Goosebumps: The Vanishing Review: Sci-Fi Horror Creates A Complex Ghost Tale

Something strange is happening in the neighborhood, who are you going to call? The parents and children of Goosebumps: The Vanishing. The TV show inspired by R.L. Stine’s classic and beloved book series enters its sophomore year with a bit of maturity, focus, clear goals and perspective, and grosser than ever.

The second season is a sci-fi horror story, a departure from the original season’s more basic horror tale. The alien storyline allows for plenty of intergalactic ghouls and monsters. However, the core of The Vanishing is a non-traditional ghost story.

The phantoms of regrets and bad decisions haunt these characters the most.

As is often the case, regret leads to obsessive behavior, and that causes the unleashing of very real dangers upon this world.

Goosebumps: The Vanishing and the first season each allow the adult and children actors to become a focal point of the stories. However, the second season makes Anthony Brewer so vital that he often feels like more of a lead than his twin children.

If you enjoy David Schwimmer, the season caters to that love, but it’s one of the ways this season doesn’t feel made for a younger audience.

It feels like it’s capitalizing on the older viewers who may watch for nostalgic reasons. The first season has a better balance of trying to appeal to the new generation and wanting to capitalize on the nostalgic viewers.

It’s not necessarily a bad thing that this season feels maybe too mature for children — which kind of goes against the intent of the Goosebumps book series — but it is a bit noticeable.

What makes it potentially too mature isn’t anything egregious, like language or violence, but the plot seems quite complicated. It may not work for children with low attention spans. Even the book elements are more layered and complex than the source material.

There is nothing wrong with the series leaning into its older audience more than younger viewers but it may limit its audience in the future.

It may not become a show that those under 25 naturally gravitate towards. However, it’s still a show finding its way so it may have a broader appeal in the future.

The two seasons are vastly different which seems to be a good sign for the future of the show. Having such drastically different seasons keeps it fresh and unpredictable. Also, by working within multiple genres of horror, the possibilities become endless.

Goosebumps treats horror sci-fi fans to an abundance of cool creatures and a complex tale of aliens and body snatching. Season 3 could use the books to explore everything from body horror to gothic tales.

This season is admirable because it cracks the door open for new explorations and shows that it can honor the source material but remain unique and distinct. It just makes us curious to see where the show goes in a possible season 3.

Stray Thoughts

• Love that The Vanishing and Season 1 have horrific, unhappy endings, very true to the Goosebumps books.
• The romantic storylines don’t quite work as well in this one as in the first season. The chemistry between both sets of couples doesn’t completely work. 
• Matty, Jen, and Hannah’s love triangle is more fascinating than the present-day pairs.
• However, the queer love story is done in an organic way that feels natural and realistic. So it’s good it exists in this story.
• Anthony is a bit annoying but that makes him feel more realistic.
• I was a little disappointed with how The Ghost Next Door was used this season, especially because that’s such an iconic Goosebumps book.

What did you think of Goosebumps: The Vanishing? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Goosebumps: The Vanishing is available to stream on Hulu and Disney+. 

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