That Was the Weekend That Was

Synopsis

Jesse is given the key to the school by Mr Shorofsky, so that he can catalogue some sheet music. However when Miltie tries to set up an Audition with a record label for Jesse band more an more people end up at the school on the weekend. Chris needs a place to practice cooking for an audition but ends up causing a fire and Jillian needs Reggie to give her a make over. Meanwhile Lou wants Leroy to join his Muskrat society.

My Review

Well this one is played completely for laughs and becomes a bit of a farce. When Jesse offers to help Shorofsky out cataloguing his sheet music he is entrusted with a key to the school. Miltie finds out and tells Chris and Reggie who both turn up at the school; Chris to practice being a chef for a TV cooking audition and Reggie because Jillian wants her to give her a make over. Miltie wants to be part of Jesse's band so arranges an audition with a top record label.

Mr Dyrenforth has just taken purchase of a new sound system for the auditorium so Jesse sets it up to use during his audition. So he has his band and some dancers in the school but the sound system blows and they need Fred, a friend of Milites to try an fix it but he wants $400 but Milties credit card is declined. Fred is not a patient man so takes part of the sound system until he is paid. Miltie decides to hold a party at the school to raise the cash, so tells everyone Bruce Springsteen will be performing there!

I guess someone on the show thought this would be funny and was trying to recreate the humour of "The Monster That Devoured Las Vegas" and so brings back Lee Ving as Miltie's friend that we first saw in the season 4 episode but this doesn't work for me. The Monster That Devoured Las Vegas was at least set around a school show and used the fact that people shouldn't whistle in a theatre. It also involved the whole cast and had some poignant moments for Doris and Nicole. However this episode as no real rhyme or reason to this episode. People turn up at the school for random reasons. There's the new sound system but I'm not sure why Jesse needed to use it? Also how on earth did Miltie manage to persuade a record company executive to come to the school in the first place? Wouldn't the fact that a record company exec was coming be a better reason for having everyone turn up at the school? Surely Ian, Reggie and Chris would want to get noticed themselves rather than have lame reasons for them being present. Ian and Maxie are relegated to back up characters serving food at Lou's party.

Now don't get me started with the Muskrat thing. What a load of rubbish. In the first place who thinks this is entertainment? However if it has to be part of the why would Lou think Leroy would be interested joining? Surely Lou's closer to Chris and he could have persuaded Chris that some of the Muskrats might be able to help him in career. Although to be honest no one seems to be interested in developing our characters and having them do things that are both worthwhile for the character and worthwhile for the show.

Sadly the music in this episode does very little for me either.

Episode Pictures

CREDITS

Production number 2957

Teleplay by Barry Jacobs and Stuart Jacobs

Story by Robert Caplain

Directed by Michael Switzer

Original U.S. air date 16th March 1987

Original U.K. 1993 on the Children's Channel

Guest Stars

Robert Romanus as Miltie Horowitz

Robert Donner as The Exalted Muskrat

Lee Ving as Fred

Trevor Henley as Patrick Becket

Martha C Quinn as Linda Hayden

Carolyn J Silas as Laura Mackie

Songs

"Loco De Amor" performed by Jesse Borrego

Written by David Byrne.

"The Night Rolls On" - performed by Lee Ving

Written by Chris Farren and Curtis Stone.

MP3s Available:

"Loco De Amor"

"The Night Rolls On"

Spanish TV Listing

Download the episode in 5 parts