The 2nd episode of the season provides a rare look into Riley’s background.
The episode starts off with a performance of “Sidewalk Talk”; complete with the kids wearing white gloves (and some very 1980’s-style effects); during which we catch a glimpse of Riley with a briefcase opened and a nearby book on the counter; quickly slamming the briefcase down when the kids arrive while claiming the P*lace was “out of everything”. Needless to say, the kids aren’t buying that story and Riley rapidly denies Ryan’s request to borrow the computer book; then rushes to the stage to introduce the band once again (in spite of the fact the episode’s opener was supposed to be the closing song from their last set); putting the kids on the spot to go on stage (“Rock Around the Clock”). As if Riley’s behavior wasn’t strange enough, he then leaves with no warning save for tossing Ryan the keys to lock up; sparking suspicions by Gloria.
In the break room, we then see Gloria help Stacy with the latter’s math homework when they spot a sleeping Riley behind a rack of dresses. The attempt to confront him fails, though Gloria finds a poem she thinks is a love letter to a Miss Cantwell (Stacy, meanwhile, thinks Riley’s lost his mind {“First math, now mush. I’m outta here”}; leading to the saxophone-dominant “It’s a Mystery”). However, the others have a very different theory. It seems Ryan, Renee and the Kid found a list of military installations; a photo of a Battleship Schnauzer; a “coded” paper and a picture of the White House; leading them to the assumption that Riley was a spy (“Secret”).
Eventually, the kids converge in confronting Riley; with the Kid peppering Riley with a series of questions about his alleged spying (though Stacy at least is willing to give Riley the benefit of the doubt that he’s not an enemy spy); while Gloria still thinks Riley’s in love. Ultimately, this forces Riley to clear everything up (Miss Cantwell is his English teacher; the “code” was for his algebra class and everything else was for his social studies classes) and explain that he was going to night school to get his GED; which eases the kids’ concerns as we head to “No Looking Back” to wrap the episode up.
As for Riley's studies; he would eventually get his GED, with the character being written out in the Season 6 opener as having been accepted to college.
Songs performed in this episode:
- “Sidewalk Talk” (John “Jellybean” Benitez cover; lead vocals by Gloria)note
- “Rock Around the Clock” (Bill Haley & His Comets cover; lead vocals by Ryan)
- “It’s a Mystery” (Kids Incorporated original; lead vocals by Gloria)
- “Secret” (Orchestral Manoeuvers in the Dark cover; lead vocals by Gloria)
- “No Looking Back”(Michael McDonald cover; lead vocals by Renee)note
Tropes associated with this episode:
- Imagine Spot: “Secret” features the kids dressed as spies trying to corner Riley.
- Mistaken for Romance: What Gloria thinks Riley’s letter addressed to Miss Cantwell means.
- Mistaken for Spies: After seeing the Battleship Schnauzer picture, an image of the White House and a “coded” paper; the kids (sans Gloria; who had seen a letter addressed to a Miss Cantwell earlier and assumed it was a love letter) think Riley’s a spy.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Riley’s turn for this trope; as he darts out after the second song (after putting them on the spot to perform - as the opening song was supposed to be the last one of the day) while tossing his keys to Ryan.
- Tragic Dropout: Riley seems to be implied to be this considering he was going to night school at this point.
- Wrong Assumption: The eventual reveal behind the poem and pictures in Riley’s briefcase, setting up the episode’s moral about not jumping to conclusions.
