[AYAOTD? Recap with Erin Callahan] S04E12 "The Tale of the Closet Keepers"

RECAP

Kiki shows up to the meeting in a dress and makeup to prove a point -- everyone has more than one side. She then tells a tale about how what we don’t know about somebody could be the one thing our lives depend on.

Stacey is smart, funny, pretty, and a kickass basketball player. She also happens to be deaf, which shouldn’t make her less cool in anyone’s eyes, but this is the ’90s so of course there’s that one kid who’s a dick. That one kid happens to be Billy, who complains about having to play basketball with Stacey because signing every move to her is too frustrating for him. Understandably infuriated by Billy, Stacey runs off and hides from her other friends in an abandoned warehouse. She sees two strange men in suits leaving the building and then finds a glowing door upstairs. The door transports her to a spaceship where she and other kids from all over the world are kept in a “zoo” for the education and amusement of visiting aliens. Billy is also abducted and placed in the same cell as Stacey. When he learns that the zoo uses harsh sound to keep the prisoners in their cells, he asks Stacey why she hasn’t tried to escape, since the sound doesn’t affect her. She reveals she doesn’t want to leave without him even though he hasn’t tried very hard to listen to her. When the zookeeper threatens to kill Stacey, she and Billy work together to free themselves and the other kids. When they return home, Stacey teaches Billy the sign for “thank you.”

Kiki signs “the end,” and then tells Betty Ann to “get real” when she asks if Kiki wants to go shopping.

REVIEW

T: Kiki’s in a dress! Jodie Resther is so good here. A lot of actors get into character by being in costume, it’s a great help. From pictures I’ve seen of her since AYAOTD? I get the sense that she’s not a tomboy at all. But here, she has to play her tomboy role out of costume. Brava! Just a reminder: this episode of children’s entertainment came out in 1995 and focuses on a deaf, black tomboy with a lesbian best friend. This is such a perfect example of seamless diversity that we deserve. And I LOVE the Keekster for telling it.

E: Jodie Resther strikes such a nice balance between uncomfortable and indignant while she’s playing this version of Kiki, who’s doing her best to perform stereotypical femininity just to prove a point. Tucker’s “I don't believe it, you actually look...like a girl!” reaction is so, sooooo cringey, but Kiki does a nice job of putting him in his place. She doesn’t exactly go all Feminism 101 on his ass, but her response makes it clear that there’s no one way to look like a girl. And the seemingly effortless diversity! My god. The episode’s not completely unproblematic in my opinion, but it feels groundbreaking even by today’s standards. 

T: What kind of basketball team is this? Inner city boy/girl gay-straight black and white alliance? Like, this cast could be the set-up for a ’90s teen sitcom.

E: Doesn’t it?? The difference is that ’90s teen sitcom would want cookies for including a diverse cast. Look at us. Look how progressive we’re being. Aren’t we progressive?? And yet here’s AYAOTD? giving us a diverse cast in the most casual way, simply because that’s just how they roll. They do not give a fuck about diversity cookies.

T: “It’s not my fault she’s sensitive for being deaf.” – Billy is an asshole. He’s got to be one of the most unlikeable main characters in the history of the show. Right up there with Sam from “Crimson Clown.”

E: Such. An. Asshole. And though I’ll admit I don’t love that he gets a redemption arc (we’ll get to that later), his shitty attitude is presented in such a believable way. He’s not just like, “I don’t like deaf people.” Instead, his toxic perspective is a perfect example of something more nuanced. It’s the derailment technique that says, “If anything I’ve said or done makes you feel marginalized, that’s a YOU problem, not a ME problem. You’re just too sensitive, therefore there’s no need for me to change.” Like, in the time it takes you to read this recap, how many people online will have responded that exact same way when they’re called out for being racist/misogynist/queerphobic/ableist/etc. assholes? Obviously that same “shut up snowflakes” bullshit predates social media.

T: I remembered Stacey but not what the deal with the Men in Black was. For a minute, I thought they were robots. They’re very much like Agent Smith from Matrix (which came out a few years later). I love that they only want the cool kids for their zoo.

E: Totally thought of the Matrix! The “no geeks, no nerds, no freaks” thing is a nice touch, and dovetails with the major themes of the episode.

T: I always think that “Thirteenth Floor” is the only alien episode, but this is another one (and when I look ahead at the rest of the series, there’s another three or four alien eps!). And the alien aspect is pretty goofy. Stacey’s storyline is grounded and emotional, so there’s a bit of a tonal disconnect. I wish the alien material was creepier instead of camp (and that’s coming from someone who likes camp).

E: Oooooh, good point. The camp is fun, but it does sort of diminish the seriousness of the social issues at the core of the episode.

T: I love the whole concept of this. Take a character with a disability and turn that into an advantage. Like Hooper Picallaro’s lack of humor in “Ghastly Grinner.” Being different is a super power, dammit!

E: Yes! I totally thought of Hooper. It predictably takes Billy way too long to figure out that Stacey’s disability could be useful in a sound-based prison. I also really like that her deafness isn’t the only thing that gives her an advantage here. She’s smart as hell.

T: And the Keeper has this weird Dickensian vibe? Is he an alien, or a zookeeper from the future? Did you get the time references? Is there a muddied backstory that’s hinted at?

E: The visitors to the zoo are *probably* aliens, but Emma’s comment about the ship being “the future” makes it possible that the visitors are still human, but humans from so far in the future that they’re forced to wear hazmat suits for daily outings and interested in seeing their primitive ancestors in captivity. That’s actually more interesting to me than aliens, though the zookeeper and his team are still up in the air. Maybe he’s a disgruntled scientist from Victorian England who was contracted by far-future humans to build a primitive-human zoo? Or is HE from the future and the visitors really are aliens? You’re 100% right that the backstory is clear as mud.

T: I kind of dig the zoo-like exhibit Stacey’s stuck in. It’s like a cartoon version of reality.

E: There’s something truly horrifying about it because you just know we do the same thing to captive animals. Hey, penguins. This white fiberglass and chlorinated water is close enough to an arctic tundra? Right??

T: I was really glad that Billy’s played by a white actor. When he thinks Stacey isn’t bright because she doesn’t talk, it just adds a whole privilege level to him.

E: Again, this episode is DISTURBINGLY relevant.

T: I groaned so loud when Billy shouted at Stacey like that would help. It’s such a realistic move sadly.

E: Gawd, Billy. *facepalm*

T: So little Irish girl Emma tells Billy the Keeper is from the future? How’s she know when Billy’s from? What if Emma’s from 2050? Or 1970? The few time references just don’t make any sense to me.

E: Does she say that? I could’ve sworn she said the ship was from the future, but you could be totally right. Either way, you make an excellent point. The ending seems to focus solely on WHERE these kids are from but ignores the WHEN. What if one of them ends up in the wrong time?

T: Sequel! I am surprised they never did a sequel episode, especially since a good chunk of stories end ominously.

E: OMG, a “stuck in the wrong time” sequel would’ve been amazing.

T: Stacey proves she’s the best person ever when she stays to help Billy. How powerful is that moment when Stacey speaks? “I can’t hear, but you don’t listen.” She’s one of the best protagonists in the series. Did you notice her tear up when she informs Billy they’re going to kill her?

E: That line is so simple but speaks volumes -- love it. And I love that Stacey is strong and smart but is also allowed to show some vulnerability here.

T: Exactly. Far too often, female characters are either “strong” OR “scared.” There’s strength in vulnerability, people.

E: Yes! It’s such a false dichotomy!

T: Does Billy redeem himself? Yes, he’s a total asshole at the start, but he’s also a young teen. He hasn’t had to examine the world or his place in it before. He helps the other kids before himself, and he comes to appreciate Stacey and apologize.

E: Hoo boy, this is a BIG question. I’m generally suspicious of redemption arcs. As author Justina Ireland has continually pointed out on Twitter and elsewhere, redemption arcs for oppressors usually aren’t FOR marginalized people, and they often have the effect of using a marginalized character to teach an oppressor--and, by extension, the audience--a lesson. They make potential oppressors feel all warm and fuzzy even as they may re-traumatize viewers/readers who share the marginalized identity being targeted. For me to get behind a redemption arc, it has to be done well and for the right reasons. In this case, I think AYAOTD? does a surprisingly good job. It’s clear from the get-go that Billy is an asshole and we’re clearly meant to identify more with Stacey. She’s not just a one-dimensional prop designed to teach Billy a lesson. She’s a fleshed out and kickass protagonist. That said, as hard as Stacey’s “you don’t listen” line hits, Billy gets off pretty easy here.

T: Is that sort of like the fetishization in “sick lit?” And I agree that Billy gets off easy, but Stacey needs to save him. I don’t think his redemption is perfect by any means but for a nineteen-minute story, I don’t know what I’d do differently.

E: Yes! Similarly, sick lit isn’t actually for people who’ve experienced illness. It’s for healthy people who want to use fictional sick people as a way to feel things. Eww. But yeah — I’m not quite sure what I’d change here either, given the timeframe. Forcing Billy to apologize before she saves his ass seems out of character for Stacey, but is that just because of expectations about disabled people? Like, they’re supposed to be super understanding when people are ignorant dweebs? Oof, I don’t know.

T: I was going to comment on how stereotypical the clothing is on the token kids from around the world (the dashiki, the poncho, etc.), but then it struck me that the Keeper might have dressed them up that way. Which is a pretty creepy idea.

E: Eeek, that is creepy! I assumed it was a half-assed attempt to clue us into the fact kids have been abducted on an international scale, but you could be right.

T: Stacey taps on the map where this story takes place and it’s kind of nebulously right on the Canadian/American border, which is where I headcanon most episodes occur.

E: I kept waiting for someone’s finger to slip and ensure they end up a thousand miles from home.

T: I MIGHT have teared up slightly (and was drunk watching) when Billy says, “I don’t know how to thank you,” and Stacey teaches him the sign for “thank you.” And they walk off arm in arm. I know it’s super simplified, but Billy’s redemption works for me, probably because of how well Stacey handles it.

E: I’m still torn on the redemption arc, but this moment is truly sweet. And the simpleness of it is what makes it so poignant.

T: Like “Old Man Corcoran,” this story seems to have a pretty happy ending, but when you step back and think about it, it’s more ominous. Stacey and Billy escape the zoo (and free some other kids, yay!) but they don’t stop the Keeper. He’s just going to zap to another location and kidnap more kids.

E: I’m a little bit surprised Kiki doesn’t mention this because she doesn’t seem like the type to shy away from an ominous ending, but she’s fully focused on Stacey and Billy.

T: Kiki signs “the end” and Tucker and Betty Ann look at each other trying to decode it. I love those little Midnight Society moments.

E: I legit laughed out loud at Tucker. That kid’s a trip, man.

QUEER OR NOT?

T: Yep. Queer people often feel like we have no voice. Black people often feel that way. Women often feel that way. So here we have queer coded Kiki telling a story about a character similar to herself who has no voice. Kiki previously told “Quiet Librarian” that touches on similar aspects, but this pushes that front and center.

E: Well said!

T: And we can’t forget Chloe, Stacey’s dreadlocked friend. She’s played by Rebecca Drysdale, a lesbian comic who’s written for The Big Gay Sketch Show, Key & Peele, and the new All That. She still acts, as well, recently appearing in a few episodes of Arrested Development’s last season.

E: She only gets a few lines, but she definitely reads as queer and she’s also a robust ally for Stacey.

TRIVIA, USELESS TRIVIA

T: Bethanny Nurse who plays Stacy previously appeared way back in “Tale of the Lonely Ghost” as Sally, one of Cousin Beth’s girl gang members.

E: No way!

T: Emma, the Irish girl, is played by Brigid Tierney. Her brother, Jacob Tierney, played original Midnight Society member Eric during season one. Coincidentally, Eric was proud of his Irish ancestry.

E: OMG what??

T: The alien family that visits Stacey’s exhibit look an awful lot like Tusken raiders from Star Wars.

E: I still maintain they could be far-future humans in futuristic hazmat suits, but Star Wars does seem like an obvious influence here.

MODERNIZE ’90s CANADIAN KIDS

T: I’d go dark with this one. Make the Keeper more serious, and maybe make him an alien wearing a human mask? Something with a better visual than Victorian grime.

E: I kind of dig the Victorian grime but I think you’re right. It doesn’t really fit and going more creepy than camp would underscore the social issues more effectively. Also, Chloe’s dreads gotta go. I think we can all agree at this point that white girls with dreads are engaging in some very icky cultural appropriation.

T: Who OK’ed those dreadlocks?! Nobody in hair & makeup, or director Iain Paterson, or creative consultant Bill Bonecutter, or showrunner D.J. MacHale said anything about those dreadlocks?

JUST GIVE IT A NUMERICAL RATING ALREADY

T: This is another one of those episodes that I like on paper just a little more than the execution. A deaf black girl kicking alien asses to teach a toxic white dude a lesson? Yes! BUT, the Dickensian vibe of the Keeper and the campy aliens feel jumbled and I’m left feeling slightly underwhelmed. I guess I feel there’s an important heaviness to the Stacey/Billy storyline, but it’s undercut by the camp. I keep wishing they’d do just one serious alien episode. 8.3 OUT OF 10 CAMPFIRES.

E: All of this, plus I’m still torn on Billy’s redemption arc. I’m going with an even 8 OUT OF 10 CAMPFIRES.