Parents' Guide to

Goosebumps

By Ashley Moulton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Fun, nostalgic scares may be too spooky for some kids.

TV Disney+ , Hulu Science Fiction 2023
Goosebumps 2023 TV Poster Image: A creepy puppet face is surrounded by the faces of several adults and teenagers looking scard.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 17 parent reviews

Shamagne
Shamagne Parent of 18+-year-old
October 16, 2023
age 17+

Awful

Not appropriate for a family movie. Shocking and disappointing
Tiffany S.
Tiffany S. Parent of 12 and 16-year-old
October 15, 2023
age 18+

Good but too much s*x references.

The storyline was a bit slow to start but it had us (kids 12 and 16) on the edge of our seat. The actors were great! Overall it was good. There is way too much reference about s*x and the parent are having an affair. I think the story could have done with out that. I don't feel like it is for little kids.
See all 17 parent reviews

What's the Story?

GOOSEBUMPS is an extension of the universe built in the 1995 TV series (itself an adaptation of R.L. Stine's spooky book series). The series begins with teenage friends breaking into a house to throw an epic Halloween party. They soon realize that they've awakened a teenage ghost, Harold Biddle, who died in the basement in 1993 under mysterious circumstances. Biddle's ghost thinks he was wronged as a teen, and is determined to get revenge on his former friends' children. A teen's mom (Rachel Harris) makes the connection between what's happening in 2023 and what happened 30 years ago. The friends begin "time hopping" in an effort to try to stop Biddle, so they can worry about normal teenage things like college and crushes.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (17 ):
Kids say (8 ):

Parents who grew up with the '90s Goosebumps will love watching (and getting scared) with their teens. Kids will likely be more divided -- some will love the spooky scares and others will hide under the covers. For those kids ready for a thrill, Goosebumps is an eerily good time. The scares are good: just spooky enough to be fun but not approach grown-up levels of horror. The characters are relatable, and there are a lot of great acting performances by the ensemble cast. The plot development and writing is sophisticated enough that grown-ups will also enjoy. Watch together -- just maybe not right before bed.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about watching scary TV shows or movies like Goosebumps. Is it fun to be scared? What feels scary to you? What doesn't?

  • When do you think the characters in Goosebumps are good role models? When are times they do not make good decisions?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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