In February 2024, Disney renewed Goosebumps for Season 2. The renewal also confirmed that this is a horror anthology series, as the new season plans to include a new cast and tell a different tale using Goosebumps books. The first season didn’t follow one particular book, but used several as inspiration, including Night of the Living Dummy, Say Cheese and Die, and The Cuckoo Clock of Doom. Goosebumps Season 2 incorporates more classic novels.
There are 62 books in the original R.L. Stine series (published from 1993 to 1997). Therefore, the Goosebumps Season 2 writers, directors, and producers have a lot of potential material. Season 1 features many aspects of the books, but takes its most inspiration from about five novels, some of which are the most popular in the franchise. Like other anthology series, a few elements from previous seasons may continue throughout to loosely link the universe, such as Slappy potentially appearing again. However, the season definitely focuses on entirely new books.
Well, I have a few suggestions for Goosebumps Season 2.
Warning: Goosebumps Season 1 and book spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.
The Haunted School
The Haunted School follows a boy who eventually becomes lost at his new school. He meets a group of students who went missing. They disappeared in 1947 after having their school photo taken. Based on Variety’s description of the plot of Goosebumps Season 2, I believe The Haunted School is one of the stories that the new season heavily features.
Instead of a 1947 class, it’s a 1994 class. The story offers a lot of opportunities because of the mystery surrounding the disappearing students. It also allows a more seamless way to incorporate the classic books. Instead of strictly focusing on the haunted school happening because of the photograph, each of the five teenagers could have their disappearance happen in a school but for different reasons. Each reason can tie into a Goosebumps book.
The Ghost Next Door
The Ghost Next Door follows Hannah, a girl who believes her new neighbor is a ghost. However, the major twist reveals that she’s the actual ghost. Before M. Night Shyamalan pulled off this jaw-dropping twist, Stine shook readers with this unveiling. A lead character’s obliviousness to their death and being a ghost has been done many times now. However, when done right, it’s a classic twist that works.
Goosebumps Season 2 can use this twist cleverly, especially if they allow viewers to follow the character (or characters) for a while before making the big reveal. The premise of the second season should have an easy way to make a character unaware that they’re a ghost.
One Day At Horrorland
A family accidentally stumbles upon a theme park full of dangerous rides and sinister intentions. Goosebumps Season 1 has a circus-themed episode, so naturally, the show needs a theme park one. This could also work as a flashback episode. Maybe the disappearance of the five students could tie into a mysterious theme park instead of a school.
The season could also take a sort of slasher-esque tone by having teens suddenly go on a ride and disappear. You don’t discover until the end that this is how they vanish.
Let’s Get Invisible
Let’s Get Invisible follows siblings who discover a mirror that makes them invisible. They invite their friends to test it out. Soon, things take a potentially deadly turn. The art of invisibility seems like something that works well within the high school TV show realm. The feeling of isolation, loneliness, and just becoming ostracized or an outsider very much falls within the frame of high school dramas. That makes this a good book to use as inspiration in Season 2. One of the teens could be an outsider who discovers the mirror.
The teen has fun with invisibility at first (pranking teachers, revenge on bullies, stealing without consequences, etc.) but soon starts to realize the danger of it. Plus, it could still have the part of the story involving friends. The friends use the mirror, then some get lost in it or controlled by their mirror selves.
Don’t Go To Sleep
In Don’t Go To Sleep, a 12-year-old boy sleeps in a new room because his bed feels too small. This one change sends him into a multiverse catastrophe. Every time he falls asleep in the guest room, something in his world changes. Goosebumps Season 1 plays with altering reality with The Cuckoo Clock of Doom. The book and TV show showcase a time loop story, though it takes notes from some great time travel movies with James (Miles McKenna) learning how to make the loop work in his favor.
Season 2 could use a similar idea with a main character using the altered realities to change his or her world in their favor. David Schwimmer has been added to the cast as the lead parent., and I see this as the perfect chance to have Schwimmer play various versions of himself or do something hilarious with a cameo from a Friends actor playing an alt-universe version of him.
Be Careful What You Wish For
Be Careful What You Wish For explores the idea of wishes and magic. A young girl meets a woman who grants her three wishes. Unfortunately, the girl doesn’t know the golden rule of magic wishes: be very specific with them. Every time the girl makes a wish, it doesn’t go as planned.
This is the type of storyline perfect for television. Goosebumps Season 2 could effortlessly add this storyline. It has so much potential for comedic and dramatic moments. The first season uses a lot of magic, so it makes sense for the second one to do the same, especially if the anthology stories are loosely connected.
The Girl Who Cried Monster
Lucy enjoys telling monster stories. However, one day she learns that her librarian is a monster. She tells her family but no one believes her. The Girl Who Cried Monster is one of the Goosebumps stories I remember very well because of the twist.
The twist ending really makes this book worth reading or watching. Therefore, I would love to see it featured in Season 2. It would join the club of great TV twists, especially based on how the show eventually reveals everything. Additionally, The Girl Who Cried Monster storyline allows the visual effects and costume and makeup department some fun assignments.
The Werewolf Of Fever Swamp
A family moves to a new town. First, they discover strange howling, and then something begins gruesomely eating animals. A werewolf lurks in town. Goosebumps has a few werewolf stories, but The Werewolf of Fever Swamp is the first one. Adding more mythological monsters could be fun as part of the Season 2 trajectory.
Additionally, we need more great werewolf movies and shows and this could give that to us. This is another Goosebumps book with a great, shocking reveal, so I want as many surprises in the second season as possible.
Goosebumps Season 2 likely won’t premiere until later in 2024. For now, we’ll have to wait and see what classic novels from the book series make it into the show.
