Give Yourself Goosebumps – The episode starts with Nathan Bratt (Justin Long) finishing his story of Slappy (Chris Geere) and Harold Biddle (Ben Cockell). He becomes livid as he explains how their parents bullied Harold until the day they killed him and stole his best friend (Slappy). Apparently troubled by the best friend comment, James (Miles McKenna) asks about it. A now teary, Nathan confirms that Slappy was Harold’s best friend before resuming his rant. Once Bratt stops to gather himself, Margot Stokes (Isa Briones) asks how he knows all this. He reveals that he’s Harold and vows to get Slappy back, as he evaporates in an inferno. Panicked, the kids race to the locked front door where Isaiah Howard (Zack Morris) and Lucas Parker (Will Price) work together to bash it open. They realize they are staring down at an empty abyss.

After collecting themselves safely inside, they peek back out the door to confirm what they saw. Seeing the same thing, Margot suggests they might be trapped in Harold’s scrapbook. As the night passes and their escape attempts fail, everyone but Lucas clings to the hope that their parents will notice their absence and come looking for them.

Eliza (Laura Mennell) is shown loading her vehicle when she receives a text from James, informing her that he’s spending the night at a friend’s house. After she responds, it’s revealed that Bratt/Harold is the actual sender of the text. He forces Isabella Chen Lopez (Ana Yi Puig) to open her phone next and sends Victoria (Francoise Yip) a similar message.

Victoria informs Nora Parker (Rachael Harris) that she can no longer legally hold her at the ward without her consent. Victoria offers to help her voluntarily render herself but Nora claims she is no longer feeling hazy and reveals a tissue full of psych meds. She accuses Victoria of drugging her and threatens to get her lawyers involved. Victoria claims the medicine was to help calm her but insists she not get carried away. Before storming off, Nora says with a ghost coming after their kids, now is the exact time to get carried away. Victoria is shown sending a text, alerting someone of Nora’s release. On her way out, Nora encounters Bratt in the elevator who reveals himself as Harold and in search of Slappy. Just as Harold starts to get violent, the elevator opens to a crowd of waiting passengers. Nora uses the opportunity to escape and presumably goes in search of Slappy.

While searching that garage at the docks, Colin (Rob Huebel) shows u excited to learn about Nora’s release but surprised that she didn’t call him. He suggests celebrating the release with Lucas but she claims there is something she needs to do first. When she grabs a bag and rushes off to her car without explaining, he accuses her of having secrets while reminding her it was secrets that ruined his marriage with Sarah (Lexa Doig). When she says that everyone has secrets, he says the only secret he ever had was his relationship with her. She drives off as he tells her not to come back until she’s ready to talk.

After several more failed escape attempts, Margot begins to agree with Lucas that their parents might not save them. She suggests exploring the home. Margot takes it as an insult when James claims it was exploring that got them trapped. He admits he blames her, while James reminds them it was their parents’ sins that inspired Harold’s actions.

While driving, Nora picks up a tail and phones Luke to share her release from the psych ward. She has to leave a message promising to return home once she’s completed her important task.

The kids learn they aren’t the only ones trapped in the house when they hear footsteps approaching from above. Instead of fleeing, they arm themselves and stand their ground. The real Mr. Biddle shows up and they nearly attack him before he explains that he suspects he was possessed by a ghost.

Colin visits Ben (Leonard Roberts) in search of relationship advice but his mentions of a doll and Nora’s past secrets send him in a frantic search for Nora. Nora is still traveling by vehicle and being pursued but declines a call from Sarah.

Isaiah appears stunned that Bratt could have been possessed for so long without anyone picking up on anything strange. Bratt tries to blame it on a big life transition. Lucas all but accuses him of being a loser, as Margot asks if he knows how long he’s been trapped there. He says the last thing he remembers is the night of Isaiah’s injury. Isabella appears unbelieving and attempts to inspire Bratt when he claims he’s explored every possible escape option with no success. Her ploy seems to work and after a bit of back-and-forth, Isabella’s attention is drawn to a light coming from under a closed door. Although opening the door reveals a similar abyss to the front door, there is a floating light below. Using the drapes and tying them together, they make a rope long enough to send Isabella down to reach the light.

Reaching the light, she realizes that she’s standing in what could be the hallway of a high school. Proceeding forward, she notices a photo of Bill Clinton and an open locker with a smaller Polaroid of Sarah. Menacing laughter leads her to a microphone stand and an empty stage. Realizing that the audience is filled with puppets, she runs back to the rope. As the group struggles to hoist her up, Harold is revealed to be Nora’s pursuer. He has an open journal on the passenger’s seat and when he rips a page to dispose of his chewing gum, the high school world begins to collapse in on itself. During the escape, Bratt collides with the wall and it’s revealed the pain is shared with Harold. Once Isabella is safely in the living room, she attempts to explain and make sense of what happened below.

Ben and Eliza arrive at the locked gate of what appears to be an abandoned mine. As he gets out, she mentions their promise to never return. He claims they don’t have a choice. Seconds later, he’s shown descending into a mineshaft in search of something buried. A ghastly-looking copy of James appears from an opening above and tells him it’s gone. After disabling the rope, he goes outside to deal with Eliza. It doesn’t take her long to realize he’s an imposter, but he overpowers her and is about to hit her with a broken 4×4 when Ben intervenes. During the struggle, Eliza uses the 4×4 to subdue him.

Bratt realizes and tests his theory that the earlier collision with the wall temporarily sent him back to his body. Revealing this to the kids, they come up with the plan to send him back and rewrite the ending of the journal. Harold’s tracking of Nora leads him to a gas station where he watches her go in and come back out with two cardboard boxes. The real Bratt is transferred into the body but realizes that Harold won’t give up without a fight. Bratt finds himself transported back to the imaginary world where he shares his discovery with the kids. Lucas recognizes the store and claims it’s near their family cabin. When he suspects that Harold is following his mother, he punches Bratt and sends him back into the body. Another struggle in the body leads to the journal being tossed into a puddle and the episode wraps with the house melting around the kids.

 

Goosebumps Review

Not a horrible episode, but by the end, I was begging for it to be over. The scene jumping, especially the body transferring became a bit too much. I do, however, enjoy the concept of the fake journal world. I’d give the episode a 5 out of 10. The soundtrack is about the best thing going for the series. I’m not sure if the next episode is the finale, but I am somewhat interested to see how everything is tied together.

Get more Goosebumps recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by donating. Our onsite advertising builds brand awareness, click the link to learn more. Join our forum to discuss the latest movies, TV series, and celebrity news.