Everyone loves a good campy movie or TV show. It's nice to take a break from the more serious side of entertainment from time to time, and watch something that's just fun. For me, my go-to choice has always been the "Goosebumps" TV show from the 1990's. Running from 1995 to 1998, the show was an adaptation of the book series by famed author R. L. Stine. By today's standards, it's a pretty campy show. The acting can be over exaggerated, the effects look outdated, and the scares do little more than make you jump slightly. But that's the fun of it. It's one of those shows that's made to give the audience a good time. But upon rewatching it, I've realized that it deserves more credit than it's given.
Whenever I tell people that "Goosebumps" is one of my favorite shows, their first reaction is usually to laugh. It's a terrible show, they say, and it's not scary at all. I always tell them that this is exactly why I love it so much. Recently, I've been binge watching the series while quarantining at home, and I've realized that there's an entire layer to the show that I've completely missed for years.
While most of the episodes are campy and ridiculous, there are a select few that are actually quite deep and mature. Some of them tackle more serious topics, such as bullying and self esteem in "The Haunted Mask," while others have some dark undertones, such as a brother and sister being hunted down by an executioner in "A Night in Terror Tower." This is a bit more than I would expect from a children's horror show from the 1990's.
I think this is a very good thing. It's a way for kids to learn valuable lessons while also being entertained. Kids might not be attracted to sitting down with their parents to have a serious conversation. In fact, most kids would probably be turned away from that kind of situation. So, putting these kinds of messages in a television show and making it seem fun is a good way to give them the information they need. It might also give kids a lifelong love of horror, like it did for me.
As a case study of sorts for this article, I shall focus on the episode "The Haunted Mask." This was the premiere episode that kicked off the show on October 27, 1995. It follows a young girl named Carly Beth, who is known at school as being easily scared. She is constantly targeted by classmates Chuck and Steve, who play vicious pranks to scare the daylights out of her. As Halloween approaches, she decides to seek revenge. She takes a creepy mask from a novelty shop to scare Chuck and Steve, ignoring warnings from the shopkeeper that the mask is actually alive and is quite evil.
On the night of Halloween, Carly Beth meets with her best friend Sabrina to go trick-or-treating. As the night progresses, Carly Beth seems to change. Her voice doesn't sound the same, and she begins to scare everyone she comes across. Sabrina begins to worry for her friend, but Carly Beth dismisses her concerns. She eventually finds Chuck and Steve, using a plaster bust of her head that her mom made in art class to get them to apologize to her "old" self. When the bust suddenly begins to talk, the two boys run off and Carly Beth buries the bust among the graves.
Back at Sabrina's house, Carly Beth realizes that the mask she is wearing has begun to morph into her face, preventing Carly Beth from taking it off. Seeking help from the shopkeeper she got the mask from, he explains that only a symbol of true love can free her from the mask's spell. She tracks down the bust of her head, and the love that her mom put into making it for her finally frees Carly Beth.
At its core, "The Haunted Mask" is about bullying and finding the love you have for yourself. Carly Beth begins the episode feeling self-conscious and afraid, and is constantly picked on by her classmates. This leads her to adopt a new identity that strays far away from who she is, causing her to lose herself in the process. When she sees the true love of her friends and family, she discovers a newfound love for herself and becomes proud of her true identity. This message is perfectly expressed through the masterful and genuine performance of Kathryn Long, who plays Carlyn Beth. This episode is a perfect example of the unsung brilliance that is "Goosebumps." The show may largely be known for its campy '90s horror, but it offers many good life lessons that can also amaze and delight its audience.
