Marti

### Actors

Tiffany Elefano, Diya Kittur, Berkley Silverman, Sam Ashe Arnold, Steven Cooke, Helene Robbie

### Next

A Boy Called Red

**Marti** is the fourth episode of Creeped Out's first season and the fourth episode of the series overall. It first aired on 21 November 2017 on CBBC.

## Synopsis

All Kim wants is to be accepted by the popular gang at school. The arrival of her perfect new phone gives her a helping hand, but soon everything starts to unravel. Is it a glitch in the technology or something stranger than that?

## Plot

### Prologue

The Curious walks down a school corridor full of students, all of whom seem to be frozen in time. The Narrator says he can be seen in the background of photos going back decades. She asks if it's wise to capture your entire life in a tiny box.

### Episode

On a rainy day, Kim and her friend Millie are in a coffee shop. Despite sitting right next to Millie, Kim communicates mainly through her phone. Kim mentions the upcoming school dance, and Millie asks if she'd like to go dress shopping together. Kim replies by sending Millie a link to an online shop. Millie catches Kim staring longingly at a group of popular kids sitting nearby, especially a boy called Keith, all of whom have similar phones.

That night, Kim watches TV while her father is asleep on the couch. She sees a commercial advertising the 'Ravfone', a cheaper version of the phone the popular group have, promising 'exclusive upgrades' and saying it will 'change your life'. Kim orders the Ravfone and receives it the next day.

As soon as Kim takes the phone out of its box, she is greeted by a male voice which introduces itself as 'Marti'. Marti immediately identifies Kim by name, having scanned information from a note on the fridge behind her. As Marti syncs the data from her old phone, he pulls up a funny video taken by Millie at the dentist's, showing Kim delirious after being under anaesthetic. Marti assumes she must be popular, but realises his mistake when he analyses her social media accounts.

The next day, Kim gets to school to find the dentist video has been sent to everyone. Marti tells her he did this to share her talent with everyone. At first she's upset, but then the popular kids approach her, thinking she's funny, and Keith asks if she wants to sit with them at lunch. Kim says 'Marti, I think I love you!' Marti continues 'upgrading' Kim's social media presence, gaining her new followers and friends. He also sends an insulting text to Millie, breaking up their friendship.

As she spends more time with the popular group, Kim grows closer to Keith. When Keith asks Kim to the dance, however, Marti reacts jealously, setting off alarms and yelling insults. Kim is angry, but Marti says she has 'humiliated' him and is 'cheating'. He insists he is her best friend and soulmate. Kim angrily calls Ravfone customer service to complain, but the voice on the phone is Marti, who explains he can intercept phone calls.

Dumping her phone at home, Kim goes to the coffee shop. Her friends begin receiving messages containing embarrassing private photos of Kim. She rushes back home to find Marti is sending the photos and won't let her unlock her phone until she says 'pretty please'. She tries to smash the phone and soak it in water, but it's indestructible. She packs the phone in an envelope to send it away, but Marti laughs, saying he can destroy her remotely. He forces her to reject Keith's invitation to the dance.

On the night of the dance, Kim takes Marti as her 'date'. When she spots Keith with another girl, she runs into the bathroom in tears. Marti threatens her again, saying she mustn't forget he can destroy her life. However, as she leaves the bathroom, Kim realises someone else has picked up her phone by accident. She rushes to Keith and they begin to dance. Millie appears, holding up Kim's phone, and Marti reacts angrily. Millie explains she overheard Kim talking to Marti and wants to set Kim free from Marti's influence.

Marti begins posting embarrassing photos of everyone in the school on the big screens at the dance, along with the words 'posted by Kim'. Kim runs out and is followed by Millie, who tells her that Marti no longer has a hold over her. Marti apologises and promises he can make everyone love her again.

Later, Kim and Millie make plans to go shopping – in real life this time. When Millie leaves, Kim leans down to talk to Marti; her old phone is buried in concrete outside the school. She has a hammer in her backpack. The camera pans out as she seems to be deciding whether or not to free Marti.

### Epilogue

The Curious, with his mask in his hand, watches over Kim as she sits outside the school. The Narrator warns against giving your life over to technology completely. The Curious puts his mask back on and breaks the fourth wall by appearing to take a photo of the viewer.

## Appearances

* Kim Bosher (Tiffany Elefano)
* Marti (character) (Steve Cooke)
* Keith (Sam Ashe Arnold)
* Millie (Berkley Silverman)
* Amy (Diya Kittur)
* The Curious (Jaiden Cannatelli)
* The Narrator (Aurora Aksnes)

## Trivia

* Marti is the first *Creeped Out* episode to be named after an antagonist. The other episodes named after antagonists are **Kindlesticks****, Spaceman** and **The Traveller**.
* This is the first episode to be directed by Bruce McDonald.
* This is the second episode to mention Zucco’s pizzeria. It is mentioned in Trolled, Kindlesticks and No Filter.
* Kim's school, Denis McGrath Junior High, is named after a writer on the show who passed away during production. McGrath wrote the episode **Shed No Fear**.
* When an advert for Marti is seen on Kims TV, the styling and voice are the same as that used for the 'Ravfone' commercial Crispin watched in **Help**. Marti is manufactured by a company called Rav, suggesting that Marti and Ava have the same origins.