One of Scratch’s primary antagonists returns while Molly tries to rally team spirit throughout the town in this week’s episode of The Ghost and Molly McGee.
Jinx!
This episode full requires the viewer to remember who Jinx is, so quick recap: Remember at the end of season 1, Scratch was being tailed by Jinx and she bore witness to the destruction of (by Scratch and Molly) the “Original True Chairman,” and earlier this season we saw her again, tricking Scratch into embarrassing himself at Jeff and Geoff’s party. Remember?
Cool, that said, we get to see her again at a party celebrating the new Taco Tuesday – Thursday initiative presented by Scratch, who is now the chairman since he destroyed the original one. That original chairman’s biggest fan has returned and she baits Scratch with a delicious churro. While the two have a brief exchange, it’s a moment when the two say the same thing that Jinx yells out … oh what’s the word… oh right! “Jinx”…waitaminnit.
What is first construed as banter becomes a literal curse as Scratch can’t pick up his churro to eat. Oh wait, it's not playful fun after all. She legit cursed him. Time for a song!
Turns out, this Jinx is out to make Scratch’s life quite annoying and we learn that the only way to break the Jinx placed by Jinx is for her to say Scratch’s name three times. Scratch, who can’t live with this kind of torture, consults Molly who proposes that they trick Jinx into saying his name however they can.
Luckily for them, everyone loves stickers, including Jinx, who is baited with a collection of Scratch and Sniff stickers, thus getting her to say “Scratch” once. Two more to go.
Through a bit of exposition while Scratch and Molly are spying on her, we see Jinx staring at her vision board trying to manifest a reality in which she becomes the chairman… as she sees it, she is the only one that can fill the original true chairman’s robe. You know, the one that Scratch is in possession of. And, the main prop that is being used to bait her for the second time saying his name as he leaves the robe out near her but covered in itchy powder with a conveniently placed scratcher nearby. Easily, the plan works. That’s two.
Number three is a bit more elaborate. For the first time in the living world, Geoff and Jeff are hosting their fun party show, “Squeal of Fortune” and one of the prizes is an “original” lunchbox featuring the former Chairman, (that Libby carefully crafted). Fortunately, Jinx is in the audience and wants that prize. Conveniently, she is selected as the contestant for this round, and has to guess the seven letter word of the puzzle. Spoiler alert: It’s “Scratch.”
As she is about to finish the word, she sees Scratch and Molly watching from behind the curtain and the ruse is up. She is going to leave Scratch jinxed forever. BUT, as she likes to talk about him so much, Scratch sees the opportunity to catch her in her own game and double jinxes her as she says “the one true chairman.” After realizing they can’t go in circles like this forever, the two hesitantly and cautiously come to an agreement. Jinx has said his name twice, he’ll say her name twice, and they’ll say it the third time together. The two, again cautiously, begin to say each other’s name when Jinx fully says Scratch but Scratch never finishes saying Jinx. Double crossed, Jinx feels vengeful and Scratch says he only did it to teach her a lesson before finally saying her name and freeing him from his curse. Calling for a truce, Jinx says “Why forgive when you can hold a grudge?” This likely isn’t the last we’ve seen of her, especially since now its confirmed that she is vying for the spot as Chairman.
Let’s Play Turnipball
Once again, it’s Brighton vs. Perfektborg in another game of Turnipball, but this year will be different – at least, according to Molly it will be. After all, they have something they haven’t had in previous years – Ollie Chen. As such, the mayor has proclaimed that today is officially “Get Your Hopes Up Too High Day” in Brighton.
As such, it’s time for a musical number about how the team could potentially win the game, but it is also cluing us in that Ollie is feeling too much from the pressure put upon him, and as we learn more and more about the ridiculous rules of the game, he (and the audience) really have no clue what is going on.
This year, Molly also has rules and Scratch is not allowed to interfere in any way using his ghostly tricks and traits, and there is to be absolutely no possession of players, or even the turnip that they play with. That said, nothing was mentioned regarding the possession of an abandoned turnip mascot costume – so there’s your B story for this episode.
Molly and the Coach are very untrusting of Perfektborg and even slap their nice offering of pastries out of their hands for fear they might be poisoned and that’s how they keep winning. Fortunately for Brighton’s team though, Ollie, despite not understanding anything going on, is doing quite well. In fact, he’s doing great until a moment when a whistle blows and everyone must remain still and silent. He didn’t know that and got penalized. From there, it’s halftime and in the locker room, Molly and the Coach discover some remnants of a flaky crust. Clearly, members from the other team were in the locker room and now they must figure out why. So, Molly does the same and heads into their locker room to bust them for cheating, though she doesn’t quite have specific evidence to look for. When she gets caught snooping by the other time, she hurts herself and the Perfektborg players rush to give her aid. Turns out, their entire mean demeanor and strategy all stems from their game face – they’re all actually really nice and good people.
When Molly asks why there are pastry remnants in their locker room, she discovers that the team left them a gift basket – that Scratch got to first. Go Figure. Hey, speaking of Scratch, he’s been having a dance battle this whole time with their Meatball mascot. He too discovers the good nature of the team while he is arguing with the silent mascot who only gives him a hug for Scratch to realize this entire time he’s been mad at himself.
Molly explains that they are so close to winning the game for the first time in over 100 years, and that the town really needs a pick-me-up like that. So, the other team decides that they’ll throw the game to allow for the win, and even though that plan was in motion, they still ended up winning with another ridiculous rule that gave them tons of points at the very end of the game.
As the Perfektborg team leaves, Molly and Scratch are preparing for the whole town to be sad, even though turning around they discover the crowd going crazy with happiness. For once, the game wasn’t a complete shut out. Turns out, all they had to do to boost morale was really only score one point.
This episode of The Ghost and Molly McGee is now available on Disney Channel and the DisneyNOW app. You can also catch up with the first season and earlier episodes streaming now on Disney+.