Following on from the success of the Disney+ Original series, “Goosebumps”, the show is returning for a second season; but the series is using an anthology format, much like many other 20th Television shows like “American Horror Story”. 

This means that  “Goosebumps: The Vanishing” is completely separate from the previous season of “Goosebumps”.  So if you didn’t enjoy that show, give this a whirl, because its got a brand new story, with a completely different location and cast.

“Goosebumps: The Vanishing” begins with fraternal twins Devin and Cece adjusting to life with their recently divorced dad, Anthony. 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. As they delve into the unknown, Devin, Cece and their friends — Alex, CJ and Frankie — find themselves entangled in the chilling tale of four teenagers who mysteriously vanished in 1994.

As with the previous season of “Goosebumps”, this series takes a few of the storylines from multiple classic “Goosebump” books and merges them together into one intertwined storyline. 

Since I’ve never read any of the “Goosebumps” books, all of these stories are brand new to me and I think the creators have done a great job in weaving them together, so you’d never know they were never really connected.  Each episode generally focuses on a specific character, which allows for a different book to be covered while also allowing the characters to expand beyond just a generic teenager, which wouldn’t be possible in a film. These episodes also don’t feel like filler episodes, as they branch off and expand this weird story.

While it still contains the usual American high school tropes, one of the things I like about the “Goosebumps” series is that its tone is a little more gritty and realistic than most other teenage shows, offering a taste of typical horror vibes, but without the blood and guts. However, there were plenty of moments that made me cringe, as they were a bit disgusting!

The show’s soundtrack is also impressive, with popular songs by well-known artists like Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift. These songs help set the overall tone by making it feel modern, which is important for this type of show.

Unlike the previous season of “Goosebumps,” this season has only eight episodes instead of ten, and Disney will be dropping the entire season at once in a binge rather than a week-to-week release schedule.

Disney has provided me with the first six episodes of this series, so I don’t know how this story wraps up, but having seen three-quarters of the show, I’m looking forward to watching the rest of the show when it arrives on Disney+, which is always a good sign.  I do wonder why Disney didn’t drop this around Halloween, instead of in the New Year, as it’s a great spooky adventure.   

Overall, “Goosebumps: The Vanishing” is another excellent addition to Disney+. It’s a drama series that delivers something scary for both teenagers and adults, which is refreshing. If you enjoyed the previous season, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this new season, too, so it’s an easy recommendation to try out, as I preferred this second season to the first.

Rating:  4 Out Of 5

“Goosebumps: The Vanishing” is coming to Disney+ and Hulu on January 10th 2025.

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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