Target of the Week

Vance King has picked Matthew as the school's Target of the Week, and the pranks come fast - a hidden microphone broadcasting his private worries to the whole cafeteria, a noisemaker on his shoes, a climb over a freshly painted fence. Sure the principal will never catch a bully this sneaky, Matthew hatches a payback plan of his own. With Nelson's help, he cuts the webbing of Vance's baseball glove before a big game... and watches in horror as one dropped ball turns a sure win into an 11-10 loss that knocks the Odyssey Coyotes out of the playoffs. Whit helps Matthew see that his revenge hurt far more people than Vance ever did - and that the principal was about to punish Vance all along. At the team banquet, Matthew stands up to confess and apologize, even though it costs him. Doing right doesn't win Vance over, but Matthew learns that courage and patience beat getting even.

Found on Take It from the Top Album 51 · 12 episodes

The run See every episode

9 of 9 0654 Passages: Darien's Rise Desperate to find his way home from Maris, Kyle falls into the hands of a doomed king who believes the boy is the lucky charm that will save him from the coming battle.

N/A Welcome to Whit's End A guided tour of the town of Odyssey and its beloved shop Whit's End gets an extra dose of adventure when Wooton Bassett locks himself out of his own house.

1 of 2 0655 The Inspiration Station When Whit's new invention shows people their best selves, Connie's newfound serenity and Matthew's well-meaning tinkering both spiral into trouble at Whit's End.

2 of 2 0656 The Inspiration Station When a machine at Whit's End offers instant inspiration, Whit must help a discouraged young inventor and an over-eager Connie discover what real growth actually requires.

0657 Clutter A family garage sale grinds to a halt when every Parker discovers that nothing they own is quite easy to let go.

0658 Game for a Mystery When a boy's beloved handheld game vanishes from its hiding spot, an aspiring young detective takes on her very first case.

0659 Target of the Week When Matthew becomes the school bully's designated victim for a week, he decides to stop being afraid and get even - with consequences he never saw coming.

0660 For the Birds When Camilla rescues an orphaned baby blue jay to prove she's ready for a pet of her own, she discovers responsibility demands far more than she imagined - while Eugene wages a baffling battle with the park's suddenly hostile birds.

0661 When You're Right, You're Right Certain she knows best, Emily takes charge of her brother's romantic gesture - whether he wants her help or not.

0662 Grandma's Visit When Grandma Lucia arrives in Odyssey with news that Aunt Rosalita's wedding will happen at the Parker home that very week, the family's frantic hospitality is stretched to its breaking point.

0663 Finish What You... When Olivia takes up guitar lessons, a preschool play, and a birthday promise all at once, she discovers that good intentions alone can't stretch her time far enough.

1 of 3 0664 The Jubilee Singers When Olivia dismisses school as pointless, a portrait of Frederick Douglass introduces her to the students of a struggling university whose only hope may be the songs they carry.

2 of 3 0665 The Jubilee Singers A Fisk choir and their determined director set out on a perilous tour to sing their school out of debt, facing hostility and hardship at every stop.

Featured characters

Minor characters & crew 5 more roles

5 supporting roles

Nelson Swanson Georgina Cordova Vance King Jason Earles Chang Fang Matt Yang King Bonnie Actor Unknown Ken Blaylock Alex Polinsky

Made by

Chris Anthony Host Marshal Younger Writer Dave Arnold Director · Executive Producer Jonathan Crowe Sound Designer Bob Hoose Producer

The story

Read the full synopsis 2 min

Matthew learns that Vance King has selected him as the school's Target of the Week. Each Friday, Vance chooses someone to prank, frighten, and humiliate for the next seven days. He begins by hiding a microphone in Matthew's shirt and broadcasting Matthew's anxious conversation to the cafeteria. Later, he attaches a noisemaker to Matthew's shoes and tricks him into climbing over a wet, freshly painted fence.

Matthew reports the bullying to the principal, who promises to investigate. Because Vance behaves perfectly in class and rarely leaves evidence, Matthew assumes nothing will happen. Tired of being afraid, he decides to follow Nelson's suggestion and stand up to Vance - but turns that idea into a plan for revenge.

Vance plays for the Odyssey Coyotes baseball team, where Matthew serves as waterboy. During an important game, Matthew and Nelson secretly replace Vance's glove with one whose webbing Matthew has cut. They expect the prank to embarrass Vance harmlessly because Odyssey leads the winless Odenton team by eight runs in the last inning.

The next ball flies directly to Vance and slips through the ruined glove. Instead of ending the game, his error begins an astonishing Odenton comeback. The Coyotes grow careless and fall apart, eventually losing 11-10 and missing the playoffs.

Matthew feels guilty but argues that Vance caused the trouble by making him a target. Whit points out that Matthew's revenge has hurt the whole team and its supporters, just as Vance's pranks hurt people beyond their intended target. Matthew also learns that the principal has completed his investigation, other students have confirmed the bullying, and Vance will serve a long detention. If Matthew had been patient, he would not have needed to take justice into his own hands.

At the team banquet, Matthew receives an award for faithfully serving as waterboy. He uses the moment to confess that he cut Vance's glove and apologizes to the team. The players are angry, but pitcher Ken Blaylock refuses to place the entire loss on Matthew. The team had become overconfident and played badly together; one cruel prank contributed to the defeat, but it was not the only mistake.

Matthew later apologizes to Vance. Vance acknowledges the courage it took to confess and gives Matthew credit for the prank, but he does not suddenly become friendly or promise to change. Matthew has done what is right even though it does not produce an easy ending.