Episode 3 of "Goosebumps" kicks off with an eerie start as James freaks out and bumps his head against a cuckoo clock, setting an ominous tone for the evening. The party carries on, and James tries to engage in conversation with Sam, but the interaction turns awkward when he blurts out the name of a football team that doesn't exist in the realm of reality.
After an unsettling chat with Isaiah, James decides to leave, but the moment his head hits the cuckoo clock again, he's mysteriously transported back to that exact moment, realizing something sinister is at play. He repeatedly attempts to escape the house, only to find himself trapped in a time loop, reliving the moment of impact on the cuckoo clock.
Bewildered by the inexplicable phenomenon, James takes Sam's advice to make the best of his predicament. He asks Sam about her favorite football team before trying to leave once more, but to no avail—he's right back at the beginning of the loop. Determined to make progress, he relives the party once more and initiates another conversation with Sam, this time wisely discussing Arsenal, a topic that blooms into a delightful dialogue.
Their conversation flourishes, leading to a tender moment where they share a kiss. Sam invites him outside, and in a bid to break free from the loop, James smashes the cuckoo clock before stepping out into the night. Free from the time loop's grip, he spends a delightful time with Sam.
The next morning, James resumes his routine as usual, receiving a text from Sam inviting him to watch a soccer game. Suddenly, multiple versions of James emerge from the shadows, revealing that his actions from the previous night had inadvertently created duplicates of himself. They seize him and toss him into a nearby pit.
The duplicate James, meaner and more aggressive, starts causing mischief, sabotaging James' relationships with Allison and Sam. Later in the day, after Isabelle accidentally hits him with a cue ball on his forehead, James explodes into slime, alarming his parents who arrive on the scene. But to their astonishment, another duplicate James stands right there, unfazed. Isabelle's mother quickly sweeps her away from the chaotic scene.
That same night, Isabelle spots James in her backyard and grabs a bat, leaving the situation tense and filled with suspense.
Isaiah and Margot, engrossed in finding a resolution to the recent turn of events, approached James the following day. However, their efforts were met with scorn as James lashed out, accusing them of fearing Allison's discovery and blaming Isaiah for his football game defeat. At that very moment, Isabelle emerged, wielding a bat, and struck James with such force that he erupted into slime before their eyes.
They hastily retreated to the AV room, where Isabelle filled them in on the latest developments. Their next destination was Nora, but she remained tight-lipped, offering no clues. Meanwhile, in a twist of fate, James discovered tools within the pit, fueling his determination to escape.
Elsewhere, Colin arrived at the Biddle residence to converse with Mr. Bratt. They exchanged brief words about the children's Halloween escapade, with Colin politely requesting that Mr. Bratt refrain from reporting the incident to the authorities. The conversation also veered towards Colin's wife, Sarah, piquing Mr. Bratt's curiosity.
Back at the pit, James constructed a ladder and attempted a daring escape, but his efforts were thwarted. Meanwhile, Isaiah, Margot, and Isabelle followed a duplicate into a mine, where the air thickened with suspense. Suddenly, James switched off his lights, warning of a trap, and set a train in motion, heading straight for them. Just when tension reached its peak, another James emerged, claiming authenticity, and led them through another dark tunnel.
Inside, they encountered another James, also asserting his authenticity. In a moment of desperation, Isaiah made a daring leap and dispatched one of them, causing him to dissolve into slime. Unfortunately, the remaining duplicates captured Isaiah and plunged him into the pit alongside the real James. Overjoyed to see Isaiah, James was met with a stone to the head from the latter, who mistakenly believed him to be a duplicate. Realizing his mistake, Isaiah apologized, but James was incense, accusing him of failing to recognize his own friend.
At that crucial juncture, Isabelle and Margot burst through a barrier of rocks, urging them to flee. However, fate separated the girls and boys as a door slammed shut. The boys found themselves cornered, facing a multitude of duplicates. Armed with sticks, they engaged in a fierce battle, ultimately causing all the duplicates to explode into slime.
The gang reconvenes at the cozy café, hunger gnawing at their bellies as they decide to grab a bite. They gang up on Margot, urging her to seek clarification from her mother regarding the perplexing situation. Reluctantly, Margot dials her mother's number and inquiries about Harold Biddle. Her mother, stern and serious, implores her to keep silent about it, promising to arrive personally to discuss the matter further.
Meanwhile, Mr. Bratt delves into a treasure trove of his journals, methodically crossing out an image with a determined stroke. Just then, one of his duplicates strolls in, dragging a suitcase filled with unknown contents. However, in a dramatic twist at the conclusion of Goosebumps episode 3, Mr. Bratt ruthlessly dispatches Shim, discovering that the suitcase doesn't contain the elusive item he seeks.
