Fame - The Complete First Season Review

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(More customer reviews)Fame originally appeared on NBC for a couple of years. This series was a bigger hit in Europe, than in the US. When NBC cancelled the show, the European syndicators wanted it to continue. The producers decided to try this out in syndication. What happened was TV history. The show became a breakout hit in the US and for the first time a syndicated show became viable. This lead the way to the all the other syndicated shows including Baywatch, Hercules and Highlander.
This is the first season starts like the movie with the auditions and finishes with the end of the school year. It has four DVD's with 4 episodes on each. Note: the episode listing on my show five episodes on the first two DVD's, four on the third and two on the last. This is incorrect. The packaging is two slim line packages, making the box just slightly larger than a single DVD package!!
The following is a summary of the 16 episodes:
Disc 1
METAMORPHOSIS - Cellist Julie Miller is accepted to the school. She and her mother have moved to NYC from the Midwest. The kids all pick on her and to her mother's dismay she rebels to more like the others. This episode introduces the cast: the teacher Ms. Grant (dance), Mr. Crandall (drama), Mr. Shorofsky (music) and Ms. Sherwood (English) plus students Coco (triple threat), Leroy (dancer), Doris (drama), Danny (comedian), Julie (cello), Bruno (composer) and Montgomery (stagehand). Look for a cameo by Fran "The Nanny" Drescher.
Musical Numbers:TAKE ME - Erica Gimpel; FAME - Erica Gimpel; RED LIGHT; MILES FROM HEAR
PASSING GRADE - Lydia's old boyfriend comes to town with news, he's directing a new musical and there's a part in it perfect for Lydia. At the audition she runs into Coco. Both get a call back but in the end it's not whose best but whom you know.
Musical Numbers: THE SHOW MUST GO ON - Erica Gimpel and I STILL BELIEVE IN ME - Erica Gimpel & Debbie Allen
TOMORROW'S FAREWELL - The school board has come to evaluate the school. Each of the kids are interviewed and we get a glimpse of their background.
Musical Numbers: I CAN DO ANYTHING BETTER THAN YOU CAN - Erica Gimpel and COME WHAT MAY - Gene Anthony Ray
ALONE IN A CROWD - The school is holding their annual benefit which is attended by every talent agency. After auditions, everyone gets in except Danny. But due to poor grades, Leroy is bounced out of the benefit and Coco has her own problem, Bruno does not want to perform. In the end, the benefit cannot happen due to a power shortage, that is until the students improvise.
Musical Numbers - ALONE IN A CROWD - Lee Curreri (also wrote); WE GOT THE POWER - Gene Anthony Ray & Erica Gimpel
Disc 2
TO SOAR AND NEVER FALTER - A dancer is chosen to audition with a prestigious dance company. Lydia presses Bruno into service to create an original piece. In the process, Bruno falls for the dancer. Of course, nothing can go smoothly and it turns out that she has multiple sclerosis.
Musical Numbers: BE MY MUSIC - Lee Curreri
THE SELL OUT - Bruno's synthesizer is ruined. Bruno's dad try's to pay for it but can't. So Bruno takes a job as an accordionist.
Musical Numbers: HIGH-FIDELITY - Lee Curreri, Valerie Landsberg & Carlo Imperato and COULD WE BE MAGIC LIKE YOU - Lee Curreri & Debbie Allen
THE STRIKE - The school is mounting a musical production of Othello but when the cast comes out Coco is not in it. The bigger problem is the teacher's are on strike and the kids have to mount the show.
Musical Numbers: STARMAKER - Cast; DESDEMONA - Gene Anthony Ray, Carlo Imperato and Valerie Landesburg (This is the best production number of the series)
STREET KID - The kids are given an acting assignment, create a character the opposite of your comfort zone. Doris decides to play a streetwalker. During her preparation, she meets a runaway (Dominique Dunne) and tries to change her life.
Musical Numbers: LIFE IS A CELEBRATION - Erica Gimple & Carlo Imperato
Disc 3
BUT SERIOUSLY FOLKS - Danny gets a stage manager job at a comedy club. The only problem is he can't keep awake in school, so he takes uppers. Doris gets a commercial for a product that she can't stand.
Musical Numbers: STEP UP TO THE MIKE - Gimple, Imperato, Landsburg & Ray
COME ONE COME ALL - Montgomery's mother (Gwen Verdon), a movie star, has agreed to direct the school variety show. The only problem is she wants to use it to showcase her. There is a great dance number with Verdon and Allen with Verdon in perfect Fosse form. Allen would later be directed by Fosse in a revival of Sweet Charity.
Musical Numbers: SWEET SUE, JUST YOU; SING, SING, SING
THE CRAZIES - The teachers are putting on a faculty show with mixed results. Doris and Montgomery decide to tell the truth and find out why little white lies are usually the best.
Musical Numbers: I WAS ONLY TRYING TO HELP - Landsberg; Carnivale - Allen
EXPOSE - Ms. Sherwood gets a student teacher. He decides to write an article about the school. When it is rejected for being to bland, he decides to spice it up.
Musical Numbers: IT'S GONNA BE A LONG NIGHT - Singer and MANNEQUIN-Ray
Disc 4
A MUSICAL BRIDGE - Bruno gets an offer to compose for a record company but it has some catches. While Ms. Sherwood finds out that Leroy is living on his own.
Musical Numbers: DO THE GIMME THAT - Valerie Landsburg & PR Paul; SHO SHO SHO SHOROFSKY - Lee Curreri
A BIG FINISH - The janitor has a secret. He was a famous Broadway dancer and he is hiding a friend and a dog in his office. The kids find out and decide to do a fundraiser to help the two hoofers retire. The only problem is its against school rules to hold a fundraiser for an employee. Guest stars Oscar winner Art Carney and Tony winner Ray Walston.
Musical Numbers - YOU'RE THE REAL MUSIC - Gene Anthony Ray and A COUPLE OF SWELLS - Carney & Walston
REUNIONS - Danny and Leroy are sent to get props for the new show. The props turn out to be hot. Leroy wants his mom to come to the last show of year but she is in Detroit. Shorofsky's old flame (Singe Hasso) visits and tells the students about the holocaust.
Musical Numbers- HOPE - Gene Anthony Ray and chorus
A SPECIAL PLACE - Budget cuts are coming and the school board is out evaluating which teacher to cut.
Musical Numbers: A SPECIAL PLACE - Debbie Allen; STARMAKER - Cast; HOT LUNCH - Cast
DVD Extras: None
All episodes were choreographed by Debbie Allen.
Lee Curreri and Gene Anthony Ray reprise their film roles. Debbie Allen was in the film but as a student.


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