"A Delicate Situation" is the ninth episode of the second season of the animated series Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures. It was released on Netflix on September 13, 2018.[1]
Official Description[]
"Renee's desperate to impress her relatives in China, but Barbie doesn't have the heart to tell her that her 'talents' need an awful lot of work."[2]
Story[]
Renee comes to stay at the Dreamhouse. She is going to join up with her parents in Beijing, China in a few days for Chinese New Year. Barbie and Chelsea greet Renee, and Chelsea falls when she tries to move Renee's heavy luggage. Renee has never been to China before, so she was unsure what to bring and packed a lot of things. Barbie says Renee is lucky to go to China. Renee was nervous about being home alone before going to China, so she thanks Barbie for letting her stay at the Dreamhouse. Barbie wants to hear Renee's plans for what she'll do in China. Chelsea wants to build a pillow fort with Renee, but Barbie tells Chelsea to give Renee time to settle in. Chelsea asks George if they can play mini golf, but he has to work. Chelsea sees Skipper, Stacie and the puppies running out of the house. She asks if they want to draw with her, but Skipper says they are in the middle of a scientific breakthrough.
Stacie attaches wheels to her socks. The puppies surround her, so she loses her balance and bumps into Ken. Stacie tells him that the skating socks are a new invention. Barbie thinks it's amazing that Renee is joining her family in China. Renee isn't looking forward to going because she feels inadequate compared to her cousin. Renee considers her cousin to be "perfect" because she plays the piano, sings opera and became a gourmet chef. Renee says her whole family loves her cousin, and that her grandparents will judge Renee negatively compared to her cousin. Chelsea has made up imaginary friends since everyone is too busy to play with her. They are named Sue Ellen and Carlotta. Skipper and Stacie think it's weird, but they play along and leave Chelsea alone.
Renee lied to her family that she kept up with her violin playing, but she hasn't actually played violin since she was 5. She has a bad feeling that they will ask her to play a song at their New Year celebration. Barbie says they would probably only expect Renee to play one song, and thinks Renee could remember a single song. They drive to Renee's to get her violin, then return to the Dreamhouse. Renee practices Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". It sounds so bad that the puppies howl and run away. Barbie thinks that, as Renee's friend, she should encourage Renee no matter what. However, Barbie couldn't recognize what song Renee was playing. Stacie skates into the room, unable to stop. Skipper chases her and they bump into each other. They realize they have to put brakes on the Stacie's socks.
Barbie tries to do a duet with Renee and plays the piano while Renee plays her violin. George and Margaret block their ears as they walk by. They lie that it's because it's their annual "Ear Wax Removal Day." Barbie and Renee continue playing. The puppies howl again and Chelsea says they're going outside to have a tea party. Renee asks Barbie if her violin sounds right. Barbie says it's probably out-of-tune, but Renee doesn't remember how to tune it. She accidentally ruins the violin strings. Barbie tries to think of other things Renee could do at the celebration, like singing. Renee agrees, and Barbie is glad because she didn't want to affect Renee's confidence by criticizing her violin-playing. Renee tries singing, and the puppies howl outside. Barbie pretends they're just singing along. Outside, a squirrel cringes and Chelsea covers her ears as the puppies continue howling. Barbie calls for a snack break.
In the camper, Skipper and Stacie try to name their sock skates. Chelsea joins them for her tea party. She has another imaginary friend named Myron, Carlotta's brother. Barbie stalls for time so she doesn't have to hear Renee sing. Renee says she doesn't want to sing in case she has to do it acapella. Barbie says they can think of something else, like cooking. Barbie suggests they make noodles from scratch. Renee makes noodles and brown sauce, but the sauce tastes bad and she didn't cook the noodles properly. She serves it to Skipper and Stacie. They hate it and warn Chelsea not to eat it. Renee knows it's bad, but Barbie lies that it's not. Renee overhears Barbie telling Skipper and Stacie that it's been "rough" helping Renee. Stacie calls Renee's singing "painful" and Skipper says Renee wasn't good at anything she tried that day. Renee walks away sadly. Barbie tells her sisters that Renee should be herself and doesn't need to prove herself to anyone.
Barbie notices that Renee and her suitcase are gone. Barbie gets in her car and finds Renee skateboarding home. Renee tells Barbie that she overheard her and her sisters, and Barbie realizes how bad it sounded. Barbie apologizes for not being not being upfront with Renee. She promises to be honest with Renee and gestures for Renee to get in the car. Renee wants to keep skateboarding to clear her head, so she gives Barbie her luggage and meets her back at the Dreamhouse. Barbie sees Renee do a skateboarding trick and then bumping into Ken. Skipper and Stacie see Chelsea sitting alone. She says that her imaginary friends have gone home. Skipper and Stacie have run out of socks to make more skate socks prototypes. They ask Chelsea if she'll help them test it out with smaller socks, and she agrees. Stacie says Margaret will be unhappy when she finds out that all the socks in the house are ruined.
Barbie gets the skateboarding ramp out in the backyard and says Renee's family will be impressed by her skateboarding. Renee keeps comparing herself to her cousin, so Barbie tells Renee that she is unique and their New Year celebration isn't a contest. Renee remembers her grandmother saying something similar. Barbie learns that being supportive of your friends while being completely honest isn't always easy, but being honest in a loving way is the best approach. Renee goes to China and sends Barbie a postcard. Renee tells Barbie that she cooked noodles with her grandmother, saw fireworks and the lion dance at Chinese New Year, and went to a skate park with her cousin. Renee's cousin asked her for skating tips. Renee thanks Barbie for being her good friend.
Featuring the Voices Of[]
- America Young as Barbie
- America Young as Skipper
- Cassandra Morris as Stacie
- Cassidy Naber as Chelsea
- Ritesh Rajan as Ken
- Stephanie Sheh as Renee
- Lisa Fuson as Margaret
- Greg Chun as George
Other characters include Taffy, DJ, Rookie and Honey.
Trivia[]
- In Barbie's "2018 Chinese New Year of the Dog" vlog, she says that Renee's family is in Malibu for the 2018 Chinese New Year. In this episode, Renee goes to China to spend Chinese New Year with her family. Either this episode is not set in 2018, or it is a continuity error.
- In Barbie's "2018 Chinese New Year of the Dog" vlog, Barbie mentions that Renee's cousin is named Xiaomei.
- When Renee imitates her grandparents, she says, "Aiya!" According to Wikitionary, this is an "exclamatory phrase expressing surprise, blame, dismay, shock, or fear."[3]