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The Sell Out

 

Synopsis

When Bruno's synthesizer is damaged his father buys him an expensive new one and feeling guilty Bruno takes a job as an accordian player to help pay for it. Bruno also has to write a song for his Aunt's new born baby.
 
Coco and Julie clash during the preparations for the midterm show when Coco believes Julie is the wrong star sign. 

 
 

My Review
 
For the 3rd episode in a row Bruno takes a lead role, where as characters like Danny and Doris haven't yet had a real storyline. This is the first episode where a cast member is missing as Montgomery doesn't feature. Although I have to say I don’t really miss him.

In many ways this episode echoes themes that have already been featured in other episodes, like the friction between Julie and Coco although this time they give it a reason and explore Coco's belief in astrology more, which is quite interesting. Also Bruno not agreeing with his father was an on going part of their relationship.

It's great to finally hear Valerie sing and Carlo too even though he only does a few backing vocals. It's interesting that they changed the song for the recorded version with a different intro and taking Lee and Carlos vocals off.

I always wondered why "Hi Fidelity" was actually chosen as the first single release when songs like "We've Got The Power", “I Can Do Anything Better Than You Can” and "Life is a Celebration" are better songs and show more of what the show is about.

There is lots of humour in this episode and I particularly like the scene where Bruno is reading the lips of the teachers and Lydia’s reactions is great. The best line in the show however, is when Danny and Doris are dancing together and Doris says "okay this time you be the man", it's very funny and just shows how well the two characters work together.

Again they confuse us with the locations of the rooms. When Bruno's Dad is looking for Bruno he is told the dance room is on the 2nd floor so goes upstairs. He then enters the room at the far end doors, having walked past 2 other doors to get there.

Also at the beginning Leroy says he’s going to the bathroom and goes upstairs but in season 4 the bathrooms are just at the end of the corridor in the opposite direction. I think at the beginning of the show they wanted to make it look like the school was a big place and they wanted us to think there were a variety of different rooms by the 3rd season they don’t seem to care anymore and just show the same locations.

Michael Delorenzo gets his first line of dialogue but he’s in the music class as apposed to being a dancer and the credits don’t even give him a name just list him as “Student”.

The scene where Lydia is dancing and Coco watches her lets Debbie show off her dancing skills again.

Lee gets another one of his songs into an episode with the lovely “Could we be magic like you” although I have to say the simpler live version with just Lee singing is much better and more like a lullaby than this version with Debbie sharing the vocals and Lori on cello. I’m not sure Debbie’s and Lee’s voices work that well together here.

Still by the end of the episode everyone is friends again so things end on a high note!

Episode Pictures
 
 
 

CREDITS
 
Written by Gary Kott
Directed by Thomas Carter
 
Original U.S. air date 11th Februaury 1982
Original U.K. air date 22nd July 1982
 
 
Guest Stars
 
Carmine Caridi as Mr Martelli
Estelle Omens as Mrs Goldman
David Payne as The Salesman
Michael Delorenzo as The Student
 
  
SONGS
 
"Could We Be Magic Like You" performed by Lee Curreri and Debbie Allen
 Written by Lee Curreri
 
"Hi Fidelity" performed by Valerie Landsburg, Lee Curreri and Carlo Imperato
  Written by Enid Levine
 
"It's a Sonata Mozart"
 Based on Mozart's Sonata in C Major, music by Barry Fasman. 
 
 MP3s Available:
 
 
 
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