Czech Mate

Chris falls in love with a visiting Russian student Sasha, but trying to find time away from her body guards proves to be very difficult. Things  get worse when the 2 manage to give the bodyguard the slip and no one knows where they are. The authorities disapprove and Sasha has to leave the school.

Meanwhile Doris, stands for the position of school president. Initially Jesse also tries to stand but being new Morloch refuses to allow him to compete so Danny stands instead with Jesse as his campaign manager. The election causes problems between Danny and Doris which Dwight who also stands uses to his advantage. Also Jesse & Nicole get closer and Cleo sets her sights on Leroy.

For me this always feels like a continuation of the first episodes as our cast are still caught up in relationships and again the location filming gives the two shows a similar feel. Again it’s a really great script with lots of humour.

Morloch trying to teach the dance class is very funny although I’m not sure they would put Leroy in charge. Surely one of the other dance teachers would have been able to help out.

I love the idea of Doris standing as school president it’s such a Doris thing to do and then her competition with Danny gives the episode so much humour.

Also Jesse trying to get noticed and wanting to stand for president gives us a perfect indication of his character too. I find it quite amusing that on the banner Jesse carries to support Danny, he has his own name, as campaign manager in larger writing than the “be cool o vote Amatullo” slogan. Morloch is great when he’s telling Jesse he can’t run for school president and Jesse calls him Man. Morloch responds first of all my name is not Man.

Nia makes her first appearance here and looks great in her first scene, no wonder Danny was after her although why do he and Chris say it’s the first day of school we’ve already seen them in classes which took place over a number of days in the previous episode. I always wondered if this scene on location was originally filmed for the first episode but got left out for some reason but then when Sasha arrives in her limo that wouldn’t make sense for her to be in the first episode too.

Cassidy joins the school too and I really like his character as he’s so different to our main cast. I always felt he was Fame's version of Howard Jones. I do feel that his scene with Doris in the music booth where he’s playing the campaign song he’s written would have been the perfect time to mention Bruno with Doris saying something like “I wish Bruno was here to help me with this instead of working on that film score in Hollywood” or wherever he could have been.

Cassidy’s scene with Shorofsky is also very funny especially when Danny comes in to hear his campaign song.

“We’ve Got A Good Thing Going” obviously works very well for Jesse’s character but was never a favourite of mine, although after all these years it has grown on me. It’s nice to hear both Nia and Janet with their own style of backing vocals. It’s also nice that the 3 new characters seem to have a connection, which continues throughout this year. As usual they are thrown into the main mix with the rest of the cast and are in the same classes as our established cast which again is totally unrealistic but I like they have their own bond. Here we see the first hints that Jesse and Nicole will get together.

All the new characters seem to fit into the school very quickly and are part of the main action. I guess the writers and producers didn’t want to spend time having them feel like outsiders because that’s what happened with Holly and Chris and the best way for us to get to know them is with their interactions with the rest of the cast. I really like Cleo’s crush on Leroy and again this story continues throughout the year.

The main story here though is Chris’ doomed love story which is pretty standard writing for the show. Although I do think it works better than some of the other doomed love stories. I do really like the song “One Touch” which I would say is one of the best Billy songs. I was a little confused that everyone kept referring to this as first love because Chris has had girlfriends before particularly the deaf girl in “Signs”.

The scene where Chris and Leroy break into Sasha room looks like it takes place outside Caruso’s. Also when Chris and Sasha are being chased on to the underground train the bodyguard breaks the glass on the door as he hits it.

I did really like the scene where the teachers and Mrs Berg are discussing their first loves. It’s got some excellent character work in it and Doris and Danny at the end deciding not to compete against each other in the future is really nice. 

Production Number 2827

Filming took place on location from 24th July 1984 through to August  10th. Studio filming in August 1984. 

Executive Producer Patricia Jones & Donald Reiker

Original  air date in U.S.A 06th October 1984

Original  air date  in U.K. 25th February 1985,  Repeated on The Children's Channel  Broadcast Autumn 1992

Original air date in Italy 23rd August 1986

Original  air date in France 21st January 1986