"The Boy Who Cried Monster" is the fifth episode of the second season of the Disney+/Hulu series, Goosebumps.
Synopsis[]
After CJ sees something horrific at Anthony's house, his friends and family don't believe his tale.
Plot[]
As Anthony walks through the tunnel, he remembers being a kid and finding Matty's clothes without him inside them. He finds an electrical panel and notes that it wasn't there the night Matty disappeared. He starts flipping switches on the panel and then opens it up to verify that it has power going to it. He feels around and activates a switch that opens the hole in the floor. He looks down into the underground chamber and wonders what it is. A gust comes up through the hole, hitting Anthony's protective suit. He reaches back in to flip the switch that closes the hole. Then he leaves. As he leaves, he's unaware that Devin, Cece, and Frankie are watching him.
C.J. rides his scooter to a food delivery. He finds the house creepy and laments that he often ends up in creepy places. He says he just has to make the delivery and get out of there. He steps up to the porch and rings the doorbell. He calls to Mrs. Murray, sayin the has a delivery for her. The door creaks and he says he'll just leave her dumplings there. Mrs. Murray calls to ask him to bring them inside. He say she can just leave there there. For liability reasons, he can't enter, but she repeats the order to bring them. As he walks in, he asks if it's a historical place and says he'd love to know the backstory. He walks up behind Mrs. Murray, saying he has all her dumplings. Then he asks if she's okay. He taps her shoulder and she turns around, startling him when she screams.
Addie screams and runs away from C.J., who is chasing her to scare her. Gwen says C.J. always has a story for why he didn't make a delivery. She wants to know what really happened at Mrs. Murray's last night. C.J. admits it wasn't a zombie, but he left the order on her doorstep. Gwen asks if he let her know. He says no, he wanted to get out of there because she lives in a spooky house. Gwen says she'll call Mrs. Murray back and offer a refund, but C.J. needs to stop with the games and be real with her. They can't keep giving away free food because they're barely making it. She doesn't want to switch to DoorDash, but she will if she has to. C.J.'s solution is having him take over management, but she says he can't even manage deliveries. He says that's because he should be upper management. He has ideas. He suggests a rebrand, including changing the name. He proposes new menu items. He asks her to take a chance on him. She says if he shows her he can be real with her, she'll talk to his father about it. C.J. celebrates and leaves.
Frankie comes into her room, waking Devin and Cece to tell them she has to get to work. Cece is surprised she's going to work with everything going on. She asks what she's supposed to do. She needs money for art school unless things get even worse with their dad. She thinks he's still home. They all gather at the window and look out over Anthony's car. Cece wonders if they should go to the police, but Devin doesn't know what they'd say. Frankie still has to go to work and her mom will be home soon.
Jen drops Alex off and says Anthony told her something at the hospital. She asks if someone attacked Alex while she was driving Trey's car. Alex says it wasn't someone, but something. She says Jen won't believe her, but Jen says to tell her. Alex says the car was alive and drove itself. She thinks she's imagining things, but Jen says she isn't. She's in danger and this could have something to do with the kids who went missing in 1994. Jen tells Alex that they were her friends. She says she's going to figure it out because it's her job. But she doesn't want Alex anywhere near this.
Cece understands the vines and Trey, but doesn't understand how he could be behind the kombucha. She never even had it at the house. Devin laments that Aunt Louise had to have brain surgery this summer of all summers. Frankie asks how their aunt is doing anyway. Devin says she's great, but Frankie realizes he hadn't checked. He says he's been busy, but Frankie says she's his aunt. Devin says Cece hasn't checked on her either and he doesn't know what he's supposed to say. Cece suddenly makes the connection that the car they talked about was Trey's. She was in Trey's car with Alex and she kept saying that the car was alive. That's also why Alex was acting so weird at the hospital. They realize they need to find Alex. Frankie goes to close up, but Joe Jr. comes in, calling Frankie the world's best future daughter-in-law. The doctors told him Trey will be released in the afternoon and he wants Frankie to be there when he gets home. Frankie says she'll be there. Devin sarcastically says that's great news and Cece stops him from embarrassing himself. Joe Jr. orders six mocha lattes so he can treat the nurses.
Anthony has a blanket wrapped around himself and he's holding a tissue. He's surprised to see it's 11:00 AM. He has a text from Devin saying that he and Cece are crashing at Frankie's. He gets himself some water and takes some medicine. He calls Gwen and orders a large bowl of chicken soup. Gwen can tell he's sick because he sounds awful. He sneezes and wipes his nose. In the tissue is black goo, which Anthony doesn't notice.
C.J. rides his scooter to Anthony's and knocks on the door. Anthony answers the door and C.J. gives him the food, saying it'll be $19 with the 25% gratuity C.J. added. He says being a delivery driver is more dangerous than being a cop. Anthony invites C.J. to come in because his wallet's inside. C.J. sees how sick Anthony is and asks if everything's okay. When Anthony doesn't answer, C.J. tells him not to worry about the money, that he'll let his mom know. C.J. comes up behind Anthony and asks if he's okay. Anthony says he doesn't think so and turns around, revealing that he has black goo coming from one eye, pushing the eye out. C.J. runs out.
Anthony grabs the eye and realizes he's able to see with it. He puts it back in the socket, but it's not going the right way, so he tries again. Then he notices the black goo on his finger. He runs down to his basement and checks his suit for holes. He finds one on the arm and realizes he must have cut it when he reached into the panel to open the hole in the floor.
Gwen is fielding phone calls when C.J. comes in. She asks him why he's not delivering the food. He tries to explain what happened with Anthony's eye. Gwen leaves Mike in charge, saying to pause delivery orders, and goes to check on Anthony. If C.J. is telling the truth, he'll need some help. C.J. thinks that's a terrible idea. Gwen says to save them both the trip and tell her the truth. He says he'll drive.
C.J. and Gwen get to Anthony's. They knock and Anthony opens the door, his eye intact and looking healthy again. C.J. tries to defend himself, but Gwen is sure he's lying. Anthony says he's fine and gives Gwen the money for the soup and C.J. some for his trouble. Anthony says there are too many horror shows on TV and it gives kids ideas. Gwen says she thought C.J. was ready to help their family, but now she knows it was all lies. He can forget about being a manger or a delivery driver. C.J. realizes he's hiring her and says he's her son. She says she always will be, but he's no longer her employee. She makes him hand over his keys and phone and says she'll drive them back.
C.J. rants to Addie about Gwen firing him. He claims he never lied to her. When the phone rings, he goes to answer it. It's Anthony, who says he owes C.J. an explanation. C.J. says Anthony got him fired. Anthony says C.J. needs to come back over, but C.J. doesn't want to. Anthony promises to explain everything and talk to Gwen to get his job back if C.J. comes over. C.J. says it'll take him a few minutes because he has to walk.
C.J. walks to Anthony's and knocks. Anthony opens the door and is confused when C.J. says he's there for his explanation. Anthony tells C.J. he should run. Before C.J. can go anywhere, Anthony grabs him and pulls him into the house.
Cece, Frankie, and Devin arrive to where Alex is doing her community service. They walk up to her as she is taking off her vest. They tell her they know about the car. Cece asks what she meant about it being alive. Alex claims she was just messing with Cece. Frankie says that's not what she said at the hospital. Alex tells them to stop with the Scooby-Doo stuff. Whatever this is, she doesn't want to be involved. She doesn't want to be in even more trouble. She walks away and Cece follows her. That leaves Frankie and Devin alone. When Devin mentions that, she says she needs to get back to Trey. She thinks he needs her. They argue and Frankie leaves.
Cece chases Alex and asks why she wouldn't tell them about Trey's car. Alex reiterates that she doesn't want to be involved. Cece says the crash really scared her and that's why she brushed Alex off. Alex says she told Cece the truth and Cece didn't believe her. Cece says she's sorry and asks where that leaves them. Alex says there is no them and walks away.
Jen goes to Fort Jerome and digs in some rocks. She finds a bag with something in it.
Devin is walking when a girl says hi to him. He asks if he knows her and she says she doesn't know. She invites him to sit next to her. She introduces herself as Hannah and he says he's Devin. She tells him he's cute, which surprises him.
Frankie brings Trey a shake with extra protein powder. He thanks her and tells her he loves her and he's sorry he's been a jerk. His near-death experience gave him perspective. He wants to be way better. He realizes she had every right to break up with him. She says they can pretend it never happened. Trey says it's good because if they get back together, he earned it. Frankie says he earned this and shows him the chain from his aunt. She didn't even think he remembered their breakup. He says he remembers everything until the basement. She asks him what the last thing he remembers is. He doesn't know, but it has something to do with Anthony's freezer.
Hannah laughs and says Devin is funny. He says she's the first good thing that's happened to him all summer. She says that's because he was at the Fort. She's been there, too. They call it Camp Nightmare. There used to be a summer camp on the grounds and a lot of bad stuff happened there. Devin heard about that. Hannah's seen the bad stuff and offers to show him. His phone rings, but she tells him not to answer it. He answers it anyway. It's Frankie and she wants to come over with Trey to get into the basement. Hannah says Devin has to come with her. Devin tells Frankie he can't because he's with Hannah. He explains that he met her at the park. Frankie says it's important and she needs Devin. She asks him to come right away. Devin turns to tell Hannah, but she's gone.
Anthony has C.J. tied up. He says he's sorry, but he can't let C.J. go. No one can know of their existence until it's time. Then everyone will know and everyone will be them. Anthony seems to snap out of it and wonders why he said that. He thinks he should untie C.J. C.J. says yes. Anthony says he will, but he needs to give C.J. something first. It's almost ready. He retches and vomits black goo into a cup and gives it to C.J. to drink. C.J. fights it. Anthony snaps out of it again and says he's not sure why he's doing that. C.J. tells him not to do it. Anthony says it's for the greater good. He'll understand when he drinks it. C.J. headbutts Anthony and bends one of his fingers back. Anthony looks at it in wonder until they hear noise upstairs, indicating someone is in the house. C.J. calls for help. Anthony snaps his finger back and gags C.J. to keep him quiet.
Jen knocks on the door and comes in because it's open. She asks if he's feeling okay and he says he's great.
C.J. tries to yell.
Anthony tells Jen he's a little sick, so she should go. She hears C.J. and asks what that is. He brushes it off and she says she has something for him. She's sorry she wasn't listening, but she believes him now. Something happened to Alex and she thinks he's right about Matty and the others.
C.J. calls for Jen.
Jen gives Anthony a tape from that night at the Fort. She took it and hid it. She could never bring herself to watch it. Anthony is shocked. Jen says she said some things she's not proud of and the case was closed. Now it's obvious there's more going on, so they need to watch it. He's upset that she lied to him for so many years. He says the tape wasn't hers to take. It was Matty's. He orders her to get out. She tries to apologize, but he just tells her again to get out.
C.J. tries to hop in the chair, but ends up tipping over.
Anthony comes back to the basement, apologizing for the delay and says it's time to drink up. He finds C.J. gone. He looks around and C.J. tackles him and runs for the stairs. Anthony grabs his foot and pulls him back, saying he's sorry, but this will be better for him. He retches the black goo and tries to get it in C.J.'s mouth, but Trey comes up behind him and hits him with a bat, knocking his head off. Frankie and Cece are horrified. They're shocked when his head starts talking, saying he has a plan for Cece. Cece screams again. C.J. says his mom isn't going to believe this. Devin hears the screaming and comes downstairs. He screams, too. Anthony says Devin can join him, too. They all can. He asks for help, but they run upstairs, then they barricade the basement door with a chair. Devin asks what why did to Anthony. Cece says that can't really have been him. Frankie says it was probably like that time they killed Trey. Frankie says he wasn't him. C.J. says he was down there all day and that sure isn't Anthony. Whatever he is, he seems to think there's something coming for them. C.J. sees the tape on the table and think it must be what Jen brought, meaning it's important. They don't know what it is until Frankie says it's a VHS, a video tape. Cece reads the label and sees that it's Matty's tape from Camp Nightmare. Devin says they can play it at their grandma's.
Cece sees Alex waiting and asks what she's doing there. Alex says Frankie texted her. She just wants to see what's on the tape and she's sorry. Cece welcomes her along. Trey watches them and says he feels like he missed a lot. Frankie offers to fill him in. Devin hears Hannah's voice in his head saying Camp Nightmare. He tells them to go without him because he has to get back to Hannah. Cece reminds him they could all be in danger. He thinks she might know something about the Fort that could help Anthony. He'll meet up with them later.
Anthony's head is still on the floor when someone comes in. He asks what they're doing there. It's Ramona, who says he just couldn't stay away from the Fort. He says she can't stop what's coming, but she can stop him. She picks up his head and puts it in a bag.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- David Schwimmer as Anthony Brewer
- Ana Ortiz as Jen Diaz
- Jayden Bartels as Cece Brewer
- Sam McCarthy as Devin Brewer
- Elijah M. Cooper as C.J. Lewis
- Francesca Noel as Alex Diaz
- Galilea La Salvia as Frankie Garcia Bravo
Guest Starring[]
- Stony Blyden as Joseph "Trey" Jimenez III
- Sakina Jaffrey as Dr. Ramona Pamani
- Eloise Payet as Hannah Parker
- Patrick Scott McDermott as Stink
- Brooke Dillman as Mrs. Murray
Co-Starring[]
Music[]
| Song | Performer | Scene |
|---|---|---|
| "Little Foot Big Foot" | Childish Gambino |
|
| "Them Changes" | Thundercat |
|
| "sAy sOMETHINg" | Lil Yachty |
|
| "Big Dawgs" | Hanumankind & Kalmi |
|
Gallery[]
Episode Stills[]
