As the episode opens in a dream, Kevin Kelly (Senan Jennings) is walking home. Upon arrival, he gets wrath from Mary Kelly (Kathryn McKiernan) for being sent home from school. Raising his voice, he denies doing it when he hears an eerie laughter. He asks if she hears it. She scolds him for getting suspended with everything going on with Tom Kelly (Joseph McGucken). He asks who is laughing at him. She claims to not hear it. A vehicle coming to an abrupt halt startles Kevin awake. Katie Kelly (Kate Brady) informs him that they are lost. Scanning a map, Mary assures them they are not lost. Rubbing his eyes, Kevin tells them that he had a weird dream. Katie sarcastically says, “I could care less but not much,” a Kardashian quote. Mary intervenes while still trying to figure out if they missed their turn. Later, they arrive at Moloney’s Holiday Park. Looking around, Kevin asks how long they are staying. Katie says they can play on the playground which is decrepit and go hiking. Mary insists it is perfect. Tom reminds her that the holiday was her idea. She urges him to relax and have fun. Kevin hangs his backpack up in his bedroom when he turns, it falls to the floor. After he leaves the room, a “The Pooka” VHS falls out from a wall shelf and hits the floor. Kevin teases Katie about her ex-small bra while she is recording a video for social media. She threatens to kill him. He flees with her in tow. Mary can’t get a Wi-Fi signal.

Over dinner, Kevin complains about not being allowed to use his phone like Katie. Mary reminds him of his school suspension. He denies hitting Oliver O’Hare. She recalls not having a phone when she was his age. He argues that they aren’t cavemen. She suggests a board game after dinner. Kevin, Tom, and Katie look less than enthused. Upon returning to his room, Kevin discovers “The Pooka” tape on the floor. Tom tells him that it requires a VHS player. Kevin invites him to go see if they can find one in the morning. Tom agrees to think about it before going to bed. The next morning, Mary admits to not telling her boss that they were going on vacation and insists he leave before her virtual meeting starts. Hearing someone chopping wood, they ask the caretaker (Ally NiChiarain) if she has a VHS player. The caretaker tells Kevin that the mountain is the former Fairy Fort where soul-stealing fairies lived before giving him the shed key. She warns him to stay on the trail. Mary pleads with Katie to accompany Kevin to the mountain shed. Knowing Tom is still in bed, Katie reluctantly agrees and they set out on their journey. As she dabs makeup on her face, he asks if would kill her to be real for once. She puts her compact away and poses as he records her. A short time later, they arrive at the shed. Katie helps him set up the VHS player. In the video, Sally (Jude McClean) is putting a puzzle together. The Pooka accidentally breaks the cookie jar. Sally’s mother (Eva Bartley) immediately blames her. Sally tells her that The Pooka did it. Holding a cookie, The Pooka silently giggles.

Mary finds a Wi-Fi signal in the woods and finishes her meeting with her boss. She strikes up a conversation with Rob (Carl Finnegan) and Priya (Fathimah Kara). She compliments Priya’s handmade necklace. Mary explains how her mediation job works. Priya suggests Mary’s “life is not work. Life is what you do after work.” Mary readily agrees. Later, while drawing a sketch of The Pooka, Kevin tells Mary and Sam about the video. Mary pressures Tom into spending time among people. Tom says his watch is missing but no one has seen it. Mary suggests a family movie with popcorn. Katie tells her that she will be busy responding to her DMs.

A strange noise startles Kevin away. Katie is asleep in a nearby bed and doesn’t move when he calls her name. Hearing a creaking noise, he grabs her phone, activates the flashlight, and gradually makes his way through the cabin. The strange music and creaking continue. Wind rustles the curtains through an open window. He shuts it and returns to his room. The next morning, popcorn and candy wrappers are scattered across the floor. Katie, Tom, and Mary look at Kevin who immediately denies eating their treats. Katie sarcastically says he only cares about himself. Kevin accuses her of pretending to be cool when she is a mere sad loser. Mary scolds him. Realizing no one believes him, he storms out of the cabin. Mary assures Katie that he never meant it. Upset, Katie goes to her room. While venting at the playground, Kevin discovers pieces of candy leading to a brush pile. The caretaker greets him in passing. Seeing Kevin playing by himself, Mary urges Tom to go talk to him. He assures her that Kevin is good and claims to be struggling with his recent job termination. She says his depression started before he was fired. He begrudgingly goes out to talk to Kevin. Katie says he will come around. While Tom demonstrates how to balance the sliotar, Harry denies eating the candy. Tom wants to believe him. Harry questions if Pookas are real before escorting Tom to the shed.

Katie is recording a video for social media when she hears a creaking noise. Mary is outside with her laptop. Katie stares in horror as the cupboard door opens. At the shed, Tom discovers an “Attack of the Killer Robot” VHS tape. Kevin sets up the VHS player. At the cabin, an anxious Katie tells her social media followers about the cupboard opening. Continuing to record, she looks inside the cupboard and screams at what she believes is a rat. It turns out to be an old mop. Something passes behind her. At the shed, Kevin discovers The Pooka is missing in “The Pooka” video. The episode ends.

 

The Unreal Review

While the series is low budget, the plot is strong and suspenseful. It’s more like a scary story than comedy. The writer, Rodney Lee, tries his hand at one-liners but fails miserably. The acting is less than stellar but in this case, it hardly matters.

The carpark setting is the perfect blend of sinister and gloom. What it lacks in writing, it makes up for in the cinematography and scenery. A charming series that parents can feel confident allowing their children to watch. The pilot deserves a 5.7 out of 10.

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