My daughters are at an age where the internet is becoming a thing. Now, it's always been a thing as they are ‘Digital Natives’ rather than a ‘Digital Nomad’ like me, using it to watch their shows and get Alexa to carry out their whims, but they are having to use it for their studies now and so we've had to set out rules and boundaries. The fact is that the internet will continue to have an increasingly significant role in their lives has prompted me to reflect on my own experiences with its emergence. Unlike them, I grew up in an era when the internet was still finding its footing…

Gaming writer Leigh Alexander's Breathing Machine: A Memoir of Computers beautifully captured the experience of growing up alongside the nascent internet, a journey that resonated deeply with me as someone in my early forties. Her memoir evoked a powerful nostalgia for a time when technology felt both exhilarating and profoundly complex. The descriptions of connecting with people in chat rooms, receiving early emails and navigating forgotten search engines paint a familiar picture for those who witnessed the internet's inception. The distinct visual and auditory cues of that era—the blurry images on CRT monitors, the crackle of internal speakers and the mechanical sounds of floppy disks and hard drives—created an almost tangible atmosphere, as if a ‘ghost in the machine’ truly existed.

My own first introduction to the internet occurred around 1996, in Year 10, when a friend insisted I create a Hotmail account. Despite my initial lack of understanding, I created an account that I still use today and am not too embarrassed by. In those early days, the internet felt like a place of boundless magic, potential and authenticity and an unfettered, democratic space brimming with hope.

One of the most significant aspects of growing up with the internet was the ability to find communities. These online spaces were formative, allowing individuals to connect with like-minded people, whether actively participating in comments, chat sections and bulletin boards or simply observing. The shared passion for a particular topic transcended the level of engagement. There was a prevailing belief that the internet could eradicate ignorance by providing widespread access to information, ushering in an era of euphoria where empathy and understanding would flourish globally. Sadly, that optimistic theory seems to have faded, much like Lycos, Geocities, Ask Jeeves and AltaVista.

I recall an instance where I attended a weekend university taster program at the London School of Economics (LSE), which offered access to fast internet and printers. I spent hours of my Saturdays engrossed in downloading and printing greyscale images from Mysterious Cities of Gold, Evangelion and Battle Angel Alita, a few of my greatest passions at the time. The sheer volume of information available online was astonishing. I would stay well into the afternoon, thoroughly enjoying myself while listening to Jean Michel Jarre on my portable CD player. Yes, I was a very hipster teen with my finger on the pulse!

I found my old CD player man-bag whilst tidying up my stuff from the loft…good times!

Growing up with the internet also meant encountering unexpected content, which, in some ways, accelerated maturity. In the late 1990s, it was surprisingly easy to stumble upon inappropriate material accidentally. Even seemingly innocuous searches, like for images of ‘milk’ could lead to unexpected results. A tangential link could quickly expose you to the most grotesque or peculiar content. This experience brought to mind the slow, line-by-line loading of images on my old Amstrad CPC 464 as, back then, images would load row by row over several seconds. I became quite adept at quickly clicking back from an image before it became offensive, almost like a digital game of whack-a-mole.

My involvement in the Gold List, a Mysterious Cities of Gold mailing list, was how I first acquired copied VHS tapes of the entire series. I was ecstatic, paying £50 at the time for six NTSC VHS tapes from America. Later, when a friend downloaded the unofficial soundtrack for me via BearShare, I was convinced of the internet's magical nature. This led me down a nostalgic rabbit hole, where I downloaded old series I had long wanted to watch but were unavailable for purchase—a time well before the widespread release of goldrush content on DVD.

During my university years, the internet also exposed me to a different kind of content: conspiracy theories. I delved into Erich von Däniken's theories about aliens creating the pyramids, which led me to Graham Hancock's pseudoscientific ideas about ancient civilizations being more advanced due to alien intervention or Atlantean knowledge. This, in turn, introduced me to David Icke's theories about a cabal of globalists and bankers ruling the world, secret societies like the Illuminati controlling people, and inter-dimensional shapeshifting aliens feeding on blood and preparing Earth for harvesting. I won't deny that I felt as though I had stepped ‘through the looking glass,’ and it genuinely scared me; I began seeing covert agents and spies everywhere. However, a friend from UEL chatted to me, told me to give my head a wobble, whilst another introduced me to the music of Björk and then I had an epiphany: Really? Bloomin’ lizards! Yes, while there is no doubt that powerful individuals and groups (lobbyists) undoubtedly exist(ed), succumbing to fear and paranoia was not the answer, especially with regards to blood-drinking, shape-shifting, inter-dimensional space lizards (for those who don’t know, this is an actual Icke theory). No, we had Y2K and the Mayan year of 2012 to worry about.

Now I know that living life and challenging real oppressors, rather than fictional reptilian creatures or fleeting cult of personality groups, is what truly matters. That and cat videos. Lots and lots of cat videos!

Despite being virtual spaces, the internet facilitates genuine human connections and relationships. These online communities have served as crucial support networks for many, particularly during events like the pandemic and I am confident they will continue to do so in the face of whatever the future holds for us.

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For many people of my ages (early 40s if you must know) Goosebumps was their first entry point into horror. I never really got into the book series in the early 90s myself, preferring fantasy and sci-fi at the time of its initial popularity. I watched a few episodes of Are You Afraid of the Dark? at the time and watched the entirely of series a few years ago, which I have reviewed here. So, when many people were saying that Goosebumps was well worth a watch too, I dived in and watched the award winning TV series over a few months. With the darkness and cold night setting in, I thought the time was right to catch up with R. L. Stine and share with you the 13 best episodes, in my humble opinion of course.

The entire TV series was spread over 4 seasons and contained 74 episodes. The episodes were a veritable smorgasbord of horror tropes including classics like ghosts, vampires and werewolfs to more offbeat but no less terrifying creatures including ventriloquist dummies. The most interesting thing to note is that no matter the episode the power of the storytelling and creepy atmosphere made them all worthwhile watching, which is particularly impressive when you consider each episode had a tiny budget. Strict age rating restrictions meant economy of design and smart editing left much to the imagination and often what you imagine is worse than what is shown, as H. P. Lovecraft so often used to startling effect.

I have selected my favourite 13 episodes which are the ones I'd recommend you watch. All the episodes are PG rated so are scary without being gory or too violent.

Welcome to the Dead House
A family move to Dark Falls as a house comes on the market that seems too good to pass up. The town is quiet and eerie, having never been the same since the chemical plant accident that occured 3 years prior.

This is a proper B-movie zombie horde double episode as the family uncover the secrets of the house and are surrounded by the town who are looking to feed. The atmosphere created is surprisingly intense, creating a gloomy and suspenseful mood that would be right at home in a Stephen King movie.

Welcome to the Dead House has a B-movie zombie horde feel to it… but in the best possible way.

Night of the Living Dummy 2
When a young girl is given a ventriloquist's dummy little does she know it is the incorrigible Slappy, a malevolent besuited insult and roasting figure that breaks up families wherever he goes. In this case he does small level stuff that gets his owner, Amy the middle child of three, in trouble. Her family turn against her and they think she might need some therapy or a psychologist. Will she be able to prove that Slappy is to blame in time?
Slappy's design is on point here and he is suitably evil but in a strictly U way. The story is quite basic but is quintessential Goosebumps. He became the kind of totem for the series and it's easy to see why on the strength of this solid episode.

Slappy is kind of the talisman of the show. He is probably its most recognised character.

Deep Trouble
A brother and sister are staying with their scientist uncle for the Summer holidays. They explore his basement and see that he is creating experiments that turn animals giant. An enlarged sea creature is on the loose and could pose a problem.
This is an effective tale as halfway through this 2 parter they end up stranded on an island with the creature stalking them nearby. It's like an old school Sinbad movie with oversized creatures, such as lizards and crabs, for tweens. The Green screen is obviously cheaply done but it gets the tone across effectively enough.

The practical effects looks cheesy now but in the 90s they were plenty effective.

Say Cheese and Die
After stealing a camera from an eccentric scientist, a young boy learns that it takes a picture of the future, showing death and tragedy.
It's an interesting concept about knowing the future in the Final Destination style. The curse is all too real and so it must be given back before something worse happens.
The camera obscura, the camera that sees the hidden world is a great idea and I quite enjoyed this story ad it wasn't too horrory.

The Werewolf of Fever Swamp
A family move into a home near a swamp but something is disturbing their dear. Legends of a werewolf abound but the scientist parents dont think it's real.
The atmosphere created for the swamp is excellent as it feels eerie and isolated. Also, I'm glad that with the limited budget they had, they only showed the werewolf in bits and pieces. This stops the whole 'the special effects are so naff' syndrome that so many tween horror films and series had back in the day.

The special effects are kept to a minimum and the moody atmosphere of the dark woodlands creates the requisite tension required.

Ghost Beach
A couple of kids spend their summer with their uncle and Aunt near the beach. Along the way they meet a couple of kids who tell them the legend of the pilgrim ghost who lives in a nearby cave.
The story is a simple one of 'who to trust' but is effective with a surprise twist at the end.

The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight
A couple of city kids go to the countryside to stay with their grandparents. At night, the young boy says he can see the scarecrows move but how have they come alive?
This is a genuinely spooky tween horror episode as the scene with the scarecrows trying to come in during the thunderstorm is suitably creepy. Cornfield are a staple of horror and rightly so as you can get disoriented and discombobulated.

The lighting really adds to this story and this scene is particularly spooky.

Stay Out of the Basement
When a botanist is made redundant, he holes up in his basement and carries out weird experiments. The children are intrigued as to what he does and venture down to find out. It doesn't go well.
This is a great episode as it creates a mood, from the autumnal leaves falling in the wind on the opening scene to the emerald green hue of the basement, it all adds tension to a surprisingly powerful ending. The actor who plays the dad, Judah Katz, gives a very creepy performance and is the MVP of this episode.

Judah Katz is excellent in his role as the slightly sinister Doctor.

A Night in Terror Tower
A couple of kids visit London and travel to a tower where princes and political prisoners were kept and tortured. They experience a time slips and travel back and forward in time to medieval times.
For show that was aimed at kids, this episode quite unsettling. The scene at the beginning when the boy is being warned off by a ghost at the top of the tower creates a sense of foreboding that is quite palpable even now. The scenes of the tour guide discussing the many contraptions of pain in his plummy English accent is suitably creepy but it's the mood, which reminds me of the old Madame Tussaud's Chamber of Horrors exhibition, which truly sends a shiver down the spine. The scene in the execution chamber is beautifully lit and the whole thing looks to be a higher production value. This is definitely one the best Goosebumps episodes in its entire run and my favourite with wobbly wobbly, timey wimey stuff in it.

This is my favourite Goosebumps episode as it is quite complex and compelling.

Be Careful What You Wish For
When a young girl who finds it hard to fit in is given three wishes for helping a stranger, she has a typical monkey paws situation where all her wishes backfire.
The episode is interesting as it looks at that old classic of being careful what you wish for. It's all pretty light hearted but does get sinister.

A typical monkey’s paw tale but for the U genration.

The Haunted Mask
A young girl with self-esteem issues picks a scary mask to wear for Halloween but it doesn't come off as easily ad it goes on.
This is an excellent episode as the actress Kathryn Long really sells the role of Carly Beth. The story is quite emotional too as it pulls the whole 'be true to yourself as be proud to be you' shtick. This is a bona-fide classic and rightly so.

For many fans, this is the best episode.

The Haunted Mask 2
A year after the events of The Haunted Mask, the possessed mask returns and takes over the shopkeeper. Now, seeking revenge a new mask of a creepy old man takes over a frenemy of Carly Beth.
This is quite an unnerving episode as the young cast do a great job of elevating the material. Kathryn Long is excellent once again and the ending is quite dramatic. A worthy follow-up to an all timer Goosebumps.

This is a solid follow up to the fan favourite.

One Day at Horrorland
When a family on a road trip are lost they come across Horrorland, a spooktacular theme park. Yet, the resident are not what they seem and the family get involved in a quirky quiz show before being left on a real cliffhanger.
The idea behind this, a theme park full of monsters, is great but the special effects are very low budget so it is a harder sell. However, the makeup and set design are on point and really sell the story of a family desperate to escape from a surreal nightmare.

This is an offbeat episode but the make-up is on point.

Overall, all these episodes are great and I'd definitely recommend them but they often follow the same premise: a family with a couple of teenagers move into a too good to be true house in the sticks. The neighbours are weird and the area is rundown but the parents got the house cheap because the previous tenant mysteriously vanished...so swings and roundabouts. Oh, and there's a creepy creature somewhere nearby but it's probably just a legend. This is tween horror 101 and is proper by the books but it doesn't mean it's enjoyable... it was a gateway to more exciting and subversive horror for many readers and watchers of the series later in life. For those looking for the same kind of vibe but in the more current age with a wider story variety I'd recommend Creeped Out.

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