Spontaneous Combustion

After Cleo accidentally injures Sherwood and new directive is introduced to ban singing and dancing in the school communal areas. The students and teachers are faced with a choice of whether to accept the situation or challenge the school board. The situation spirals out of control which leads to Leroy being expelled.  

Ann Nelson finally makes the opening credits from this episode which is so well deserved. I'm not sure why she wasn't in there from the first episode of this season instead of from episode 3 although come to think of it she should have become a cast member from the second season onwards as her contribution to the show was so unique. Also they change Nia's picture for some reason which is bizarre to me as I always preferred the original picture and I don’t understand why have a different picture for just 2 episodes.

We’re now completely back in the studio for this episode with no location shooting and we discover they have built a fake street and school entrance. I understand this was done for budget reasons but my only issue is the school entrance is so much smaller than the real one they were using a lot in the previous 2 episodes so is totally noticeable that this isn’t real. I don’t understand why they didn’t do an exact replica and have less other building in the fake street. There is an interview with one of the writers  and he says lots of people couldn’t tell that it wasn’t a real street! Yeah right, I don’t believe that at all!

Cynthia is now missing for a few episodes as she was off making a film in real life.

Anyway, this is another great ensemble story and a wonderfully simple idea that starts off with banning singing and dancing in the halls and communal areas and then spirals out of control with Leroy nearly being expelled. In a way it reminds me of “Consequences” from season 3 where a simple story becomes far more complicated and people get caught up in things even though they don’t want to.

I love how the students refuse to take part in the festival to protest about the new rule. Jesse is the bad guy at first seizing on any opportunity to perform regardless of the situation but even he comes round in the end which is nice to see another side to his character.

Pretty much the same thing happens with Nicole she is against protesting and doesn’t want to spoil her grade average but in the end realises that she has to protest too if she wants to fit into the school.

Again it’s a tight script with some really great humour. I love Doris’ reaction when she gets chosen for the festival “Moi” and Cleo’s indecisiveness over signing the petition is great too.

The teachers as usual have a great thing going on with their banter as the discuss Morloch’s. I also love Lydia when she visits Sherwood “just what this room needed, more flowers”. This is continued when Morloch brings flowers too.

It’s left to Sherwood to help everyone see sense and it’s so in character for her to break the rules. It’s lovely when Morloch admits how much her cares about the school and the students and he comes round to the fact that the school is a special place and goes against the rule.

Morloch gets drunk here on the beer for his party but last season he was a recovering alcoholic so it doesn’t seem fitting to have him drink now. Also when he is singing to Shorofsky (another great scene) isn’t Morloch breaking the directive himself?

When Leroy tells Morloch he dances to express himself and what’s wrong with that he states I don’t drink or do drugs. I’d never noticed it before but that line stands out so much for me now I know the truth about what went on behind the scenes.

“Young Heroes” was originally recorded by Kim Wilde (who I’ve always liked), it’s a good song which really fits the episode and the show as the cast were my heroes. This is our first chance to here Nicole sing properly and I was hooked on her voice from the beginning. Also it’s a great duet with Doris and I think Nicole is the only person to sing a song with every other main student at the school including Coco on her return. It’s also nice to hear Janet perform “Breaking Out” which isn’t a song from her albums.

I noticed in the cafeteria that we see a number of views of the end doors. There are the 2 double doors at the far end then next to it you have a door to what is the pantry cupboard area. This is a normal wooden door with a small window however in a couple of episodes time in The Monster That Devoured Las Vegas it will be a metal refrigerator with no window!

Original  air date in U.S.A 13th October 1985

Original  air date  in U.K. 14th March 1985,  Repeated on The Children's Channel  Broadcast Autumn 1992

Original air date in Italy 24th August 1986

Original  air date in France 22nd January 1996