For those of us who grew up in the '90s, the "Goosebumps" books by R.L. Stine were childhood staples. The novelist knew how to focus terror and emotion in books aimed at preteens. He brilliantly combined comedic elements so that the plot points weren't overwhelmingly dark. A literary phenomenon, Stine's books spawned a popular television show in the '90s and two feature films starring Jack Black in the mid-2010s.
With "Goosebumps" film director Rob Letterman on board the pilot, Disney+/Hulu is trying its hand at a new “Goosebumps” series that promises some of the same iconic characters and adventures for a new generation. The 10-episode first season promised to be scarier than fans remember, but it's far more cumbersome than compelling. Instead, the show focuses on the adultification of teenagers at the hands of their horrible parents. This distances the series from the trials and tribulations of adolescence and the fun of Stine's work, forcing viewers to focus on the selfish misdeeds of bored adults.
Creators: Rob Letterman, Nicholas Stoller
Stars: Zack Morris, Isa Briones, Miles McKenna
“Goosebumps” premieres in 1993 in the fictional coastal town of Port Lawrence. A teenager named Harold Biddle (Ben Cockell) is home alone one night, feeding his pet worms and looking through a scrapbook of Polaroids. When the doorbell rings, startling Harold from his loneliness, he goes to answer it. Finding no one on the other side, he slams the door shut, causing a candle to fall onto the carpet. Soon, the entire house goes up in flames, with Harold still inside.
Some 30 years after Harold's untimely death, five students orbiting the halls of Port Lawrence High School are worried about the upcoming Halloween party. Isaiah (Zach Morris) is the star quarterback, however, the stress of earning a college football scholarship and the added pressure from his father, Ben (Leonard Roberts), is starting to weigh on him. James (Miles McKenna) is Isaiah's best friend. Fun-loving and carefree, James is obsessed with being nice, especially when it comes to gaining the attention of his crush. Margot (Isa Briones) is Isaías's next-door neighbor. Although the pair have been friends for years, Isaiah's girlfriend's animosity has made things awkward.
Additionally, Margot worries that her school counselor parents, Colin (Rob Huebel), and her increasingly absent mother, Sarah (Lexa Doig), are keeping secrets from her. Isabella (Ana Yi Puig), the high school's resident cameraman, feels invisible at school, leading her to lash out. Meanwhile, Lucas (Will Price), still grieving the death of his father, can't stop doing dangerous stunts to get attention, worrying his increasingly exhausted mother, Nora (Rachael Harris). .
Although the teenagers all know each other, their worlds don't really collide until the Halloween spectacle at the abandoned Biddle House. Although the party is ultimately ruined by Port Lawrence's new English teacher, Nathan Bratt (Justin Long), the house's new owner, long-buried monstrosities are unleashed. After that fateful night, things in the lives of Isaiah, Margot, James, Lucas and Isabella begin to go terribly wrong.
The first five episodes of “Goosebumps” begin on the day of the Halloween gathering; Each chapter follows a different teenager as the day progresses. Viewers learn more about their desires, their family life, and what they may have discovered at the Biddle estate during the evening. However, the series premiere and second episode, “Say Cheese and Die!” and “The Haunted Mask,” which follow Isaiah and Isabella, are disorienting and strange. With its dozens of plots and characters, “Goosebumps” doesn’t settle in until episode 3, “The Cuckoo Clock of Doom,” which is told from James’ perspective.
Fans of Stine's novels, the original show, and the "Goosebump" movies will notice that many of the episode names and themes are lifted directly from Stine's extensive catalog, which is the series' main problem. With five main characters and a narrative that flits between the present and the past, “Goosebumps” already had an overflow of material to cover. Although the series has a central villain this season, the countless narrative hooks that weave throughout the story make the show feel boring and ridiculous. Instead of elevating the plot for a modern-day teen audience, “Goosebumps” veers from weird to gross, generating more drool than chills.
Comments
Post a Comment