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Synopsis

Chris is torn between love and his career when a misunderstanding leads him to the possible lead in a TV show but his new relationship with Kate is put in Jeopardy. Meanwhile Leroy has a difficult dilemma when a producer of a summer stock company wants to exploit him and the dancers and make them work for free.  

Review

I like this episode a lot, it's far from perfect but is a nice change from the usual season 5 episodes that were just rip offs of other films, books, TV shows etc.. Here we have 2 simultaneous stories that highlight the pit falls of seeking Fame in the real World.  Personally I think this is something the show should have been doing more of. There is a lot of coincidences in Chris' storyline where he's trying to get noticed by the agency Laura worked for then on his first night as a waiter he ends up at her apartment and is mistaken for the actor they are waiting for and she instantly loves him. Before the end of the night they are kissing! All this and we've only just discovered that Chris and Kate are an item. Personally I don't feel the relationship between Chris and Kate as I don't see any spark between the actors. It would have been so much better had their storyline of going out together been set up in a previous episode so we'd had a little more time to get used to them as a couple before suddenly there is an issue that jeopardies their relation. Here everything happens too fast for my liking in the first Act. 

I also don't see much chemistry between Chris and Laura and I'm not sure if Chris is always just going along with Laura because he thinks its expected for him to get the job or if he really has feelings for her. So therefore I can't tell if he's lying to Kate when he says he's not attracted to Laura or if he's being truthful!  Personally I'd like to see things a little more from Kate's side. She needed someone else to talk to in this episode and as the other female students Dusty and Reggie are missing then it would have to be Nicole. There's an indication that Kate has talked to Nicole towards the end, when Nicole tells Chris that Kate doesn't want to talk to him but I would have liked to see it.

There's a lot of humour in the other kids becoming waiting staff but it's so unrealistic that on their first job they all work together at and it's at the same party Chris is at. Jesse, Danny and Nicole indicate they have been working the room but none of them noticed Chris and he didn't notice them! It's one small room for goodness sake surely they would have seen each other straight away. Also where was Kate hiding until the crucial moment that she sees Laura and Chris together? 

The Leroy story is interesting as he is pitted against the kids and they are upset when he thinks he is doing the best for them. I find it a little hard to believe that all the kids would be against Leroy, surely at least Nicole would have been able to see both sides? The kids mention it is there first professional gig! Really? Well in "Choices" Nicole gets a part in a Broadway show. She only has one line at first but is also the understudy for the lead and when the lead is injured Nicole takes over the show. Wasn't that professional? Jesse won the song writing contest in "Selling Out". Although it's unclear if his song and video where ever actually released he got to perform to a crowd of people so he would be able to put it on his resume. The kids are also performing at Lou's all the time. They don't get paid but it's for an audience so surely counts. 

The music in this episode is great. I particularly like Nia singing "Another Night" but find it frustrating that so much of the song has dialogue over it! Gene is also great on "Trust Yourself" and there is some great dancing in "Three Cool Cats". I'm intrigued that the 3rd spot on "Three Cool Cats" was given to dancer Shaun Earl. I love Shaun but I would have really liked to see Danny included on this song.  

Episode Pictures

Production Number & Filming Schedule

Production Number 2873

Executive Producer Patricia Jones & Donald Reiker

Air Dates 

Original  air date in U.S.A 03rd May 1986

Original  air date  in U.K. on The Children's Channel  Broadcast early 1993.

Original air date in Italy 30th September 1987

Original  air date in France 05th March 1996                

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Production Credits

Written by Ira Steven Behr

Directed by  Allan Arkush

Assistant Director Leslie Jackson

Guest Stars & Dancers

Lenore Kasdorf as Laura

H Richard Greene as Jack Goodman

Brenda Bolte as Nancy

Fred McGrath as Charlie

John William Evans  as The Older Actor

Shaun Earl as Jason

Songs & MP3 Downloads 

Three Cool Cats

Performed by Jesse, Nia Gene & Shawn Earl

Written by Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller

Another Night

Performed by Nia Peeples

Written by Roy Freeland & Beppe Cantorelli

Trust Yourself

Performed by Gene Anthony Ray 

Written by Bob Dylan

Song Lyrics and Sheet Music  (Click the drop down Menus and select Song)

Lyrics 

Three Cool Cats

Another Night

Trust Yourself

Italian TV Guide Listing

Trivia

International Dubbed Episode Versions

                   Italian

LINKS

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