Gloria returns to the forefront in this episode, which finds her facing a tonsillectomy.
We start off with Riley attempting still another card trick, this time having drafted Wendy as an assistant - with the crowd correctly picking a jack of hearts (somehow emerging on the back of Riley's shirt) before introducing the band for "Thunder Road".
However, shortly after the song Gloria had to leave to get her tonsils removed, attempting to cheer her friends up in the process; causing the others to think she was quite brave in not showing any signs of fear, upon which the four band members still in the P*lace return to the stage for one of the more elaborately staged performances in the series, "Jailhouse Rock". Shortly after that song, Ryan, Kid and Renee are shooting baskets before play stops when Renee protests an obvious travel by Kid - at which point Kid comes up with a wild theory that Gloria was being held prisoner and they needed to break her out. More bizarre is the fact that the others go along with the scheme.
That night, we see Gloria calling her dad to let him know things are alright before calling it a night ("Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid"). However, before she could call it a night; the other band members sneak in dressed as surgeons. Gloria wasn't fooled, and then gives an explanation for the surgery - the tonsillectomy was something of a preemptive strike (Gloria had been dealing with a sore throat that wouldn't heal; causing her to fear possible vocal damage that would force her to quit the band); throwing in the typical perks of most episodes of this nature (i.e.: lots of ice cream); leading to "That's What Friends Are For" and Gloria getting peppered with a barrage of questions she couldn't verbally answer.
A few days later; Gloria returns to the P*lace mentioning the surgery being a success and she felt terrific ("Wait 'til you hear my G above high C"note ) before admitting she was afraid of the procedure but didn't want to let on (leading Ryan to remark that "For a girl, you've got guts"). This sets up closing song "Walking on Sunshine".
Songs performed in this episode:
- “Thunder Road“ (Bruce Springsteen cover; lead vocals by Gloria)
- “Jailhouse Rock’” (Elvis Presley cover; lead vocals by Stacy)
- “Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid“ (Daryl Hall & John Oates cover; lead vocals by Gloria)
- “That's What Friends Are For’”note (Kids Incorporated original; lead vocals by Renee & Stacy)
- “Walking on Sunshine“ (Katrina and the Waves cover; lead vocals by Gloria)note
Tropes associated with this episode:
- Face Your Fears: Along with "NASA Space Week" and "The Wallflower"; this marks the third episode focusing on Gloria that was an example of this trope, in this case the fear that the throat soreness was severe enough to force her to step down from Kids Incorporated.
- Imagine Spot: "That's What Friends Are For"; complete with a stylized version of Gloria's hospital room as the set and the dancers playing additional doctors.
- Open Mouth, Insert Foot: Ryan's "For a girl, you've got guts" comment.
- The Power of Friendship: The other major Aesop of the episode, in this case focusing on helping a friend through a crisis. Also the main focus of "That's What Friends Are For".
- The Tonsillitis Episode: The main focus of the plot
- Zany Scheme: Kid's suggestion of trying to break Gloria out of the hospital leads to this.
