Trick or Techrat is the 16th episode of the 2nd season, and the 42nd overall episode, of Jem.
An old opera house is in danger of being torn down because the owner, retired horror-movie star Frederick Vincent, can not afford to pay the back taxes. To raise the money, Jem and the Holograms plan a benefit concert, to be performed at the opera house on Halloween night. The Misfits, on learning of this, go to Eric Raymond. He advises them to give their own Halloween concert and refers them to corrupt real-estate Terrance Landau, who is determined to tear down the opera house to make room for new condominiums.
Preparations for the Holograms' concert begin, with Terri, one of the youngest Starlight Girls, in attendance. The Holograms clean and decorate the opera house and are in the middle of an interview with Lindsey Pierce when the Misfits show up to announce their concert, claiming the opera house to be unsafe. The rehearsal takes a horrifying turn when a backdrop falls, nearly landing on Danse, and Rio realizes it was deliberately vandalized. A figure who appears to be Frederick Vincent appears, telling them that the opera house is haunted and to leave at once. Terri believes him, but Jem refuses to leave and instead allows an inspector called in by Pizzazz to survey the building. He confirms that everything is safe. The inspector says he'll be back before the concert for a final checkup. The Misfits, disgruntled by The Holograms' good luck, are discussing more ways to get the opera house shown down when ghosts begin to appear, seemingly from out of nowhere. The Misfits flee, exclaiming that the place is haunted. Moments later, the mechanism working the rope that supports the chandelier fails, sending it smashing to the floor. Again, someone who appears to be Frederick Vincent appears, telling them the Holograms to leave. Jem refuses, wondering why Frederick would want his own benefit canceled.
On the night of the benefit, there are more strange occurrences—flashing lights, echoes of laughter, and a mummy appearing on a mirror in the Holograms' dressing room. Terri, freaked out when mysterious vibrations begin to shake the building, runs offstage and falls down a trap door. Jem is about to look for her, but Rio interrupts to say that the inspector is back and demands to be let into the opera house. Jem has Rio stall him while the Holograms look for Terri.
Meanwhile, Terri finds herself in an underground hallway. Peeking through one of the doors, she sees Techrat, Terrance Landau, and someone who appears to be Frederick Vincent using a special-effects machine, which has been producing the vibrations. When Terri flees from them after being spotted, she discovers the real Frederick Vincent, who had been locked in a cell. Terri lets him out, and they destroy the special-effects machine and bring Techrat, Terrance, and the impersonator before the Holograms, the Misfits, and the inspector, who is about to cancel the concert. Rio unmasks the impostor, who is revealed to be Eric Raymond. Eric and Terrance are arrested, but Techrat slips out unnoticed.
The Misfits, having had enough of Eric's shenanigans, leave to give their own concert, only to find that the tent where they were holding the concert has been destroyed by a bolt of lightning. The Holograms' benefit is a success, and the opera house is saved. Frederick thanks the Holgrams and says he's been inspired to come out of retirement and put on new plays at the opera house.
This episode contains examples of:
- Cat Scare:
- Subverted. While spying on Terrance, Techrat, and Frederick Vincent's imposter, Terri screams on seeing something run in front of her. It turns out to be only Phantom, Frederick Vincent's cat—but Terri's scream gives her away.
- A few minutes later, while Terri is running from her pursuers, she screams again when someone reaches through the bars on another door and grabs her arm. It's Frederick Vincent, who begs her to let him out.
- Cool Old Guy: Frederick Vincent, who helps Terri destroy the special-effects machine and bring his impostor, along with Terrance Landau, before the inspector.
- Distressed Dude: Frederick Vincent, when Eric Raymond and Terrance Landau lock him up. Later, Terri frees him.
- Face Your Fears: Terri, who is highly superstitious and gets scared easily, faces her fear of what she thinks is a haunted opera house to help the real Frederick Vincent expose the scheme to shut it down.
- Fear Song: Played with. Toward the beginning, when one of the other Starlight Girls scares her with a mask, Terri exclaims that she hates Halloween. Jerrica sings "It's Fun to Be Scared" to remind her that the scariness of Halloween is just pretend and that being scared is part of the fun.
- Full-Body Disguise: Or half-body. Techrat wears a white, sheetlike garment that conceals him from the waist up.
- Halloween Cosplay: For Halloween, Terri dresses as Raggedy Ann.
- Halloween Episode
- Hey, Let's Put on a Show: Jem and the Holograms are planning a benefit concert to save the opera house.
- Holding the Floor: Rio does this when the inspector arrives just as Jem is about to look for Terri.[Rio opens the front door. Eerie laughter is heard from inside.]
Inspector: What's all that racket in there?
Rio: Uh... testing! They're testing the sound system. It'll just take a couple of minutes. - Kindhearted Cat Lover: Frederick Vincent has a black cat named Phantom.[Terri lets Frederick Vincent out. Moments later, Phantom leaps into his arms.]
Frederick Vincent: Phantom! Where have you been, my pet? - Legendary Impostor: Eric Raymond disguises himself as retired horror-movie star Frederick Vincent as a part of a scheme to help Terrance Landau sabotage the benefit and have the opera house torn down, then get a share of the profits once Terrance has condominiums built in its place.Jem: So you were behind all the accidents!
Eric: Landau tricked me! He said it would be just harmless fun.
Jem: You might have hurt a lot of innocent people!
Eric: [to Terrance] Easy money, that's what you said! And you promised we'd be partners in the new condos.
Terrance: Yeah? Well, I didn't know you'd be such a klutz! - Locked in the Dungeon: Terri finds the real Frederick Vincent locked in an underground cell.
- "Scooby-Doo" Hoax: Eric Raymond, in an attempt to sabotage the benefit, locks Frederick Vincent in an underground cell, then impersonates him, warning the Holograms to leave the building. With the help of Techrat and Terrance Landau, he uses a special-effects machine to make it appear that the opera house is haunted and unsafe.
- Shout-Out: Terri is dressed as Raggedy Ann, which Hasbro has had the master license (well, toy license, at least) to since 1983, so it can partially be considered a Hasbro reference.
- Snooping Little Kid: Terri, after falling into the underground hallway, peeks into one of the rooms and spies on Techrat, Terrance Landau, and the fake Frederick Vincent while they're using the special-effects machine. They see her, but she manages to evade them.
- Surprise Slide Staircase: Techrat, Terrance Landau, and Eric Raymond are chasing Terri and Frederick Vincent up a winding staircase. When the latter two reach the top, Frederick Vincent pulls a lever that turns the stairs into a slide, sending the villains hurtling through a Trap Door at the bottom and into a room where they're confronted with Jem and the inspector.
- Trap Door: Terri falls through one and into an underground hallway.
- Villain: Exit, Stage Left: Techrat, who had been trying to sabotage the benefit with his special-effects machine, slips out unnoticed just before Rio unmasks Eric.
