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| This isn't helping Laverne's ulcer. |
January 25, 1983
C+
Maybe I'm so beaten down by Season Eight that I sort of liked this episode, even if there's something a little heart-breaking about an episode with this title not only missing Michael McKean but with Lander soloing in the opening credits. (And Squiggy isn't even in it that much.)
In Jill Gordon's third and final L & S story, Laverne encourages Chuck to pursue music because of his harmonica skills. (Fleischer's harmonica had perked up a dreary final-season Welcome Back, Kotter episode four years earlier.) He recruits a bunch of science geeks from work, played by Jack Mack and the Heart Attack, and it's up to briefly Carmine but mostly Laverne to teach these nerds how to rock out. That they achieve only at best a sort of Huey Lewis and the Far from Headline News isn't her fault. And don't get me started on the stadium audience that looks like it's from 1957 rather than '67.
Promoter Bob Perlow had written three episodes but this is his only onscreen appearance on L & S. Former writer Chris Thompson does his only directing gig on the series, here in the post-Bosom-Buddies phase of his career. Note that IMDB claims that "Weird Al" Yankovic is uncredited as the keyboard player, but I don't buy it, especially since the keyboardist looks too tall and not really anything like WAY would look in the "Ricky" video from later that year.
"That they achieve only at best a sort of Huey Lewis and the Far from Headline News isn't her fault."
ReplyDeleteI howled! And this is about what I'd give this one myself. CF is surprisingly good in his role, but he'd be better if he wasn't obviously slightly more functional replacement Lenny.
Grin! Thanks! Yeah, I see what you mean about Fleischer. Chuck is kind of sweet and stupid (despite being a "genius"), but I'm not sure that he's necessary in this episode.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! And yep, exactly!
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