Goosebumps Season 2’s Story Change Is Following A Frustrating Update With Another R.L. Stine Adaptation

The news that Goosebumps season 2 will be an unrelated anthology horror story repeats a major mistake made by another recent RL Stine adaptation. The prolific horror author RL Stine has written hundreds of books, most of which are horror aimed at children and young adults. Of his many novels, those in the Goosebumps and Fear Street series are the most enduringly popular. While the Fear Street books featured recurring characters and locations, the majority of both the Fear Street and Goosebumps novels were standalone stories that weren’t closely linked to other installments in the series. This made them more accessible.

Despite this, season 1 of 2023’s Goosebumps TV adaptation opted to drop the anthology format and focus on one storyline. The Goosebumps season 1 finale saw this plot end on a cliffhanger as one of the main characters was successfully raised from the dead while another became possessed. This was a tense ending that seemingly demanded a conclusion, yet surprisingly, it was announced that Goosebumps season 2 would follow a whole new set of characters in a different location. This bizarre decision replicates a mistake made by another, earlier RL Stine adaptation, Netflix’s successful Fear Street trilogy from 2021.

Goosebumps Becoming An Anthology For Season 2 Follows Fear Street 4’s Disappointing Update

Goosebumps is getting a new cast and story for season 2, just like how Fear Sreet 4 will be a standalone sequel separate from the original Fear Street trilogy. In both cases, this strange decision ensures that viewers will be less emotionally invested in the main characters since they aren’t the familiar heroes from Goosebumps season 1 and the original Fear Street trilogy. While it is unfortunate that the upcoming Fear Street 4 will move on from its original heroes, their ending felt fitting and final, whereas Goosebumps season 2 is looking to leave behind some major loose ends.

The Fear Street trilogy at least wrapped up the story of the Shadyside teens and their attempts to break a generations-old curse, so there was no need for Fear Street 4 to bring back these characters. There may have been more stories that could have been told with them, but Fear Street 4 is justified in its decision to focus instead on a standalone new sequel. Gooosebumps, on the other hand, still has a story to finish, thus making this creative move an astounding one.

Goosebumps Season 2’s New Story Is A Risk

It will be admittedly difficult for viewers to get invested in Goosebumps season 2 thanks to the show’s new cast and story. Goosebumps season 2 ignoring season 1’s cliffhanger ending proves that the series isn’t overly concerned with continuity or consistency, so it would be understandable if audiences don’t immediately take to the massive changes on the horizon. While Fear Street 4 can look forward to a comparatively warm reception since the original Stine adaptation made sure to give its heroes a satisfying ending, Goosebumps season 2 will have a significant challenge on its hands if it’s to prove that it’s better off with its new format than its original cast.