Bibliographic Information:
Title: Goosebumps
Creators: Rob Letterman, Nicholas Stoller
Network: Disney+
Release Date: 2023
Cast: Justin Long, Zack Morris, Isa Briones, Miles McKenna, Ana Yi Puig, and more.
Age Rating: TV-14
Genre / Format of the Title: Paranormal, Horror, Mystery / Television
Plot Summary:
When a group of teenagers decide to host a Halloween party at the abandoned Biddle house they have no idea it will change the course of their lives forever. Trying to reset the electricity in the basement, Isaiah finds multiple strange items, each of which will end up being part of the horrifying story that will overtake their lives. Each item is cursed, and each finds its way into the life of one of the teenagers. All of the items once belonged to Harold Biddle, who was mysteriously killed thirty years prior, and who suspiciously, none of the parents want to talk about. It seems like the ghost of Biddle is out for revenge on the next generation, and escaping his clutches won’t be easy.
Creator Background:
Rob Letterman is a film director and screenwriter who got his start working for DreamWorks Animation in 2000. Letterman codirected the animated movie Shark Tale, which was popular among children and later codirected Monsters versus Aliens, which is popular amongst children and adults alike. Outside of his directing and screenwriting little is known of Letterman as he seems to enjoy keeping a low profile, including not even having his own website (Rob Letterman, 2007).
Nicholas Stoller is a filmmaker and writer, most known for his collaborations with Jason Seigel in comedy films. Originally from London, England, Stoller and his family moved to Florida when he was young. He began working in the early 2000’s with Judd Apatow, and made his directorial debut in 2008 with the movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall which was a box office hit. Now balancing directing and writing films and television series, Goosebumps is one of Stolelr’s latest endeavors (Nicholas Stoller, 2008).
Critical Evaluation:
As a fan of the original Goosebumps series from the 90’s I knew I shouldn’t have high hopes for this series, especially because it was going to be a continuous narrative and not individual episodes. Unfortunately I did get my hopes up - the series, while not bad, pales in comparison to its predecessor which focused more on the horror aspects, while this version focused more on the storyline aspect. I think it is difficult for me to love this series because of the childhood memories I have for the other show, which is unfair but for some reason I cannot separate them in my mind for this blog post.
As for the acting, Justin Long is a reminder on how great he is in horror themed content, but unfortunately most of the teenagers on the show lack the ability to cause suspension of belief. Perhaps Long’s great acting makes everyone else pale in comparison, but unfortunately it just served as a reminder that the show couldn’t fully “suck me into” the storyline.
Creative Use for a Library Program:
This series shows how different perspectives tell different stories: from Biddle’s point of view, he was innocent and the parents of the teens bullied him to his death. From the parents point of view, Biddle was mentally unwell due to Slappy’s control and manipulation, and Biddle got caught in the crossfire of them trying to help him. For the program I would want to have a discussion about how everyone has their own perspectives on different situations, but trying to see other people’s point of views is what is important. It may not be very creative, but it is a necessary conversation to have sometimes.
Speed-Round Recommendation:
Based on the stories of R.L. Stine comes this horror series following five teens as they uncover the mystery of Harold Biddle’s death three decades prior, and how their parents were involved. With a magical dummy named Slappy, a notebook full of strange drawings, and secrets that can’t help but be revealed, it seems that the history of Harold Biddle is more complicated than it first seemed. Magic, curses, and horror abound in this series that is sure to entertain.
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation:
There are definitely more curse words and foul language used in this series than originally expected for a Disney show - and that could pose a potential challenge issue. Defending this item would be similar to many of the other items that have been included in this blog, stating that simply because something is a part of a library collection does not mean that everyone must consume the contents of said item. If there is a problem with foul language being used, then simply do not watch the show.
Reason for Inclusion:
As this show has a higher age rating than the original Goosebumps series, I was hopeful of including it to add some more horror to the collection, as well as bring back some childhood personal favorite stories. While the series may not have been what I personally expected, I do think it still adds value to the collection in the method of both television and horror.
References:
(2008, March 17). Nicholas Stoller. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Stoller
(2007, August 30). Rob Letterman. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Letterman
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