Catch a Falling Star

When a drunk vagrant is found sleeping in the school it turns out to be a family friend of Leroy's. Who used to perform with Leroy's uncle. Leroy and Reardon attempt to help the man get back on his feet.  

 Meanwhile Holly gives Doris a make over to impress a guy she fancies. 

Morgan Stevens wrote this episode and like most of the cast members/guest stars who wrote episodes he gave himself lots to do. I don't really mind as Morgan is only in 4 episodes this season so it's nice to see him do something. However, he also wrote the main story around a guest star so guest star syndrome takes over yet again and many of our cast are left with nothing to do. Poor Carlo has two short scenes. One introducing his new friend, Tony, who he's trying to get into the school (not sure how he's going to do that or if he's successful as we don't hear about it again - not that I really care!) and then another at the end when he asks if Leroy is ready, and that's his work load for the week done!

Even the Doris/Holly sub plot doesn't give them that much to do except for Doris to mope about after a boy. We've been there and done that many times and this feels like rehashing an old story line. Of course it all goes horribly wrong again and is yet another example of doomed love. The guy is only interested in how people look and what clothes they wear and is as shallow as they come. Come on Doris you are so much better than that. This guy doesn't even learn a lesson by the end of the episode, so this story line feels like filler to me.

Anyway on to the main story. We have yet another older performer down on their luck, which seems to be the only type we ever see at the school, I'm surprised the kids want to be stars because they only ever see the downside of Fame. This one is a homeless drunk, it's not very original and it all feels like we've seen it all before. There are so many coincidences and stretches to keep the story going that personally I feel it's really weak writing, sorry Morgan. 

Firstly we have this old, overweight, drunk, who is dying, supposedly get into the school by climbing on to a dumpster on to a fire escape and climbing up to the third floor where there just happens to be a broken window. Wow that seems like a lot of effort for this guy to go to on the off chance of finding a way in. I just don't buy it, I'm sure there are far easier ways into so many other places I don't see this guy putting in all that effort. Normally he seems happy to stay in some makeshift place on the street with his friend, where the people in the liquor store tell Leroy the guy can be found, but here he just so happens to break into the one school in the city that Leroy goes to.  

Later he does tell Leroy it was no accident and that he was actually looking for him. This sounds like bull to me. If you're looking for someone why not walk in the front door when the building is open and see them then. As it was he left without even seeing or asking about Leroy. In fact when he first sees the dance class he doesn't even seem to notice Leroy. 

It was only because he left a match book behind that Leroy was able to trace him but Eddie had no idea Leroy would do that.

Anyway, once in the school he wonders around from the third floor down to Miss Sherwood's room to sleep in a cupboard!  There's  a bed in the nurses room and couches in the teacher's lounge, and I'm sure plenty of other more comfortable places but he sleeps in a cupboard! Most cupboards in most schools would be full of books and school equipment but this one has room for a big man to sleep in!!!

Next comes the connection to Leroy. Lydia notices Leroy has a picture of the man in his locker. It's sort of Leroy's uncle, well a friend of the family that used to perform with Leroy's uncle. So how come Leroy doesn't actually have a picture of his uncle in the locker too? Or at least a picture of Eddie with his uncle to make it a little plausible! Actually why are their no pictures of Leroy's Mother or family, instead of just some man his family knew? It doesn't make any sense. Then Lydia who had seen Eddie just happens to be wondering past when Leroy has his locker opens and recognizes the man!

By this point I've really switched off and even Eddie dying at the end of the episode does very little for me.

The songs are okay but quite old fashioned so not my kind of thing and guest star George Kirby sings on both of them. So they do very little to save the episode for me.

Original  air date in U.S.A 25th March 1984

Original  air date  in U.K. 22nd June 1984,  Repeated on The Children's Channel  Autumn 1992

Original  air date  in The Netherlands 26th June 1984

Original air date in Italy 13th August  1986

Original air date in Belgium  04th August 1988      

Original  air date in France 28th January 1989