The Tale of the Lonely Ghost

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Midnight Society

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Air Date: Saturday, August 29, 1992
Storyteller: David (Nathaniel Moreau)

Frame: On her way to the Midnight Society meeting, Kristen (Rachel Blanchard) bumps into David, who gives her an early birthday present. Since they're running late, however, she decides to open it after the meeting, and David tells his story. The tale gets prompted when Frank (Jason Alisharan) and Eric (Jacob Tierney) almost get into a fight, as the story is essentially about two people who don't get along. By the end, Kristen opens her gift as promised, which begins a loose narrative about David's interest in Kristen.

Story: A sweet girl named Amanda (Laura Bertram) gets dropped off at her aunt Dotty's (Pauline Little) and cousin Beth's (Laura Levin) house while her parents head out of town for work. Beth proves to be a horrible person who seemingly hates everything, including her own Nanny (Sheena Larkin). She convinces Amanda that the only way she can hang out with her and her friends is to spend a night in a neighbouring "haunted" house. Amanda agrees, but soon discovers the ghost of a little girl (Jennie Lévesque), seemingly trapped in a mirror, looking for her mother.

Review: This is probably one of the most memorable episodes altogether. I'd use it to introduce a newcomer to the series, as it's a bit of everything the show should be, which includes a fair amount of cheesiness, but with the occasional moment of solid creepiness to balance things out. It's unfortunate, however, that Beth is just a bit too much one way, while Amanda is a bit too much the other way, and that prevents it from being a favourite altogether, despite having some of my favourite moments. The first shot of the little girl in the mirror, for example, is almost unparalleled in the show's run.

Final Rating: Scared

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