Spoiler-Free Review of “Goosebumps” (2023) on Disney+ and Hulu: Justin Long Does His Best…

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“Have you seen anything strange happening there?”

Goosebumps premiered on Disney+ and Hulu on October 13th 2023 with the first five episodes available now. The remaining five episodes will air weekly. Based on the popular book series, the series stars Justin Long, Rachael Harris, Zack Morris, Isa Briones, and Miles McKenna. Each episode is approximately 38-45 minutes.

A group of high school students stumble across a mystery involving the death of Harold Biddle, which may connect directly to a secret involving several parents in town.

Here is the trailer:

Goosebumps (2023) leaves the comedy of the films behind and attempts to deliver more teen drama instead, but does this get in the way of R.L. Stine’s classic stories? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Justin Long is the best part of the series…

He’s what got me to tune in and he delivered with his role so far. I think that he always elevates whatever he’s in and he’s definitely one of our kings of horror so I was happy to see him in this.

There are plenty of other familiar faces as well and some newcomers with potential.

Does draw inspiration from some of the original books.

After a 1990’s television series and the films starring Jack Black (2015, 2018), I didn’t know what to really expect with this show, but I was excited to see a few familiar titles surface within the episodes, giving fans of the book series something to be excited about. The actual depictions of those stories were done in a solid way, but unfortunately some unnecessary fluff took over the majority of the episodes.

The Cons:

Too focused on trying to be relevant for its teen audience.

This was really disappointing because I actually liked the horror/story aspect of this series. I didn’t need it to be an anthology because it is different from the 1990’s series, but there is too much unnecessary teen drama. It took up way too much time, making this a bland and exhausting watch.

The acting really wasn’t great (except for a few stand-out performances) and the characters were based off of tropes, leaving little room for actual layers and development.

I also think that this series is very unsure of who its audience is supposed to be. Is it trying to bring in a new audience or is it attempting to reel in fans of the original book series? Either way, it’s failing on both accounts and its uncertainty is overpowering the glimmers of potential.

This series isn’t bad, but it will very easily get lost in the shuffle, which is frustrating.

I think that the new Are You Afraid of the Dark? reboot did a much better job with this type of material…

So am I in or out?

I’m 50/50 on this one…

Goosebumps (2023) focuses too much on the wrong things instead of allowing the stories to speak for themselves, but if it changes its direction a little bit, there may be some creepy potential here.

I’m hopeful we’ll get there!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Goosebumps in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “The Midnight Club” on Netflix: Mature version of “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” has Heart

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“The next chapter…like it’s already been written…”

The Midnight Club released on Netflix on October 7th 2022 featuring ten episodes available to stream now. Created by Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass), the horror mystery-thriller series stars Iman Benson, Annarah Cymone, Igby Rigney, Heather Langenkamp, Zach Gilford, and Samantha Sloyan. Each episode runs for approximately 53-56 minutes.

A group of terminally ill teens meet each night at midnight to share scary stories with one another at Brightcliffe Hospice, which may have its own supernatural mystery embedded in its walls.

Here is the trailer:

The Midnight Club follows a younger generation of characters, as they deal with unspeakable grief and horrors, unleashing a captivating mystery along the way. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Seamlessly transitions between the main plot and the vignettes.

I was worried that I would feel disconnected between the main plot and the stories each character told, but there was a really nice balance here. While I enjoyed some stories better than others, I liked that they connected to each of the characters, revealing more layers in an effective way.

This was a different approach for Flanagan, but I think the style paid off. The audience became more invested in each character because of the stories, rather than just focusing on past flashbacks or key moments.

Characters to care about.

I thought the younger cast did a really phenomenal job with what they were tasked with. There was a lot of heavy and emotional content and yet they still managed to bring so much heart and soul to their characters, taking us on a roller-coaster ride of feelings.

There were also plenty of familiar faces from Flanagan’s other series to be excited about and I thought that A Nightmare on Elm Street’s Heather Langenkamp was absolutely wonderful in this!

Twist ending!

I did not see that one coming and although I have more questions now, I really liked the way this series ended. More please!

The Cons:

Difficult to binge-watch…

The mystery was addicting enough, but I couldn’t get through this series that quickly. The episodes were on the long side and there was just a lot of heavy and emotional content. I thoroughly enjoyed my watch, but I had to take a break at times because this series really tugged at my heart and then some.

I’m always impressed by how well Flanagan is able to bring out so many emotions while sprinkling in horror elements. This series was no exception, but I think you should pace yourself to get the most out of your watch. The scares weren’t as horrifying this time around either, but I think that’s OK since this had more of a YA feel.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

Meaningful, emotional, and an intriguing watch filled with extraordinary characters and a solid mystery to lure you in with each episode.

While not my favorite Mike Flanagan series, this show still has a lot of things going for it and is well worth a watch!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Midnight Club in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

THIS COMPETITION IS KILLER…

When former friends, Shay and Adriana team up to participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt with a cash prize, they temporarily put their differences aside to outsmart their opponents. However, they soon start to realize that a dangerous threat is playing their own version of the game, stalking them during each hunt.

Winning is now a necessity as their lives are at stake. As old wounds and memories re-surface, Shay and Adriana attempt to unmask the threat before the night is over, but soon learn that Scream Hunt is not done with them just yet…

My young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Are You Afraid of the Dark?: Ghost Island” on Nickelodeon: Season Three has a Spooky Summer Feel

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“Not every hotel is haunted…”

Are You Afraid of the Dark?: Ghost Island premiered on Nickelodeon on July 30th 2022. There will be four episodes in total that will air weekly. The series stars Telci Huynh, Dior Goodjohn, Luca Padovan, Chance Hurtsfield, and Conor Sherry. Each episode runs for approximately 50-90 minutes.

Based on the original Are You Afraid of the Dark? series that aired in the 1990’s, this revival is now on its third season. Only we get a new cast, a new location, and an entirely new mystery. The Midnight Society is ready for the case when a group of friends stay at a hotel on Ghost Island, learning that room 13 may be haunted.

Here is the trailer:

Are You Afraid of the Dark?: Ghost Island has a spooky mystery at its core and a new group of characters to be excited about. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

A fun new premise.

The summer release for the third season of Are You Afraid of the Dark? is perfect for this new premise. The opening scene is actually kind of terrifying and the setting is beyond gorgeous, transporting me right to Ghost Island along with our new characters. I’m anxious to find out more about what’s truly going on with this particular ghost mystery and I think that the series is off to a good start, hooking its audience right away.

More layers for our new characters.

I really enjoyed the first two seasons of the reboot series, but so far I am really liking these characters the most because we are actually spending some time on character development. Our main character has a trauma in her past related to ghosts and I think that this was a smart decision because it’s helping me connect to our new Midnight Society that much more.

The new characters are a lot of fun and I think that the younger generation will really connect with them.

The Cons:

Not as strong as season two yet…

I really like the new reboot series and I think it’s helping kids horror get some well deserved recognition so I don’t have too many cons here. The scares are watered down, but you should expect that. So far I still prefer season two with the Shadowman, but I’m keeping an open mind with this season because I think it has a lot of potential.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!

This show is so much fun to watch and I think it is really helping the kids horror genre flourish. I can’t wait to watch more and I’m ready to book my next trip to Ghost Island!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Are You Afraid of the Dark?: Ghost Island in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Just Beyond” on Disney+: Kid Friendly Horror Comedy

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“What is this place?”

Just Beyond is a new horror comedy anthology series inspired by the works of R.L. Stine. The series premiered on October 13th 2021 on Disney+ with all eight episodes available to stream now. Just Beyond stars McKenna Grace, Lexi Underwood, Cedric Joe, Henry Thomas and Nasim Pedrad. Each episode runs for approximately 25-30 minutes.

Each episode explores a different phenomenon as our characters are immersed into a world filled with aliens, witches and ghosts.

Here is the trailer:

Just Beyond attempts to bring us more kids friendly horror with some fun and spooky premises, but does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Stand-out episodes.

I really loved episodes one and four in particular. Each episode had its own unique story, but I almost thought some of these episodes could have actually branched off into their own shows. They were really intriguing and I loved the characters!

They also found just the right balance of creepy fun for both kids and adults.

A new entry for kids horror.

Kids horror has been releasing some solid entries lately and I liked that this series took a different approach. The series could have easily attempted to channel Goosebumps or even the new Are You Afraid of the Dark? reboot, but the horror comedy angle was different and I think it worked in a lot of ways.

The Cons:

A disconnect at times and slightly repetitive.

Since I really liked some episodes more than others, it was difficult binge-watching all of the episodes in this anthology series because it lost some of its magic with each episode.

I also thought that a lot of the themes were similar and maybe this show would have benefited from releasing its episodes weekly to prevent things from becoming too stale.

So am I in or out?

I’m in about 75 percent…

This series is fun for the whole family (although you probably want to monitor the content of each episode for your kids) and it gave us another welcomed entry into the kids horror genre.

Overall, it was a fun watch with lots of potential.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Just Beyond in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now! I hope you enjoy!

READ IF YOU DARE…

Dash and Seek is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Are You Afraid of the Dark?: Curse of the Shadows” on Nickelodeon: Season Two of the Revival Is Off to a Spooky Start

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“Once you’ve been cursed, the Shadowman will come for you…”

Are You Afraid of the Dark?: Curse of the Shadows premiered on Nickelodeon on February 12th 2021. There will be six episodes in total that will air weekly. The series stars Bryce Gheisar, Malia Baker, Beatrice Kitsos, and Dominic Mariche. Each episode runs for approximately 50 minutes.

Based on the original Are You Afraid of the Dark? series that aired in the 1990’s, this revival is now on its second season. Only we get a new cast, a new location, and an entirely new mystery. The Midnight Society is ready for the case when their leader goes missing, but they may have inherited a dangerous curse in the process.

Here is the trailer:

Are You Afraid of the Dark?: Curse of the Shadows lures us in right away with an intriguing mystery and a scary villain that may actually give you some nightmares. It seems like season two has effectively found its own voice while bringing us some welcomed nostalgia along the way. Does season two do enough to keep us coming back for more? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Nickelodeon

Jumps right into the mystery.

While I enjoyed season one of the revival, there was a lot of set-up and fluff centered around the new stranger joining the Midnight Society and what that actually was. Thankfully, we skip all of that in season two and get off to a quick and chilling start.

While I’m still warming up to the new Midnight Society, I think that this was a wise decision and this anthology approach could actually allow this show to branch out even further in the future.

Welcomed nostalgia.

Images courtesy of Nickelodeon

If you are a fan of the original series, then you will be pleased with season two’s efforts to pay the show some real tribute. The character of Sardo is back in the revival. While he is played by a different actor, this character is the owner of the Magic Mansion and his presence is livening up the show for sure.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Nickelodeon

Watered down scares.

I wouldn’t say that this is necessarily a con, but this is a kids horror show and some of the scares and effects are a little cheesy. That being said, I think that the kids horror genre doesn’t get enough credit sometimes. The Shadowman is genuinely scary and there were quite a few moments that had me on the edge of my seat.

If you are looking for something truly scary, you won’t get that here, but as long as you manage your expectations, you will be pleasantly surprised.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Nickelodeon

I’m in!

This show is a lot of fun and it presented us with a spooky mystery right away without too much set-up. I’m intrigued to find out more and I may be looking over my shoulder if the Shadowman appears…

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Are You Afraid of the Dark?: Curse of the Shadows in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

My new supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” (2019) Reboot on Nickelodeon: The Midnight Society gives us a Halloween treat!

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“I declare this meeting of the Midnight Society…”

Nickelodeon provides kids and adults with a fun Halloween treat, releasing the Are You Afraid of the Dark? (2019) reboot as a three part mini-series event.

Are You Afraid of the Dark? was a spooky anthology series that aired in the 1990’s for kids and I can tell you that I was absolutely a fan of this! The Midnight Society would gather around a campfire to share some creepy stories. When the narrator began their story, we would be transported to that actual story away from The Midnight Society, diving into a tale filled with terror and suspense.

Originally, the reboot was supposed to be a movie from my understanding, but they decided to go with the limited mini-series event for television instead. The reboot features three episodes (50-55 minutes in length) and began airing on October 11th 2019 on Nickelodeon. It stars Lyliana Wray, Sam Ashe Arnold, Miya Cech, Jeremy Ray Taylor, and Tamara Smart.

There is definitely room for this type of kids friendly horror, as we have recently seen Goosebumps and The House with a Clock in Its Walls provide us with some horror fun without scaring us to death. But where does the Are You Afraid of the Dark? reboot fit in? Let’s find out!

The Pros:

Are you afraid of the dark 10 26 2 — Images courtesy of Nickelodeon

The new Midnight Society still gives you a sense of nostalgia from the original show.

I love that we have a new Midnight Society for the kids of this generation, as they can discover this spooky adventure for themselves. Even though this is a reboot, I thought that the show captured enough of the feel from the original series, while presenting us with some new and welcomed additions.

I love that the new show decided to use the scary story as a starting point, but it actually became all too real for the characters of the Midnight Society, which made it more interesting, allowing the story to branch out over three episodes, truly coming to life.

Horror Easter eggs and discussions for adults!

If you are watching with your child, fear not! There is plenty for you to enjoy during this series. We get several references to well known horror movies and some discussions that will make you laugh, as the kids start breaking down the difference between horror and sci-fi and how to truly classify it. I thought this was super fun and it really helped me relate to the series that much more.

The characters are fantastic!

I was a little skeptical at first when I met the characters, but I loved seeing the friendship and bond between them grow as they all handled this threat together. I’m a fan of horror shows and movies that include a group of Scoobies and the new Midnight Society certainly makes the cut!

The Cons:

Are you afraid of the dark 10 26 3 — Images courtesy of Nickelodeon

The effects are really cheesy at times.

But I kind of expected that going into this since the show is targeted at a younger audience. The scares are not really scary, but there are some interesting foes and fears that come to light, which kept my attention.

The show ended so soon!

I know that this was meant to be a limited series, but there was a lot of setup in episode 1 and I didn’t start to really like the series until the following episode, which is tough since there are only three episodes in total. Once I got to the end of the series, I was so invested and I wanted to see the new Midnight Society take on some more scares and threats. These kids are fantastic and I want to see more!

So am I in or out?

Are you afraid of the dark 10 26 1 — Images courtesy of Nickelodeon

I’m in! I went into this show expecting to be underwhelmed and instead I was pleasantly surprised. The show balanced a nostalgia for the original series while creating a voice of its own, allowing a new generation of horror fans to emerge.

The release of the limited series works well with this spooky time of year and I think it’s the perfect addition for your family friendly Halloween lineup!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Are You Afraid of the Dark? (2019) in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

**Do you love television shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Once Upon a Time, Lost, Charmed, The Vampire Diaries, and Supernatural? Do you enjoy dark fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, paranormal romance, horror, and mystery? Then you may like my book series, Dreaming of Wonderland…available on Amazon! Thank you for taking the time to check it out and I appreciate any feedback as well. I really hope you enjoy!

The Dreaming of Wonderland Book Series is available here!

Free Instant Preview of The Search for Alice is available here!

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Do you love horror series? Of course you do! Please also check out 12 Nights of Horror Series Coming Soon. It’s your home for everything you need to know about new and returning horror television series including new trailers, premiere dates, reviews, recaps, and renewals!