Erin & Aaron - Should I Stay or Should I Go? Part II (S1E13)
With Erin in New York, Aaron is forced to play Porchfest solo. But Aaron can't write songs without Erin, and Erin only wants to perform with Aaron.
| Runtime (min) | 27 |
|---|---|
| Air Date | 2023-07-03 |
| Genres | Comedy, Family, Drama |
| TV Rating | TV-G |
| Network(s) | Nickelodeon |
Storyline
This season finale finds Erin and Aaron facing the consequences of Erin's decision to pursue opportunities in New York City. With Erin away, Aaron must perform at Porchfest—a local music festival the duo had been planning to headline together—completely on his own. The pressure mounts as Aaron discovers he cannot write new songs without his creative partner by his side, highlighting just how interdependent their musical collaboration has become.
Meanwhile, Erin's experience in New York reveals her own struggle: despite the exciting possibilities the city offers, she finds herself unable to perform with the same passion and energy she feels when sharing the stage with Aaron. The episode explores the tension between individual ambition and partnership, as both characters grapple with whether their creative bond is strong enough to overcome geographic distance. The dual storylines emphasize how their friendship and musical chemistry have become essential to each of their identities as performers.
What kids learn
This episode teaches children about the value of creative partnerships and how collaboration can be essential to bringing out the best in ourselves. Erin and Aaron each discover that their individual talents are amplified when they work together, demonstrating that asking for help and relying on others is not a weakness but often a source of strength. Young viewers learn that recognizing our interdependence with friends and collaborators is an important part of self-awareness.
The episode also addresses the difficult choices that come with pursuing personal goals when they conflict with important relationships. Children see both characters wrestling with questions about loyalty, ambition, and what truly makes them happy. Rather than presenting a simple answer, the story validates the complexity of these decisions and shows that it's normal to feel torn between different paths.
Additionally, the storyline reinforces lessons about communication and honesty in friendships. When geographic distance separates close friends, maintaining that connection requires effort, vulnerability, and the willingness to express what we truly need from one another. Kids learn that strong friendships can weather challenges when both people are willing to acknowledge how much they mean to each other.
Parents' top 5 questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is this episode sad or does it have a happy ending? | The episode carries emotional weight as both Erin and Aaron struggle with being apart and discover they cannot create music the same way without each other. While the tone is bittersweet and reflective rather than purely sad, the story focuses on the characters' realizations about how much they need their partnership. The emotional honesty makes it relatable for kids who have experienced separation from close friends. |
| What does this episode teach about following your dreams versus staying with friends? | The episode presents this as a genuine dilemma without offering an overly simplistic solution. Children see that both pursuing individual opportunities and maintaining important relationships are valid priorities. The story emphasizes that recognizing what truly makes us happy—whether that's new adventures or cherished partnerships—requires honest self-reflection. It's a nuanced lesson about understanding our own values and needs. |
| Will my child understand why Aaron can't write songs alone? | Most children can relate to the idea that certain activities feel different or less enjoyable without a particular friend. The episode illustrates creative collaboration in a way that's accessible: some people simply work better together and inspire each other in unique ways. This can help kids appreciate their own collaborative friendships and understand that needing others is perfectly normal and even beautiful. |
| Does this episode deal with long-distance friendship? | Yes, the separation between Erin in New York and Aaron at home forms the central conflict. The episode explores how physical distance affects a close partnership, particularly when that partnership is built around shared creative work. Children see both characters trying to adapt to being apart while realizing how much they relied on each other's presence, which can resonate with kids who have friends who have moved away. |
| Is this appropriate for younger elementary school kids? | The episode's themes of friendship, separation, and difficult choices are age-appropriate for younger viewers, though the emotional complexity may resonate more deeply with older elementary students who have experienced similar friendship challenges. There's no inappropriate content, but younger children may need help processing the bittersweet feelings the characters experience. The runtime of twenty-seven minutes is manageable for most attention spans in this age group. |
Writing
Directing
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Erin and Aaron's first day as step siblings and they are in no mood to get along. But when they discover that their differences may lead to a family break-up, they must find a way to come together. |
| 1 | 2 | Aaron finds the perfect replacement for his beloved broken piano but the shop owner, Mr. Ledder, has a history with Erin and refuses to sell the piano to an instrument killer like her. |
| 1 | 3 | Aaron sets out to find a girlfriend to break his heart so he can write a hit song, that girlfriend turns out to be Erin's BFF, Vivian; Erin tries tricking Vivian into breaking up with Aaron but ends up betraying her trust. |
| 1 | 4 | Erin and Aaron clash over Saturday night traditions: Erin wants pizza and Aaron wants sushi; Chuck and Natasha have a special daddy-daughter day planned but struggle to find a shared activity they'll both enjoy. |
| 1 | 5 | While Chuck and Sylvia take a vacation, Erin and Aaron convince their parents to let them babysit Natasha, not realizing how much trouble she will be. |
| 1 | 6 | Erin and Aaron are excited to compete in the music competition between band and chorus with the winning team getting a trip to New York City; Erin's laid-back ways causes Aaron to kick her out of band, driving her to battle it out by joining chorus. |
| 1 | 7 | Erin and Aaron decide to have a sing-off to see which one of them gets to keep their first name; when Aaron loses, Erin pushes him to adopt a new country persona to match his middle name. |
| 1 | 8 | Erin invites Aaron's old friends and teammates, the Yellow Jackets, to visit him, not realizing Aaron never told them about his love for music; when Aaron lies to his friends, Erin has to convince him to come clean. |
| 1 | 9 | After Aaron urges Erin to bond with Sylvia, Erin and Sylvia start spending lots of time together making Aaron and Chuck feel left out; Natasha tries to gain power at her school by having Vivian and Hunter impersonate Erin and Aaron. |
| 1 | 10 | When Natasha plans an elaborate photoshoot for the family's moving announcement, Erin and Aaron fear the pictures will be a social disaster; Sylvia and Chuck lose Captain Cutie Pie and go to great lengths to win her back. |
| 1 | 11 | While Erin struggles to get a date with her crush, Cayden, Aaron has money trouble for a date with his crush, Lily, at an expensive restaurant; Erin and Aaron decide to be in cahoots and come up with the ultimate plan to land them their dates. |
| 1 | 12 | When Erin and Aaron upload their songs online to choose which one to perform together at Asbury Park's "Porchfest", a Grammy-winning producer reaches out with a life-changing offer for one of them. |
| 1 | 13 | With Erin in New York, Aaron is forced to play Porchfest solo. But Aaron can't write songs without Erin, and Erin only wants to perform with Aaron. |
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