To be fair? This episode would have been WAY more fun if the opening scene were cut out.

Imagine what would have happened if the episode stayed focused on Iago and Abu from beginning to end, and we started with regular cast shenanigans in the marketplace.

Iago’s oddly perceptive observation about reality possibly being out of whack would seem a little more out of nowhere, sure.

But then when they get to talking about the Princess and this happens:

Our level of discomfort would have been right there with Iago and Abu.

Especially as the scene goes on. Can you imagine?

Sadira’s had plenty of time to hype herself into full-on obsession again.

She’s back to talking about Aladdin like something she can possess, rather than just wanting him to like her. She still doesn’t really understand what makes being liked such a nice thing, if she thinks making someone do it when they wouldn’t normally is the way she needs to go.

Production Code Episode 27: Sandswitch

We knew at the end of Sadira’s first episode that she hadn’t learned her lesson yet. So here we go.

This is actually one of the very first episodes I ever saw, and definitely my first Sadira episode, and it was a long time before I ever saw another (her final episode, actually!), and I was always a little disappointed because it seemed like it would be going in other, more interesting directions for her, it just wasn’t to be. I appreciate this episode more now that I have a better grasp of Sadira’s personality, at the very least.

But this is one of several “Iago and Abu are the main characters” episodes that crop up every now and again.

Their escape was always one of the most exciting parts of the movie, to me.

They run into the woods just beyond the hospital. It’s pouring rain. They’re followed by the nurse (and her sudden appearance used to scare me every time).

The girl falls into the river, and Dorothy, realizing she’ll be caught if she stays on land, jumps in after her.

Now for all I’ve said about this woman being evil (she is), she also doesn’t want these kids to die. When the branch they’re clinging to suddenly breaks and they’re carried off by the current, she actually leaps in after them.

And she somehow managed to hit the most shallow part of the water that’s not affected by the current in any way whatsoever, but whatever. I’ve always wondered on her motivations. Even as a kid I wasn’t sure if she wanted to save them so they wouldn’t tell the authorities she and her boss are quacks, if she actually thought she was doing something good and only had the kindest of intentions, or if even bad grownups felt an inherent need to protect children (when they’re not using them for evil experiments).

I think the latter even less, now, but the fact that she jumped in after them was kind of impressive and always gets me thinking.

Anyway, Dorothy and the girl find a box thing that they try to hold onto, but the girl disappears, leaving Dorothy alone to float away by herself.

Thank you, strange girl!

So the girl from before appears and releases Dorothy. She also passes along this bit of information.

So Dr. Worley has basically been using the family members of helpless, desperate people to test his invention. And when something goes horribly wrong, he locks them in the basement and tells God-knows-what to their relatives when they come for them.

This is the man that Dorothy’s aunt trusted.

This is a kids’ movie.

So while she’s stuck strapped to this gurney, listening to the sounds of screaming somewhere else in the house, she takes a pretty long pause to look at this thing.

I mentioned that the machine had clockwork parts that had to be wound up. This is of particular interest to me, I’m realizing, because I’m pretty sure everything that  The camera lingers on for just a few seconds too long or goes out of its way to make sure you notice? Will probably be something she encounters in some other form when she goes back to Oz.