The First Time

Synopsis

After dating for nearly a year Jesse thinks it's time for he and Nicole to take their relationship to the next level and have sex, which leads to a break up of the relationship.

New Principal Mr Dyrenforth suffers from a spate of bad luck.

My Review

I like this episode, it's fun and we get to explore Jesse and Nicole's relationship as Jesse wants to have sex and Nicole wants to wait. Although I do find it a little hard to believe that they have been dating for 11 months and 12 days but still haven't had sex. The Jesse we meet in season for is all about chasing the girls and I feel sure he's not really the type to wait so long for sex. I'm also not so sure that Nicole would wait that long. They are in a long term relationship so I don't really get what she is waiting for. "Fame" does this on occasion where the female characters are portrayed as virginal and the guys have sex. Remember "Words" in season 2 where Coco's boyfriend is leaving town and wants to have sex with Coco before he goes but she is reluctant and in the end doesn't do it. Well this episode feel's like a rehash of that story. Personally for a mid 80s TV show it would have been refreshing for the characters to actually have sex, safe sex so they could discuss the issues of unwanted pregnancy or sexual diseases. Aids was big news at this point in time and it would have been interesting to see "Fame" try to tackle the social issue rather than turn it into a light comedy.

The next issue I have is how long Jesse and Nicole have supposed to been together, nearly a year? This episode aired in January 1986. We first see them hooking up in "Czech Mate" which aired in October 1984. Even if we said there relationship didn't become serious until "Blizzard" that still aired in November 1984. Maybe as they broke up a number of times in the early days they are only counting the continuous time they had been together. My last memory of them breaking up was in "Nothing Personal" but that aired in December 1984 so I can't figure out where the writers came up with the time line!

Anyway, Nicole can't give Jesse what he wants and his eye starts to wander towards Kate and Jesse and Nicole break up but again it all feels like its being treated a joke as Nicole struggles get a date for the upcoming dance! Of course they get back together and Nicole decides she will have sex with Jesse so they go away for a romantic weekend only that is turned into a comedy of errors too and they both end up with whiplash! It all ends with them deciding to wait a little longer and the subject is never broached again, not even when they break or for real at the start of season 6. Did the writers really think Kids in New York City acted like that?

The B story goes to the new principle Dyrenforth who is having a run of bad luck, where everything goes wrong for him is also played for comedy.

I love Nia singing "Straight To The Heart" and her duet with Jesse on "Outside Myself (Inside Your Love)" is also a good song but I'm less keen on Loretta's song "After The Fire".

Episode Pictures