Derek and Margo Strange are antagonists of the thirteenth book in the Goosebumps Series 2000 series, Return to HorrorLand.
History[]
Derek and Margo Strange are a married couple who host "The Strange Report", an investigative report television show that investigates the many strange happenings all over the United States. For example, they interview Evan Ross about his experiences with Monster Blood and the incident involving Cuddles the Hamster attacking his school. Derek and Margo then arrive at the home of the Morris family. After learning about the family's harrowing encounter at HorrorLand six months prior, they offer Luke Morris, Lizzy Morris and Clay the opportunity to return to the park and expose the Horrors. At first everyone is hesitant (except for Luke, who does want to go back), but after the Stranges offer ten thousand dollars, the kids all agree to return to HorrorLand.
Everyone arrives at HorrorLand with Derek and Margo pretending to be the kids' parents. They bring the kids to multiple dangerous attractions with the intent of taking footage for the show. However, the Stranges disappear every time something dangerous happens to Luke, Lizzy or Clay. Lizzy ends up getting lost from Luke and Clay due to a disappearing act by Amaz-O, and finds the two at Vulture Beach, tied down and ready to be eaten alive by vultures. She frees them and the kids escape the park. However, they are soon found by Derek and Margo, who pick them up in their van. They then turn around and return to HorrorLand. Derek and Margo reveal that this was all a setup. The Horrors had paid the Stranges to capture the kids if they agreed to reveal the truth about HorrorLand. They leave Luke, Lizzy and Clay to the Horrors and drive off with their money.
But before the kids are to be thrown off an attraction called The Final Leap, two Horrors save them. They all get into a van where the two reveal themselves to be human reporters for a show called "Weird Copy". They tell the kids that Derek and Margo were arrested not long after their betrayal. The "Weird Copy" people then arrive at TerrorVille, where they tell the kids that they need to get footage for their show.
General information[]
Physical appearance[]
Derek is described as being tall with a straight black mustache and wavy hair, making him look a lot like Tom Selleck. His hair is an obvious toupee. Margo is described has having bright red hair and green eyes, looking much like Dana Scully from The X Files.
A minor change is made to the Derek in Goosebumps HorrorTown, where he has blue eyes. Their designs otherwise retain the similarities to Tom Selick and Scully.
Personality[]
Derek and Margo Strange at first act very nice toward Lizzy, Luke and Clay, but they are soon revealed to have been lying to the kids the entire time. Their motivations are entirely greed-based, not caring at all about the safety of the kids.