S5·E5 The New Friend / Panda Scouts

Episode recap

Task: Write a 280-380 word episode recap for Stillwater S5E5 (The New Friend / Panda Scouts).
Constraints:
Use ONLY verifiable facts from the provided SYNOPSIS and SOURCES.
No invented titles, names, dates, counts, awards, ratings, box-office, or plot points.
Omit details not in the material.
Original, neutral, encyclopedic prose.
Plain text only (no markdown, no asterisks, no headings, no bullet points).
Word count target: 280-380 words.
Synopsis: Michael befriends a new kid from school. The group finds a bird that has died and discusses loss.
Series Info:
Title: Stillwater.
Genre: Animated children's television series.
Based on: Zen book series by Jon J Muth.
Premiere: December 4, 2020 on Apple TV+.
Characters: Siblings Karl, Addy, and Michael.
Neighbor: A wise panda named Stillwater.
Creator: Rob Hoegee.
Cast: James Sie, Eva Ariel Binder, Tucker Chandler, Judah Mackey.
Premise: Stillwater helps kids with typical kid challenges understand feelings and face challenges.
The synopsis is extremely brief: "Michael befriends a new kid from school. The group finds a bird that has died and discusses loss."
The word count requirement is 280-380 words.
Problem: There is almost no information to reach 280 words without inventing details.
Constraint Check: "If the synopsis is sparse, stay concise rather than guessing." and "Never invent or guess... plot points."
Conflict: The user wants 280-380 words, but the source material only provides about 25 words of plot.
Strategy: I must expand on the series context (which is provided in the sources) to provide a professional, encyclopedic entry, but I cannot invent plot details for the specific episode. I will describe the series, the characters, and the premise, then state the episode's specific plot points as provided.
Drafting Content:
Series context: Stillwater is an animated children's television series created by Rob Hoegee. It is based on the Zen book series by Jon J Muth. The series premiered on December 4, 2020, on Apple TV+.
Characters: The show features siblings Karl, Addy, and Michael. They have a next-door neighbor who is a wise panda named Stillwater. The voice cast includes James Sie, Eva Ariel Binder, Tucker Chandler, and Judah Mackey.
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