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Nov 24, 2009, 8:48pm

Fame Forever Forum of the Arts :: Fame - Series :: Episode Discussions :: Season 2 :: Feelings

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Topic: Feelings (Read 229 times)

Pam
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Feelings
« Thread Started on Sept 22, 2007, 3:23pm »

Episode Summary

Leroy misses several dance rehearsals when he tries out for a spot in a touring dance company. Julie's dad tells Julie he's decided to get remarried, but not to Julie's mother.

Songs

"There's A Train" - performed by Albert Hague and Debbie Allen
"Lay Back And Be Cool" - performed by Gene Anthony Ray

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mark1814
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Re: Feelings
« Reply #1 on Sept 17, 2008, 6:52am »

This episode was used for the story in the Fame sticker album which was issued here before the episode aired. As I was collecting the stickers like mad (although I never quite got them all and had about 4 missing), I already knew this story very well before I watched it. So this episode held no surprises for me and was a little disappointing. That's not the fault of the episode or the show but higlights how previews and spoilers and advance knowledge can spoil a person's enjoyment.

Season one seemed to be more about the kid’s ambitions and them striving to achieve their dreams. It was upbeat, exciting and feel good to watch. Nearly every episode left the viewer on a high. However season two showed more of the down sides of Fame and dealt with the rejection that came with it. The kids seemed to lose their confidence and the episodes are much more down beat. Perhaps it’s more realistic but not as entertaining.

This episode it’s Leroy’s turn to be rejected. I have to say that I don’t buy it at all! If he was auditioning for a part in a show or play then I could understand it but for a dance troupe, he would have got the part no problem. They have already shown that Leroy is a phenomenal dancer so they can’t now pretend he’s still got a lot to learn in that department, his academics yes but his dancing no. So this story didn’t work for me.

Julie too is feeling down and rejected because she didn’t win the competition and now loses her confidence. Plus she’s dealing with issues with her Dad. To me it feels like the Leroy and Julie plots are the same. This is supposed to be the first time that both Julie and Leroy haven’t got a part or won something, I don’t think so, both have lost out on things at the school before.

For me this episode is very weak and to try and inject some drama and interest the writer comes up with red herrings to make it look like Leroy maybe back in a gang and Julie’s parents may get back together. I have real problems with both these parts of the story there is no real reason to try and fool the viewers apart from to fill the episode. It’s almost like they are clutching at straws to make it work but for me it still doesn’t.

Coco sees Leroy in the wrong part of town and starts telling students and teachers that Leroy maybe back into gangs. The fact that there could be a much simpler explanation doesn’t seem to come into her head. If Leroy was back into gangs he probably wouldn’t be turning up to school at all so it makes no sense for her to think this. Plus when she sees him at school why doesn't she just ask him what he's up to instead of following him every day?

Julie lives with her Mum and would know if her Mum was acting all happy or had had meetings, letters or phone calls from her Dad. Julie’s Mum wouldn’t be able to keep this kind of news from her so it makes no sense for her to think her parents are going to get back together just because Doris mentions it.

There are a couple of nice scenes though and the Lydia and Leroy scene near the end is quite touching and Debbie’s performance is excellent. Also the scene where Doris tells Coco and Danny that her psychic knew about Leroy’s dance troupe because she rents the building is very funny but who knew Doris went to a psychic?

Morgan isn’t in this episode and Lee barely gets anything to do but the rest of the cast are served well, even some of the dancers get more to do with Michael Delorenzo singing. Although I don’t buy that Michael would be so willing to give the part back to Leroy. Later on in the series Michael is much stronger and competitive he would want that part and work his butt off to keep it.

Albert sings or rather talks his way through a song which is nice and Debbie is vocally very strong on There’s A Train, which is a nice song. Bruno is supposed to have written this song and its amazing how much of the songs and music Bruno is supposed to write he must work very hard. As for Lay back and be cool that was never a favourite of mine.

A couple of nit picks:

- When Shorofsky first talks to Julie she is practicing in the music cubical
but has the door open so he can hear what she’s playing. There doesn’t
seem to be any point in going in to a sound proof room and leaving the
door open. However the script wouldn’t have worked if the door was
shut as Shorofsky wouldn’t have been able to hear her.

- The camera angles during the show where Julie is playing and the
dancers are performing are very odd. This is obviously because they
haven’t bothered to employ any extras to fill up the auditorium as the
audience so the camera has to stay away from shots where the
audience should be.

- When Coco and Danny are running after Leroy they aren’t very far
behind and they are calling out to him so how does he not see or hear
them. He seems totally surprised when Coco does finally accidentally on
purpose meet up with him a few days later and has no problems telling
what he’s been doing so why run away from them and hide what he’s
been doing? Oh I forgot there wouldn’t be a story if he comes clean
straight away.

- Shorfosky tells Julie that it is music that got him through the war but in
season one's "Reunion" it is staed that he left Germany and went to
America before the war so this seems to be a contradiction.

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Lisa
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Re: Feelings
« Reply #2 on Sept 17, 2008, 9:25pm »

Mark, your summary was AWESOME. What an insightful view to the episode. I had never given it that much thought....but agree with everything you say.

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Roberta
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Re: Feelings
« Reply #3 on Sept 18, 2008, 2:09am »

You have a series of very good points here...though I actually like this episode. LOL.
As for Leroy not getting the part, yes, it never sounded very realistic to me - but I always thought that there was a sufficient fictional reason for it. Leroy was in fact a great dancer (the best in the whole school) and Gene too of course, or he wouldn't have gotten the part himself (LOL)...but in the fiction we have to believe that he was not that perfect, being still a young student, and that there were far better performers than him out there.
As for Julie, there's the possibility that her father wants to get back together with his wife but he hasn't told her yet...flimsy, I know. Funny how I never gave much thought to that before (actually, none at all ::)

). I guess the FAME magic was (and still is) too much for me to handle LOL - I've never been able to spot those weak points even when they were quite visible.

« Last Edit: Sept 18, 2008, 2:12am by Roberta »

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mark1814
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Re: Feelings
« Reply #4 on Sept 18, 2008, 3:12am »

Thanks for your comments Lisa.

Roberta, I think it would have been nice if Gene had been told to tone down his dancing skills when portraying Leroy, particularly in the first couple of years.

Also if the writers had shown Leroy struggle with some dance moves more, rather than make him the best dancer in the school that would have been more realistic when he did fail at something. Off the top of my head, I can't think of a time when Leroy messes up a dance routine thus it's hard for me to accept he failed the audition.

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sue
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Re: Feelings
« Reply #5 on Sept 18, 2008, 9:15am »

Wow, great insights everyone! I hadn't given much thought to any of the issues brought up either...must be that FAME magic Roberta mentioned!! I guess what the viewer has to remember is that these kids are just that...16 or 17 year old kids. Leroy was probably up against some incredible, and experienced, dancers. Although Leroy is a fantastic dancer, if he was competing for a spot in this dance troupe against possibly hundreds of other hopefuls, there is a possibility that he wasn't "good enough". I suppose all it would take in an audition would be one mistake to not make the cut.
As for Julie, what teen didn't wish for her parents to get back together. Not having gone through a parental divorce, I had friends who did go through it, and with them, there was always a glimmer of "well, maybe they'll get back together". It is plausible.
Anyway, great summary review Mark...you do an amazing job of pointing things out!!

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danzin01
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Re: Feelings
« Reply #6 on Oct 25, 2009, 6:27pm »

As far as Leroy not being good enough, this could be a very true statement. Gene Anthony Ray was a awesome dancer, however when he was on Fame especially in the first few seasons, it was obvious that he was not a trained dancer. Having Danced from the time I was 5 until I graduated high school, I see many things that would keep Leroy from being part of a professional troupe. Leroy always had a problem with technic, a lot of times there would be toes that weren't pointed and his placement of his foot would be way off for a turn or what ever. A professional troop is not going to take someone who doesn't have the technical skills. (this is something that bothered me in the show. Lydia would gripe at the other kids about point toes or bent knees, but I never heard her say this to Leroy.) I am in no way bashing Gene, he seems to work on some of this as the show progresses, however it is pretty obvious when he was younger his lack of professional training.

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Roberta
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Re: Feelings
« Reply #7 on Oct 29, 2009, 2:40am »

Thank you Danzin for clearing up that point

. I guess it takes someone who is dance trained to see that.

« Last Edit: Oct 29, 2009, 2:45am by Roberta »

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