07x09 - The Tale of the Photo Finish

[bunniefuu]

[waves]

[swings creaking]

[shutter banging]

[child laughing]

[footsteps]

[flame sizzling]

That is SO not fair!

What's not fair?

You know that club that
I belong to at school?

The Ring Club?

You mean that snobby club
with the jocks and what-not?

It's a service club.

Andy tried to get in
and they turned him down.

Didn't you say something?
Sure!

I told them what a great
guy he is and...

They turned him down anyway...
snobs!

Look. He probably knows by
now, so when he gets here,

don't say anything.

No problem.
-Okay.

Hey guys!

Andy I'm sorry.
-You OK man?

It's okay, I'm not upset.

But it's not fair!

Well, things
aren't always fair...

and I got a good
story out of it.

If it's about those
guys, it's a horror story.

Hey, they're not that bad!

It's a story about
trying to join a club,

and about the different
things you could do

if you don't get in.

You could let it go and move on.

You could get mad.

Or you could...

get even.

Submitted for the approval
of The Midnight Society,

I call this story...

Those who dare enter this place,
must pay the ultimate price.

You four are the last.

You must pass the test, or
suffer the consequences.

These bowls hold the cold
intestines of a wild boar.

You must reach inside,
and grab a handful...

now eat!

EAT!

NO WAY I'M OUTTA HERE!

Well I guess he
didn't have the guts.

Cherry Gelatin.

Delicious!

Nicely done gentleman, you've
passed the test of bravery.

Only one test remains before
you can join The Lion Society.

Man, I almost puked.

You really thought
those were guts?

Nah. I hate cherry
gelatin. Yeech.

Oh man, I can't believe we're
gettin' in The Lion Society!

We're gonna rule this school.

You psyched?

I'll be psyched once we're in.

What could happen?

You and I we're a
team, we're in,

this school's never
gonna be the same!

Alright??

You three are all that
remain of this years candidates.

The Lion Society has a long
tradition of accepting only the

most worthy of members
from the students here at

Tillinghast Academy.

We'd be proud to
have each of you.

Congratulations.

But one test remains...

the most difficult of all.

The tradition is that before a
candidate can join the club,

they must pull off a...

bold prank.

A joke.

Something daring,
original and creative...

all the traits of a Lion.

Oh, and...
you can't get caught.

Good luck!

Chandler, can I
speak to you for minute?

Sure.

Congratulations, you're in.

Really? That's great but, you
gotta see my prank first.

I'm not worried about that.

But there is a slight problem.

Your roommate.

Oh, Alex?

He's a great guy.
Is he?

We don't exactly feel that
he's Lion Society material.

Frankly we didn't
think he'd get this far.

He's on the honor
roll, he's an athlete,

he's the best at...

This isn't a discussion.
I'm telling you.

You're in and, he's out.

And if you have any problem with
that, you can BOTH be out.

Don't be an idiot.

Oh, and would you mind
telling him yourself?

I think it would be
easier coming from you.

Maybe I'll send out a bogus
e-mail declaring some sort

of school holiday.

Or, I know, I'll put something
in the school paper.

Yeah!

Big headline: Lizards from
biology lab lost in sewers...

be careful where you sit!"

Hey what are you going to do?

Ummm, I was thinking of swipping
the painting from the Hall of

Headmasters and hang it
up on the detention board.

Hey that's cool.

Man, this is gonna be great!
We're gonna have a...

They don't want you, Alex.

What?

Renfrew told me.

He said you're out.

But... why? I didn't even...

I don't know.

Yeah you do.

It's cuz I'm a scholarship kid.

I'm not from some
rich society family.

I'm sorry man.

So what are you gonna do?

My grandfather was a Lion, Al.

And my father was too.

I can't quit.

Oh well, so much for the team.

[alarm siren]

HEY!
STOP!

I'm dead meat!

I thought you were going to
hang it on the detention board?

A guard showed up.
I had to bolt.

Search every room.

Find that painting!

Campus Security!
Open up!

Quick he's coming!

Oh I am fried!!!

Try here.

Campus Security!
Open up!

What am I gonna do?

Hold on. We'll just hide
the painting and then...

whoa.

Campus security!
-Just a minute!

Roll it up!

Campus security!

What's the hubba?

Room search.

Something wrong?

No.

Sorry to bother you.

Oh man, I coulda got
expelled for that.

Thanks man.

No problem.

Anything to get you
in The Lion Society.

Chandler?

What was that?

What was what?

I heard a...

Hey wasn't there a
guy in this picture?

Why?

Well he's not there anymore.

Maybe because he wasn't
there in the first place.

Go to sleep.

What about that creaking noise?

I don't know.

The closet?

Mmm...

I'm gonna check the hall.

Alex?

Ahhh!!
-Quiet!

You'll wake the dead!

Alex I think you
oughtta come and see this.

The guy in the picture!
He's back!

Chandler!

Help! Somebody
help me! Heeeelp!

What is your problem???

Chandler!
He was sucked into the picture!

What???
-I swear!

And there's a kid in the
picture! He's got a...

He's gone again!

But he was on the porch.

He had - he had a camera.

And there were sounds,
like creaking, and...

You know the The Lion
Society doesn't want you?

Yeah but...

Then don't bother
pulling off a prank.

Good night.

But it's not a prank!

I said...
good night.

The portrait of Headmaster
Broffman was done in

the mid s.

It hung right there until
last night when it was stolen.

Would you know if
there was something...

under it?

Under it...
like what?

Well...
Nothing.

If you want more information,
check the old yearbooks

in the stacks.

Thanks.

Lion Society...
.

I bet they were a bunch
of jerks back then too.

Band...

Hockey team...

camera club...

Jasper Davis.

d*ed in .

Do you have it?!
-Ahhh!

Professor Barish.

Do you have the photo?

What photo?

The one behind the painting.

I don't know what
you're talking about.

Now don't be coy, Alex.
If you have it, tell me.

I don't have it!

Where's Chandler, Alex?

You won't believe me.

He's in the photo, isn't he?

How d'you know?

Because my friend
is in there too.

Jasper Davis and I came to
Tillinghast the same year.

He was my best friend.

I joined The Lion Society and I
got Jasper the job of taking

the official photograph.

That's us.

Stuffy looking crew.

Not much has changed.
No, I suppose not.

Well, the members decided to
play a prank and they told

Jasper they wanted
him to join the club.

But he wasn't Lion
Society material, right?

No.

Of course Jasper was thrilled.

He thought he was
gonna finally fit in.

But he wasn't.

No, he wasn't.

When they told him they'd no
intention of accepting him,

he got upset and he ran off.

But the boys wouldn't stop.

They chased after him,
making fun of his clothes,

and the way he spoke...

it was inexcusable...

what an arrogant group of fools.

What happened?

Jasper ended up
running onto the roof.

There was a terrible accident...

he fell.

And d*ed.

Yes.

The clubhouse was
moved across campus

to this building right here.

Then about a month later,
the photo mysteriously

appeared on the wall.

That very same night I saw
two boys pulled into it.

Yeah like Chandler!

No one believes me.

They won't believe me either.

I didn't know what to do, so I
hid it behind the portrait of

Broffman, hoping one day I'd
have the courage to find out

what happened.
So what are we going to do?

I don't know, but we can't
let that photo get anyone else.

What do YOU want?

I'm looking for Chandler.

Yeah, well he's not here.

Did I invite you in?

Listen Alex, about
The Lion Society...

I don't want to hear it.

You wouldn't have been
happy with us. Trust me.

Whatever.
See ya.

Where did you get
this old thing?

Get away from that!

Wait, I know this!

It's the Old Lion
Society clubhouse.

It is?

Yes. The one that's on
the old part of campus.

Look.
There's even a kid on the porch.

Don't look at him!

Why not?

Oh man.

Oh man oh man oh man!

Old part of campus?

Welcome to MY club.

Jasper Davis?
But you're...

Dead? Yeah. I know. Ouch.

And it was all their fault.

They rejected me, you know.

And then they
k*lled me right outside.

Well you're not so
high and mighty now,

are you lions?

Where are they?

Right there! In the pictures,

and that's where they're
gonna stay, forever.

But, you fell off the building.
It was an accident.

Was it?

If only they had let me
in their stupid club,

I never would have fallen.

But no, I wasn't good enough.

I didn't dress like them.

I didn't have lots of money.

Well I got the last laugh,
didn't I because I took

some of 'em with me...

And now it's your turn.

Jasper, leave him alone.

Felix?
Is that you?

Yes.

You got old.

Felix was my friend.

But it was more
important for him to be a Lion.

He chased me onto the
roof with the others.

No!
I came to help you.

Then he covered up my
picture for all those years.

I was all alone.

I had to stop you!

You were going to
take more of the Lions!

You're right! I was!

And now I've got a prime
spot saved just for you,

old buddy.

No Jasper.

Welcome to MY club, Felix!

Stop it!

Looks like THAT won't work!

Smile for the birdie.

Jasper!
Noooo!!!

Your turn.

Aw c'mon, it doesn't hurt!

Jasper don't do this.

Sorry, you're gonna be
part of MY club now.

Okay, okay, but if I'm gonna
be stuck on that wall forever,

I want to at least look good.

All my photographs look good.

I'm an excellent photographer.

Right, yeah, sure.

I want a good close up.

Get in real nice and close.

Say cheese!

Noooo!
Hey Alex?

Nice sh*t, man.
Chandler!

Are you guys alright?

We are now, thanks to you.
Hey.

What about those other
guys from back in ' ?

Let's hope they've
gone to a better place...

along with Jasper.

Poor fellow.

I wish I could be angry with
him, but I just feel sad.

Good show, Alex.

I believe we made a mistake.

Welcome to The Lion Society!

You're in!

Tell you what, you Lion Society
geeks have fun telling each

other you're better
than everybody else.

And I'll hang with people
who have better things to do.

You can't be serious!

Chandler, convince the boy.
Of what?

That he should hang around
with a g*ng of loser snobs?

I don't think so.

I'm out too.

I should have
said that years ago.

I gotta return the
picture of Broffman.

C'mon!

Uh, wait for me!

Please!?!

The end.
Good story Andy.

-That was great.
It was creepy.

So? You gonna get even for
not getting into that club?

Nah, that's no me.

And as it turns out...

They let me in!

That's great!
-Really?

It's all cuz of Tucker.

He really fought for
me, and when they

still said no, he quit.

Really?
You quit for Andy?

That is SO COOL.

But they changed their minds?

Well, since you quit, there was
an extra spot in the club so...

So... you took MY place???

I gotta get to those guys!

Did you really take his spot???

No!

I just like seeing him
go all snaky like that.

He's still in...

and so am I.