Well, you certainly can’t say that this episode didn’t advance the plot. Changes galore took place this week. For starters, school had started again and Carrot was busy with classes by day. And at night he had a case of “the Skinners”. “A plague?” asked Cat. “Sort of,” Carrot agreed. The Skinners were actually a mother and son team Dad had hired to watch the farm when they went away, but the young Arthur Skinner was a thorn in Edward’s side. Because of him, Carrot couldn’t sneak away to visit his friend. But when Carrot found Touchwood the toad wandering around the farm he had to get him back to CW. But first, he had to buy him back from Arthur who swiped it from right in front of him. He had to pay Arthur his telescope plus 10 bob. And then the little brat bragged about his sale to Mr. Bennet who now thought his son was daft!
In returning Touchwood to Catweazle, Carrot was followed by Arthur who then reported the hideout to his Dad. So Sam was ordered to plank off the old water tower forever. Fortunately, Catweazle had sneaked over to the house by then so he wasn’t boarded up in the tower or stranded from climbing back down. He is now residing in the loft on the farm, still a secret so far. Hope he had taken his book of magic with him.
In order to rid his friend of the plague of the Skinners, Cat offers a drink called “The Wisdom of Solomon” which forces the person who drinks it to reveal their innermost wicked thoughts. Carrot slips some in Mrs. Skinner’s juice but his Dad picks it up to drink after his milk had gone bad. Carrot tips his own juice over to delay the inevitable, but fortunately his Dad hesitates and Mrs. Skinner grabs it and guzzles it down to show that it’s harmless. Then she launches into a tirade about how she’s overworked and mistreated at the farm, causing Bennet to toss her out and she is happy to oblige. With the Skinners gone, Carrot moves Cat to the loft, but he slips and falls into a vat of water. Sam comes by but CW is miraculously able to make himself invisible just when Sam turns around in his direction. Thinking about it later he remembers that he was in water when he travelled forward in time just as he was when he made himself invisible. Water is one of the four elements – and may be his key to getting home!
Okay, so a lot of action and activity this week. But was it fun? I’ll have to admit I was a little disappointed in the way the whole Wisdom of Solomon worked out. The idea of forcing someone to tell the truth has lots of possibilities – BEWITCHED did it well in one episode. I was hoping he’d pour some in Arthur’s drink and expose him for the little brat he was. Then I was actually anticipating that maybe Mr. Bennet would drink it and tell Mrs. Skinner what he really thought. “Well, if you want the truth, Mrs. Skinner, your cooking is atrocious. I’ve never seen anyone who can mangle a simple meal in so many different fashions.” But the payoff of her just yelling at Mr. Bennet wasn’t really funny. You could almost feel sorry for her feeling so mistreated – even though we knew better. But at least that was one way to be “unSkinnered” by a Cat, and this time the wizard’s magic did no permanent damage. I’ll still give this one 6 fond farewells to Castle Saburac.
