[AYAOTD? Recap with Erin Callahan] 2.3 "The Tale of Locker 22"

RECAP

Kristen, the Midnight Society’s resident tardy-pants and master of theatrics, shows up late and dressed like a hippie, then tells a story about learning from the past.

Julie’s just moved to the U.S. from France and gets a rough intro to the North American school system in science class. She butts heads with two bullies and Vice Principal Mr. Schaffner, and is assigned a locker in an especially decrepit part of the school. Luckily, she finds a friend in Chris and a rad beaded necklace in her locker. But putting on the necklace causes Julie to time travel to the 1960s (far out, man!), where everyone she meets calls her Candy. With Chris’s help, Julie learns that a girl named Candy Warren died tragically at the school. While stuck in the past, Julie almost meets the same fate at the hands of Mr. Schaffner, back when he was a science teacher. Chris saves the day, preventing a gas explosion in the science lab. When Julie and Chris return to the present, they learn that Vice Principal Schaffner has been replaced by Ms. Warren. Oh snap!

The Midnight Society try out some hippie slang before calling it a night.

REVIEW

Troy: Episode three and it’s already Kristen’s second story of the season. Okay, buckle up gang, let’s get through this one together. Seriously though, I hate this episode. It’s not fun to say, I love the series dearly, but this one just does nothing for me. Nothing.

Erin: Though not as epically ridiculous as Kristen’s last story (“The Tale of the Final Wish”), this one is both flat and awkward, and it comes on the heels of one of the best episodes of all-time.

T: I’m now surer of it than ever – David made Eric disappear. Look at his psycho eyes and tell me that’s not true.

E: Puberty doesn’t seem to be treating David particularly well. Is it just me, or is he starting to give off subtle incel vibes?

T: I’d say yes, but Kristen’s treating him like a trained puppy, so I kind of think they’re lowkey dating but trying to hide it from the group.

E: I buy that.

T: The Midnight Society tries to guess what scary monster Kirsten will cosplay as, and David calls back to her prom queen get up. Then she shows up flaunting the Kirsten Tardiness Rule dressed as a…hippie…uh oh.

E: I kind of love her outfit, but this episode is full of cartoonish hippie stereotypes that were weirdly popular in the ’90s. It’s like that cyclical thing where something old becomes fun and exciting again, but it’s so far removed from its original form that it’s almost unrecognizable. Like the kid with the dreads and tie-dye tee who Julie encounters while time traveling? Literally no one dressed like that in the ’60s. Lots of kids dressed like that in the ’90s and called themselves “hippies.” *rolls eyes*

T: What teacher makes students pick up broken glass?

E: Every lab scene got me wondering if anything like that occurs in high schools anymore. Like, the accident potential is horrifying. Go ahead, kids. Use your actual mouth to suck noxious chemicals into a glass straw. Yeesh.

T: Hippie ghosts just aren’t scary. Sorry, Kirsten. And everyone in the past is just a total burnout?

E: Again, it’s the ’90s version of the ’60s. Every single one of them is basically Travis from Clueless. That said, they could’ve used some effects/makeup to make Candy look more ghost-y.

T: There is zero chemistry between the leads. That could have been a saving grace, but it’s just not there.

E: Not only is there zero chemistry, some of the dialogue is inexplicably awkward. This is another episode that you and I watched together, and at one point you said, “This is basically The Room of Are You Afraid of the Dark?” Tommy Wiseau would be proud.

T: I’m happy to admit there is a solid sense of tension in the climax as Chris tries to stop Julie from blowing herself up. It’s really the only positive I can find.

E: That sequence is surprisingly tense in contrast to the rest of the episode. The dude playing Chris finally gets to show some range, and Mr. Schaffner’s display of remorse for nearly killing Julie gave me some actual feels.

T: Is this the happiest ending ever? Not only were the main characters saved, but they retroactively prevented back story suffering.

E: It should be but, good lord, the school is still a shithole! Like, WTF, Candy??? Chris and Julie brought you back for nothing!

T: I wonder why they made Julie Parisian instead of French Canadian (actress Karen Elkin is from Quebec and still works regularly in French speaking Canadian television). I think they tended to shy away from specifically placing the stories in Canada for a wider appeal?

E: That seems possible, though it’s certainly strange. Love her accent though!

QUEER OR NOT?

T: Nope. Straight and boring, sadly.

E: Ahem, I’m going to take this opportunity to remind you that we watched this episode together and, during the scene where Chris interviews the teacher, you suspected he might be queer. And into theater.

T: Oh yeah! They don’t say what this bicycle-riding teacher teaches, but it’s clearly drama. That whole scene reminded me of Suspiria when Jessica Harper randomly gets exposition from Udo Kier outside a building.

E: LOL -- yes! Charming rando-theater-teacher is totally the Udo Kier of AYAOTD?

TRIVIA, USELESS TRIVIA

T: Jennifer Irwin plays Candy! She’s a fantastic comedic actress you may recognize her from Still Standing, Eastbound & Down, The Goldbergs, Superstore, etc.

E: Another AYAOTD? success story!

T: David Winning’s name pops up in records under Candy. He directed this episode, and nine more in the original series. He’s a fairly prolific Canadian television director.

E: Oooooh - nice Easter egg.

MODERNIZE ’90s CANADIAN KIDS

T: Um, yeah, I just wouldn’t. Sorry.

E: I feel you, but remember that great episode of My So-Called Life where Angela kept seeing the ghost of a kid who died at the school? I feel like if they’d gone for that vibe, it might’ve worked. And the costumes need to be transitioned from hippie stereotypes to something a little more authentic. I mean, we’ve all seen Mad Men for flip’s sake.

JUST GIVE IT A NUMERICAL RATING ALREADY

T: I’m sorry, but I just don’t care for this one. On the plus side, I can’t imagine any of the following episodes rating below that. Every series has to have a nadir, and this has got to be that. 4 CAMPFIRES OUT OF 10.

E: Overall, this one is pretty dismal. I’ll back your 4 CAMPFIRES OUT OF 10.