By Sophia Anita Reyes
“It is an anxious, sometimes a dangerous thing to be a doll. Dolls cannot choose; they can only be chosen; they cannot 'do'; they can only be done by.” Rumer Godden, The Dolls' House (1947 novel)
October is the perfect month to traumatize (or re-traumatize) yourself with the early 90s gateway-horror, Nickelodeon’s TV show for Are You Afraid Of The Dark. The well-known episode “The Tale Of The Dollmaker”, written by David Preston is arguably the most shocking of the series—not only for its unsettling imagery of disjointed living doll parts, but also for the valiant personality of its young female protagonist, Melissa.
Melissa (Maia Filar) is repeatedly told by her Aunt Sally (Eve Crawford) and Uncle Pete (Sam Stone) that there is nothing she can do about her old friend Susan, who has mysteriously vanished. The adults expect her compliance. The episode wastes no time showing that they have completely underestimated Melissa. She is unapologetically defiant, extremely resourceful, and fearless. Like some kind of vigilante, she breaks into Susan’s abandoned house in the dead of night. There, she discovers that Susan (Amanda Walsh) is slowly turning into a life-sized doll and is imprisoned in a sinister dollhouse located in the attic. Susan’s skin is transforming into porcelain, her eyelashes painted on, and she is uncharacteristically donning an oversized stereotypical pink baby-doll dress.
Susan (Amanda Walsh) and Melissa (Maia Filar) in The Tale of the Dollmaker
The episode briefly touches on “how” Susan became a living doll, when Melissa’s uncle exclaims “It was the house that got her!” to her aunt in a secret conversation. Yet the episode never really explains why. Some children may be at the mercy of others, with little say in their own lives. Their voice can feel silenced, choices dictated — very much like the life of a doll. Perhaps the dollhouse mistook Susan for a doll when it locked her inside. The dollhouse itself is not necessarily a haunted or scary place. It is bright, filled with giant toys and a beautiful tea set. Maybe the dollhouse thought it was doing Susan a favor by trapping her inside its otherworldly walls.
As expected, Uncle Pete and Aunt Sally refuse to believe Melissa’s story about Susan trapped in the dollhouse. Even though they refuse to listen, our hero Melissa rejects this voiceless fate. Armed with a hammer, a ball of yarn, and true grit, Melissa goes back to Susan’s house in broad daylight. She smashes the glass of the front door without even blinking or fear of the consequences. Melissa enters the dollhouse for the last time. The uncertainty of escape while in the confinements of a supernatural dollhouse, and turning into a doll herself, calls for Melissa to take a leap of faith. Jumping out of the dollhouse’s attic while carrying Susan at her side, they safely land back into the real world.
“The Tale of the Dollmaker” exposed me to a young girl with relentless grit, which, for me, was as shocking as Susan’s iconic and unforgettable detached doll hand. Melissa taught me never to give up when no one is listening, and that I am capable of helping others who are in need — even if I’m just a girl.
Then one day, it was my turn to be the hero. This episode gave me a powerful perspective and strength, so that when circumstances arose around me, I was able to save a friend who was in unspeakable danger. This wasn’t make-believe or a TV plot—it was the real thing, right in front of me. Looking back, Melissa inspired me to save the day, despite my fear of the situation, when I was only ten years old.
““Every girl who could have the power… will have the power. Can stand up… will stand up. Slayers, every one of us. Make your choice. Are you ready to be strong?”” -Buffy (S2E22).
Note: David Preston manages to write unique and complex stories using minimal characters and locations. If you enjoyed “The Tale Of The Dollmaker” I highly recommend another episode written by him, “The Tale Of The Dream Girl.”