Joanne McNally Investigates

Did Furbys Spy on Us? 2. The Autopsy

After falling in love with a Furby in episode 1, Joanne begins looking for evidence on its spying capabilities. So – with the help of Gearoid, she decides to open up a Furby for a closer look. The operation is complex, and a little gruesome, but once inside, the pair discover that the Furby is fitted with an abundance of electronics. To understand how it all worked, Joanne consults the operating manual. And she discovers that the Furby really was advanced for its time, and she tests its comedy potential. We also speak to Dr Megan Rose, an expert in all things soft toys – who explains why the Furby’s unique visual design may have helped it gain a reputation for espionage. Equipped with a better understanding of the Furby, and it’s skills, Joanne is ready to put the rumour to bed… until she receives a surprising call from Gearoid which sees her question everything.

Joanne McNally is back on the investigative trail…. and with the Avril / Melissa theory no longer giving her sleepless nights, she’s keen to find a new story to get her teeth into. Top of her list, after some deliberation is a story from the late 90’s… about a soft toy, the Furby, which took over the world and became the no.1 gift for Christmas. But Joanne has found headlines that claim the toy was banned, suspected of being a spy, linked to international espionage… there couldn’t be any truth to it… could there?