The Curious shows up on a council housing estate.
Jodie and Brandon are always causing trouble at home and school. Their neighbour Mrs Gunson lectures them for throwing water bombs and complains to Jodie's mother; who tries to talk to her about her wild behaviour. She grounds Jodie, so Jodie just invites Brandon over while her mother goes to sleep after working a long shift as a Carer. Meanwhile, a mysterious man (the Traveller) with blue skin touches a guy; lightning coming out of the Traveller's fingertips. Jodie wishes that she could be the only person left on earth and have everything to herself. She and Brandon horse around and break the TV, upsetting Jodie's mother who yells at her.
An old man comes up to Jodie and yells that "a man with blue skin" touched him. He claims he is really Baz Warren, a young delinquent Jodie knows; but the mysterious man touched him and turned him old, leaving behind a card saying "Take, and I'll take from you." The old man drops an ornate case, and Mrs Gunson takes it, saying she deserves to sell it as payment for having to put up with Jodie. However, Jodie breaks into Mrs Gunson's locker and takes it. The case contains a strange crystal, and Jodie thinks it doesn't do anything. But when her mother comes into the room, Jodie realises that the crystal has the power to stop time. Jodie's mother says she has decided not to allow her to hang out with Brandon any more. Jodie freezes time and goes outside, finding that Brandon is outside and also frozen.
Jodie shows him the crystal and demonstrates that if they press the button, they can stop time together and be the only ones not frozen. They have fun and play pranks together but, while hanging out at Brandon's flat, hear a loud noise of something smashing. They see the Traveller breaking into Mrs Gunson’s locker, but it’s empty. The Traveller comes towards them, and they stand still, pretending to have been stopped in time. He leaves, and Jodie explains what Baz Warren told her. They hear a scream and go to Mrs Gunson’s flat. Watching from a window, they see the Traveller turning Mrs Gunson into an old lady. Mrs Gunson screams that she never stole anything, but the Traveller shakes his head.
Jodie and Brandon realise the Traveller punishes thieves: Baz Warren is a burglar, Mrs Gunson steals from charity donation boxes. They think he won't come after them if they give his case back, so they leave it outside. However, he comes up to the balcony they are on. Jodie yells at him to go away because she gave back the case, but the man still has one more thing to do. Jodie and Brandon hide in Jodie’s flat. Jodie cannot understand why the man is still after her when she returned the case to him. However, she sees her mother frozen in time. Jodie’s mother is in tears because she is having to spend all the money she had been saving for a holiday on a new TV. Jodie realises that The Traveller is punishing her for stealing her mother’s happiness. The Traveller enters and touches Brandon, turning part of his hair white. Jodie begs him not to harm Brandon, saying that taking Brandon away would hurt her more than anything else. The Traveller stops touching Brandon and is about to touch Jodie when Brandon suggests Jodie make everything right. Jodie says that if the Traveller is willing to give her another chance then she will make things right. The Traveller shakes her hand and lightning zaps her hand.
Jodie sells her games console to replace her the holiday fund, and picks up another card the Traveller left her: saying "Break your deal, and I'll break mine. Until then, a reminder of the punishment that awaits." It is shown that Jodie has a wrinkled and aged hand from where the Traveller shook her hand, as a warning to behave herself.
The Curious later takes the card that the Traveller gave Baz.
This episode contains examples of:
- Karmic Thief: How Mrs Gunson justifies stealing from others. The Traveller certainly doesn't agree with her.
- Laser-Guided Karma: The purpose of the Traveller, and the moral of the episode.
- Locked into Strangeness: Brandon after being touched by the Traveller.
- My God, What Have I Done?: The Traveller forces Jodie to realize that her horrible behavior has taken away her mother's happiness. She resolves to make this right, so The Traveller takes mercy on her.
- Rapid Aging: This is what the Traveller does to people he touches, such as turning Baz Warren from a young man to an old man.
- Shock and Awe: The Traveller, who can command lightning from his fingertips.
- Time-Freeze Trolling Spree: Jodie and Brandon go on one.
- Time Stands Still: The Traveller's power.
