Stages

Holly is unhappy when her Mother comes to New York and decided to live with her for awhile.

 Meanwhile Danny tries to hypnotize his friends, which they don't think works. However, Morloch is listening in on their conversation and he is affected by a hypnotic suggestion.

This episode isn't a favourite of mine and for me the main story of Holly and her Mother doesn't really go anywhere. 

Holly seems a little put out that her Mother has come to stay as she wants to be a performer too. Holly isn't happy about it but they sing a song together and everything is okay in the end! It's not really very dramatic stuff and for me not enough to be the lead story of an episode. Even though the whole cast are here with the exception of Lydia the episode still feels a little empty. It's not as though Holly's mother takes over the show, like other guest stars do, I guess I just find it boring. There has been no previous mention of Holly having a difficult relationship with her mother and nothing here to really explain what the problem is.   

The subplot with Morloch being hypnotized by Danny adds lots of humour and is fun to watch but it is a little silly. I'm not convinced someone who'd just bought a book to hypnotize his friends into thinking doing a 40s show is a good idea, would actually be able to hypnotize anyone or place post hypnotic suggestions into their heads. So it is all a little unconvincing. 

Still the interaction between Sherwood, Morloch and Mrs Berg is good stuff. I'd never realized until I watched these episodes back to back just how many times Morloch says "Not now Mrs Berg". It's almost every episode so that was obviously a little in joke and nice continuity but I'd never picked up on it before.

Danny says that Caruso loves 40s music and in the scenes set in Caruso's yes 40's music is playing but it never has been in any of the other episodes, so it's a little convenient here. 

I quite like Rudy's Restaurant and Cabaret as it's something a little different for Fame. Although it's really a feeble excuse to get Mrs Laird on stage because neither Holly nor Doris know the 3rd part! She only sings one brief line on her own so I'm sure that if they'd been practicing the others would know that  line too.

I do find it a little frustrating that the guest star guest gets to sing on 3 different songs. Her voice is very pleasant but I'd rather hear more form the cast, so I guess it's good that 2 of her 3 songs are with cast members. 

I've always loved "Out Here On My Own" from the film so it's nice to hear it here. We are told that it's one of Holly's favourite songs. Does that mean she watched the Fame film and that's why she wants to be a star?! 

I find it a little strange that Holly would choose to barge into Dwight's music rehearsal to sort out possible room mates. It doesn't seem to make any sense. Why wouldn't she just go to the library or the cafeteria? It seems very selfish to interrupt someone with something that doesn't affect them.

One final nit pick, In "Appearances" Holly and Chris decide to go out on a date and she tell him that she lives at number "1147 Beaman Avenue, apartment C" but here her door shows the number 8!  

Original  air date in U.S.A 04th March 1984

Original  air date  in U.K. 01st June 1984,  Repeated on The Children's Channel  Autumn 1992

Original air date in The Netherlands  12th June 1984

Original air date in Italy 11th August  1986

Original air date in Belgium  14th July 1988      

Original  air date in France 14th January 1989