As Season 7 began with an episode focusing on a newcomer in "A Hard Date's Night"; so the season finale focused on one of the newcomers as Haylie becomes the central focus in "Secret Agent Man"note .
The episode begins with a performance of "Get Ready". After the song, the kids were set for a band meeting - only Haylie hasn't been seen by them, causing them to wonder where the hold up is until Ana asks if any of the others had a feeling they were being watched - spied on, to be precise. They were...by Haylie; who was trying out her new spy kit from behind some costumes (she's already tried out the hidden microphone, with that having been used to pick up Flip (and earlier a recording of Robin and Ana - jokingly, perhaps - calling Eric "cute") (Eric, who had teased Haylie frequently in the past, is impressed; while Kenny and Robin trying to warn Haylie of the risks of hearing something she wasn't supposed to and that others may not be as understanding). The hidden mic picks Flip up as he begins asking where the kids are and threatening a stern talking to if they didn't get back on stage ("Impulsive").
In spite of Haylie's spy equipment getting heavy usage, she somehow missed a message Flip sent related to a recycling drive for an Earth Day fair (Kenny, Eric and Robin - .the only kids present - volunteer). As for Haylie's whereabouts, she was still using her spy kit (shooing Ana away due to the possibility of interference). Just as Ana leaves, Haylie catches an out-of-context snippet of Eric, Kenny and Robin complaining about someone "not pulling their weight" (causing Haylie to think they're talking about her - they're actually talking about a Cabbage Patch Kid-like doll), particularly when the reference to the doll's blue dress (by Robin) being similar to Haylie's and Kenny's remarks about the doll's "big mouth and button eyes" being misconstrued into an insult by Haylie. The decision is made to get rid of the doll - which Haylie thinks was a decision to drop her from Kids Incorporated ("Read My Mind"). After the recycling drive, an exhausted Kenny, Robin and Eric are getting treated to sodas by Flip when Haylie walks in and (when Robin asks where she was) abruptly announces she's quitting the band before storming out just as Ana walks into the P*lace. They then come to the realization that Haylie was using her spy kit and overheard the out of context remarks. Eric then comes up with an idea as we go into "Lies".
Eric's idea? Read a script of compliments in hopes Haylie would overhear...only for Flip to inadvertently blow their cover when he asks what's going on; causing Haylie to storm back to the P*lace long enough to confront them (and causing the others to wonder if she'd ever trust them again). At this point a (much more cheerful) Haylie returns, announcing that she threw the spy kit away; with the others apologizing for the stunt and Haylie doing likewise for her originally spying on them and requesting an opportunity to rejoin the band, which the others naturally agree to. The kids then start making less than flattering remarks about Flip's burgers, only for Flip - ever the enthusiast about all things related to environmental matters - to have recycled Haylie's old spy kit and overheard the comment, setting up closer "More Than Ever" (complete with Kenny jumping off stage for his guitar solo).
While the dancer lineup remained stable; as per the norm the cast would see some changes after the season with both Eric Balfour and Jennifer Love Hewitt leaving (Balfour being cast in the short-lived 1992 ABC sitcom "Arresting Behavior" {lasting only 7 episodes} while Hewitt, after appearing in the film Munchie, appared in the slightly longer-lived Fox sitcom "Shaky Ground" before both went on to success later).
Songs performed in this episode:
- “Get Ready” (The Temptations cover; lead vocals by Haylie)note
- “Impulsive” (Wilson Phillips cover; lead vocals by Haylie, Robin, Kenny and Ana)
- “Read My Mind” (Kids Incorporated original; lead vocals by Haylie)
- “Lies” (En Vogue cover; lead vocals by Robin, Ana and Kenny)note
- “More Than Ever” (Nelson cover; lead vocals by Haylie, Ana and Robin)
Tropes associated with this episode:
- Green Aesop: Flip gets three of the kids (Kenny, Robin and Eric) to help him with a recycling drive for an Earth Day fair.
- Imagine Spot: "Lies" takes place in a setting with the band members and dancers setting up for a fortune teller.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Eric's idea of staging a play (complete with scripts) complimenting Haylie ends up being this when Flip unintentionally blows their cover.
- Out-of-Context Eavesdropping: Haylie's troubles come when she uses her spy kit and ends up assuming that Kenny, Eric and Robin are talking about getting rid of her (instead of a doll for the recycling drive).
