Goosebumps

I'm not sure why they decided to use the "Goosebumps" brand for this series, but I imagine they thought they'd get a lot more views playing the nostalgic reboot card. Had they just given it an original name, there wouldn't be as many reviews from viewers who are incapable of separating the style and format of the original series and accepting this new one. There would also be fewer viewers claiming this new show ruined their childhood, not because the show is bad, but because they grew up to become idiots who refers to everything that doesn't fit into their narrow-minded per views as woke. The good news is, if you're a decent, functioning member of modern society who can look past the fact that not every character is straight and white, and how those characters actually speak and act like people of their age in 2023, you might enjoy the creepiness and sometimes genuinely gross and chilling aspects of this series. More so, if you're intelligent, too, you might appreciate the smart writing and the metaphors woven into the specific storylines featured in each episode. As much as I'm enjoying it, I have some issues with it being derivative (Nightmare On Elm Street), predictable (I figured out what happened in the past in episode 2), and having a major plot hole (why doesn't one character's kid and their friend back up their story and prevent them from having to be taken away?) Aside from these small gripes, it's an enjoyable series, especially if you like the horror genre and you're looking for something new to watch around Halloween.

Season One:

As someone who watched at least some of the original Goosebumps series in my youth, though have admittedly forgotten most of the storylines, I was surprisingly hooked from the first episode's cold open. Where the season progresses thereafter manages to deliver genuinely intriguing reveals, one after another. This is most of all thanks to the great source material, R. L. Stine's various cursed objects setting the stage for a lot of scary fun. Unfortunately, without going into too deep of detail, the writers simply did not know how or where to end the season. The eighth episode serves as a natural send-off to these characters, albeit feeling rushed, but the season persists with an additional two episodes that are quite forced and just wholly unnecessary.

That said, the characters here, particularly our central cast of teens, are fairly well-written and so likable enough, even if their personal drama is not all that interesting. I would be remiss, however, not to highlight Justin Long's pure excellence in his role as Mr. Bratt, as well as Chris Greere's eerie voice performance of Slappy (who yes, of course, is in this series).

On that note, I appreciated Slappy's perfectly evil look and the excellent puppeteering behind him, matching his devilish personality. While the visual effects are not quite as flawless, I found them more than up to par for what this series is going for.

Despite its faults, I would recommend this season. Goosebumps fans in particular should enjoy what it offers.

Season Two:

While I definitely have issue with certain elements of this second chapter of Goosebumps anthology, I do enjoy a great deal of what the season offers. Undeniably nailing the scary fun that Goosebumps is and should be, the overall storyline here delivers a lot of thrilling moments and reveals, particularly in its finale that fortunately sticks the landing. On that note, I do narrowly prefer this season, even though the first season's story was a fair amount more impactful, at least until its lackluster ending. Anyways, adding to the excitement of this season are similarly freaky visuals, monsters and body horror alike.

Despite a fairly well-written overarching plot, the characters here in of themselves are quite lackluster, and so where this version of Goosebumps goes wrong. The central cast, mostly comprised of teenagers, are simply written without real care, failing to provide an interesting or emotionally-inclined vehicle to journey through the scares with. From their unconvincing relationships to their sometimes unlikable personalities, it's difficult to invest in the fate of any of these characters. That is, at least, beyond David Schwimmer's role, which admittedly does a lot of the leg work to maintain the story's intriguing elements, including the still largely overlooked emotional aspect to the plot.

Most attempts at humor are also ineffective, and combined with a soundtrack consisting of very current, very out-of-place hits, there's certainly an ill-advised focus on capturing the zeitgeist.

Still, thanks to a very intriguing story that largely encapsulates the Goosebumps spirit, I would recommend this season to fans of the franchise.

Everything has to be redone, reimagined and recycled these days. Unfortunately goosebumps is not off-limits even though we just had two movies within the last 10 years as well as Fear Street spin offs on Netflix. No, but here we get a series that tries some new things, but just can't escape the absolutely unnecessary and forced tropes amongst the casting, the plotting, and the overall product. Justin Long being the bright spot, of course and some of the Visual horror aspects. Otherwise, I can already tell it might be difficult to make it through more than a few episodes. I'll stick with the classic books and the classic TV series.

Before you read this review I'm only two episodes into this series. However, right away a decision they made has kind of ruined the entire thing for me. It is not single one off stories, they are combining a bunch of books into a continuous arc about characters spanning one season.

A season long arc doesn't really work for Goosebumps. They might want it to because it makes it easier to create sequel episodes if they can keep bringing the same characters back, but it doesn't work with this. Each book was an entirely different vibe, some had more elements of comedy, some had elements of family, all had a horror twist thrown into the mix.

Making this a season long arc doesn't seem like it will work to me. This is just a forewarning to anyone looking to check out this series. I have no idea if they're able to pull it off well, but it seems destined to be at best mediocre to me.

Fans of the original book series should know this show is nothing like that- it's darker and the protagonists are teenagers instead of younger kids. Zero nostalgia factor, so if that's what you were hoping for, look elsewhere.

That said, the episodes in the middle of the first season were fairly okay and overall the series had potential.

The writing is why this isn't getting a higher rating from me. The motivations behind the characters' actions- particularly those of the villains- are nonsensical to the point of frustration. The last two episodes of the first season were disappointing and fell flat in their attempt to create lore and explain the origin of the evil that had been haunting the characters.

I don't have an issue with the showmakers changing the tone of the OG series to appeal to an older, Gen Z audience but there are too many plotholes- too much about the choices characters make and about the world that just doesn't make sense within the context of the series, and that's never really explained to the point of satisfaction.