Three years since we last saw the Midnight Society, Gary, Betty Anne, David, Kristen, Eric, Kiki, Frank, Sam and Stig have gone their separate ways. Tonight, however, Gary's brother Tucker returns, closely followed by Quinn, Megan, Andy and Vange. Tucker invites them all to find a log to sit on; repairs the stone chair, takes a seat, and opens the first meeting of the new Midnight Society. As he speaks, the campfire, seemingly of its own accord, whooshes into life. From a nearby hollow tree stump, he takes the pouch of Midnight Dust. Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society, he calls his story "The Tale of the Forever Game."
One autumn day, Peter, younger sister Monica and friend Mark bike through the woods On a hidden path lies an abandoned bike. The ride down it. Further along, they find another abandoned bike, this one badly rusted. They pass a short, gnarled tree - and some time later, find themselves back before it.
Peter suggests they each take a different path. Reluctantly, Mark and Monica head off in separate directions. Curious, Peter approaches the gnarled tree. As his hand touches it, his entire body, with a flash of white light, warps, ripples, and is dragged, seamlessly, into the tree.
In some sort of cavern, he approaches a small, round, wood-carved table, set with an elaborately detailed model of forest, set with a miniature lake and a round dial. Across the miniature forest floor are numerous small discs, like board game pieces.
From behind, Nathaniel welcomes him; invites him to play, and gestures to the tree stump, in whose miniature lake suddenly appears an overhead view of Mark and Monica. Nathaniel spins the dial, takes a piece, and moves it. The disc on which it lands glows white. The miniature lake shows Mark and Monica, who are suddenly astounded by a sudden rain of small, soft, multicoloured objects - flower petals.
Peter has a turn. His piece lands on a disc marked with a fork of lightning. Back on the trail, Mark and Monica, from a sudden peal of thunder and flash of forked lightning, flee beneath the trees. Monica understands that in the event of lightning, one should stay close to the shorter trees.
Nathaniel has a turn. His piece lands on a counter marked with a theatrical frowning mask - once Burden Beast is called, he never goes away.
Beneath a suddenly clear sky, Mark and Monica emerge into the open. From nearby comes a feral snarl. Ahead of them looms a hair-covered figure with a leathery pink face, primeval brow, bat-like nose, vicious fangs and monstrous claws. Mark and Monica run.
From the board, Peter tries to remove his piece - but it's stuck. The game has to be finished; whereupon the winner gets to leave - and the loser has to stay. Peter spins the dial. His piece lands on "Sticky Pit."
Mark suddenly sinks chest-deep into the ground beneath him. Monica grabs a branch, and proffers it. When Nathaniel spins the dial, Mark pulls at the branch, he finds himself hurled back onto the once more solid forest floor. Mark and Monica find themselves back at the gnarled tree. With a snarl, Burden Beast bounds into view.
Nathaniel takes a turn - and lands on Instant Night. As Mark and Monica run, they instantaneously find all around them plunged into night. Soon enough, they’re back at the gnarled tree.
Peter takes a turn, and lands on "Switch": whereby someone in the forest switches places with him - either his sister or his friend.
Since the tree looks dead, Mark suggests they try to knock it over. Above the tree flashes fork of lightning. Burden Beast bounds into the clearing. A bolt of lightning hits the tree. The lightning won't stop until Peter spins - but he's in no hurry. Lightning flares onto the table. The game explodes.
In a heavy cloud of smoke, Peter and Monica find themselves on the forest floor - in daylight. Ahead of them is Peter. From behind Peter calls the voice of an elderly man - Nathaniel, taller, grey-haired and bearded. He now plans to return to the old neighbourhood, from which, back in 1929, he ran away.
Peter, closes Tucker, earned a respect for his younger sibling's survival skills - and they all beat the game together.
This episode provides examples of:
- Anti-Villain: Nathaniel means no harm, but, or so it appears, must either spend eternity in the cavern, or condemn another to such a fate.
- Bigfoot, Sasquatch, and Yeti: Burden Beast is a decidedly unfriendly specimen - with the ability to throw weapons...
- Book Ends: Comparably with the first episode of the original series, the revived series opens with young travellers who get lost in the woods, are threatened with imprisonment therein with another lost soul, and who, through quick thinking, free both him and themselves.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: After seventy years of imprisonment in the woodland cavern, Nathaniel, to win his freedom, plays the Forever Game with Peter. On landing on a disc which summons a lightning storm, Peter deliberately delays his next move, enabling the destruction of the ancient tree which imprisons them all.
- Eldritch Location: Deep in the woods, a trail repeatedly lures travellers in an indefinite circle, until a player of the Forever Game can free them.
- Fictional Board Game: The Forever Game is set across a small, round table, and involves progress, dictated by a dial, across illustrated representations of various hazards.
- Hidden Depths: Monica has an impressive grasp of botany and outdoor survival.
- Took a Level in Kindness: Peter is brusquely disdainful of his younger sister’s lesser speed - but learns to appreciate her survival skills.
- Scenery Porn: Some lovely shots of the forest.
- Shout-Out: A game which traps players in a forested setting and subjects them to outlandish natural threat recalls the premise of Jumanji.
