NO ADMISSIONS

Two middle school vigilantes take on a corrupt high school admissions coach.

In a Mission Impossible–style caper that springs from fortuitously overheard conversations, Frankie amply demonstrates that she’s far better at breaking and entering than personal relationships. It fact, between brangling with Ollie, her expressive bestie, over whether he’s a partner in their clandestine enterprises or just a sidekick and viciously lashing out at her Uncle Scotty (who’s taking care of her while her father serves out his prison sentence) for daring to date without checking with her first, her indignation at a set of wealthy parents scheming with a greasy expediter to buy their underperforming offspring admission to exclusive area high schools seems manufactured. Still, it does fuel a set of suspenseful nighttime ventures, complete with ninja maneuvers and high-tech gear, narrow squeaks, startling revelations, and a tidy, satisfying resolution. By the end, Frankie has also been nudged far enough out of her self-absorption and sense of entitlement to offer sincere apologies to her uncle; to mend fences with Ollie, who is, as ever, a scene-stealer; and even to firm up a new friendship with June, a shy but brilliant techno nerd schoolmate and handy source of new inventions. Ollie has been identified as Latine in previous episodes; the main cast defaults to White.

The action sequences are fun, but it’s character issues that pull off the main heist.