"Goosebumps" You Can't Scare Me (TV Episode 2023) Poster

(TV Series)

(2023)

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6/10
Stupid but watchable
SureCommaNot4 November 2023
There are things I appreciate about this series. The actors and actresses themselves certainly show potential, and I hope they continue to get work. The idea of combining individual Goosebumps stories but telling an overarching narrative was ambitious and, I think, works decently enough. (Though, I know others don't think it works at all.)

But it continues to be frustrating seeing how often the directors and scriptwriters have the characters doing things that just aren't believable. Take the cellphones, for example. In the first episode, the director clearly had the teens keep their cellphone screens on (presumably to illuminate their faces) when they were using their phones as flashlights, even though this made no sense from the characters' perspective (as it would then be harder to see anything in the dark). And then in this episode, two characters are texting each other while inside the same car, without turning off their sound! No one trying to hide their text conversation (like they claimed to be doing) would ever be that daft.

Too many choices are made clearly for the sake of the audience, but don't make sense from a character perspective. If the scriptwriters were trying to be as childish as the source material, that's not a hard bar to meet. But that's not going to earn the show decent ratings either. They honestly seem to be aiming for something in the 4- to 6-star range.

I just wish they aimed higher.
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6/10
Packed to the hilt with tropes
jezfernandez23 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
So far, the show has been largely enjoyable with some great production quality (including effects) and genuinely funny moments. But this episode was just full of awful tropes, especially with Biddle-Bratt chasing Nora through the snow. He has a badly injured leg (broken?), yet admirably manages to keep pace with her. Then he insists on screaming out her name so she knows exactly where he is?

As for the evolving teen romances ... I could not care less that Isaiah likes Margot but she now likes Lucas who also likes her, not forgetting poor Isabella who up until now has had no romantic entanglements whatsoever but finds herself starry-eyed over Isaiah because he pulled her out of a crumbling parallel void.

All that said, the show would have ended on a reasonable note. Except they decided to spin out two more episodes ...
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4/10
7.5 episodes of building up the tension...
husslephil4 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
The ending scene of episode 8 might have been much more epic than it really was.

7 and a half episodes of slowly revealing the story, getting to know all characters and their past to understand Harold's return and present anger. - Just to ruin it in 30 seconds by a mediocre, very unconvincing 'emotional' scene, where Harold all of a sudden forgives everything and returns to his parents without further ado, fight, or memory double-check.

After all, they were still the ones who killed him, no matter the good intentions of trying to help him by getting Slappy away. They killed him and ran away. The series brags about this for 7 episodes straight, and then Harold just gives up? Right.. Come on, people. :)

There were so many opportunities throughout the whole 8th episode to make this interesting and peak the tension. It really felt like the writers had an essay word limiter on their hands. Or a limited budget for 10 episodes, didn't plan properly, and had to eventually end this one quickly. :)

I would imagine there could have been a mightier, more dimensional fight. Harold and Slappy could have tried to fight the parents with kids, while Mr. Bratt still half-way trapped in the scrapbook, trying to both escape and stop Harold, as they are still one body. Someone could have also tried saving Isaiah, either Margot or Isabella. (This could have set the theme of Isaiah's romance's direction for the final episodes.) Then eventually leading up the episode to convincing Harold just like they did, but with more depth. Harold deserved it.

If none of the remaining 2 episodes brings back Harold, it's a shame.

But let's not give all hopes away, maybe episode 9 and 10 will bring something that will change my mind about why this was a good move.
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Episode 8
bobcobb30117 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I don't think anyone would call this Emmy-worthy television, but it was certainly the kind of goofy and over the top action that I think Goosebumps was missing out on for awhile. We had not had some scenes like this since the chase of the giant worm and all the chaos that followed with that.

This show is a little bit all over the place in terms of tone and direction, but I guess that is part of the appeal. I don't know if we're getting or anticipating a second season, but if there is one you might want to consider a total and utter reboot with a new cast and a whole new group of misadventures.
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