The first seven episodes of the eight-partGoosebumps: The Vanishingdeliver a solid second season to the revived anthology series, but it fails to top season 1.The Vanishingbrings a brand-new supernatural horror story from the same creative minds as season 1, with a newcast including formerFriendsalum David Schwimmer. However, this season takes a moment to build momentum and the story fails to spark the imagination quite as intensely as season 1, despite strong performances.
Goosebumps: The Vanishing
R. L. Stine’s horror book series receives its second television adaptation with the 2023 Disney+ series Goosebumps. The new series brings in the creative minds behind the first two Goosebumps films, and Goosebumps season 2 released with the anthology-style title, Goosebumps: The Vanishing.
Season 2 revolves around teenage twins, Devin and Cece Brewer, who spend their summer with their eccentric divorced father in a largely unremarkable area of Brooklyn. As the kids settle in and try to make friends, they find themselves caught up in an intense mystery that goes back to 1994, when four teenagers went missing. Now, as history begins to repeat itself, Devin and Cece need to learn who they can trust and make sense of the weird events that appear to be taking over Gravesend.
Goosebumps: The Vanishing Struggles To Stand Apart
The originalGoosebumpsseries typically featured individual episodes that would tackle a different story from the brilliant mind of R.L. Stine. This format offered the show flexibility and kept the stories succinct, with each new entry focusing on some supernatural horror. The latest iteration has taken this format and tried to make it fit into a more contemporary horror anthology framework. All ten episodes of season 1 revolve around one story; to be fair, they build intensity, mystery, and unique supernatural elements in each episode. Season 2 doesn’t fare so well.
It feels like this season is too closely mirroring the action and horror of season 1.
Season 2 has been further condensed to just eight episodes, but very little has been done over the first seven episodes. Where season 1 had unique artifacts that gave each episode a unique approach, season 2 blends everything over the episodes, constantly returning to one overarching horror. Beyond that, it feels like this season is too closely mirroring the action and horror of season 1, wtih a group of mismatched teens coming together against all odds, solving a mystery from the past, and then confronting supernatural horrors.
True, that may be a part of the formula for a series likeGoosebumps, but it’s harder to recognize the pattern when each episode is a self-contained story that requires more creative distinction.Goosebumps: The Vanishingcould have done so much moreto separate itself from season 1, but instead it feels like the show is already growing stale. Fortunately, the actors deliver great performances and create unique relationships between them that keep the show entertaining enough to carry on watching.
Goosebumps: The Vanishing Fails To Add To The Anthology Format
Goosebumps: The Vanishingmakes the fatal flaw of doing very little to create a compelling story, while introducing somewhat interesting characters. As far as the Brewer twins are concerned, along with their eccentric father and the rest of the residents in Gravesend, the cast is great. They all have their quirks and flaws and a dynamic and rich history that ties them together. But, in the context of an anthology series, that means very little. None of these characters are likely to return beyond this season, so the story should be the highlight.
As far as the Brewer twins are concerned, along with their eccentric father and the rest of the residents in Gravesend, the cast is great.
Despite a strong cast of characters, season 2 is less unique, introducing kids whose parents have dark secrets, a love triangle between competing characters, overt and confident characters who lead the pack, and those who need to be dragged along to succeed. The fact that it’s repetitive of season 1 in this regard cheapens the quality ofGoosebumps' sophomore outing. But more frustrating, the horrors that haunt the town of Gravesend have barely been seen.
Skeleton Crew Episode 7 Review: Answers, Lightsabers & Cliffhangers Are Exactly What I Wanted From This Exciting Penultimate Entry
Skeleton Crew episode 7 continues the show’s story with answers to its big questions, a great Jude Law performance, and a tantalizing cliffhanger.
Brief glimpses, tense scenes, and the occasionalInvasion of the Body Snatcherstakeovers add to the overall plot, but these are few and far between. Ultimately,Goosebumps: The Vanishingfeels unoriginal, uninteresting, and lacks enough redeeming qualities to make the sequel season meaningfully stand out. If the show continues beyond season 2, the writers will hopefully venture forth into something that feels more unique.
All 8 episodes ofGoosebumps: The Vanishingare now available to stream on Disney+.
