Goosebumps Episode 7 Takes an Exceptional Approach to Celebrate RL Stine's Thrilling Book Series
Experience the thrilling nostalgia of RL Stine's legendary Give Yourself Goosebumps series as Goosebumps Episode 7 ingeniously breaks the formula, creating an exceptional tribute to the beloved books
Warning: Major spoilers ahead for Goosebumps episode 7
Summary
In episode 7 of the 2023 Goosebumps series, R.L. Stine's intriguing spinoff novels make an appearance, captivating a teenage audience with a darker, more intense TV adaptation. The episode revolves around the "Give Yourself Goosebumps" series, immersing the characters in a perilous situation as they become trapped within a bewitched scrapbook through the mysterious power of black magic.
The new Goosebumps series is a captivating and remarkable attempt to bring the books to life onscreen, skillfully incorporating elements from the original novels and the captivating "choose your own adventure" aspect.
In episode 7 of the 2023 Goosebumps series, we finally witness a nod to author R.L. Stine's most inventive and unconventional spinoff novels. Through the years, the Goosebumps books have inspired numerous adaptations for the screen. In the 1990s, Goosebumps evolved into a thrilling horror anthology show for children, coinciding with the peak popularity of the book series. Then, in the 2010s, the books served as the foundation for two live-action horror-comedy movies, with Jack Black portraying a fictionalized version of the author, R.L. Stine. Finally, in 2023, Disney's Goosebumps reboot takes the books to a whole new level, bringing forth a darker TV series that specifically targets a teenage audience.
The Goosebumps books underwent several iterations over time. Originally, Goosebumps consisted of only 62 books, which may seem like a substantial number. However, due to Stine's prolific writing, many readers associate the series with a much larger collection of novels. This is primarily because Stine also authored several spinoff series, such as Goosebumps Series 2000, Tales to Give You Goosebumps, Goosebumps Horrorland, Goosebumps SlappyWorld, and Goosebumps Most Wanted. Nevertheless, the most notable spinoff mentioned in episode 7 of the 2023 Goosebumps show was
Goosebumps’ Scrapbook Story Connects To RL Stine's "Give Yourself Goosebumps" Series
The titled episode, "Give Yourself Goosebumps," of season 1 of Goosebumps derives its name from one of R.L. Stine's unique spinoffs from the original series of novels. While previous episodes of Goosebumps focused on Harold Biddle and the mystery surrounding his death, "Give Yourself Goosebumps" shifts its focus to Isaiah, Margot, Isabella, Lucas, and James as they make an effort to escape Harold's memory-filled scrapbook. While their bodies remain in a trance within Harold's house, their consciousness is transported into the bewitched scrapbook using Harold's sinister magic. This enables "Give Yourself Goosebumps" to revisit the intriguing nature of the atypical Goosebumps spinoff series bearing the same name as the episode title.
While the original Goosebumps novels and their spinoffs primarily focused on straightforward horror tales, the Give Yourself Goosebumps spinoff presented a unique "choose your own adventure" format that empowered readers to determine the main character's destiny. Written in the second person, the Give Yourself Goosebumps books typically offered at least one favorable outcome, but also harbored numerous sinister endings for the unsuspecting readers. The 2023 Goosebumps show drew inspiration from the Goosebumps books, but this particular episode took cues from the structure of the Give Yourself Goosebumps novels, featuring protagonists who found themselves literally trapped within the pages of a book, incapable of escaping.
Why The New Goosebumps Show's Formula Is Better Than An Anthology
The original '90s Goosebumps show was entertaining, but its episodic format prevented the villains from different novels from coming together. On the other hand, the lighthearted live-action movies utilized R.L. Stine's memorable monsters but lacked the original books' sense of threat. In contrast, the 2023 Goosebumps series successfully incorporates various book elements and introduces a "choose your own adventure" element, making it the most captivating and impressive attempt to bring the book's appeal to the screen. Goosebumps 2023 truly captures the essence of its source material unlike previous adaptations.
