Streaming Now: R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour (Netflix)
If you grew up reading “Goosebumps” books like me, you might have a soft spot for the entertaining, and the slightly spooky stories of R.L. Stine. Varying from monster stories, to sci-fi tales, Stine has made himself a handsome living churning out dozens of stories that terrified children. In case you missed it, the stories of R.L. Stine were adapted first to a “Goosebumps” TV show that aired from 1995–1998 (and streaming now on Netflix). These shows are incredibly entertaining and offer great nostalgic value. They also are notable for guest appearances by some actors that have went on to have very successful careers, like a young Ryan Gosling.
More recently though, R.L. Stine had a series called “R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour” which ran from 2010–2014. This series has a more modern look, and on a whole has stronger story-telling that is more focused on delivering a scare along with a message. I’m not a fan of scary movies. I really don’t like to jump out of my seat. In this sense, this show is perfect, as it is more spooky than scary, and also offers a campy sensibility that makes it entertaining as well. You can stream it on Netflix. Some episodes I’d highly recommend from season one are highlighted below:
Really You: Part 1 and Really You: Part 2
Have you ever wondered what it would be like if a creepy doll that looked like you came to life and tried to sabotage your life? No? Oh well, it’s still a good premise for a children’s TV show.
IMDB describes this one as: “A family moves into a new home, but the son soon discovers there is something wrong within the walls.” This one is a little bit creepy, but it has a surprisingly pointed message for a kid’s show.
This image is about as scary as this episode gets, but let’s be honest, most clowns are kind of creepy, so this episode basically writes itself.
This one will keep you guessing until the end. R.L. Stine is known for his surprise endings, and in that regard, this is one of the best episodes in the first season.
This episode explores the devastating impact of drug addiction through the story of a boy and his love for that elusive perfect ice cream that he can’t seem to get enough of. This is one of my favorites.
