Recap: Tootie is exercising her singing voice when the doorbell rings and she comes face-to-face with Bobby Rydell and Fabian...and has no idea who they are, even after they introduce themselves. They explain to her that in the '60s they used to live in this very building (back when it was a boarding house) and figured 'why not drop in on complete strangers to revisit the place that holds so many fun memories for us?' A disinterested Tootie's like, "OK, whatever" and tells them to maybe stop by later, when the oldest person living in the house [who might have a clue as to who the hell they are] returns home. When Beverly Ann hears that Robby Rydell and Fabian were in her living room, she squeals like an infatuated schoolgirl...and Jo confirms that the two icons are definitely in town 'cause they're scheduled to perform with Chubby Checker at a concert that Langley College radio has been plugging all week. Beverly Ann dreamily calls the '60s "my era" and reminisces about all the groovy clothes and music of yore. She then wanders over to her collection of 45s and puts on her favorite song from the decade on the record player...and as the music plays, the Facts of Life takes an inevitable trip back to the time of tie-dye, love-ins, and shaggy hairdos. Well, sort of...since it seems like whoever was in charge of this episode's wardrobe lumped in a bunch of different looks from various decades. '60s Beverly Ann is decked out in black garb, a long blonde wig atop her head, and is saying man a lot. When a group of neighborhood hooligans smash her window with a baseball, a boy rushes inside the boarding house to deny that he had anything to do with the baseball...and he turns out to be '60s Andy who, for some incoherent reason, is sporting overalls and a Little Rascals Alfalfa hairdo. '60s Beverly Ann doesn't buy his fib and hands him a broom before ordering him to clean up all the broken glass, capping off the interaction with, "Ya dig?" ... and he must dig, 'cause he obediently takes the broom and starts sweeping. Bobby Rydell and Fabian are being pursued and attacked by starstruck girls before dashing into the boarding house for safety. '60s Beverly Ann asks them if they wouldn't mind discussing ideas to save her failing coffee house [next door], and they half-heartedly promise to talk about it later, then race up the stairs. '60s Jo, who's rocking a beehive 'do and a Danny Zuko style leather jacket, slips into the boarding house. She makes sure the coast is clear, then motions for '60s Blair, who looks like a Sandra Dee clone, to follow. '60s Blair gigglingly laments wasting time skulking around a boarding house when she could be making out, and '60s Jo snappishly orders her to park her lips in neutral so they can do what they came here to do. She then lets out a whistle, which prompts '60s Tootie and '60s Natalie to also sneak inside. '60s Tootie wrings her hands worriedly about getting caught trespassing, while '60s Natalie gabbles excitedly about how far out it is to be standing in the very same room that Bobby Rydell and Fabian were just standing in. Be still my heart. '60s Jo chides her for being a lame-o, then urges everyone to clump together so they can envision the name of their foursome in lights when they become a famous band: the Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la's. '60s Beverly Ann enters the room and asks whassup with the four of them standing in her boarding house, so '60s Jo explains that they're a budding girl band that's written a song they think would be outa sight for Bobby Rydell and Fabian to perform. (Full disclosure: Elvis has already turned it down.) '60s Beverly Ann dismissively says they're way too busy to be bothered with some obscure song - but Jo insists that the four of them have to make it in showbiz 'cause they all got kicked out of beauty school. '60s Beverly Ann's like, "I can dig it", tells the beauty school dropouts to leave the sheet music with her, and promises to show it to Bobby and Fabian. The gals hand it to her, then happily scuttle off...and '60s Beverly Ann chuckles derisively at the song's title - Hot Rod Lover - then casually tosses the sheet music on the piano bench before rushing off somewhere. Bobby Rydell and Fabian scamper downstairs, find the sheet music on the piano bench, and instantly look intrigued. They quickly determine that Hot Rod Lover has the potential to be a mega-hit and seat themselves in front of the piano and perform the song [as if they'd been rehearsing it for weeks]. '60s Beverly Ann re-enters the room and apologizes for leaving that lame-o sheet music laying around - but the men argue that the song is a definite hit and ask who wrote it...and '60s Beverly Ann craftily takes the credit for that honor. '60s Beverly Ann is on the phone with her landlord and assures them she'll have the rent money soon 'cause she's about to come into some cash, and ends the call with, "Thanks, daddy-o." '60s Andy finishes sweeping up the broken glass - but '60s Beverly Ann points out that he still owes her for some previous damage that he and the other little rascals caused and orders him to get back to work. A few seconds later, the Facts gals return to see if Bobby Rydell and Fabian liked their song...and '60s Beverly Ann tells them that the guys weren't impressed, then asks if they happen to have any other songs she could take credit for writing. '60s Jo says they don't and asks for the sheet music back, but '60s Beverly Ann says she doesn't have it and thinks she may have thrown it out with the trash. As the gals lament their bad luck, '60s Jo cheers them up by assuring them they're somebodies. '60s Natalie suggests they perform Hot Rod Lover specifically for Robby Rydell and Fabian, and '60s Jo says she definitely likes the boldness of that idea. Bobby Rydell and Fabian are continuing to work on the song when the Facts gals enter the boarding house dressed in white overalls, disguised as house painters. Fabian tells them they're busy rehearsing and to please come back tomorrow...and as '60s Natalie gushes over his hotness, Beverly Ann enters the room and suspects that something fishy is going on. She rips off their fake moustaches - just as Bobby Rydell and Fabian resume rehearsing Hot Rod Lover. The Facts gals gasp and inform the two that they wrote that song - calling out '60s Beverly Ann as a liar. Bobby Rydell scrunches his face confusedly and says he's going to need proof as to who the real songwriter is, so the gals strip off their white overalls, stand in a line, and begin singing Hot Rod Lover with accompanying dance moves. When they mercifully wrap up the performance, Bobby Rydell and Fabian excitedly announce that the song is definitely a hit! A deflated '60s Beverly Ann apologizes for her thievery, but explains that she only did it to save her failing coffee house. Bobby Rydell and Fabian cluck sympathetically and offer to perform a show in her coffee house in order to help her raise funds for the mortgage, and she's so thrilled by their kindness that she runs over and literally jumps into their arms. Later at the coffee house, '60s Beverly Ann is reciting a depressing poem to the crowd while a goatee-ed '60s Andy bangs on a drum. After that drudgery, she introduces Bobby Rydell and Fabian, who in turn invite the Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la's to perform on stage along with them. The coffee house audience gets all into it, and dances along before breaking out into enthusiastic applause. Back to present day.. Beverly Ann sums up the episode by saying, "That's how the story goes", and that the Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la's promptly quit showbiz and opened a beauty parlor. When Bobby Rydell and Fabian return, Beverly Ann rushes upstairs to get dolled up before meeting them. Tootie introduces the two music icons to Andy and the rest of the Facts gals, and sheepishly apologizes for not having a clue as to who they were earlier. The two men glance around and remark on how different the place looks, then mention a third floor. When a confused Blair says there is no third floor, they're all, "Oops! Wrong building!" and rush out - LOL - just as Beverly Ann sweeps down the staircase in a sexy red dress. She's crushed when she hears that the heartthrob has-beens abruptly left, then flails about like a headless chicken, I guess in an effort to chase after them. Thanks for reading! If you are enjoying TVofYore's recaps, consider thanking me by buying me a "coffee"!
2 Comments
Francis Stanko
10/20/2022 06:28:07 am
I'm glad you made the joke about Blair being eager to make out, 'cause I was thinking the same thing.
Reply
Sean
10/20/2022 08:33:48 pm
I don't think she did. Just a weird retocon of the past that is never mentioned again. Beverly lived in Appleton until Mrs Gs wedding.
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