[AYAOTD? Recap w/ Erin Callahan] 1.9 "The Tale of the Sorcerer's Apprentice"

RECAP

Frank brings the gang to a fresh grave, where Kiki scares the shit out of them with a buried prop skeleton. Betty Ann then tells a story about resurrecting an ancient power.

So-average-he’s-invisible Dean just wants to catch a break. His overachieving BFF, Alix, is always there for moral support, but that’s not nearly as cool as the badass solid gold cobra staff (basically Jafar’s scepter) that a visiting archeologist brings into World Cultures class. Pretty soon, Dean is having all the luck and Alix is all like, “WTF?” Turns out Dean has stolen the cobra staff and is leading a cult bent on resurrecting an ancient sorcerer named...Goth. Dean almost pulls this off in the high school’s swimming pool, but Alix successfully talks him down and Goth is stymied by chlorine because, huzzah, it turns out Dean was actually paying attention in Chemistry class. Alas, the visiting archaeologist is still Goth’s biggest fan and has dastardly plans to rope some unwitting high school misfit into resurrecting the sorcerer one of these days.

Eric and David wonder if the story will ever have a sequel and Gary closes the meeting.

REVIEW

T: This has to be the most random Midnight Society segment. It has nothing to do with the story. After they settle down, Gary even has to awkwardly segue into someone telling a story. On top of that, there’s no wrap-up, except the Midnight Society shrugging and Eric announcing the world is doomed. Goodnight everyone!

E: I hate to say this, but I think Frank and Kiki’s fresh grave prank is the best part of this whole episode. They even top it off with a classic ’90s zinger--“Sike!” That said, I’m still not over the fact that the sorcerer is literally named Goth. Do you think it was meant to be a commentary on goth culture? Like, kids buying into something “dark” and “dangerous” even though it’s a super lazy way to stand out? I don’t know. Maybe we should ask Billie Eilish, since she seems bent on resurrecting “goth.”

T: Eric titters that Betty Ann’s story is going to be a “gorefest.” They’ve established the Midnight Society has meetings that we don’t see. I’d like to think some of those weeks Betty Ann just puts the kids through the ringer with bloody, gory horrors.

E: I truly love how distinct all the female characters are in this show. So many shows from that era had a token girl who was either a classic tomboy or the girliest girl. Kiki and Kristin veer in those directions, but they both have a lot of depth, and Betty Ann is a whole different beast. She’s like a good girl with a delicious dark side. I imagine her working as a librarian someday and holding female fight club meetings in the library basement.

T: Absolutely. Speaking of libraries, I appreciate the hours of chemistry research Betty Ann put in for this one. While we’re piling on love for Betty Ann, I bet audiences expected the world famous archeologist to be a man, but not in a Betty Ann story! And she even rocks Harry Potter’s Death Eater snake tattoo before Voldemort made it cool.

T: This one’s an older teen story. I like that Dean’s presented as a total nobody, not even a nerd. So often the nerd trope is the go-to with school outcasts, but Dean is just bland.

E: It’s a nice twist but, jeezus, isn’t that actor too conventionally good-looking to be bland? They didn’t even pull the pointless ’90s trick of putting thick glasses on him. Joke’s on you, ’90s Hollywood. Glasses make people hotter. *adjusts spectacles*

T: The story pulls a switch with Dean and Alix. Every episode introduces us to a protagonist or two, and puts them through the ringer. But this story starts out introducing Dean and then he takes a backseat to Alix’s heroics. Great way to counter expectations.

E: Excellent point. It’s a clever narrative trick that sets us up to root for Dean’s redemption.

T: I have to say seeing the bad kids riding off on their bicycles is not very scary, BUT the shot of them arriving in the fog works.

QUEER OR NOT?

T: The whole outsider/goth angle is queer adjacent.

E. Definitely queer adjacent, and Dean has a little bit of a James Dean vibe going on for a bit. Though I feel like goth culture is a polar opposite of gay culture? Gay culture has always been about celebrating life and love and the beauty in everything. Goth culture is about reveling in...death? Maybe that’s a complete misunderstanding of goth culture--someone please tweet at me. That said, we’re writing these recaps for a queer horror blog so... *shrugs*

T: Goth culture is about more than that. It’s about embracing being an outsider, right? Being non-conformist. I see a lot of overlap. Even Alix’s problem is pretty non-conformist. She experiences the very real world frustration of being the only person who sees that something’s wrong.

E: Ah - solid point. God, I feel like that was my teenhood in a nutshell. *rolls eyes*

T: I feel like it’s me every election cycle. *Debbie Downer close-up face*

TRIVIA, USELESS TRIVIA

T: I have nothing to back this up, and at first, I thought this could be an anti-drug story, but I kind of feel like the story is based off of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The parallels are there with the whole community members slowly turning into some evil group. (I can’t wait for the episode that riffs on Texas Chain Saw Massacre! Kidding, that never happened. Or did it?)

E: Yasssss. The way the students are walking around like zombie-soldiers is definitely reminiscent of Body Snatchers.

MODERNIZE ’90s CANADIAN KIDS

T: What’s the modern take on goths? Hipsters? I guess I’d have a digital god who infects his followers into turning hipster.

E: I feel like even hipsters are dated at this point. What is this, the aughts? Let’s go full digital and make them internet trolls.

T: In that case, their dark god would have the subtle name of Troll…

JUST GIVE IT A NUMERICAL RATING ALREADY

T: Parts of this are great (the randomness of the Midnight Society, the Body Snatchers allusions, the absurdity of Goth), other bits just don’t land for me (the chemistry lesson, the bizarreness of the archeologist, the absurdity of Goth). I don’t know, 6 OUT OF 10 CAMPFIRES?

E: As hilarious as some of it is, this one really fell flat for me. I think it might be my least favorite episode yet. Sorry Betty Ann! I’ll go with 5 OUT OF 10 CAMPFIRES.