Today’s Hailey’s On It! On Disney Channel shows off how not to handle an unknown species of critter and to always read the fine print, especially with someone like Becker!
When Squeeples Attack
We open on the Professor running from a mysterious creature (that we later learn is Slaughteroceros, a crazy wild animal that can shoot lasers out of its eyes) and to make an escape, conjures a time jump. We already know where this is headed, and sure enough, she lands back in the past in Hailey’s closet.
Hailey and Scott are excited to see her, but unfortunately she has no news or anything to share. No missions, no backpack, and no lottery numbers. Nothin’.
With this encounter being so fun and awkward, the Professor pretends to trip and fall back into an open portal to make another escape, but did so after relaxing at Hailey’s house – leaving her lab coat behind.
When they investigate, they discover that the professor had a stowaway in her pocket, a cute little critter that looks like a puffball and makes charming little noises. Hailey and Scott dub the creature a Squeeple, and decide to keep and care for it, much to Beta’s chagrin.
Beta suggests that this could be a potentially invasive species from the future and could be very dangerous. That said, he doesn’t mind if Scott toys with the creature.
While the gang is attempting to feed the Squeeple, they discover that it eats rubber, digesting backyard toys and even the newly installed tire swing.
As the Squeeple continues to eat every piece of rubber in sight, it begins to multiply. No, not math. More and more of the puffball creatures keep appearing and Hailey suggests that they have to do something. After all, this seems to be an invasive species now and could be very dangerous. Beta was furious. That’s what he said mere moments ago.
The Squeeples get out of the backyard, and now all of Oceanside’s rubber is in danger. Hailey remembers that there is an event at the Drive-In tonight, so they’ll likely all go there to eat all the rubber on the car tires that will be in one spot.
Hailey and Scott don their own lab coats and vacuum cleaners to clean up the mess they have created (quite literally), and show up at the Drive-In. Sure enough, the Squeeple hoard has arrived and fortunately, Hailey is echoing what’s on screen and many of the Drive-In viewers think these are all spectacular 3D effects. Together, they go around sucking up all the Squeeples, and finally, the Professor shows up once again. They give her back her lab coat and hand her the vacuum bags of Squeeples to make sure they get back to their proper time period.
Aghast, the professor reveals that these aren’t Squeeples at all! These are baby Slaughterocerosses? Slaughteroceri? Those things from the beginning of the episode! Either way. They’re going back. Problem solved.
Cool Intentions
Right off the bat, we learn that Hailey has completed a task at the arcade of U.F.Dough where in she wins the Basketball game in 5 shots. She did it! But it took her a significant number of attempts on their unlimited play card she got from Becker.
Scott has one too, as their mom owns U.F.Dough, but he can’t seem to find his. Spoiler: Becker has it. And worse, she has put fine print on her unlimited play card that dictates that she gets whatever cash value they played. And all of Hailey’s attempts put her in debt by $300.00!
Until she has the money, she is hanging on to something of Hailey’s and takes Beta as a sort of security deposit and leaves him with her hungry turtle, Mr. Chompers.
Obviously, she and Scott don’t have that kind of cash, so it looks like they need to find a job. While yes, Scott’s mom owns U.F.Dough, that is not a viable option as their mom is actually looking to get rid of staff, not take on new ones. Fortunately, Gretchen is nearby and overhears. She needs help at her store! Who is Gretchen though? Well, turns out she is the owner of Fans+ and AC’s Mom.
Hailey and Scott head to her fan store, where AC is waiting to interview them. Gretchen is quite the opposite of AC and despite her son's pathetic attempts at a roleplay interview, gives the job to Hailey and Scott.
They’re needed temporarily because AC is going to be part of a new commercial for the store, with local commercial director Sam Rodriguez. His work is legendary, and his last work with Smoothie Shack has earned him critical acclaim and a new cameraman in his star cow.
Beta calls Hailey to do whatever she can to get him out of there, petrified with the turtle that unsurprisingly is no real threat.
At the store, it seems the commercial shoot isn’t going well, especially with AC as the star. Frustrated, Sam takes a break and sees Hailey and Scott playing with all the fans in the store, pretending to be robots or even weather reporters caught in a storm. This is what he has been looking for!
AC, heartbroken, runs outside. Hailey pulls Sam over and pitches an idea.
Hailey steps outside to apologize to AC, as she never meant to be in the commercial. AC pretends to not be offended by her casting in lieu of him, and Hailey emphasizes its just for dumb fans anyway.
Fans are a big part of AC and his family’s life, and he was quite the passion for them. Passion that comes out when he is offended by Hailey’s “dumb fan” comment.
Fortunately, this was all planned by Hailey and Sam, and Sam got the footage he needed of AC speaking so highly of fans for the commercial.
After a successful premiere of the commercial at U.F.Dough, Hailey and Scott get the check from Gretchen, which is immediately intercepted by Becker who returns Beta from his turtle prison.
This episode of Hailey’s On It! Is now available on Disney Channel and the DisneyNOW app. You can catch up with earlier episodes on Disney+.