Episode 11- For Whom the Bell Trolls

I love this episode. I know it has a lot of problems, but I love it anyway. It's very much an episode for my OTP (Billy/Trini ftw!) but it's full of... well... fish.

It's Hobby Week at Angel Grove High. Wait, what? Hobby Week? Is this like, show and tell for high schoolers? I'm a little puzzled. Even my second grader doesn't get show and tell anymore, but there is Hobby Week in a high school? That's just ridiculous. So we learn Jason is into martial arts (duh), Kim is into gymnastics (duh), and Zack is into surfing. I can't recall ever hearing about the surfing again and think he really ought to have danced for them instead, but what do I know? I'm just a reviewer with some semblance of a memory and a penchant for continuity. Trini brings in her doll collection. She is mocked for it, of course, but I think it's cute that Billy at least tries to shush Bulk and Skull. Aw. We also discover, from her lamenting at Trini's luck, Rita is sad and bitter because she had a lousy childhood. She watches their every move. It's creepy and obsessive, actually, much like Edward Cullen. *shudder*

We then find out Billy has built a volcano. In high school. When he probably built something bigger and better when he was, oh, 3 years old. This is Billy we're talking about. I mean, not three episodes ago he had built a device to read minds that ended up switching bodies, and here he is with... a volcano. Of course by the end of it, Bulk ends up covered in the contents of the volcano and then spits it out at Skull.

Mrs. Applebee sends them off like a kindergarten teacher with the homework of "For English, read chapter 4! Question Marks. Why do we need them?" This is supposed to be HIGH SCHOOL and they're learning about the necessity and purpose of QUESTION MARKS????? It's a wonder the intelligence level of Angel Grove isn't drastically lower what with the disturbing lack of quality in the public education system. Or maybe it is... after all, nobody really seemed to figure out who the Rangers are.

We are treated to a shot of Trini's house and then the creepiest room EVER. Her room is covered in dolls, all staring blankly at her as she climbs into bed. Creeeeppppyyyyy.

Next morning we see Billy unlock and open Trini's car door for her as he promises to help her find her missing Ticklesneezer. Awwwwww. So chivalrous. Little do they know, Squat snuck into her room last night and stole Ticklesneezer for Rita's nefarious plans (or to reclaim her sad, doll-less childhood, we're not entirely sure). I'd like to take a moment to give kudos for the set team. They have both Billy and Trini demonstrating proper seatbelt usage. Way to be safety minded, guys, good job!

Moving on, they come across Ticklesneezer and get sucked into his bottle to be his treasure. They cling to each other as they scream in terror and... never use the communicators to call for help. After a good 8+ hours of the doll missing (dream!Zordon!fail, seriously), Zordon finally contacts Jason, Zack, and Kim. They are sent to go fight Goldar (with wings!), Squat, Baboo, and a whole bunch of putties. But oh no, Kim is the only one able to hold her own! That's because she is awesome and Trini clearly knows this.

Ticklesneezer joins the party and Kim manages to rescue Billy and Trini from his bottle. Because Kim is awesome. And we have no clue what Zack and Jason are doing all the while, but whatever. There is a ridiculously long Zord sequence, they wrestle the bottle away, threaten Rita (yay, direct confrontation!), and then convince Ticlesneezer to return his "goodies" to the correct time and place. TIME and place? Time? Is Ticklesneezer's bottle the TARDIS or something?

But we soon forget that bit of confusion when we discover Trini is still asleep in her bed. Well goodness, it was all a dream! How could we have been so blind. She awakens to discover Ticklesneezer missing from her nightstand and oh no! We're all so scared that maybe it wasn't a dream after all. We discover Ticklesneezer has just fallen to the floor and it really was all just a dream. Tricksy writers, you sure fooled us (or, y'know, not). /sarcasm

Back in class for a continuation of Hobby Week, we find out Bulk and Skull's names are actually Farkus and Eugene. I don't get the knock on Eugene. It's a good, solid name! Anyway, they like parasites and bring in a flea circus. Billy actually looks interested and leans forward in his seat to see, but alas, the fleas have escaped and are now devouring Mrs. Applebee. The class laughs while their poor teacher writhes in itchy itchy agony.

This gets 4 fish. We were going to be generous with 3.5 since most of the wtf-ery can be explained by it being a dream, but really... hobby week and learning about question marks (and Billy building a volcano) in high school? We just can't in good conscious give it less than a 4.

List time!
Billy Speak: "my homemade volcano will expocate how eruption occurs when gas and lava gush forth from the opening." Okay, note here. We KNOW expocate isn't a word. The only word it could actually be is explicate, however Billy clearly says expocate, so that's what I wrote.

Covered in food: Bulk in volcano (counts as food I guess since it's baking soda), who then spits it on Skull. Bulk also gets cake all over his hand when he mimics Jason and Zack punching through boards... using chocolate cake.