A Special Place

The School is shocked and upset when budget cuts means that a teacher may have to leave the school. The board decides that either Sherwood or Crandall should be dismissed. When the decision is made to dismiss Crandall, the students gather together to perform and show just how much he means to them. 

 Meanwhile Bruno discovers a famous composer has stolen a song that Bruno wrote.

I really like this episode and it's one of the best from the first season. The original title was "Choices" and I'm glad they changed it because "A Special Place" sounds so much better.

 I didn't know at the time that Michael Thoma was dying from cancer and from what I've heard not many people on set knew either so that makes the story even more emotional now. Even though Crandall gets to stay at the school in the story, it's Michael's final episode and it is an excellent tribute to him.

I love the scene with Sherwood and Crandall in the hallway it's really sweet and then it goes into Debbie singing "A Special Place". I love that song and the way they set it with the 2 Lydia's; one at the piano and one dancing is really beautiful and memorable.

I love how the students side with their favourite teachers and Danny and Leroy end up fighting about it. The scene with Leroy and Sherwood is really nice too.

I also love Sherwood's fighting spirit when she thinks she is a victim of sexual harassment and Mrs Berg in the office is really funny.

Montgomery wasn't in the episode until the final scenes and the tribute to Crandall but until I saw him I hadn't even noticed that he wasn't in the episode.

It's nice how the teachers all stick together and were willing to give up their pay rises to help a colleague, I'm not sure that would happen in real life. Still it was nice continuity with "The Strike" to hear that the teachers were successful and got their pay rise.

I also loved Starmaker as it was so great to have all the cast singing together; it's just a shame that Erica wasn't there to be involved too.

One of the most memorable things from the whole 6 years of the show for me is at the end of Starmaker and Leroy has tears on his cheeks. When I originally watched the end of the episode I felt like I wanted to cry but in my family it was instilled into that we shouldn't show emotion and we shouldn't cry. Even though I was on my own it wasn't until I saw Leroy cry that I thought well if a tough guy from the streets can show emotion then it's okay for me to cry. So I did cry and these days I wouldn't worry about crying at something that is sad.

It is a good end to the series and everyone dancing to "Hot Lunch" from the film is like coming full circle and kept the ending on a high. Everyone gets involved in the dancing even Shorofsky and all the dancers get their solo spots almost like at the end of a stage show where people are taking their bows.

One small nit pick. What on earth was Leroy doing as a hall monitor? From what comes later with Dwight I assumed you had to apply to take the role and be a trusted student. I certainly can't see Leroy requesting to be a hall monitor and with his track record of not getting English assignments done on time and I would assume he has problems with all the academic subjects that involve reading and writing, he wouldn't be given this role.

Original  air date in U.S.A.  06th May 1982

Original  air date in U.K. 02 Sept 1982,  BBC repeat 08th  August 1986,  The Children's Channel  Autumn 1992, Now 80s 16th & 20th January 2022

Original air date  in France 19th June 1982

Original Air date in Australia (Melbourne)  01st August

Original air date in The Netherlands 04th March 1983    

Original air date in Spain 5th June 1983  

Original air date in Italy 10th November 1983

Original  air date in West Germany 10th April 1985

Original air date in Belgium 29th  October 1987