Ending on a High Note

Synopsis

When Lydia cons Danny and Leroy into couching a kids basketball team she doesn't count on them getting emotionally involved. It becomes an issue when the school show and the basketball game are on the same night.

Doris is then recruited to try and steal the opposition's play book!

My Review

In the U.K. this episode was shown out of order as episode 20 instead of episode 22.

I'm not really very keen on this episode as it just feels like filler to me. There is only the one storyline and no B story to involve any of our characters in. Half the cast aren't even in it! There's no Coco, no Bruno (the only episode of season 2 that Lee doesn't appear), no Shorofsky, and a brief appearance from Sherwood!

Kelly is back to presumably make it look like there are more cast members than there really are. She is over her suicidal tendencies from "Help From My Friends" and doesn't seem to have the same problems with her dancing either! Which just adds to the usual issues regarding continuity.

As for the plot, which seems to be pretty thin to base a whole episode on, I don’t understand why Lydia isn't actually honest with Danny and Leroy about what she wants them to do. Presumably we had to have the deception to try and make the episode more interesting but it doesn't really work for me. David seems more than willing to be involved in coaching the basketball team so why doesn't she just go straight to him? However without the deception and set up there would be no story at all. This story would be fine as back up story to something else but on it's own it's weak.

I have always loved the song “Shakin'” and it’s my favourite track from the “Sing For You” album although I've always been a little confused as to who is actually singing it. The episode credits unusually don’t list any performer. The album states it’s the Waters with the Kids From Fame but as far as I can tell none of the cast are on this song so that listing is very misleading. I've always preferred the songs when members of the cast are actually performing them and can't understand why they simply didn't have Gene sing it!.

While on the subject of the “Sing For You” album, the listing for “Mr Cool” is also a little confusing where the album states it’s sung by the Kids From Fame, when really it’s just Lori, Val and Connie Needham, I'm not sure why they couldn't be listed individually. On the actual “Sing For You” track, Val, Erica, Gene & Carlo are all listed individually. “Mr Cool”, isn't actually a favourite of mine, it feels like filler just like the rest of this episode.

I guess there is a little humour with Doris trying to steal the play book and a Jewish girl ending up in a confessional but it doesn't really do very much for me!

Episode Pictures

Ann Nelson as Mrs Berg

Rick Podell as Coach Jordan

Malcolm- Jamal Warner as Lucas

Keith Mitchell as Andy

John Salazar as Mitchell

Richard Doyle as Priest

Frank Picard as Brother Marcel

CREDITS

Production number 2753

Filmed Monday 14th to Wednesday 23rd February 1983.

Written by Christopher Beaumont