Boy Songs & Badges

“	I guess we could say we bear-ly escaped!	”
	— Ally to Austin

Boy Songs & Badges
Season 2
Episode 16
Information
Air date	June 8, 2013
Prod. code	218
Writer(s)	Kevin Kopelow & Heath Seifert
Director	Eric Dean Seaton
Episode Guide
Previous	"Solos & Stray Kitties"
Next	"Tracks & Troubles"

"Boy Songs & Badges" is the sixteenth episode in Season 2 of Austin & Ally and the 35th episode overall. It premiered on June 8, 2013 at 9 PM EST. The episode was the eighteenth episode of season 2 to be filmed. This episode, on the night of its premiere, attracted 2.5 million viewers.

Overview

Ally is under a tight deadline to finish writing new songs for her demo reel, so Austin tries to write his own song instead of relying on Ally. Meanwhile, Trish becomes troop leader of JJ and Nelson's Pioneer Rangers Troop and Dez becomes an honorary member to get the merit badges he never received as a kid.

Episode Summary

When Trish books Austin an interview with Jett Deely on "Video Countdown Live", Austin automatically goes to Ally to think of a new song since he will be on "New Music Tuesday". However, Ally is busy; she has to write three new songs for her demo reel. This leaves Austin with no other choice but to write his new song by himself. However, after eight hours have gone by, Dez comes up and shares the Pioneer Ranger motto with Austin. This inspires Austin to write Call a Pioneer Ranger! However, the song ends up being quite atrocious, and so they try to back out of the interview by telling Jett that he will be volunteering at the camp-out. Jett, however, really wants to interview Austin; he brings the show to Austin and the rangers at the campgrounds. There, he decides to introduce the song as a song that he wrote, specifically for the kids. This works until Jett tells the watching nation that, after the break, Austin will perform his actual new song! Luckily, a bear comes to the rescue and releases them from the unbearable situation! Austin and Ally agree that it was a close call, and Ally proceeds to make cheesy bear-related jokes.

Meanwhile, Trish is forced to become the troop leader of JJ and Nelson's Pioneer Ranger Troop by her mom. Due to this, Dez asks her if he can become an honorary ranger--since he was kicked out for bathing in a birdbath before he could earn any badges--and Trish allows him to. Trish makes the rangers do her chores so that they can earn their badges--for example, they have to paint her nails for the Lifesaver badge. At the very end of the episode, Dez accomplish his wish and earns four merit badges!

Memorable Quotes

Austin Hey Ally! Want to go to the zoo later and laugh at the monkeys? Ally Can't. I'm meeting a record label on Wednesday and I still have to finish three songs for my demo. And my dad's out sick, so now I have to watch the store, and... Are you guys putting salami on cereal? Austin Yep. We couldn't decide if we wanted breakfast or lunch, so we're having both. We call it "blunch". Dez Mmm. Frosted crispy bites and salami. Is there a better combination? Ally How can you eat that? Dez Oh, she's right. We forgot the mustard. Mm. Ally Oh.

Trish Guess who got a job as a Pioneer Ranger troop leader? Let me rephrase that. Guess whose mom forced her to get a non-paying job as her brother's Pioneer Rangers troop leader? Ally Sorry. I know how much you don't like the outdoors. Or your little brother. Dez I used to be a Pioneer Ranger. But I got kicked out after a camping trip. Apparently bird baths are for "birds only". One of my biggest regrets is that I never earned a single merit badge.

Trish All right, rangers, if you want your Knot Tying Badge, you're gonna have to be able to complete the Impossible Knot. JJ Please. Already finished. Impossible Knot... Impossible not! Trish It's easy to tie. It's impossible to untie. JJ Aw man.

Austin Man, that's the Alphabet Song! Dez Yeah, but it's really catchy! (Starts to sing with The Alphabet melody) A B H I J K Z! W X P!

Trish So how's the new song coming? Austin Great! I'm almost finished. Dez Yup! Except for the music, the lyrics, and the song title, it's pretty much done.

Austin I can't take one of your songs. Ally Austin, really. I want you to. Austin No, really, I can't. These songs are too girly! Putting on my make-up for a night on the town. Crushing on a boy; I hope he's around. Ally Yeah, it sounds better when I sing it.

All Bear?! Nelson RUN FOR  YOUR LIVES!!

Songs Featured

• "Can't Do It Without You" (theme song)
• "Call a Pioneer Ranger" (premiere)

Cast

Main Cast

• Ross Lynch as Austin Moon
• Laura Marano as Ally Dawson
• Raini Rodriguez as Trish De La Rosa
• Calum Worthy as Dez Wade

Guest Cast

• Cole Sand as Nelson
• Russ Marchand as Jett Deely
• Devan Leos as JJ De la Rosa

Trivia

• This is the third episode not to air on a Sunday (the other episodes not to air on a Sunday is "Austin & Jessie & Ally All Star New Year" and "Tunes & Trials").
• Boy Songs refers to the fact that Austin needs to write a more boyish song instead of Ally's girly ones, and Badges refers to the merit badges Dez, Nelson, and JJ try to earn.
• Ally's hair has gotten longer.
• JJ's voice seems to have gotten deeper.
• This is JJ's first appearance in Season 2 and last appearance in the series, due to his actor's new role in Mighty Med.
• It is revealed that Dez doesn't know the alphabet, as he sang a portion of it and got the order of the letters wrong.
• Dez reveals he has gone to this camp before, therefore making this the second time it is revealed someone went to a camp, the first one being "Campers & Complications".
• This is Jett Deely's second appearance on the show; his first was in "Girlfriends & Girl Friends".
• This episode saved a girl's life. 12-year-old Abby Wetherell was attacked by a bear in Michigan, and she knew to play dead thanks to this episode.
• A repeat of this episode shown on July 7 got 2.606 million views, around .2 million views more than the original premiere.
• The establishing spot of the camping sign was later used in the Netflix show Family Reunion in the “Remember That Crazy Road Trip” episode.

Goofs

• Nelson knocked over the tent and never puts it back up, but somehow it was back up.
• Dez told Jett that he had spent all night learning to untie the impossible knot, but that couldn't be possible because he was up all night with Austin writing a new song.
• Nelson came in for the Pioneer Rangers' meeting thinking that it was the "pie eater rangers", but he had the Pioneer Rangers' uniform on. 
• When Trish was handing out merit badges, she gave JJ an extra Music Badge even though he already had one.

Transcript

To view the Boy Songs & Badges transcript, click here.

Gallery

To view the Boy Songs & Badges gallery, click here.