Disney+ Goosebumps 2023 TV reboot review: Spine-tingling or just another scare?

Goosebumps is back on television in the form of a teen drama that incorporates the occult vibe of R.L. Stine's best-selling book series into the tale of high schoolers influenced by a pop culture horror frenzy.

Few works of fiction have as significant an impact as Goosebumps in the field of horror. R.L. Stine's middle-grade novels are nothing short of legendary, giving millions of people all over the world their first taste of horror.

Due to the label's strength, it has frequently been explored for spinoffs and adaptations (a faithful '90s anthology series and a less faithful pair of Jack Black movies remain fresh in our memories), with the most recent taking the shape of a live-action series on Disney+ and Hulu.

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Goosebumps: Viewers beware, you might, just might, be in for a scare

No one will be able to guess your age if you just say that you grew up watching or reading Goosebumps. If you were a child during the early '90s and this summer, you probably remember reading through one of R.L. Stine's juvenile horror stories. He has been penning these short, adolescent potboilers for so long that his fan base transcends decades.

You'd also fit within the demographics targeted by the most recent TV adaptation of those books, a 10-episode series that will debut on Friday, October 13, on Disney+ and Hulu.

The 1995 television series Goosebumps has grown into a cult classic in and of itself, serving as a sentimental staple for youngsters growing up in the 1990s. The two-part Jack Black movie, which didn't garner as much attention as its predecessor, is a Goosebumps addition that offered fans nostalgia, albeit being good. Fortunately for devoted readers of the books, the Goosebumps relaunch in 2023 exceeds all expectations and surpasses any prior live-action rendition.

The way that Rob Letterman and Nicholas Stoller, the show's creators, repurposed the different old books' plot points, such as scary masks and cursed cameras, added some amusement. However, one criticism would be that Stine's books don't make the best candidates for a teen drama since the books' youthful wit is somewhat lost in translation.

This 2023 revamp does not follow the pattern of the first TV show and feels more similar, plot- and story-wise, to the films. This is a missed opportunity, as the anthology structure could have worked wonders and rendered this adaptation a faithful one as well. This new adaptation takes place in a small Oregon town and follows the complicated relationships between teens Isabella (Ana Yi Puig), James (Miles McKenna), Lucas (Will Price), Isaiah (Zack Morris), and Margot (Isa Briones), who are victims of the enemies to lovers trope.

When the group hosts a Halloween party in the town's iconic haunted house, they discover that new teacher Nathan Bratt (Justin Long) has not only truly moved into the eerie mansion, but that he may not be the only one residing there. As the series progresses, Nathan discovers himself developing a relationship with a previous resident who is a bit too familiar for convenience, while the teenagers take on the roles of well-known Goosebumps tales, combining both new story elements and cherished Stine tales.

Slappy is an overused concept at this point. There are other stories that the show adapts but Slappy remains a central figure (image via Disney +)

This most recent Goosebumps adaptation also has a cast that shares screen time rather evenly and has an atmosphere that is akin to a 1980s slasher with a cheesy backdrop. The Pacific Northwest serves as the ideal setting for this tale, slipping in and out of each episode amid scenes and subplots that are directly adapted from the original work.

The series also manages to be quite creepy, in part due to its adherence to Say Cheese and Die!, The Haunted Mask, Night of the Living Dummy, and several more Goosebumps classics, as well as its rain-soaked locations. The show doesn't hold back, adding some gory moments that could be a little much for certain family members.

Those seeking any type of shock will find plenty of spooks in the new series. Body horror, monsters, possessions, jump scares, and more are all there while remaining completely true to the earlier volumes.

It's difficult to think of a better watch for the entire family during the season, especially now that it's October on the calendar. You'll at the very least have a spooky good time. Goosebumps will drop its first five episodes on Friday, October 13 on Disney+ and Hulu.