A family moves to Fever Swamp to conduct an experiment involving deer adapting to a new environment. The place is a dump, but at least they've got a new dog. However, when animals start showing up dead, the new pet is blamed. Grady knows the truth, though; there is a werewolf in Fever Swamp.
Like "Welcome to Dead House," "The Werewolf of Fever Swamp" feels closer to a work of grown-up horror, with a darker tone and grittier look than other "Goosebumps" episodes. Very little is played for laughs. Had the characters been a little older and the violence stronger, this could have easily been an unqualified horror short meant for teens and adults.
Oftentimes, the young actors in "Goosebumps" sound like they're reading their lines for the very first time. Here, they're very believable, especially Brendan Fletcher as Grady. He feels like a genuinely frustrated kid with a bit of a dark side. He's written just like any other character in the series, but he carries enough gravitas to make his character more realistic.
The misdirect involving the swamp hermit (Stine loves his red herrings) is obvious, but that doesn't distract from the viewing experience. Give this one a watch some evening with a bag of popcorn, and you might find yourself sucked into the strange and spooky world of Fever Swamp.
