizable to fans, intertwine in surprising ways.
- “Say Cheese and Die!” – Isaiah (Zack Morris) is a popular football player who discovers a camera that shows the future.
- “The Haunted Mask” – Isabella (Ana Yi Puig) feels ignored by her schoolmates until she discovers a mask that calls to her.
- “The Cuckoo Clock of Doom” – James (Miles McKenna) is stuck in a Groundhog Day loop, destined to repeat the night with disastrous results.
- “Go Eat Worms” – Lucas (Will Price) finds himself invincible after ingesting worms and wants to take his daredevil ways to the next level.
- “Reader Beware” – Margot (Isa Briones) is given a scrapbook that takes her into the past.
Each episode features the main cast, with an emphasis on a certain character and the consequences of the party. This allows us to see past events in a new light and smoothly ties everything together to provide us with the complete picture. After each episode, I was eager to see how the next one adds to the story.
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It’s an excellent format that will keep you glued to your seat and allows the first five episodes to juggle multiple narratives without becoming a confusing mess. Now, will this become an issue later in the season? We’ll have to wait and see.
Stine’s stories have always been purposefully mild on horror, designed to appeal to those who are too young for the Fear Street series yet still want to be scared. While Goosebumps season 1 amps up the scares quite a bit compared to the original series and books, the show stays on the safe side. Tweens and younger will enjoy the spookier moments, while teens and older will enjoy the dark humor and may even find it oddly comforting.
The characters have been aged up, focusing on high school students preparing for college. This could help fill the void for those eagerly awaiting Stranger Things’ final season. The characters will appeal to older fans more, and the decision is mostly successful. The acting is strong throughout, with Miles McKenna and Zack Morris standing out for the energy they bring to every scene. But the fact that the actors playing teens are clearly not teenagers takes me out of the story every now and again. It isn’t uncommon for actors in their 20s to play high schoolers, but it works best when unnoticed.
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Justin Long, Rachael Harris, and Rob Huebel star as the main adult cast. Seeing Long in the genre is always a joy, especially when the role allows his goofier side to shine through. Since Netflix’s Lucifer finished, Harris has been sorely missed in a “dealing with the forces of darkness” role. And although Huebel is one of the funniest working actors, his role as a sweater-wearing dad and guidance counselor is surprisingly mellow but with some delightful awkwardness.
While the trio could not have been better cast, a sexual affair between two of the adult characters should have been handled differently, given the source material. Some of the dialogue is cringy (“I just washed my private parts with a mini bar of soap.”) and not something tweens/teens would want to hear a parent say. It also immediately creates awkward situations for original fans watching with their children, and it feels ultimately out of place in the Goosebumps franchise.
Overall, Goosebumps season 1, episodes 1-5, are an enjoyable escape into the world of R.L. Stine. They successfully reintroduce familiar, timeless stories in a new way, and we can only hope it leads to season two or a new feature film.
