Goosebumps
Goosebumps
Now Showing

Goosebumps

"Scarier than you remember."

7.1
Yr 2023
Status Ended
Sci-Fi & Fantasy Action & Adventure Mystery
Your Verdict

Rate this show to unlock picks like it. Create a free account.

Back
Series Brief

Overview

A group of five high schoolers embark on a shadowy and twisted journey to investigate the tragic passing three decades earlier of a teen named Harold Biddle – while also unearthing dark secrets from their parents' past.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 55 /100

Critical reception for the 2023 Goosebumps series is notably polarized, with opinions split on its transition from a nostalgic children's anthology to a modern teen-oriented drama. Supporters praise the show as a fresh, engaging, and spooky reimagining that effectively captures the spirit of R.L. Stine’s work while showcasing strong performances, particularly from Justin Long.

Conversely, critics who were less impressed argue that the series struggles to find an identity, often feeling like a generic YA soap opera that sacrifices the charm of the original source material. Detractors frequently cited underdeveloped writing and a failure to deliver genuine scares, noting that the series feels trapped between competing styles of horror and teen angst.

“Fresh, scary, and fun, Goosebumps is a rollercoaster ride of horror.”

“While Goosebumps (2023) eventually builds towards interesting mysteries, the initial five episodes available for review feel awkwardly stuck between different modes of horror.”

“The new 10-episode "Goosebumps" series promises to be a lot scarier than the original but it fails to deliver.”

“For those kids ready for a thrill, Goosebumps is an eerily good time.”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Disney Plus
UK • CA • US
Why fans love it

High school mysteries often lean into teenage angst, but this 2023 take on the source material anchors its supernatural threats in the baggage of previous generations. The narrative structure bridges a thirty-year gap, forcing the central group of students to reckon with the hidden history of their own parents as they untangle the circumstances surrounding the death of Harold Biddle. It shifts between modern high school dynamics and the lingering gravity of old town secrets.

The horror elements serve as a vehicle for uncovering these buried truths rather than just providing jump scares. Because the tone balances sci-fi sensibilities with the classic tropes of spooky adaptations, the mystery surrounding the Biddle house gains weight as the episodes progress. Rachael Harris anchors the ensemble as they piece together how the supernatural forces haunting their present are tethered to the choices made by the adults in their lives long ago.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 51
Regulars 9
Longest run 8 eps
Zack Morris
Zack Morris
as Isaiah Howard
Isa Briones
Isa Briones
as Margot Stokes
Miles McKenna
Miles McKenna
as James Etten
Ana Yi Puig
Ana Yi Puig
as Isabella Chen-Lopez
Will Price
Will Price
as Lucas Parker
Rachael Harris
Rachael Harris
as Nora Parker
Justin Long
Justin Long
as Nathan Bratt
Lexa Doig
Lexa Doig
as Sarah Stokes
5 episodes
Show 43 more
Rob Huebel as Colin Stokes 8 episodes Leonard Roberts as Ben Howard 8 episodes Ben Cockell as Harold Biddle 8 episodes Rhinnan Payne as Allison 5 episodes Françoise Yip as Victoria Chen 8 episodes Aiden Howard as Sam 4 episodes Laura Mennell as Eliza Etten 7 episodes Isaac Caverzan as Isaac 3 episodes Tyson Dornn as Tyson 3 episodes Ian Ho as Alan Lopez 1 episode Lucia Walters as Laura Howard 2 episodes Sophia Carriere as Wendy 1 episode Michelle Cyr as Elsie 1 episode Terry O'Sullivan as Ms. Dowling 3 episodes Gardiner Millar as Coach Rifkin 3 episodes Alex Felix as Young Sarah 2 episodes William Chris Sumpter as Young Ben 2 episodes Taylar Hender as Young Nora 2 episodes Michelle Mao as Young Victoria 2 episodes Samantha Blaire Cutler as Young Eliza 2 episodes Tate Chernen as Student 1 episode Cai Holm as High Schooler 2 episodes Gavin Langelo as Running Back 2 episodes Gillian Vigman as Georgia Biddle 3 episodes Eddie Jemison as Ephraim Biddle 1 episode Jonathan Silverman as Perry Biddle 3 episodes Christine Willes as Madame Zelda 1 episode Kaylah Zander as Betsy 1 episode R.L. Stine as R.L. Stine 1 episode Genevieve Kang as Ann Macy 1 episode Chris Geere as Slappy 4 episodes Chloe McRae as Student 1 episode Ese Atawo as Landlord 1 episode Nancy Kerr as Estate Lawyer 1 episode Shyia Gray as Ellem 1 episode Paul Rust as Franz Mahar 1 episode Matthew Pohlkamp as Dennis 1 episode Olesia Shewchuk as ER Doctor 1 episode K. Scott Malcolm as Scout 1 episode Matthew McFetridge as Slappified Person 1 episode Winson Won as Referee 1 episode Shorya Lamba as Rando Kid 1 episode Dave Beamish as British Soldier #1 1 episode
Signal Match

Similarity

Where Goosebumps overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

based on novel or book supernatural horror horror monsters based on children's book mask vengeful ghost lgbt ghost ventriloquist's dummy 1920s 1950s 1960s 1990s 1930s worms magic spell 1870s teen horror 2020s 1880s teen romance
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
October 13, 2023
Status
Ended
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
231