LITTLE ROCK — What is it? Rags to Riches, the complete series, 20 episodes on five discs from Image Entertainment.
How much? $29.98.
When? Now.
What’s the story? A group of kids sing and dance to catchy pop songs while struggling through the pains of growing up.
This sounds very familiar. Sounds like Glee, doesn’t it? But the Glee actors were in diapers (or not even born) when this one came out. It’s one of those forgotten shows of the 1980s that has attained a sort of cult status.
This short-lived series (1987-’88) follows the musical adventures of five orphaned girls (six in the pilot - one was dropped to thin the cast a bit), their wealthy adoptive father (Joseph Bologna) and his butler (Douglas Seale).
Think Annie, but with more orphans.
The time is the early 1960s. Wise and mature Rose (Kimiko Gelman), fashionista Diane (Bridget Michele), business-minded Marva (Tisha Campbell), smart-mouthed Patti (Blanca De Garr), cute little Mickey (Heidi Zeigler) and soulful Nina (Heather Mc-Adam, who appears only in thefirst episode) may be very different, but they see each other as family. Fearful of being split up when their orphanage closes, they turn to the media to help them find a family willing to take them all in.
They’re the perfect solution for self-made mogul Nick Foley (Bologna), who is looking for some way to create a “good-hearted family man” image to help him in a forthcoming merger. In spite of himself, he ends up growing genuinely attached to the girls and decides to adopt them.
But it’s more complicated than he expects because this self-centered bachelor has a lot to learn about being a parent. Luckily, he’s got his wise, kindly butler, Clapper, to helpout.
As they deal with first loves, car wrecks and the threat of nuclear war, the girls sing classic songs such as “Chantilly Lace,” “That’ll Be the Day” and “Tutti Frutti” - with new lyrics written to fit their particular situations.
Is it good? It’s definitely not the best show ever made, but it’s cute enough, and for the most part, it’s far more child-friendly than Glee. For children of the 1980s, it’s nostalgic in a big way.
From a purely technical standpoint, the visual quality on this set isn’t the best. There are lines and scratches in the picture, particularly in the pilot. But fans of the show are lucky to have it at all, so beggars can’t be choosy.
Are there extras? Each disc has a “Just the Songs” option if you’d rather stick to the singing-and-dancing parts and skip the story. Otherwise, nada.
New this week: Casablanca, complete series; Damages, Season 4; Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Season 7; Poirot, Season 5.
Next week: Dynasty, Season 6; Midsomer Murders, boxed set 20; Saturday Night Live, The Women of SNL; The Streets of San Francisco, Season 3, volumes 1 and 2.
Style, Pages 46 on 06/24/2012