For people who grew up in the ’90s, there were a few TV shows that are considered staples. There was the loveable cartoon Arthur and, in a totally opposite genre, there was Goosebumps. The TV series, based on the books of the same name by beloved author R.L. Stine, lasted for four seasons from 1995 until 1998.
The beginning of each episode featured a guy with a briefcase, a dog with eyes that turned a creepy color, and the line “Viewer, beware, you’re in for a scare!” Since there were 74 episodes, it makes sense that some were awesome and scary (at least to kids watching it at the time) and some weren’t quite as good. Let’s look at the best and worst episodes of Goosebumps and get nostalgic for this horror series.
Best: Say Cheese And Die
The Goosebumps episode “Say Cheese And Die” stars Ryan Gosling, so for that reason alone, it’s fun to re-watch and see him as a young actor. The storyline of this episode is really solid, making it one of the best episodes of the series.
Greg (Ryan Gosling) finds a camera that isn’t your average one. It takes photos and shows that something scary is going to occur. That would be enough… but then it actually does. Greg can tell that there’s some dark magic involved with this camera, and he comes across the creepy owner, a man who ends up in the camera. This is one of the best Goosebumps episodes since it’s cheesy fun, which is definitely the tone of the show.
Worst: Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes
Everyone knows that lawn gnomes are creepy at best and just kind of lame at worst. If anyone walked by a house that had them on the front lawn, they would wonder about that decor choice, that’s for sure.
It makes sense to have a TV episode about dangerous lawn gnomes, but unfortunately, this one doesn’t quite measure up to that idea. “Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes” is one of the worst Goosebumps episodes because it’s pretty dull. The main character, Joe Burton (Lance Paton), is wondering if his father’s two new lawn gnomes are evil… and that’s kind of it. This episode is much duller than the others.
Best: Be Careful What You Wish For
The idea of “be careful what you wish for” has a part of the horror genre for a while, and this Goosebumps episode does it perfectly. The main character, Samantha (Melody Johnson), meets a woman named Clarissa (Ellen-Ray Henness) who says she can make some wishes.
The problem, of course, is that this doesn’t always work out super well. For instance, when Samantha wants others to “buzz off” she doesn’t want anyone to tease or bother her… but they become flies. And at the end of the episode, Judith (Susan Cooke), the mean girl who Samantha can’t stand, is a statue. Oops…
Worst: Say Cheese And Die… Again
Just like movie sequels and TV reboots aren’t always as top-notch as the first time around, this Goosebumps episode that continues the “Say Cheese And Die” storyline isn’t very good.
Greg (this time played by Patrick Thomas) has come across the camera again, and this time he’s dealing with his teacher, Mr. Saur (Louis Del Grande), who is bald in the final moments of the episode. Before he actually goes bald, though, he sees himself that way in a picture taken with the camera. This episode isn’t as interesting or unnerving as the first one, and it doesn’t stack up well.
Best: Attack of the Jack O Lanterns
A horror anthology series absolutely must have a Halloween-themed episode. “Attack of the Jack O Lanterns” is pure fun because there are characters who are pumpkin people with Jack O Lanterns on their heads.
This is one of the best Goosebumps episodes because it’s well done, genuinely terrifying, and the main character Drew (Erica Luttrell) learns that her friends Shana (Andrea O’Roarke) and Shane (Philip Eddolls) are actually aliens. There’s nothing better than a solid twist, and when Goosebumps delivers a huge shocker at the end of an episode, it’s always well done.
Worst: The Perfect School
No one likes homework or cramming for exams, but no one is all that concerned about school being actually evil. That changes in the Goosebumps episode “The Perfect School.”
Brian (Shawn Roberts) learns that the school his mom and dad have sent him to has such high standards of perfection that the students are basically in jail and cloned. It’s not as compelling to watch as the show’s other episodes and seems too on the nose as there aren’t a lot of twists or surprises. It’s basically The Stepford Wives but with students.
Best: The Girl Who Cried Monster
You don’t exactly expect to find monsters hanging out in the library. Lucy (Deborah Scorsone) is freaked out that the libriarian Mr. Mortman (Eugene Lipinski) appears to be a monster.
This is one of the best Goosebumps episodes since the ending is so surprising. Lucy learns that her mom and dad are actually monsters, too, so it’s no big deal that she saw one. The big reveal happens in the final moments of the episode when the librarian is over for dinner.
Worst: Stay Out Of The Basement
Kids are always freaked out by basements, but that’s taken to a whole new level in this Goosebumps episode. Siblings Casey (Blake McGrath) and Margaret (Beki Lantos) wonder what their father does all the time in the basement. It seems more than just working on plants.
It turns out that it’s a creepy clone of their father who is actually a plant. This episode isn’t particularly scary and it doesn’t hold up that great.
Best: Welcome To Dead House
“Welcome To Dead House” is definitely a memorable episode. When you move to a new town and a new house, you might think that you have some weird neighbors. But you don’t expect them to be dead.
Amanda (Amy Stewart) discovers that everyone in Dark Falls has basically become zombies because of gas from a local factory. The characters are convincing and horrifying, and the episode succeeds in making the viewer feel unnerved and like something bad is going to happen.
Worst: An Old Story
In “An Old Story,” two brothers named Tom (Kyle Downes) and Jon (Jordan Allison) eat prune cookies (gross) and become elderly men. This is because their Aunt Dahlia wants them to be older so they can date her two friends.
This episode is one of the worst because it’s just plain creepy… and awkward to watch. It gets even worse when one of them becomes a baby near the episode’s end. This is a Goosebumps episode to skip, but thankfully there are so many other good ones to re-watch.
