The Disney+ and Hulu series Goosebumps, based on R.L. Stine's massively popular book series of the same name, returns this weekend! All eight episodes of the second season, subtitled "The Vanishing," are out now. Watching this confident and entertaining season has been an absolute delight.
An endearing mix of the golden era of The CW and Freeform's teen dramas, Goosebumps: The Vanishing elevates the series with some genuine scares, a little gore and grossness, and charming characters mixed with young adult angst. And it doesn't hurt that the season is chock full of popular needle drops featuring artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Taylor Swift, Childish Gambino, Doja Cat, Charli XCX, and more.
It's definitely aimed at the TikTok generation, but it doesn't lose any of its charm for that. And there's something for older viewers with the inclusion of David Schwimmer doing his thing as a dorky botany-loving father of twins Devin and Cece, who come to stay with him for one seriously twisted Brooklyn summer.
The Vanishing takes place in the fictional town of Gravesend, where four kids vanished in 1994. Anthony Brewer (Schwimmer) is the only one to return from that night when four teenagers, including his brother, snuck into the creepy remnants of a sketchy location known as Fort Jerome.
In the present, strange things have begun happening in Gravesend again. Anthony remains obsessed with untangling the truth of that night and fears that something terrible might be brewing once again, and this time, his children could be in danger. There's a bit of a split in the storytelling, which focuses on Anthony working with his old friend, now a detective, Jen (Ana Ortiz), to unravel the mystery—and the teenagers, including Cece and Devin, and their new friends, all of whom fill out the typical bunch of teen tropes nicely, including the bad boy, bad girl with a heart of gold, girl-next-door, etc.
Admittedly, season 2's storytelling is a bit clunkier as the writers try to mesh the "monster of the week" element with The Vanishing's predominantly serialized storytelling. Like season 1, the second season tries to include or adapt one of the novels in each episode, but they must contend with an overarching storyline that doesn't always fit as well as it should.
Nonetheless, I appreciated the shoutouts to some of Stine's popular books like Monster Blood, The Haunted Car, and The Girl Who Cried Monster. Diehard fans will, of course, note multiple shoutouts, easter eggs, and references throughout the season.
Overall, The Vanishing is the YA horror series we've been missing. A dash of Riverdale and Pretty Little Liars, The Vanishing feels like a blast from the past with a modern twist in the best way. With shows for this particular demographic rapidly dwindling, especially those who enjoy supernatural/horror content, it's nice to see a return to that with fresh faces and clever writing. It's sharp and punchy. I had a blast with it, and I hope others will, too!
All eight episodes of Goosebumps: The Vanishing are now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.