The Tale of the Vacant Lot Recap & Review - The Midnight Society

[@natashadostroph7556]

This is a decent storyline showcasing greed and insecurities but it also showed us that our life is more valuable than any trinket outfit and items

[@JackOfAllNerdsShow]

There were definitely parts to the episode that I liked. Maybe if they just made it a two-parter to explore the themes more, I would've felt differently. This show is often hindered by that 22 minute runtime and I really wish they exploited those two-parters the way that Goosebumps did.

[@stuffingtonjfluffypantsiii]

My head cannon on why Kiki's story was more positive with the characters is that she was forced into seeing a therapist

[@JackOfAllNerdsShow]

Haha! I can get behind that.

[@michaelperez9966]

Betty Ann was always my favorite, but now that I know she has money, I think I’m in love.

[@JackOfAllNerdsShow]

Hahaha! Yeah, based on the evidence, I think she's wealthier than Gary and Tucker.

[@courtneykleiner9666]

Serious question for you. I laugh so many times during your videos, and it made me wonder, how many times do you have to reshoot per video because you made yourself laugh?

[@JackOfAllNerdsShow]

I'm glad I make you laugh. That is the purpose of the videos in the end. Unfortunately, I have a fairly serious answer for you. I never make myself laugh. There are plenty of retakes, to be sure, but never because I cracked myself up. When filming, I require at least 2 good takes (I used to require 3, but chilled out for the sake of my own sanity). I can sometimes repeat a line up to 10 times because I flubbed a word, or didn't like the way I said something, or thought of a better way to say what I wrote, or thought of a different joke, or just breathed wrong. It takes me anywhere from 2 to 2 and 1/2 hours to film one episode.

[@Headbanger142]

I always found the body horror episodes (Dark Dragon, Jake the Snake and this) kind of gross. But hey, they served their purpose. Just a shame the protagonist in this one is a complete idiot.

[@JackOfAllNerdsShow]

She was so dumb! Even in elementary school I never traded something without knowing what I was trading for.

[@racheljackson4428]

The setup to the story is great.

[@tainted_lord87]

Solid review overall! I thought it was a fantastic episode with a solid story. I feel like it's one of those episodes that you pick up something new every time you watch it again. This episode showed how one's greed/obsession can be exploited and bring out the very worst in someone both mentally and physically (At least, that's how I interpret it as). Katherine as a character may have been stupid for not realzing the danger until the very end. But, at least, she came to her senses and tried to undo what she done more or less. The Katherine character actually felt a bit sorry for if I'm perfectly honest. I'll be nice & say Katherine was naive/insecure with herself. Also, the actress who played the girl that took Eric away previous appeared in The Tale of Cutter's Treasure Part 1. Her name is Emily Hempshire.

[@JackOfAllNerdsShow]

Yeah, I know I'm in the minority on this one. And, truth be told, I probably did carry some of my hatred over from Dark Dragon, though I did think this episode had a way better resolution. I don't think I really got into it in the video, but I do like the message of it's okay to be yourself; afterall, Catherine was pretty groovy right from the start, she just didn't realize it.

[@SpongeyTheEditor]

Didnt comment on the community post but i think it's pretty solid. Mood swings were fun.

[@JackOfAllNerdsShow]

They were fun, I just wanted more. I thought the actress did great with it and I think it would've been cool if the swings were gradual but permanent (until the resolution, of course). Like after her first trade, she's doesn't go right to jerk, but instead is just suddenly confident bordering on arrogant. Next trade, she becomes fully arrogant and conceited, but still not an intentional jerk. Next trade, she becomes worse and so on.

[@kamycollins]

Nice bk/pumps ref. also l.a.gear

[@JackOfAllNerdsShow]

How could I forget L.A. Gear?! I'm slipping in my old age.

[@justinburley6000]

Your version of this story doesn't involve divorced or dead parents so I don't see how it could possibly make the cut for an AYAOTD episode.

[@JackOfAllNerdsShow]

Hahaha! Dammit! That's what I get for not following the rules.

[@TurquoiseStar17]

I liked this one, but I agree. It's a good concept with flawed execution. Marie's stranger danger vibes were off the chart, which ruins believability that Catherine would keep coming back. I never fully understood the ending, why giving Marie the thing she wanted in the first place is what destroys her.

[@JackOfAllNerdsShow]

Yeah, like I said, my best guess is that because the original curse was based on greed, there are 2 possibilities and I only covered one. It could be that Catherine making a trade to save her sister broke the curse. Alternatively, it could be that since the power was already transferred to Catherine, Marie trading for the ring gave Catherine what she wanted, thus transferring the curse right back to Marie, who didn't learn her lesson since she immediately made a trade for something she coveted right after freeing herself from the curse. Either way works, I just wish they would've clarified it better.

[@EmilyGloeggler7984]

I concur with those who like this episode as well. Could it have been more vague and refined? Yes, I also agree with that as well. However, I don't mind the weird bazaar style stall. It doesn't need to look like "Howl's Moving Castle". As for the lead character Katherine, as someone who was always called the below average ugly plain boring one (among other names) growing up as well being someone who actually did have crush on a blond blue eyed handsome guy (prior to my husband - who also is blonde hair blue eyed. Of course I married him for more than just his looks), I admit I can understand Katherine's motives as I too would have been tempted to do anything I could to attract the guy of my dreams (though I wasn't into jocks or meatheads aka exercise obsessed guys. My type of guy was more of the quiet shy gentle Keith types which I eventually did meet and marry with my husband - except he is blonde and Keith was not, but hey, if my husband had brown or red hair, I still would have married him for his beautiful gentle soul ^_^). With that said, had I seen Marie suddenly appear out of nowhere, I actually would have turned her down and been content to remain my shy strange and unusual self unless the guy came forward to me. (BTW, that particular guy in the past, his name was Joseph, by the way, never did but I eventually met my knight in shining armor aka my husband Frank, so it worked out. As they say in "Ghostbusters 2" - "Better late than never!"). I love the relationship between Katherine and her younger sister Joyce (I wish I had that same closeness with my own "baby" sister, but unfortunately, my sister Anna isn't as outgoing as me and even more guarded - for which, I can't blame her and in time I came to realize her innate wisdom in this regard and I now share it.) I agree however that the deterioration of Katherine should have been more gradual (like Seth Brundle in the 1986 remake of "The Fly") but the ultimate payoff/showdown between her and Marie was great, and she even got her ring back as well as her soul. I do also think Marie made for a good villian but I think it would have been interesting if she would have morphed to look like that girl to trick Katherine to go back to her, and that in the finale, she looked worse in the end, even more hideous than poor Keith in "The Tale of the Dark Dragon" (Which I still defend as one of my favourites, albeit from the guy's perspective). I didn't expect the Pee Wee nightmare fuel though, and given how I'm sick with an infection and was throwing up, it took great fortitude not to upchuck upon sight of that creep and it didn't help when you said you wanted to lick Marie's sores... ugh... thank God that wave of nausea has lessened (I hope). With that said, overall, a pretty solid review of a pretty solid episode with a good moral to it, and I actually like the green dress Katherine wears - it reminds me of the Irish dresses in Irish step-dancing and as someone who enjoys that activity when not sick as a dog, I'm happy to be in the minority on that.

[@JackOfAllNerdsShow]

Sorry to hear you aren't feeling well. I hope whatever is ailing effs off and effs off quickly.

[@LpCruz11937]

Please Keep dropping these.

[@JackOfAllNerdsShow]

I'll keep making them as long as you all keep watching and commenting on them. 😁

[@mattchalucha894]

Peewee: what is whack? Cowboy Curtis: crack? Everybody: Aaahhh!!!!

[@JackOfAllNerdsShow]

Haha! You know your Playhouse, I see.

[@melissaroszkowski8911]

Kiki better watch out. That store could be one of Gary's dad's crack stores.

[@JackOfAllNerdsShow]

AAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!! Sorry, you said the secret word of the day.

[@melissaroszkowski8911]

@JackOfAllNerdsShow AAAHHHHHH 🤣

[@matcheschao4037]

The puppets are taking over

[@bigneasy2106]

Good review.. sad to see it coming to an end soon.

[@JackOfAllNerdsShow]

Well, not really. Sure, there are only 2 episodes left from the original run, but I also have 2 seasons from when Tucker took over the group, and the modern reboot, if I feel up to it. Then it's on to Goosebumps!

[@tainted_lord87]

@@JackOfAllNerdsShow Seeing how I've grew up watching the original 5 seasons of Are You Afraid of the Dark?. I'll probably won't comment much on the two modern reboot seasons of AYAOTD (I didn't know the show even had a reboot during the late 90's).

[@JackOfAllNerdsShow]

@@tainted_lord87 It is new territory for me as well. I haven't seen any of the Tucker led seasons. I'll be watching them for the first time when I review them.

[@MoragOctober]

I have absolutely no memory of this episode, which makes sense as I think the story is pretty forgettable. One thing that stood out to me while watching the review though ... how old are these kids? The dude said he'd "pick her up at 9" for the concert. They look way too young to just go out at 9pm to a concert on their own without parental supervision. I used to see a lot of this in the 90s with fairly young teen characters going on dates or other activities with no parents in sight as if it was totally normal. Was it the script writers reliving their own generation's lack of parental oversight and projecting it onto the millenial actors?

[@JackOfAllNerdsShow]

I think it just depends on the family. My sister and I were teens in the 90s and we could basically come and go as we pleased.

[@MoragOctober]

@@JackOfAllNerdsShow Ah, I guess you'd be an "X-ennial" :) I think my parents were ahead of the curve on parents becoming more strict, although one time when I was 13 my mum let me go to a store by myself 😱🤣

[@JackOfAllNerdsShow]

@@MoragOctober Haha! Did the clerk treat you like the clerk in Home Alone treated Kevin?

[@MoragOctober]

@@JackOfAllNerdsShow It was a trendy clothing store so they were probably looking at me like "No way this kid can afford to buy anything, better make sure she's not shoplifting" XD