Ep 3. Be Careful What You Wish For

On the third episode of season two of Goosebumps, viewers are introduced to the character of Samantha, a young girl who is constantly bullied and ridiculed by her popular classmates for her braces, frizzy hair and glasses. Samantha is miserable and wishes nothing more than to be popular like her classmates, with abundance of friends, good looks and fashionable clothes. However, her wishes seemingly come true when she discovers a strange woman selling wish-granting stones. The woman hands Samantha a stone and tells her to make a wish, warning her to be careful what she wishes for.

Excitedly, Samantha wishes to be popular and immediately notices a change in her appearance and circumstances- she wakes up with beautiful hair, flawless skin, stylish clothes and a locker next to the popular girls of her school. However, the happiness that comes with her newfound popularity is short-lived as Samantha soon realizes that all is not as it seems. The popular circle she now finds herself in is full of cliques and gossip and she soon begins to become the person she despised- a mean girl who makes fun of others and disregards her old friends.

Samantha also begins to notice that the things she wished for are coming at a cost- her family life is falling apart and her friends are now avoiding her. The wish-granting woman comes back into the picture to warn Samantha that her wishes come with consequences and that she must choose carefully before making any more. Samantha realizes that her wish has cost her more than she ever bargained for and sets to work trying to reverse her wish and get her old life back.

Themes of self-esteem, bullying, and the consequences of wishes are central to this episode. The costume and make-up teams do an excellent job in transforming Samantha from a nerdy and awkward character to a beautiful and popular one, with perfect hair and makeup. The writing is characteristically strong, with the audience being able to empathize with Samantha's struggles and immediately rooting for her to succeed. The episode does a great job of exploring the idea that popularity is not always what it seems and that getting what we want doesn't always lead to happiness.

Overall, 'Be Careful What You Wish For' is a well-paced and enjoyable episode of Goosebumps that touches on serious themes in a manner that is easily digestible for its young target audience. The show remains true to its horror roots, with some tense and spooky moments that keep viewers on the edge of their seats.