The episode starts immediately with Hannah performing Life's What You Make It at a concert. After the song's over, she says goodnight, but the cheering fans want more, so she says she'll sing all night long if they want her to. She says "Let's kick it guys." and I Got Nerve starts playing. It then cuts to the next morning where Jackson and Robby are singing the toast song to the tune of I Got Nerve. Miley comes downstairs, and Robby says "There she is, 6 encores, the voice that wouldn't stop." and claps for her. Miley starts talking about how great the audience was, but she sounds really, painfully hoarse. Robby gives her orange juice to try and clear her throat, but when she starts singing this song again, she still sounds really bad. After the theme song, Miley's getting a shoulder rub from her dad and singing the "Do" scale over some sort of machine, but still sounds bad, so when she gets to "So" she says "So not working." He says it won't if she keeps talking, and how it used to happen to him all the time when he was on tour, and the only thing that helped was when her mom would make him stop talking for a while. Miley says she can do that, but Robby points out to her that she is still talking. She quickly hushes, and Robby tells her to keep it like that or their going to have to cancel the big TV concert on Saturday. She shakes her hands no, goes to the couch, sits down, and zips her lips. Jackson gives her a whiteboard to communicate, and says encouraging things about how Hannah has never canceled a concert, and won't start now, and knows that it would break his sister's heart, so it would also break his. Miley hands her dad the whiteboard to read what she wrote, and it says "You got a hot date for the concert, don't you Jerkson?" He says he can't believe she thinks he'd be that selfish, and Robby interrupts him asking what her name is. Jackson quickly replies "Jenny, and she's a total babe!" and tells Miley to "put a cork in it Froggy". She's about to say something, but Robby tells her to use the pad, so she uses it to hit him on the arm, and Robby says he couldn't have said it better himself. It cuts to Miley at the beach with Lilly, sucking on a lollipop. Lilly tells Miley that she knows she wants to get better, but sucking on lollipops will only rot her teeth. Miley argues, and Lilly tries to take the lollipop out of Miley's mouth, telling her to release it. Miley shakes her head, and Lilly decides to tickle her until she opens her mouth, which she does, and Lilly puts the lollipop on the table. They walk over to Oliver who's sitting at the counter for Rico's, and he says it must be hard for her to not talk for a week, but it wouldn't be for him cause guys are different, and he doesn't need to talk, wouldn't bother him to not talk for a month, and just keeps babbling, when Miley writes something on her white board and hands it to him. He reads it and says "Oh that's just rude." (Since it's open to interpretation, in my head she said "Shut the fuck up Oliver" because there had to be a swear word there.) Lilly then says they know it's hard, but she has to stop fighting it, and that they will be right there until she recovers. A cute guy then asks Lilly is she wants to "catch a few" waves, and Lilly says "Oh yeah!" and starts to go with him, but turns to Miley, and begs her to let her go. Miley waves her arm, in a "Go ahead" gesture and Lilly says thank you. It cuts to Miley and Oliver laying in beach chairs, and Oliver won't shut up again. A boy named Dex walks over and asks if Miley is feeling better. When she nods, he then asks her on a date to the movies fro Friday, and when she starts to write her answer down on the whiteboard, Oliver takes it and says he's got this one for her. He then tells Dex "In your dreams poindexter" and tells Miley they're playing hard to get. Miley hits him, and then says to Dex "Movies shmovies, plant one on her right now big boy" and Miley hits him again. Dex says "Maybe another time," and Miley crawls on the sand and tries to call his name. It cuts to them in class at school, and Mr. Corelli is asking what famous speech starts with "Four score and seven years ago." Several people raise their hands, including Miley, who Mr. Corelli calls on. After writing down her answer, Lilly tells her she's got this one for her, and says "Miley's answer is 'The Bettysburg Address'. I think she means Betty Burg's address. Who's Betty Burg?" When Miley starts gesturing to the board - probably to show Lilly it's a G not a B - Lilly says, "What? The only other thing on here is 'I Heart Dex' and I'm not gonna say that with him sitting right there - oops." Miley then tucks her head into her arms and hides. (Whew, how embarrassing. Boy, I do not miss high school. I had a dream about it last night though, and I do kinda miss the social interactions, even though I didn't like a lot of the people. Anyway...) It cuts to Miley's house and everyone is sitting with her as Jackson counts the seconds to one week exactly. When he gets to one, he tells her to speak, but she stays quiet. Robby says he knows she's scared but they gotta find out sooner or later, and Jackson says he's right. When Miley doesn't react to what he says, he says her name again, and she continues to stare straight ahead. For some reason, this leads Jackson to think that she can't hear anymore either, and he starts ranting about how she's falling apart, and that it's so like her, and Miley tells him to shut it cause she's nervous enough and doesn't know if- then realizes she can talk. They cheer, and Miley hugs Lilly, who says it's so good to her hear voice again. Miley then starts to quote what Lilly said earlier that made her look really dumb, and when Oliver laughs and replies to this, she hits him and quotes him too - the "plant one on her right now big boy" - he says "Oh like you weren't thinking it," and she doesn't deny it. Robby then says that they know Miley can talk, let's see if Hannah can sing, and starts singing the first verse of Life's What You Make It. The others do the "No no no" and Robby finishes with "And turn it all around." Miley then starts to sing the "With a new attitude" part of the verse and gains more confidence, as the others clap along to the beat, and do the backing vocals, while Jackson dances with their leg table. It then cuts to Miley performing the song at her concert, but in the middle of the song, she starts to lose her voice again. It cuts to Miley and Robby at the house with a doctor, who says that the problem won't go away on its own, and if she wants to sing again, she'll need surgery. Miley asks "Really?" and the doctor says it's a very minor operation and he could do it blindfolded, to which Miley gives a worried squeak. He says he won't, just that he could, but it's not like she'd know as she'd be out cold., and asks if that makes her feel better, to which she shakes her head, and he says he should stop now. Miley says "You think?" and he apologizes, saying he just wants to reassure her that the surgery is no big deal, and explained it'd be one hour in his office, one week in recovery, and she'll be good as new. She nods and says "Okay," and he says that the chances of anything going wrong and her permanently losing her singing voice are one in a million, to which Robby says "Oh boy" and Miley looks worried. Miley asks what if she's that one, and Robby says to the doctor he was this close. The doctor explains it's just a figure of speech, and he doesn't done nearly that many, to which she puts her face in her heads, and he continues saying that it's not like he hasn't done a lot, because he has, and then he leaves. Miley then says to her dad that there was a one in a million chance that he'd be a rock star and that happened, there was a one in a million chance she'd be a pop star and that happened, and that the family is one in a million central. Robby says he thinks she's overreacting and this guy is one of the best surgeons in the country, and Jackson says he's right. He asks what Miley thinks is gonna happen, and proceeds to describe a cartoon-ish version of a Final Destination scenario that ends with Miley losing her voice forever, singing like Aunt Pearl after she swallowed a kazoo. Miley is now upset, because she pictured Jackson's scenario and thinks she'll never be Hannah Montana again, and runs to her room. It cuts to Miley watching a video on her laptop of a past family Christmas where she got a small pink guitar, and is excited cause it's just what she wanted. Miley's mom (played by Brooke Shields in her first appearance on the show) says "Let's hear something," and 7 year-old Miley sings "Rock, rock, rock. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Rock, rock, rock. Ohhhhh, yeah!" and tells Tennessee goodnight and to drive careful. Miley's mom says their little girl might end up giving Robby a run for his money, and he says one day he might have to take her up on stage with him, and they both start chanting for an encore, to which Miley puts up her hand. She then sings "Jingle bells, Jackson smells from 50 miles away, P.U." to which 9 year-old Jackson (who was filming this) says "I'm gonna get you runt!" and drops the camera to chase after her. Robby yells "No running in the house!" and the sound of something breaking can be heard, and the kids both blame the other. Susan (her mom) then asks Robby "Don't you just love Christmas?" In present day, Robby walks into Miley's room with a mug of his famous loco hot cocoa, telling her it has little marshmallows so she won't choke-o. (Don't know what marshmallows have to do with that but whatever.) He says choke-o again, and says he'll keep saying it until she laughs, and proceeds to say it again. Miley takes the cocoa and asks what if something goes wrong in the surgery and she can't be Hannah anymore. Robby jokes, saying he guesses she'll have to pack her bags and get out, to which she gives him a look and a shove. He then tells her that it's not gonna happen, and it's gonna be fine, and the only thing she needs to worry about is what flavor of ice cream she'll be scarfing down after it's over (MOOD!). Miley asks how he knows that, and he says there are some things in life a father just knows, and gives a couple examples, including that her voice will be fine, and tells her to get some rest. He leaves and she falls asleep, into a dream sequence. In the dream, it's daytime and Robby is walking downstairs into the living room, calling for Miley, that "useless freeloader." Miley puts up from behind the counter dressed in rags and covered in dirt and grime, saying she's right there. Robby tells her he thought he told her to iron his socks, and how he likes a nice crease in his hosiery. Miley apologizes, saying she's still cleaning the oven. Robby asks what's on the corner of her mouth, and if she's been eating the burnt bits off the broiler pan again. Miley apologizes and says she's just so hungry, then takes the bit from her face and eats it, saying "Month old trout skin, my favorite!" and continues to clean. (EW!) Robby tells her to quit stuffing her face and get to ironing, and that just because the surgery lead to her losing her singing voice, doesn't mean she can lay around licking up trout drippings like the Queen of Sheba! Miley says she can sing, cause she's been practicing, starts singing This Is The Life, and her hoarse voice cause a vase to break, an avalanche, and a stampede. Robby proceeds to stuff his socks into her mouth (gross) and tells her to not ever do that again, and Miley says okay. Robby then says there's only one person in the house who can sing and they all know who that is, which is when Jackson comes in dressed as a country version of an 80s hair-metal rocker singing the Jingle Bells song Miley sang as a kid, only with her name. "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Bucky Kentucky!" announces Robby, and Jackson says thank you. Miley says Jackson could never sing, and Bucky Kentucky is a stupid name. Jackson says she's jealous because she doesn't have a name that rhymes with a state anymore, "little miss nobody." Miley replies with "Oh please, like anyone would ever be a fun of Bucky Kentucky." That's when Lilly and Oliver come in, and start freaking out over Bucky Kentucky. (It's so much fun to imitate Lilly in this scene. Emily does the over-the-top fan-girl thing extremely well.) Miley asks what are they doing, it's Jackson, and Oliver asks Lilly if she heard something, and Lilly says "Yeah, sounds like a washed-up pop star!" to which Oliver, Lilly and Jackson laugh. Robby says they gotta go or they're gonna be late for Bucky's concert, and the limo is waiting. Jackson says "Last one in's a Miley!' and they all laugh and leave. Miley says she should be going to, and asks them not to treat her like this, and she's not a piece of furniture, which is when her legs become that table they own. Robby comes back saying he's gotta grab his keys and wallet, which are on Miley's table legs. Miley asks him what happened, saying she's nothing but a table, to which Robby says she's much more then that. Miley looks happy, but Robby then says she's also a coat rack, and she becomes a coat rack as well. Robby tells her they'd love to take her with them, but she's got too many hang ups, to which the others laugh at from a distance. Robby says he told her he was funny and leaves. Miley asks them not to, and asks for help. Susan is then heard off-screen, saying she always had the strangest dreams. Miley looks, and sees her mom in her living room and goes to hug her. Her mom asks if Robby gave her some of his hot cocoa before bed again, and says he knows what sugar does to her. She then says when she's done in Miley's dream, she's gonna pop into one of his to give him an earful, and puts her shawl on the coat rack attached to Miley. Miley says she's not helping, but her mom tells her it's her dream, and if she doesn't like it, all she has to do is change it. Miley says it's not that easy, but she's shown as not being furniture anymore. Miley says maybe it was, then asks her mom where she was when she was eating trout skin. Susan says they both know Miley didn't dream her there to ask her that, and tells her to say what's really on her mind. Miley explains she lost her voice and if she doesn't get it back then... But she can't get the words out and her mom asks if Miley really thinks if she's not Hannah Montana she's no better then a piece of furniture. Miley explains that if she can't sing, then she's just Miley, and her mom asks what is wrong with that. She continues, saying that just Miley is pretty darn terrific, and she knows she's strong enough to handle anything. Miley asks "She is?" and her mom says "Heck yeah!" and t's the way she and her dad raised her, and it's why her friends love her so much. Miley says "What friends? You saw the way they treated me." Her mom calls for Lilly and Oliver to get in there, and when they walk in, asks if they'd still be Miley's friend if she wasn't Hannah anymore. Oliver says "Of course we would," and Lilly tells Miley they were best friends way before she knew Miley was Hannah, and Miley asks why they walked out. they say that it's her dream, and her mom tells her it was only so scary cause of how worried Miley is about the surgery. Then Jackson walks in, saying it's true and that in real life, he sings like a starving walrus. He then says to his mom, "This is when you say 'Oh no you don't honey'" and his mom says that, and he just sings like a regular walrus - a cute, tone-deaf walrus. Jackson says thanks with a smile, and Lilly tells Miley she likes her mom, cause she's funny. Oliver says she's pretty too, and Miley says "That's it, you're out of here." An invisible force then drags Oliver out of the house while he protests. Jackson says that the point is whether she's Hannah Montana or just Miley, she'll still be the annoying, obnoxious little sister...that he loves. Miley gets off the couch and hugs him, and he says she can wake up anytime now, but she says she's not done yet. Her mom says that no matter what happens to her voice, she has the most important thing a person can have - people who care about her. Miley says her mom's right and puts her arms around Jackson and Lilly and her mom says "You think?" Miley says "Oh what the heck? Oliver get back in here." He walks in, says "Thank you" and joins the hug with Miley, Lilly and Jackson. Her mom reminds her she was loved before she was Hannah, and she will be loved long after Hannah is on one of those "Where Are They Now?" shows, to which Miley says she thinks she's confusing her with her dad. Her mom then says she's not worried about her one bit and hugs her, and Miley says she misses her hugs. Her mom says they're never far away, and all she has to do is think about her. (Right Here should've been in this episode, just saying.) She then tells her daughter to say goodbye to her friends and get some sleep. Miley hugs her friends again, and Robby walks in, telling Susan she did good. She tells him he's doing ta pretty good job himself, except for the hot chocolate before bed, and starts scolding him. Robby tries to call Miley to wake up, and apologizes to Susan, saying he always was a pushover. She says "That you were." then hugs him, while the other four stare at them in happiness. It cuts to Miley in her bed asleep, and she starts smiling. It then shows Miley in her room with her mom singing You & Me Together, and her mom encourages her saying that the surgeon did a wonderful job, she sounds better then ever. They start singing the song together, and Jackson comes in dressed as a walrus singing with them. Miley tells him to cut it out, to which he says it's her dream, but she says "Not this time." Jackson then asks if t's not hers or his, who's is it, and their mom says she thinks she knows. It then shows Robby waking up on the couch with a mug of cocoa in his hand, and he says she was right about the hot chocolate, and he turns on the TV, and that's how it ends. This has a;ways been one of my favorite episodes, cause I think it shows a fear that I think a lot of singers have - if they can't sing, who are they, and will they still matter to the people in their lives? The answer is of course yes, but it can take time to get to a place where you believe that. I also love the episode for the introduction as Brooke Shields as her mom, and the two of them have a clear chemistry and family dynamic, to the point that as a kid, I used to think it was her real mom. The dream sequence is an emotional one, partly cause of the bittersweet interaction between mother and daughter. The scene gains even more emotional weight when you consider the fact that her mom's appearance was more then a dream, but actually her. Susan's dialogue adds proof to this theory, but it becomes pretty obvious when you consider the crossover Wizards On Deck With Hannah Montana. Hannah Montana and its characters exist in the same universe as Wizards Of Waverly Place, meaning it was almost definitely her actual mom's spirit that came to her in the dream, and that through magic, she was able to interact with not just Miley, but Jackson, Robby, Lilly and Oliver as well. I think that's really beautiful and heartwarming.
