Original air date: 10/6/2021 note
Production code: 104b
Molly wants to direct a scary movie with her little brother and new friends, Scratch included, just to have fun. Andrea, however, takes over production using money...and installing Greta Gerwig as the new director. Molly realizes that the fun has gone away, and Scratch is the ghost to restore her joy.
Tropes for this episode include:
- Apology Gift: As an apology for the production going wrong three days in a row and Andrea tossing out her script, Molly invites Libby for family movie night.
- As Himself: Greta Gerwig stars in this episode as herself. She doesn't get to do much before Molly tells Scratch to go to town on production.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Molly gives permission for Scratch to "liven up" the production when Andrea takes over and makes her friends and little brother upset.
- Big Sister Instinct: Molly tries to gently tell off Andrea for replacing Darryl as the cameraman and effects person. When Andrea won't budge, reminding them that she's funding them and they owe her for the space, Molly tries to cheer up Darryl by promoting him to doing behind-the-scenes footage. Darryl takes to it when Scratch livens up production, revealing he got all the antics on tape.
- Brick Joke: During the film shoot, Scratch mentions that he gets gassy after eating a lot, then immediately rips one that causes Libby to pass out. Then, at the end of the episode after Molly narrowly stops Libby from figuring out Scratch’s true identity, the tension is subsided by Scratch letting out yet another fart.
- Chekhov's Gun: Molly promotes Darryl to a "behind-the-scenes" cameraman when Andrea replaces him with a professional. Darryl uses his position to get the footage of Scratch's rampage so that they have a movie to edit and watch.
- Continuity Nod: One of the tombstones on Andrea's movie set has "H. Harriet" on it, next to a smaller tombstone with "H. Harriet's Toes".
- Disproportionate Retribution: Scratch doesn't hold back when he goes after Andrea and the film crew, and Molly presumably knows he'll do so yet lets him loose anyway.
- The Dog Bites Back: Shortly after Andrea replaces Molly as director she lets Scratch loose to terrorize the set. Darryl also dumps the fake blood on Andrea, who is wearing what seems to be a prom dress, making it look like a scene out of Carrie. To top it all off, he got enough footage for Libby to edit into a movie night.
- Everyone Has Standards: Scratch tolerates Andrea's changes to the script and production, and expresses disgust when she makes Molly cry. Then he politely asks Molly if it's still their movie, waiting for her to give the go-ahead.
- Face Palm: Molly does this when Andrea proposes changing the film into a lighthearted romance.
- Gasshole: Scratch becomes gassy after eating all the food on the craft services table, and lets out a fart that causes Libby to faint.
- Go Look At The Distraction: Libby is about to realize that Scratch is in fact a real ghost, so Molly quickly points out Libby's billing in the credits to distract her before she puts it together.
- Good Cannot Comprehend Evil: This is how Andrea takes over the movie production; when she volunteers her family's movie studio, Molly doesn't see how a classmate being nice could have a downside. While Libby accuses Molly of being blinded by the personalized director's chair, Molly looks more like she got in over her head because Andrea keeps making changes.
- Grew a Spine: Libby actually stands up to Andrea for tossing her script in the garbage, and tells Molly they need to bail out now because Andrea has taken the fun out of it.
- Guilt by Association Gag: Scratch (with Molly's blessing) terrorizes Greta Gerwig and the crew along with Andrea, even though they didn't do anything to the kids besides being Andrea's employees.
- Hidden Depths: Libby reveals that she's an aspiring screenwriter. She squeals in delight when the movie credits feature her.
- It's All About Me: Andrea took over Molly's movie just to be the star of the show even though the movie is low-budget and just for Molly's family to watch.
- Lighter and Softer: In-Universe. When Andrea takes control of Molly's movie, she turns the movie from a scary horror film to a lighthearted romance with "cute and cuddly" ghosts. Molly gives Scratch permission to restore the original spirit.
- Kick the Dog: Andrea replaces Molly as director of their tiny fan film, and tosses her director's chair in the trash. Molly actually tears up from being upset.
- Kitschy Local Commercial: Andrea starred in at least one of these for her family's department store.
- Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Molly was willing to tolerate Andrea hijacking the movie, and even her firing Darryl and Libby. But Andrea firing Molly and throwing her director's chair away was the final straw.
- Obliviously Evil: Andrea takes over the horror film project while edging Molly aside, but she doesn't do it out of malice, just ignorance.
- Pass the Popcorn: Darryl as "Behind-the-scenes cameraman" gets Scratch's rampage on tape, with enough footage for Libby and Molly to edit into a proper movie.
- Performance Anxiety: The thought of being on camera initially causes Libby to Stress Vomit.
- Positive Friend Influence: Libby gains more confidence in herself throughout the episode thanks to Molly, Darryl, and "Carl". She even gets the courage to tell Molly that Andrea is using money to make the movie all about her.
- Prima Donna Director: Subverted. While Molly gets understandably frustrated at the stunts that go wrong, she remains polite, such as when the kids crash into each other. Later she dissuades Andrea from doing Product Placement and tries to explain to her that this is just to have a fun film for family movie night.
- Running Gag: Andrea throwing Molly and Libby's contributions to the movie into a recycling bin in the background.
- Shout-Out:
- The fake blood spilling on Andrea is a complete homage to Carrie.
- The moment during the montage of Scratch turning into a bunch of snakes to terrify one of the movie crew bears a striking resemblance to a similar shot
from the first opening of the Beetlejuice animated series.
- Spotting the Thread: Narrowly averred, ironically due to lack of threads. Libby started to notice Scratch doesn't have any strings despite floating in the air. However Molly distracts her with her name in the credits.
- Take That!: Anyone familiar with film production will notice quite a few not-so-subtle jabs at corporate execs taking over a movie shoot.
- Trash the Set: By the time Scratch finishes wreaking havoc on the set, Andrea and the crew evacuate in panic. While not shown, it's implied that the area has become too messy to be used for filming.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Darryl and Libby chew out Molly for letting Andrea fire them.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Libby is shy about being the lead in the movie. Molly tells Libby that she has more courage in her than she thinks.
