After episodes focusing on Mickey; Gloria; the Kid and Renee; the youngest of the characters, Stacy, becomes the center of an episode's plot for the first time.
The episode starts as Kids Incorporated is finishing their performance of "Jump" before Riley briefly takes the microphone prior to the last song of the day, "Don't Fight It". As Riley prepares to close down; Mickey remembers they hadn't rehearsed "Go Insane" (referred to here as simply "the new Lindsey Buckingham song"). However, we then see a noticeably tired Stacy (Renee jokes it's past her bedtime; though when Mickey protests that it's only 6:00 Stacy remarks "I can't help it if I'm a growing girl"). The others agree to let her sit this one out when a mysterious noise is heard, allowing Riley to nonchalantly mention something about a ghost at the P*lace. Needless to say, the others are skeptical until the noise resumes; spooking the younger kids - though by then Gloria leads them to the source: Riley with the microphone normally used by him for announcements; setting up "Go Insane".
Stacy then wakes up only to find everyone else had left and she's locked in. As if this wasn't bad enough, the mysterious noise returns again, causing Stacy to assume Riley's playing a prank again. Not this time; as the ghost (who incidentally does suspiciously sound like Riley)note appears and tries unsuccessfully to scare her. Turns out he's seeking induction into the Ghost Society and needs a minimum of 200 scares to be eligible (currently this ghost is 4 short and has been trying to get those four for 800 years); causing him to lament feeling alone and left out (something Stacy - as the youngest band member - can understand), setting up "When I'm All Alone"note . She then tries cheering the ghost up when the lights flicker; indicating another ghost has made it to the ghost society. At that point, the ghost decides to try again; however his Nice Guy demeanor is working against him in getting those last few scares. Then, Stacy suggests trying to scare the "bejeebers" out of the other four band members; resulting in the others suddenly appearing at the P*lace. Cue the "Ghostbusters" theme.
Back in the real world; the others manage to wake Stacy up so they could leave and Riley could close up; with the only question on her mind being whether the ghost in her dream made it in. The flickering lights provide an answer in the affirmative; setting up closing song "Let's Go Crazy".
Starting with the previous episode and continuing through this episode; this would mark the earliest incidents of the standard format being set in stone (one unrelated opening number; the other stage songs being tangentially related while the middle two songs are connected to the story {usually at least one of those is an original song} - at least one of which is an Imagine Spot); being retained with only a handful of exceptions for the remainder of the series' runnote .
Songs performed in this episode:
- "Don't Fight It" (Kenny Loggins and Steve Perry cover; performed by Renee and Mickey)
- "Go Insane" (Lindsey Buckingham cover; performed by Gloria)
- "When I'm All Alone" (Kids Incorporated original; performed by Stacy)note
- "Ghostbusters" (Ray Parker Jr. cover; performed by Kid)
- "Let's Go Crazy" (Prince cover; performed by Gloria)
Tropes associated with this episode:
- Determinator: The ghost here has been trying to get the last four scares to make the Ghost Society for 800 years.
- Dream Sequence: Most of the episode is a dream that starts when Stacy was taking a nap.
- Halloween Episode: This episode premiered in First-Run Syndication the weekend of October 27-28, 1984.
- Shout-Out: The reference to flickering lights signifying a ghost being inducted into the Ghost Society is clearly a reference to Clarence getting his wings in It's a Wonderful Life.
- Or Was It a Dream?: The reaction after the lights flicker when Stacy was telling the others of her dream.
