“Summer School: Chapter Eleven”
FACING THE DARKNESS — After a frightening encounter leaves Courtney’s (Brec Bassinger) life hanging in the balance, the team band together to determine their next steps. Luke Wilson, Amy Smart, Yvette Monreal, Cameron Gellman, Anjelika Washington, Trae Romano, and Meg DeLacy also star. Sheelin Choksey directed the episode written by Paula Sevenbergen & Robbie Hyne (#211). Original airdate 10/19/2021.
Episode 11:
Beth wakes and stands up. Barb and Mike on the stairs. Door opens. Pat. And Jenny carrying the staff. Barbara immediately weeps and the family hugs each other. Jenny and Beth comforting each other.
Courtney in a black and white world. Wakes on the pavers. Looking around before she sits up. Outside the church and downtown. Reverend tells her Afternoon, young lady. People and cars go by like everything is normal. She walks cautiously past all of them. Theater is temporarily closed. People eat in the diner. Courtney goes in. People laughing and talking. They look at her. Hi there. You must be new in town. Welcome to Blue Valley. It's the Zareks. She says she's Courtney. Zarek left a troubled life behind. But here, I became a councilman. Now Dad's running for mayor. In Blue Valley, you can be anything you want to be. Joey is going to be a great magician one day. He asks her to pick a card, any card. Memorize it. Don't let me see it. When you're ready, put back anywhere in the deck. He shows her the card. Was this your card? Joey...... He says are you going to lie to me again? I know I messed up the trick. Courtney says this is wrong...this isn't happening. She holds a card. Looks at it. Drops it. People are hostile now. She runs out of the diner.
Into the school hallway. The door goes to a classroom now. More enemies. New girls always cause trouble. I miss my tuba. Then Cindy tosses Courtney. Courtney grabs a broom handle to fight her off. Cindy cuts Courtney's arm and realizes she's really here. You're bleeding. People here don't bleed. Where are we?
Cynthia.......you are my greatest experiment. My dear daughter. But my work is not yet complete. Lockers slide and open a doorway. Cindy says I'm not doing this again and pushes Courtney into the light.
Lands in Cindy's bedroom. How did you get here? Hello?! Courtney thought she saw Cindy die. Cindy asks how did you get here? Where is here? Eclipso was born. In a little girl's bedroom? The Shadowlands, you nitwit. It's all the negativity of humanity. She learned about it on the island. It's like Purgatory. Mostly it bums you out. Sometimes it's fun. I've killed my father. And you. So many times. That's psychotic. How do we get out of here? You can't. Courtney says of course you've given up and opens the door. I'm going home!
She's in a little room with a Christmas tree. Barbara comes in. She works Christmas Eve for time and a half. I just got her down for a nap. Her dad never visits anymore but it's all she talks about. Meanwhile, I'm working two jobs and raising her by myself. I have a business degree, you know. But I got pregnant. My daughter ended all my dreams. Every day, I go through hell for her. I could've had such a better life. Courtney is grabbed and yanked through a doorway - back into Cindy's room. Courtney tries to say that wasn't real. Maybe. How do the doors work? Cindy says sometimes you end up in a place that means something and sometimes you don't. You won't survive long. You're too good. You think everything is black and white. But there's darkness in everyone. Even you, New Girl. I choose to embrace mine. That makes me a survivor. People here, their souls get torn apart by their own nightmares. It's your fault I'm stuck here. You let go of me. Courtney says I was trying to save you! They bicker and insult each other. Cindy says her dad cut her up like a lab rat. I made the best of a bad hand and my dad paid for what he did. I'll never be scared of him again. You hear that, Eclipso? I am not afraid of him! Woman's voice. Who is that? Cindy's mom. Please. Don't hurt me again. Go away. I'm your mother. I love you. Go! Away! Then Cindy's grabbed by her father's minions and Courtney chases after her.
**Like I said last week when Courtney was mad at Pat. She's making life harder by seeing no nuance. Layers and shades make it easier to empathize and forgive.
Courtney looking through the shadows. A hand grabs her. Dr. Mid-Nite. You must be Courtney Whitmore. I've been talking to your friend Beth. She's told you. Courtney says nothing here is real. He says the room is an illusion, unlike the abyss I just pulled you from. That's the Shadowlands in its pure, unadulterated form. I've been living with the truth for years. The goggles let me see nothing else. It's what's kept me alive. Take a look. Quickly, please. She puts them on. This is the Shadowlands without the projections of your subconscious. Without the goggles, he only hears the cries of his daughter. Eclipso feeds on darkness and negativity. Any good and light in your life, you have to cling to it. Turn away from the darkness.
Beth weeping in Courtney's room. Jenny opens the door. Beth says my goggles are filled with tears but I'm afraid to take them off. Jenny believes the ring would've saved Courtney if she hadn't been afraid. It's my fault. Goggles light up.
Beth hears from Dr. McNyder. The Shade can help get Courtney back.
Jenny tries to focus on the business card to make her power work correctly. Find The Shade. Save Courtney. It's working. A map of the town appears. The Shade is still here? In two different locations? How?
Time passes differently. But Mid-nite could hack into the real world. See news. But it wasn't until Beth hacked into the goggles that he got hope of escaping. The Shade is complicated. After Rebecca died, Myra went to her mother's. I couldn't sleep. I found the Shade in my kitchen with a bottle of absinthe. Half drunk already. It bothered him that he had done nothing about Eclipso before. Then he asked me about Rebecca. We finished that bottle, then h left. The Shade wasn't like other members of the ISA. When he sent me to the Shadowlands, he was trying to save me. I think he might've considered us friends. Beth contacts them. It keeps breaking up.
Theater showing Dorian Gray. Barbara goes in ahead of Pat. The Shade sitting up front. The healing power of the diamond was halted when Eclipso destroyed it. He has to preserve the power he has. This is a wonderful film. Even after the 7th time. Pat tells The Shade that McNyder is in the Shadowlands and contacted them tonight. The Shade says If I thought he was still alive-- Pat insults him. Barbara doesn't care about their old grudges. I need you to rescue Courtney. Please. Bring her home. Shade stands. Looks into her eyes. Ah, damnation..... You know, you really do remind me of my sister. He raises his hand to the film screen.
Car starts. Courtney says I take it that wasn't you?
The screen becoming a doorway to the garage. Mom? Pat? They need to walk toward the light. Quickly, please. Courtney, hurry! But.....Cindy's still here. Mid-Nite says they have to hurry. Courtney says Mom, I'll be right back.
She runs through a doorway. Alone. In a house. Yolanda? Bruce the child is there. Do you want to play a game?
**The Shade has to keep that portal open for 17 minutes?
Cindy's about to be injected. She begs. Her mother apologizes. You were so angry with me that day.
Bruce says let's play who's life did you ruin. Courtney says this isn't real. Bruce says it is. Yolanda is sitting in her room right now thinking of all the horrible things that happened to her because of you. Courtney isn't doing this. Take me to Cindy! She lands outside Rick's cell. The monster in the cage. You did this to Rick. Are you sore? Courtney tries to focus on finding a way to Cindy. She lands at home. Bruce says you can't escape. I've tortured your friends and family. Hurt everyone you love. I like your locket. Who gave it to you?
Barbara worried. Please keep it open. Shade struggling. Easy for you to say. The portal is going dim. Pat says do it, Shade! In the garage, there's still no Mid-Nite or Courtney.
Your dad. He hurt you like I did. Courtney takes it off. I'm over him. No. You're not. You feel about him like you do me. Don't you? Somewhere deep inside, it's festering. Hate. After everything I've done. Your friends and family won't ever be the same. Don't listen to anyone here. It's mine. I love seeing you suffering so. The lie tearing you apart. How do you feel about me? Come on, tell me. Courtney whispers I hate you. He grins.
**The Shade is holding his gut and grimacing this whole time.
One final procedure to turn Cindy into the Dragon Queen. Courtney arrives. Mid-Nite says he's not here. Ignore him and he has no power. Courtney frees Cindy. We need to go! Little Cindy killed her mom again. I made a mistake. I didn't mean to. Grown Cindy apologizes to her mom, crying. I'm so sorry. Mom says I loved you. I still do. Courtney says it's not real. Cindy tells her to shut up. Courtney tells her I found a way out of here. We have to go.
Shade is shaking.
Elevator opens. Courtney and Mid-Nite and Cindy run into the garage. The screen is almost opaque again. Courtney touches the barrier and pushes into the real world. Goes to her mom. Mid-Nite is next. Pat hugs him. Shade struggling. Cindy pushes through and falls on the stage. Looks back. Shade falls and the movie returns. Shade struggling to catch his breath. Charles, I'm so sorry for the trip to the Shadows. I know, my friend. Barbara, would you mind telling people I died doing something good? He gasps for a last breath, goes limp, then fades into a shadow and nothing. Cindy says So...who wants to kill Eclipso?
Next ep - Cindy and the gang. The rest of the team is skeptical. 2 episodes left of the season.
Who wants to bet The Shade didn't die this time, either?
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