Mattel Playground Productions, USA, 2015.
It is a time for swim jump contest and ghost/mermaid Sirena and Lagoona totally dominate the contest. Blogger ghost Spectra Vondergeist needs desperately a scoop. Toralei plants some fake news about werewolves and gullible Spectra buys the story. Clawdeen is not happy about it and suggests that Spectra should care more about facts.
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| The giant tentacle seems to be school's staff member |
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| Spectra |
New ghost students have arrived and rockabilly-styled phantom Operetta is dating 50s style ghost Johnny Spirit. Although haunting is not allowed, it seems that someone is haunting Draculaura.
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| Operetta and Johnny Spirit |
Spectra is disturbed by something as there is a legend of Red Lady who once haunted the monsters. Maybe she has returned. Sirena decides to visit her old school Haunted High. The ghoul friends Clawdeen, Draculaura, Twyla, Rochelle and Sirena follow Spectra to the ghost world and meet River Styxx, Grim Reaper's cheery daughter. They make also friends with ghost pirate Vandala Doubloon and her skeleton crew.
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| River Styxx |
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| At least Sirena is enjoying a scary story |
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| Vandala Doubloon |
Haunted High has strict rules and punishments and anyone who disobeys gets detention chains and can not leave the school until they are removed. In the ghost school they meet Spectra's old friend faceless ghost Kiyomi Haunterly (her character is based on Japanese ghost stories). Principal Revenant (who is like evil version of Headless Headmistress Bloodgood) and her Moanitors (who are strikingly similar looking as the Mexican skeleton Superintendents of the MH-universe) punish Spectra for bringing living monsters to the school. The only way for her ghoul friends to bring her back is by turning into ghosts (gasp). Luckily boogeyman's daughter Twyla has ghost powder that can turn them into ghosts.
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| Ghost friends |
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| Kiyomi Haunterly |
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| The Moanitors |
Principal Revenant starts an aggressive campaign to recruit more students i.e. kidnapping ghost students of Monster High. She spreads evil rumours about the "solids." Spectra meets her romantic interest and bad boy Porter Geist. Banksy-channeling Porter is a paintergeist. Together they plan to reveal Principal Revenants real intentions.
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| Porter and Spectra |
The theme is about being skeptical about nasty rumours that can hurt someone. Also the responsibility of media is depicted via Spectra whose gossip news cause trouble. Don't believe everything that the media says and search for the real motivations and sources behind the news.
It is a pleasant episode but a slightly disappointing after "Freaky Fusion" as this is already the third time (at least) when the script uses a plot with theme of xenophobia between monsters, humans or ghosts. Maybe the series begins to repeat itself? Otherwise it is fairly pleasant for the fans with the old characters exploring the ghost world and making some new friends. I liked the idea that Spectra got her own movie (why didn't Abbey and Ghoulia get their own stories?) but I would have wished that her origins were explored more as they already did for Draculaura and Frankie.
The script expands the Monster High universe with parallel ghost universe that can be accessed via portals. I think the human universe of the series is another parallel world to the monster universe, although in the first MH-movies they have existed together. For example in "Escape from Skull Shores" the Great Barrief Reef was later renamed to Great Scarrier Reef, so the writers seem to have created the MH-universe as they were going along. The makers of the series seem to have gotten the idea of separating the universes after "Ghouls Rule" as the humans become less common after that. It would make more sense, as the monster world has large cities and even their own Moon, that the parallel worlds are sometimes connected via portals or catacombs etc. and humans stumbling into the lands of the Monster High. Still for a long running series it is an achievement that the lore of Monster High is as coherent as it is.
It is a pleasant episode but a slightly disappointing after "Freaky Fusion" as this is already the third time (at least) when the script uses a plot with theme of xenophobia between monsters, humans or ghosts. Maybe the series begins to repeat itself? Otherwise it is fairly pleasant for the fans with the old characters exploring the ghost world and making some new friends. I liked the idea that Spectra got her own movie (why didn't Abbey and Ghoulia get their own stories?) but I would have wished that her origins were explored more as they already did for Draculaura and Frankie.
The script expands the Monster High universe with parallel ghost universe that can be accessed via portals. I think the human universe of the series is another parallel world to the monster universe, although in the first MH-movies they have existed together. For example in "Escape from Skull Shores" the Great Barrief Reef was later renamed to Great Scarrier Reef, so the writers seem to have created the MH-universe as they were going along. The makers of the series seem to have gotten the idea of separating the universes after "Ghouls Rule" as the humans become less common after that. It would make more sense, as the monster world has large cities and even their own Moon, that the parallel worlds are sometimes connected via portals or catacombs etc. and humans stumbling into the lands of the Monster High. Still for a long running series it is an achievement that the lore of Monster High is as coherent as it is.
Two funny webisodes are included.
Lochness Lorna
Loch Ness monster's daughter Lorna McNessie is quite an opposite of her photo shy dad.
Sayonara Draculaura
Draculaura tries to decide where to go for student exchange.
Lochness Lorna
Loch Ness monster's daughter Lorna McNessie is quite an opposite of her photo shy dad.
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| Lorna and dad |
Draculaura tries to decide where to go for student exchange.
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| Himalayas is notwhere Draculaura wants to go |
Rating: 
Average
Average
Voice actors: Erin Fitzgerald, Salli Saffioti, Jonquil Goode, Debi Derryberry, Joy Lerner, Paula Rhodes, Haviland Stillwell, Ashley Young, Todd Haberkorn, Karen Strassman, Cindy Robinson, Evan Smith, Audu Paden, Kate Higgins, Geeg Friedman, Marcus Griffin, Cam Clarke, Laura Bailey, Josey Montana McCoy, America Young
Directors: Dan Fraga, William Lau, Sylvain Blais
Directors: Dan Fraga, William Lau, Sylvain Blais
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