Monster High: Ghouls Rule

Based on the Mattel doll line, this animated series follows the escapades of a crew of cool but creepy high school students. Think hipster crossed with horror: main character Frankie Stein—daughter of the famous monster—is an adorable green-faced teen with cute clothes, great makeup, and requisite stitches. In class one day, Frankie and her peers watch a propaganda film about how “Normies” have historically chased monsters with pitchforks during Halloween…which is just around the corner. Most of the kids don't take these tales seriously, but after some masked jerks from nearby New Salem toilet paper prank Monster High, the students decide to take action. Frankie and pals dig through the school catacombs and uncover the real history of the holiday—which once served as a celebration of friendship between Normies and freaky folks—in the hopes of making peace, but Queen Bee Cleo de Nile (a daughter of Ramses who hilariously exclaims “Oh my Ra!”) has other ideas about dealing with the suburbanites. Also featuring three exclusive animated shorts, this neat tongue-in-cheek spin on classic monsters (including a son of Medusa named Deuce Gorgon who rocks sunglasses and a living “snake-hawk” hairstyle) is easily recommended. Aud: P. (J. Williams-Wood)