As Told by Ginger: Butterflies Are Free

***As Told by Ginger: Butterflies Are Free*** is the seventh and eighth episode (47th and 48th overall) of the third season of As Told by Ginger which was broadcast on June 13th, 2004. The tv film itself is also the sequel of As Told by Ginger: Foutleys on Ice.

The story begins when Ginger and her friends are graduating junior high school, and Ginger is asked to give the speech at graduation. She has trouble writing one, however, because it seems that she and her friends are being pulled in all different directions. Macie's new band mate has his eye on her, Darren gets involved in football, and Dodie with cheerleading. Carl and Hoodsey and their classmates are graduating elementary school as well, and it comes up that Polly Shuster trick into putting Carl's petrified eyeball, Blake's tonsils, and Mr. Licorice's tooth into a time capsule.

## Synopsis

Ginger and her friends are graduating from Lucky Jr. High, and Ginger is asked by Ms. Zorski  to give a speech at graduation. She has trouble writing one, however, because it seems that she and her friends are being pulled in all different directions. Macie's new band mate has his eye on her, Darren gets involved in football, and Dodie with cheerleading. Carl and Hoodsey put the petrified eyeball, Blake's tonsils, and Mr. Licorice's tooth into a time capsule, which Polly Shuster tricked them into doing.

## Appearances

* Ginger Foutley
* Dodie Bishop
* Macie Lightfoot
* Darren Patterson
* Courtney Gripling
* Miranda Killgallen
* Lois Foutley
* Dr. David Dave
* Mrs. Patterson (cameo)
* Mr. Patterson (cameo)
* Stuart Higsby (cameo)
* Winston (cameo)
* Mipsy Mipson (cameo)
* Joann Bishop (cameo)
* Dave Bishop (cameo)
* Bobbie Lightfoot (cameo)
* Bobby Lightfoot (cameo)
* Pep Squad Member #1, #2, #3
* Stephany
* Student Council #1
* Student Council #2
* Mrs. Jackson
* Andrew Starling
* News Reporter
* Bethany
* Coach Candace
* Principal Erickson
* Mr. Puttnam
* Coach Guardino
* Mr. Minor
* Quarterback
* Police Officer
* Football Player
* Jonas Foutley
* Ben (Jonas' dog)
* Claire Gripling
* Ms. Zorski
* Mr. Hepper
* Carl Foutley
* Hoodsey Bishop
* Blake Gripling
* Brandon Higsby
* Mr. Licorice
* Noelle Sussman
* Polly Shuster
* Leandra
* Terrence (cameo)
* Ian Richton (cameo)
* Chet Zipper (cameo)
* Hope Rogers (cameo)

## Continuity

* In part 1, a blonde girl in the student council meeting asks if Ginger was the recipient of the Avalanche Arts fellowship. A callback to the episode "Far From Home".
* A brunette girl in the student council meeting also asks if Ginger was the one who came up with the student reformation program. A callback to the episode "Sibling Revile-ry".
* At the graduation ceremony, Mipsy can be seen wearing an eye patch. This is a callback to the previous episode, "About Face". She was hit in her right eye by accident whenever Courtney threw a pebble at Dodie's window.

## Trivia

* This is the last time we will see Ginger, Dodie, Macie, Darren, and Courtney's hair in their original length.
* This is the last time Dodie's hair will be in pig tails.
* All of the cheerleaders from the high school episodes are seen practicing except for Simone.
* Before the graduation ceremony, Darren tells Ginger that nothing will ever come between them. This foreshadows his relationship with his football games but also Simone.
* This is the first time Courtney is bullied by the cheerleaders. It would happen again in Battle of the Bands.
* The high school cheerleading teacher has a gap between her front teeth, however in the rest of the series, she doesn't have the gap.
* Carl and Noelle broke up.
* Lois has lost her weight and now has a new figure.
* A girl named Leandra Argyros had a bone marrow illness and was a *Make-A-Wish* patient. She was a fan of the series and watched it during her treatments. Her wish was to be a character on the show, so she appeared and voiced a character named after her in a scene during this episode where Ginger, Macie and Dodie greet her by name.
* The title of this two part episode shares the same name with the 1972 film (Eileen Heckart won an Academy Award) which is based on the play by Leonard Gershe. It's also a lyric in Elton John's 1975 song "Someone Saved My Life Tonight."
* In part 2, when Carl rides on his bike with Hoodsey sitting in the front, they briefly ride in the air as they silhouette against the moon. A parody of the iconic scene in the 1982 Steven Spielberg film *E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial.*
* In part 2, Carl has a bad dream about what the future may hold. The dream is a parody of Dale Cooper's vision from the *Twin Peaks*episode "Zen, or the Skill to Catch a Killer".
* This two part episode is included on the As Told By Ginger VideoNow PVD.
* At the end of part 2, there are clips shown from previous episodes from Ginger's middle school days. This includes:
	+ Ginger the Juvey
	+ Kiss and Make-up
	+ Season of Caprice
	+ Trouble in Gal Pal Land
	+ Far From Home

## External Links

* Nickipedia
* As Told by Ginger wiki
* Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_As\_Told\_by\_Ginger\_episodes#ep47