With Season 7 three-fourths of the way completed (and already one episode longer than Season 6; which had previously been the longest season since moving to Disney Channel in 1986); Robin takes center stage...alongside a Mummy.
Things start normally enough with a performance of "Where There's a Will" before moving to the plot, which has Eric and Haylie once again argu...er, "having a discussion" (to Kenny's annoyance) while Flip prepares to open a new package shipped in a crate, thinking it's an environmentally-friendly trash compactor (Tsunami 5000) that he ordered a month earlier (Eric: "Who says Flip doesn't know how to have a good time?"); only for it to turn out to be a mummy. Eric notes they had one more song before (he hoped) going to the movies to see the "funnies" (whether to go there or the museum was the apparent root of the latest Eric vs. Haylie spat); setting up "Boris the Spider" (with a lot squeezed into roughly 1 minute and 15 seconds; such as a fake spider, Robin screaming and Haylie managing to kick it to the side). Meanwhile, Flip has gotten the crate opened - figuring his compactor is in Egypt and he had the sarcophagus (Eric - for whom history has already been established as his weakest subject - has to have the term explained by Haylie; then responding with "What about their daddies?") before listing the mummy-themed movies he had seen (among them, "Curse of the Mummy") - managing to frighten Robin. Flip's attempt to reassure Robin that there's nothing to fear is soon undermined by Eric describing the legend of the supposed curse. Flip - likely annoyed at Eric - notes that if they left they could see both the movies and museum if they hurried (Eric: "You are truly a wise man, just like the Pharaohs of Egypt"; leading to Haylie firing back by saying that "He's seen three movies and thinks he's an expert") as all of them exit except Robin (who Flip attempts to convince that those stories were merely superstitions; while offering to check things out).
However, things start happening to Robin that appear to confirm Eric's claim of a mummy's curse (spilling her water, knocking over a napkin dispenser and finally stepping in a box and breaking something) before imagining herself as part of a group of archaeologists alongside the other kids in Egypt. When a mysterious strangernote offers to aid them by selling them a map containing directions to a secret entrance and the "treasure of the Great King"...then disappears. They made it inside the pyramid but come up empty (to which an optimistic Robin exclaims "This is fun"). The others - arguing over which way to go - split up; leaving Robin by herself (and with the map). Shortly afterwards, a secret passageway opens and Robin falls in, setting up "Coming Out of the Dark". By this time, Robin has managed to find the treasure...and others find her (to Robin's relief, it's the other kids). The excitement soon ends when Robin reads further that whoever found the treasure would be cursed. A suspicious Haylie notices that a voice they heard sounded familiar, and it was...the "mysterious stranger" who sold them the map and got Flip's Tsunami 5000; setting up "Call It Superstition" as the kids battle a group of mummies.
Robin gets snapped out of her daydream (though falling out of the chair); with the situation eventually being clarified (it's not a real mummy {thus no curse}, but rather one used as part of a magic act)...much to Robin's relief (though not before Haylie turns the tables on Eric by startling him with a prop skull), setting up closing song "If I Could Turn Back Time" (which begins with Robin seated in the crowd).
Songs performed in this episode:
- “Where There's a Will" (Kids Incorporated original; lead vocals by Robin)
- “Boris the Spider” (The Who covernote ; lead vocals by Kenny and Eric)note
- “Coming Out of the Dark” (Gloria Estefan cover; lead vocals by Robin)
- “Call It Superstition” (Kids Incorporated original; lead vocals by Robin)
- “If I Could Turn Back Time” (Cher cover; lead vocals by Robin)
Tropes associated with this episode:
- Advanced Tech 2000: The trash compactor Flip ordered is named the "Tsunami 5000".
- Adventurer Archaeologist: The kids fill this role in the Imagine Spot.
- Cute Clumsy Girl: Robin falls into this trope for the episode after spilling her water, knocking a napkin dispenser over and breaking something when she steps into a box trying to leave the counter; along with falling out of her chair after being awakened from her daydream.
- Imagine Spot: This one has the kids as explorers in Egypt (somewhat like Indiana Jones); Flip as a "mysertious stranger" and the dancers as mummies.
- Recycled Premise: The B-plot of the kids debating whether to go to the movies or the museum is similar in premise to Season 4's "When Movies Were Movies"; only minus any mummies in the earlier episode.
- Superstition Episode: The main focus of the plot has Robin worrying about whether there was an actual curse related to the mummy.
- Unfortunate Item Swap: The events triggering the episode's plot involve a stage mummy used by a magician and the environmentally-friendly trash compactor Flip ordered getting mixed up.
