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Trolls: TrollsTopia - The Not So Good Sport (S5E9)
A K-Pop girl group comes into town looking for a Troll who has been labelled a "Not-So-Good Sport"
| Runtime (min) | 12 |
|---|---|
| TMDB Rating | 10.0 (2 votes) |
| Air Date | 2021-12-09 |
| Genres | Family, Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Comedy, Action & Adventure |
| Network(s) | Hulu, Peacock |
Storyline
When a K-Pop girl group arrives in TrollsTopia, they're on a mission to find a Troll who has earned the unfortunate reputation of being a "Not-So-Good Sport." The visiting performers bring energy and excitement to the community, but their search creates tension as various Trolls wonder who might be the subject of this unflattering label. The episode centers on themes of competition, how we handle winning and losing, and the importance of gracious behavior in both victory and defeat.
As the story unfolds, the identified Troll must confront their behavior and consider how their reactions during games and competitions have affected their friendships and standing in the community. The K-Pop group's presence serves as a catalyst for self-reflection and growth, encouraging the Troll in question to examine their attitude toward sportsmanship. Through music, friendship, and honest conversation, the episode works toward a resolution that emphasizes personal accountability and the value of treating others with respect regardless of the outcome of any contest.
What kids learn
This episode offers children meaningful lessons about sportsmanship and how our behavior during competitive activities reflects our character. Kids can observe how being a poor sport—whether through gloating when winning or sulking when losing—can damage friendships and hurt others' feelings. The story demonstrates that games and competitions are meant to be fun experiences that bring people together, not opportunities to make others feel bad or to boost our own egos at someone else's expense.
Children also learn about the importance of self-awareness and accepting constructive criticism. When someone points out that our behavior has been hurtful, the mature response is to listen and reflect rather than become defensive. The episode shows that admitting we've made mistakes and committing to do better is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Additionally, the episode reinforces lessons about reputation and how consistent patterns of behavior shape how others see us. Kids can understand that being known as a good sport requires ongoing effort and that one apology isn't enough—we must demonstrate changed behavior over time to rebuild trust and repair our standing in our community.
Parents' top 5 questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How can I help my child become a better sport during games and competitions? | This episode provides a natural starting point for conversations about gracious winning and losing. Emphasize that the goal of games is to have fun and spend time with others, not just to win. Model good sportsmanship yourself by congratulating opponents, acknowledging good plays on both sides, and keeping perspective when things don't go your way. Practice phrases like "good game" and "nice try" so they become automatic responses. When your child struggles with losing, validate their disappointment while gently redirecting toward what they enjoyed about playing. |
| What should I do if my child is the one being called a poor sport? | If your child receives feedback about unsportsmanlike behavior, resist the urge to dismiss or defend it immediately. Listen to the specific concerns, then have a calm conversation with your child about how their actions affected others. Help them understand the difference between feeling disappointed and expressing that disappointment in hurtful ways. Work together on strategies for managing competitive emotions, and give them opportunities to demonstrate improved behavior. Acknowledge that changing habits takes time and praise genuine efforts to be more gracious, even when they're still learning. |
| How do I balance encouraging my child to try their best with teaching them not to gloat? | The episode shows that these goals aren't contradictory. Teach your child that trying their best and being proud of their effort is different from making others feel bad about losing. Celebrate personal improvement and hard work rather than only outcomes. Help them understand that true confidence doesn't require putting others down. Encourage them to compliment opponents' skills and efforts, which demonstrates both graciousness and genuine appreciation for the game itself. This approach builds character while maintaining competitive drive. |
| What if my child is on the receiving end of poor sportsmanship from others? | Use this episode to discuss how to respond when others aren't being good sports. Teach your child that they can't control others' behavior, only their own response. Encourage them to maintain their own standards of graciousness regardless of how opponents act. If gloating or mean behavior occurs, help them express how it made them feel using "I" statements. Remind them that poor sportsmanship reflects on the other person's character, not their worth. If behavior becomes bullying rather than just poor sportsmanship, involve appropriate adults to address the situation. |
| At what age should children be expected to demonstrate good sportsmanship consistently? | While the foundations of sportsmanship can be taught early, consistent demonstration develops gradually throughout childhood. Preschoolers are just learning to manage disappointment and may need significant support. Elementary-aged children can understand the concepts intellectually but still struggle emotionally in the moment, as shown in this episode. By late elementary and middle school, most children can regulate their responses more consistently. Regardless of age, remember that sportsmanship is a skill that requires ongoing practice, coaching, and patience. Focus on progress rather than perfection. |
Writing
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Directing
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| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Eager to befriend the new Trolls tribes, Poppy invites ambassadors to visit Trolls Village with the hopes that they can live in harmony in a brand new TrollsTopia! But as the Hard Rock Trolls prove to be a bigger challenge, Poppy must find a way to get everyone on the same page. |
| 1 | 2 | Eager to befriend the new Trolls tribes, Poppy invites ambassadors to visit Trolls Village with the hopes that they can live in harmony in a brand new TrollsTopia! But as the Hard Rock Trolls prove to be a bigger challenge, Poppy must find a way to get everyone on the same page. |
| 1 | 3 | In order to quickly integrate all the Trolls into TrollsTopia, Poppy decides to have every new Troll live with a Pop Troll. But when personalities and customs clash, Poppy realizes that when it comes to TrollsTopia, it is best to go slow and steady. |
| 1 | 4 | When Poppy discovers that Val's idea of a kick-off party is extremely different to her own, she must find a way to plan an awesome party for TrollsTopia without stepping on Val's toes. |
| 1 | 5 | When Poppy discovers that the Classical Trolls don’t ever hug, she sets out on a mission to teach them what hugging is all about. But once the Classical Trolls start hugging, Poppy and the Snack Pack have to shield the Classical Trolls from the awful truth: that their hugs are absolutely terrible. |
| 1 | 6 | When the Techno Trolls take over Branch's favorite hot springs and disrupt his morning routine, he has to go down to Techno Lagoon to reach an understanding with Synth, a Troll with whom he has nothing in common. |
| 1 | 7 | When Poppy receives a thank you note from Holly that is actually nicer than Poppy’s original gift, she heads to Country Corral to investigate. She learns that this is a common habit with Holly. She always shows her appreciation in big, big ways! Considering herself a pretty appreciative Troll in her own right, Poppy and Holly soon find themselves in an escalating war of generosity. |
| 1 | 8 | Satin and Chenille awaken from a shared dream about a dress and decide to create this masterpiece. When they have trouble crafting the perfect sash, they turn to Rhythm & Blues for some funky science help and embark on a journey to a new fashion dimension. |
| 1 | 9 | When Val’s manager must step down just before her first all-tribe concert, Poppy must learn the ways of the Hard Rock tribe to make sure Val’s ready for the show. |
| 1 | 10 | Lownote Jones recruits Branch, Val, Gus Tumbleweed and Laguna Tidepool to "petsit" his exotic pet snug-a-lug, the most adorable critter in the universe. But there's one rule that they must never break: you can't hug a snug-a-lug! |
| 1 | 11 | After repeated invitations, Val reluctantly agrees to attend Poppy’s girls’ night. But can she get through the evening without letting her softer side show? |
| 1 | 12 | Branch discovers that he's not the only one in TrollsTopia who Cloud Guy annoys - there's someone from every Tribe except the Rock Trolls. Upon discovering that Val is the secret to avoiding Cloud Guy, Branch attempts to ward him off and help everyone live an annoyance-free life. |
| 1 | 13 | When Poppy discovers that Hard Rock Troll Demo has been sneaking to Classical Crest to play Classical Guitar, she promises to keep it a secret from Val. |
| 1 | 14 | The Country Trolls see something special in Branch, and invite him to a try-out for their rodeo. But when Branch struggles to keep up, he has to resort to increasingly desperate attempts to keep his "special" status, especially once the Country Trolls discover that Biggie is a rodeo savant. |
| 1 | 15 | When Rhythm & Blues find themselves feeling homesick and missing their friends back in Vibe Town, Poppy and the Trolls rally around them in support. |
| 1 | 16 | A new Rock Troll named Blaze Powerchord arrives in TrollsTopia with a talent for playing "mouth guitar" (pretending to play guitar by making noise with the mouth). When Blaze challenges Minuet Sonata to a mouth guitar contest, Val takes Minuet under her wing and teaches her to rock out with a pretend guitar. |
| 1 | 17 | When a glitter shortage strikes TrollsTopia, Holly Darlin’ teaches everyone about mining for glitter! They strike a rich vein of the sparkly stuff, allowing the Trolls to indulge their wildest glitter fantasies. |
| 1 | 18 | Poppy and a team of Trolls follow Laguna Tidepool to an ancient temple filled with traps and obstacles on a search for the fabled greatest board game of all time. |
| 1 | 19 | After Val accidentally smashes Holly’s prized Cheery Glo-mato she must work with Poppy to get rid of her guilt by making things right with Holly. |
| 1 | 20 | When Dante comes down with a case of composer's block, he is unable to write any new music. That is, until he finds inspiration in the most unlikely place... Branch! Dante starts to shadow Branch's every move. As the invasion of privacy starts to wear on Branch, it becomes unclear what will reach its end first: Dante's symphony or Branch's patience. |
| 1 | 21 | Lownote Jones is so cool, he’s always the center of attention at every occasion. But Guy Diamond’s birthday party is coming up and it’s important to Lownote that Guy get all the attention on his special day. So he recruits Branch to give him a make-under, and teach him how to blend in at a party. |
| 1 | 22 | Back in Lonesome Flats, Gust Tumbleweed was the Fun Sheriff, serving and protecting fun wherever he went. When he offers his services to TrollsTopia, Smidge decides to tag along, determined to be the perfect partner. |
| 1 | 23 | When Tiny Diamond confesses that he has yet to glitter fart, Guy and the others rally around him, determined to help him achieve his first shimmering toot! |
| 1 | 24 | When Poppy and Val discover that they're both fans of the same scrapbook series, they join forces to try and track down the author. |
| 1 | 25 | When Holly Darlin’ gives Poppy a BIG hair style, Poppy doesn’t want to hurt Holly’s feelings by admitting that her hair is just too big. |
| 1 | 26 | Val's best friend arrives in TrollsTopia for the big concert. But when she tries to talk Val into coming back to Rock Hollow, it's up to Poppy to show Val just how much TrollsTopia needs her. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | When a train's brakes fail, Poppy and Branch to do everything in their power to save a magnificent Perfection Cake. |
| 2 | 2 | Guy and Tiny Diamond celebrate Dad-urday, but some traditional activities fall outside of Guy's comfort zone. |
| 2 | 3 | Feeling guilty that she accidentally excluded a Troll from TrollsTopia, Poppy goes above and beyond to make Chaz, the Smooth Jazz Troll, feel at home. |
| 2 | 4 | Everyone is excited for picture day in TrollsTopia except for Minuet Sonata. |
| 2 | 5 | When Val is celebrated as the greatest Troll ever at Hopscotch Extreme, she shares with Poppy that her record-breaking hopscotch run was a fluke. |
| 2 | 6 | Smidge accidentally scratches the paint on Lownote Jones'. |
| 2 | 7 | When Poppy injures her hair and is told to stay in bed until she's recovered, Branch and Val team up to make sure Poppy follows the doctor's orders. |
| 2 | 8 | On Palentine's Day, Trolls ask each other to go with them to a party with big, elaborate, Pal-posals. |
| 2 | 9 | Party-saving duo Guy and Meadow encounter a mysterious new Troll who starts ending parties early. |
| 2 | 10 | When Dante Crescendo opens a fancy new restaurant and introduces TrollsTopia to fine classical dining, Holly Darlin isn't very enthused. |
| 2 | 11 | Holly teams up with Poppy and R&B to discover what really happens to one's hair while inside the eye of a hair-i-cane. |
| 2 | 12 | When Val loses her beloved snuggle toy, Piney, Poppy goes to incredible lengths to help her friend. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | Poppy throws a TrollsTopia potluck to encourage Trolls to explore other tribe’s culinary delights. |
| 3 | 2 | When Blaze Powerchord's old bandmates come to town, Poppy and Minuet pretend to be his new bandmates. |
| 3 | 3 | Branch is the champion of an event where Trolls design piñatas and smash them to see who reigns supreme, but he struggles to balance his need to win while being a good teammate. |
| 3 | 4 | R&B get jobs in the Funtime Factory Research and Development division. |
| 3 | 5 | Val's complaints attract a herd of Disgruntle Weeds and she works with Holly Darlin' and Poppy to round them up. |
| 3 | 6 | The Extreme Sleepover Club welcomes new members Dante and Demo by having their first sleepover in the abandoned hairpod of Raisin Ruby. |
| 3 | 7 | Val teams up with Holly Darlin' and Smidge to win enough tickets in the Fun Dungeon to claim a prize for Poppy. |
| 3 | 8 | When Dante draws the Balloon Sword from the Stone, he learns that he's destined to become the greatest children's entertainer. |
| 3 | 9 | When Poppy learns that Gust's powers of observation have prevented him from ever having a surprise party, she decides to catch him off guard and throw him one. |
| 3 | 10 | Laguna is chosen to host a rave and turns to DJ Suki and Poppy to help her. |
| 3 | 11 | When Poppy is the last Troll left in a game of hide-and-seek, Branch will stop at nothing to find her. |
| 3 | 12 | Dante meets his hero, BeeTrollven, but has a hard time understanding the differences between the Troll he imagined and the Troll before him. |
| 3 | 13 | Poppy and friends participate in a scavenger hunt where the items on the list can only be found in other dimensions. But things get complicated when alternate reality versions of the Trolls show up to join in the game and challenge our heroes. |
| 3 | 14 | When Branch gets lost in a fabulous maze of his own making, Poppy, Val and Holly Darlin' must work together to find him and help him escape. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 1 | When the TrollsTopians start their first community garden, each tribe is excited to have their own unique plants growing side by side in horticultural harmony. |
| 4 | 2 | R&B invent a machine that shrinks you down to play a tiny mini golf course. |
| 4 | 3 | The Trolls have their first election between Holly Darlin’ and Biggie to decide who should be Secretary of Skate. |
| 4 | 4 | When Synth breaks out his pom-poms and takes to the sidelines, he is the greatest cheerleader TrollsTopia has ever seen! |
| 4 | 5 | When the Trolls set up the longest line of dominoes ever, Laguna goes to great lengths to ensure she doesn’t accidentally knock them over. |
| 4 | 6 | Branch needs help taking care of his bunker, his friends try to prove to him that they're up for the job! |
| 4 | 7 | When Tiny Diamond introduces Poppy to his new invisible best friend ‘Shiny Diamond’, Poppy does everything in her power to keep the fantasy alive for Tiny. |
| 4 | 8 | Lownote Jones teaches a class on how to fly the funk spaceship. |
| 4 | 9 | Poppy entrusts the Country Tribe’s Puffalo Express to deliver invitations for a Lownote Jones Surprise Party. |
| 4 | 10 | Brimming with Cloudmas holiday spirit, Cloud Guy asks Poppy, Val and Holly to help him do something genuinely nice for Branch. |
| 4 | 11 | Cooper enters a hilarious contest where Trolls try to make each other laugh without laughing back. |
| 4 | 12 | When Holly Darlin’ writes and directs a musical that showcases the life of her role model, she has an epiphany that Val would be the perfect. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 1 | When a trivia game reveals that Poppy doesn't know as much about the Hard Rock tribe as she thought, Poppy decides to live amongst them. |
| 5 | 2 | Holly Darlin' learns that Branch is a baking savant and trains him to become TrollsTopia's greatest pie maker. |
| 5 | 3 | Dante becomes worried he and his brother are growing apart. |
| 5 | 4 | Poppy recreates one of Synth's paintings after accidentally destroying the original. |
| 5 | 5 | Holly Darlin' proves to Sky Toronto that game pieces are better when they're grown on a farm the old-fashioned way. |
| 5 | 6 | Synth is deeply honoured when Minuet asks if he will commemorate their friendship with a ride down the Tunnel of Friendship. |
| 5 | 7 | Poppy is determined to meet a cuddly pal on her own but realizes finding your pet soul mate may be tougher than she thought. |
| 5 | 8 | When Holly Darlin' discovers she has unhealthy hair, she enlists Smidge and Synth to help her whip her hair into shape. |
| 5 | 9 | A K-Pop girl group comes into town looking for a Troll who has been labelled a "Not-So-Good Sport" |
| 5 | 10 | Holly Darlin' and Val encounter a Bergen for the first time and Poppy makes it her mission to prove that the Bergen is a gentle giant. |
| 5 | 11 | Poppy tries to keep one of her biggest secrets from being discovered by TrollsTopia's best news reporter, Laguna Tidepool. |
| 5 | 12 | Rhythm & Blues host a "hair-podcast" that offers advice to Trolls in need. |
| 5 | 13 | Lownote Jones faces his old nemesis, Dr. Ravenhug, who has arrived in TrollsTopia convinced he can hug a snug-a-lug without consequence. |
| 5 | 14 | Branch hosts a game night, and the Trolls build a puzzle. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 1 | When a bubble storm forces all of TrollsTopia to stay sheltered inside all day, we follow three sets of Trolls and explore how each decides to pass the time. |
| 6 | 2 | Holly and Minuet Sonata team up for a Guess and Draw tournament. |
| 6 | 3 | Poppy shoots off a firework and unintentionally offends a Cloudback Whale, an enormous creature that swims through the clouds. |
| 6 | 4 | Holly Darlin’ doesn't think Pigtail, her beloved pig critter pet, is ready to go out in the woods. |
| 6 | 5 | Rhythm & Blues accidentally de-age R back to her childhood self with one of their inventions. |
| 6 | 6 | When an underground river of lava threatens all of Rock Hollow, Poppy leads the Hard Rock Trolls deep under the earth to save the day. |
| 6 | 7 | When gum gets Dante's wings stuck together, he and Val try to use other means of transportation to reach Classical Crest. |
| 6 | 8 | Branch finds out that Lownote Jones gives out nicknames that actually stick and manipulates him into giving him a nickname. |
| 6 | 9 | Poppy asks Holly Darlin' and Guy Diamond to take pictures for the first ever TrollsTopia calendar. |
| 6 | 10 | When Val and Smidge stumble upon the fun children's table at one of Dante's formal parties, they discover a way to enjoy both parties by trading places. |
| 6 | 11 | Everyone in TrollsTopia is having the time of their lives batting a balloon around. |
| 6 | 12 | All the Trolls are excited that the plants that Poppy gifted them on their first day in TrollsTopia have finally bloomed-- except Val. |
| Season # | Episode # | Episode Name |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | 1 | Poppy attempts to make life in TrollsTopia more exciting by adding intense soundtrack and narration. |
| 7 | 2 | Synth and Smidge discover that training Minuet Sonata for the big race is going to be harder than they thought because she never learned how to walk. |
| 7 | 3 | When Cloud Guy gets accepted to Cloud College, he sets out to find a suitable replacement to continue annoying Branch in his absence. |
| 7 | 4 | Feeling a little smothered by Demo's managerial style, Val decides to find another manager that better suits her needs. |
| 7 | 5 | When Poppy and Synth see that Minuet Sonata is running herself ragged trying to perfect her violin playing for an audition they try to convince her to take a break. |
| 7 | 6 | Guy is preparing for his speech at the big Glitter Gala when he is bitten by a bat. |
| 7 | 7 | Chaz the Smooth Jazz Troll, Marshtato Mary, and Pushy Poppy band together so they can take over TrollsTopia. |
| 7 | 8 | With the rest of the Trolls hidden away playing a game, Synth, Demo and DJ are the only Trolls around to take on a pesky invasion. |
| 7 | 9 | When Tiny discovers he comes from a long line of expert blanket fort builders, he sets out to build a blanket structure worthy of his family’s legacy. |
| 7 | 10 | R&B have promised to do all the cooking for the upcoming Pancake Breakfast. |
| 7 | 11 | When Biggie starts reading the saddest scrapbook in Country Western history, Poppy and Holly do everything they can to prevent him from making it to the super sad ending. |
| 7 | 12 | Val has to fulfill her civic duty by dressing up as Murray the Puffalo. |
| 7 | 13 | Val has gone out of her way to plan a vacation with Poppy and Holly, but the quaint little cabin in the woods turns out to be a disaster. |
| 7 | 14 | King Trollex has invited one TrollsTopian to come back and live with the Techno Tribe. |
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