Night Of The Living Dummy (2) – The episode opens in Portland, Oregon six months before Nathan Bratt (Justin Long) moves to Port Lawrence. A call at home from Principal Pock, relieving him of his teaching duties, increases his struggles as a writer and part-time substitute. At nearly the same time, Julia shows up to mention his already being 3 days late on rent. It is while he is mourning the recent death of his grandmother’s prized poodle, FiFi, that a realtor shows up to inform him that he’s inherited his grandfather’s house. He is later shown in the present at the home, where he decides to write a book about his past experiences in the strange town.
As Bratt immerses himself in the project, the audience is provided with an update on the teens after Slappy’s (Chris Greere) destruction. With his arm healing much faster than expected, Isaiah Howard (Zack Morris) and Ben Howard (Leonard Roberts) revamp his off-season baseball training. Although Ben couldn’t be happier with the results, it’s suggested that Isaiah’s priorities may have shifted. James (Miles McKenna) and Isabella Chen Lopez (Ana Yi Puig) grow closer than ever as they both explore small-town dating. Lucas Parker’s (Will Price) pursuit of Margot Stokes’s (Isa Briones) has led to a newfound love for reading and academics. Their budding mutual attraction, however, is about to be tested when Margot learns that her mother, Sarah (Lexia Doig) plans on relocating to Seattle. Colin (Rob Huebel) and Nora Parker (Rachael Harris) have not only exposed their involvement to the town, but Nora has shared everything about her past with Harold Biddle (Ben Cockell). The two are now recently engaged.
Still struggling with the possession, Bratt seeks comfort in a conversation with Ben, who is helping him hang the stuffed and mounted body of FiFi. Bratt also mentions that his love for FiFi started with fulfilling a last wish from his dying grandmother, but the dog helped him get through one of the roughest points in his life. Ben becomes troubled when he learns about Bratt’s new book, but the mention of it being entirely fiction appears to ease his concerns.
Nora joins Lucas in his room to inform him that his friends are waiting downstairs for him. He’s apprehensive about leaving her, but she conveniences him that everything is good and she’ll be just fine while he’s gone. When Lucas joins his friends outside the dock restaurant with bagels, it’s revealed they are headed to Seattle for the weekend. Bratt randomly shows up and invites himself along before a phone call from a New York book agent, Ann Macy (Genevieve Kang) at Scholarly Press, derails his plans. She loves the book and suggests it turning into a big series if he can come up with a different ending.
Colin and Margot are discussing her moving to Seattle when James pulls into the driveway. Colin reminds them to be safe and encourages practicing abstinence as he says his goodbyes. Elsewhere, Bratt struggles with the ending. Randomly he appears to be hit with a jolt of inspiration and 2 hours later, he’s on the phone with Ann about to reveal the new ending. She jokingly says that it better not involve everyone turning into a ghost because that’s been done too many times. With a look of defeat on his face, it becomes clear that was his ending. He then suggests sending her the new ending instead. She warns him not to waste time because she’ll have to move on.
Eliza (Laura Mennell), Ben, and Victoria (Francois Yip) join Colin and Nora for a fancy dinner where Nora mentions them all becoming close friends again. Colin excuses himself to the restroom and has an awkward encounter with Bratt, who is picking up his takeout order.
After dinner at home with Sarah (Lexa Doig) in Seattle, Isabella suggests getting gelatos at a place she spotted around the corner. Margot doesn’t feel like accompanying them but encourages them to go. Isaiah stays behind as well and he admits that he could see her living in Seattle.
Bratt digs into his takeout and listens to an inspirational podcast by RL Stine as she makes his way back home. As he passes by the turnoff for Mount Seymore, he’s jolted with memories of Slappy’s demise. Seconds later, he’s shown at the foot of the mountain with a flashlight looking for Slappy.
While waiting in line to get doughnuts the next morning, Margot is shocked to learn that Lucas’s vision of their future together is much different than hers. Bratt returns home with Slappy in pieces and gives reassembling him some careful consideration. Deciding to dump the pieces on the floor, he discovers a spell written on a Post-it note in Slappy’s pocket. After some hesitation, he slowly reads it but nothing appears to happen immediately. As he turns to leave, Slappy begins magically reassembling. Slappy asks what took him so long. Bratt says he needs an ending. Slappy promises to deliver and brings FiFi back to life.
At their first city party, Margot and Lucas’s relationship continues to unravel when she tries to talk to him about moving. He admits that he likes Port Lawrence, the people there, and his life. After a bit of back-and-forth bickering, she suggests that they may not be a good match. He leaves her at the party.
Bratt follows FiFi through the woods with a shovel while Margot returns to Sarah’s apartment in search of Lucas. Once there, she discovers a note that he’s gone back to Port Lawrence. As Deb Never’s “Momentary Sweetheart” blares in the background, Lucas boards a bus and ignores Margot’s text messages. Bratt has returned home with a coffin but is hesitant to open it until Slappy insists. Inside, he finds another spell on a Post-It note that he reads. As he reads it out, he’s overtaken with visions of a burning tower, which stops him. When he finishes, Slappy slumps lifeless and the spirit inside him transfers to the coffin. Ben just happens to arrive at the precise moment that a man emerges from the coffin. He seemingly freezes in time and walks off into the night with FiFi following behind.
Goosebumps Review
Can’t say this was the worst episode ever. Unfortunately, I can’t say it was the best either. That said, I suppose it wasn’t a horrible way to lead into the finale. I did enjoy the slight time jump, although it was apparently just a few months. In addition, the arrival of the resurrected man and FiFi creates an interesting storyline. Sometimes annoying and childish, I also enjoy Long’s awkward insecurities and encounters as the inept Mr. Bratt. That said, I am not saying Long isn’t a good actor, but I do feel he doesn’t portray the “nerdy, white professor” persona as well as intended. Something about him seems more suave.
Maybe it is that I grew up watching him portray everything from a fast food worker to the astute, scheming college student. Either way, I’d give the episode a 5 out of 10. Although it is not mentioned in the recap and the scene is mere seconds, the dialogue in the meeting between James, Margot, and the supposedly artsy homosexual partygoer was cringe-worthy.
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