Goosebumps: The Vanishing
By Sioph W. Leal
Goosebumps: The Vanishing begins with fraternal twins Devin (Sam McCarthy) and Cece Brewer (Jayden Bartels) adjusting to life with their recently divorced dad, Anthony (David Schwimmer). When the duo discovers a threat stirring, they quickly realize that dark secrets are among them, triggering a chain of events that unravel a profound mystery. When Anthony receives his brother’s personal effects and discovers a new species of carnivorous and malevolent goo. Anthony's quest to understand the creature's ties to his brother and creates a rule for his children to stay out of the basement, allowing the mysterious substance to claim a new host. Devin's ill-advised visit to Fort Jerome triggers a planet-wide threat, causing chaos for their family and friends.
While Schwimmer can be the biggest draw for people, Goosebumps: The Vanishing really shines when the series focuses on the younger characters. Having characters from all walks of life allows anyone watching to relate to at least one of the characters, and it helps that the young cast of characters delivers in terms of the dramatic tensions that fans of Goosebumps will love. Frankie (Galilea La Salvia) is Devin’s long-time crush but is romantically involved with Trey (Stony Blyden), offering the romantic tension that some may find interesting. Joining the rest of the younger characters is Alex (Francesca Noel), who is risking her freedom, something that comes at a great cost considering she was just released from juvenile detention, but her flirtatious nature shines with CeCe, who is trying to protect her stellar reputation. Having a big cast list runs the risk of some overshadowing others, and while the younger cast members do deliver in their performance, maybe if this were reduced, the pacing wouldn’t feel so off.
Even though Goosebumps: The Vanishing establishes the threat to its characters, the pacing lets the series down. The first episode feels very reminiscent of the classic Goosebumps eerie legacy, but after that, things start to fall apart, which isn’t helped by some of the predictable, almost embarrassing dialogue that the younger cast tries hard to feel organic. It may be because of the heavy-handed script, but sometimes the lines do come across more like caricatures than young adults venturing through the world of Goosebumps.
The mystery and thriller plots are a staple in any Goosebumps piece of art, be it the books or any other adaptation. Unfortunately, Goosebumps: The Vanishing is great at hooking a viewer but reveals take too long (yes, even for a short series) that feel that the episode run could have been reduced with very little impact.
One of the best things about Goosebumps: The Vanishing is David Schwimmer. While he is known for his more comedic roots, Schwimmer highlights his range within Goosebumps: The Vanishing. Though still slightly silly in his performance, this lends some familiarity to fans of Schwimmer’s previous works without it just being a carbon copy of his past characters. When the plot finally progresses, Schwimmer gives a brilliant performance that makes him the standout of the show.
Goosebumps: The Vanishing offers dramatic tensions that fans of the Goosebumps series will love. However, the pacing can be a bit off, with predictable dialogue and a heavy-handed script with plots that feel dragged out, killing any of the built-up tensions. David Schwimmer is a standout, but even with his performance, it felt as if Goosebumps: The Vanishing’s run could have been reduced by two episodes.
Goosebumps: The Vanishing premieres January 10 on Disney+ in the U.S.