Episode 317: Dude Looks Like Shakira

In Which: Alex and Justin try to stop the world from figuring out that Shakira is actually a disguised Uncle Kelbo--and Alex promises not to move in with Justin when they're both adults.



JALEXCAP
Theresa and Jerry leave for a restaurant owner's convention--Kelbo is supposed to be in charge, but he hasn't arrived yet. Alex thumbs through a magazine and Justin mocks her: "While you do nothing, as usual, I'll be getting things ready for the shin-dig I'm hosting!" In order to have the ultimate senior year experience, Justin wants to host a "mixer" while his parents are out of town. Now it's Alex's turn to mock:

Alex: A "mixer"?
Justin: Uh-huh!
Alex: Is that something less lame than calling it a boy-girl party--as if you've ever been to one?
Justin: Hey, I've been to LOTS of boy-girl parties!
Alex: Oh, okay, having Zeke over and me and Harper walk through is not a boy-girl party.

Justin has no response for this, so he goes back into the kitchen. Meanwhile, we get to the plot of the episode--pop-star Shakira shows up and (after randomly wanting to sing a duet with Alex) transforms into Kelbo. Kelbo explains to Alex and Max that Shakira is actually his alternate identity and that lately he's had no control over when and where he turns from Shakira into Kelbo and vice versa. Alex agrees to help Kelbo but warns that they can't tell Justin, or else Justin will report Kelbo to the Wizard Council.

(Reading too much into the scene change sequences, part 1: Justin and Alex push Max around until he falls off-screen--then, alone together, they start laughing.)

Justin comes back to the station after trying and failing to get the local kids interested in coming to his party. When he sees "Shakira" he freaks out, as does everyone else in the restaurant. Alex tries to tell Justin that it isn't really Shakira, but he doesn't listen, he just repeats Shakira's name over and over again until Alex hits him.

One of Justin's classmates, McGruder, says he'll go to Justin's party if Shakira goes. Justin invites Shakira, who says yes. Justin, thrilled, lunges toward Shakira and Alex has to yank him away. (If they weren't brother and sister, this would play like the jealous girlfriend trying to keep her boyfriend from slobbering on the famous pop singer. I'm just saying. As it is though, it's nice that Alex is trying to protect Justin from embarrassing himself over Kelbo, instead of sitting off to the side, laughing and popping popcorn.)

Justin then runs outside to tell everyone that Shakira's coming to his party. Shakira morphs back into Kelbo and Alex worries that he'll start switching back and forth between Kelbo and Shakira during the party. Outside, Justin can be seen running through the streets screaming, "She's going to teach me how to dance!!!"

(Reading too much into the scene change sequences, part 2: Justin seems okay dancing around with Alex until Max enters the frame, then Justin straightens up and stops dancing.)

Alex, Kelbo and Max search for a way to fix Kelbo's condition. Max thinks he finds the right spell but accidentally turns himself into a trashcan. (I mention this because Max being a trashcan effectively removes him from the rest of the action--it's a Justin and Alex episode from here on out. The writers seem to do that a lot.) Alex realizes that Kelbo might be switching back and forth because he's caught some kind of infection. Justin returns to the station and proudly tells Alex that now everyone is coming to his mixer. Kelbo starts switching back and forth between himself and Shakira right in front of Justin, who is further shocked when Kelbo explains that he's been Shakira all along.

"So, uh, how's your day going?" Alex asks Justin sweetly.

Justin goes into the kitchen and Alex chases after him. She asks for help in figuring out how to cure the wizarding bug that's infected Kelbo.

Justin: Give me one good reason why I shouldn't go straight to the Wizard Council with this.
Alex: Because I'm family.
Justin: And since when did you ever start caring about family?
Alex: Hey, family is important. They are the people that have to be nice to you no matter what!

Justin ignores Alex and goes into the lair. She chases after him anyway and reminds him that if he turns in Kelbo, all he'll do is remind the Wizard Council that he's related to Kelbo--and Alex. Justin tells her to keep talking.

Alex: Look, if you help, when I'm 30 and Mom and Dad kick me out of the house, I promise I will not move in with you and your cute but irritating wife.
Justin: Good. Because Stephanie and I both agree that it's high time that you stop bouncing between our guest bedroom and jail. And yes, that's right, her name will be Stephanie.

Now in agreement, Justin starts working on finding a cure for Kelbo while Alex goes to school and announces to the students that Justin's party's been cancelled. But for some reason, the students ignore her and go to the station anyway. Justin and Alex try to keep the students from going up the stairs by promising them that if they behave, Shakira will come down to say hello before leaving to finish her tour.

But when "Shakira" comes downstairs, some music starts playing and "she" feels the urge to dance, while Alex and Justin freak out and try to get her to go back upstairs. After saying Shakira's name over and over and failing to get a response, Alex and Justin decide to say it "in Spanish" (so, with accents). Jerry and Theresa return and when they see Shakira dancing, they decide they want to dance too.

Then it all ends when Shakira turns back into Kelbo.

The students are confused. Jerry and Theresa take Alex and Justin aside and ask them to explain what's happened. Alex lamely tries to blame Justin for throwing the party and Jerry for leaving them with Kelbo.

Justin panics that the Wizard Council is going to find out what's happened and then come and break his hands. Alex shuts Justin up by waving her wand and dressing them all up in Shakira costumes.

Then she grabs Justin by the hand and goes out to tell the students that this was actually a "Come as Shakira to the Party" party. She, Justin, Theresa and Jerry all start dancing around a little.

The students leave in disgust and Jerry decides that he'd rather keep dancing instead of getting mad at Kelbo and the kids.

During the end credits, Alex and Kelbo decide to make a prank call. The target? Justin of course.

Kelbo [as elderly wizard]: Hello, Justin Russo? This is Professor Lotion of the Wizard Council. We have received reports that you have been breaking sacred wizard rules. Please hold for Vice Chairman.
Kelbo hands the phone to Alex.
Alex [with British accent]: Hello this is Vice Chairman Higglebottom. We're coming over to break your hands.

A few seconds later, Justin comes running through the room in a sheer panic, as Alex laughs hysterically.

[All pictures are from these YouTube videos, uploaded by yessica708tv1]