And we close the first season of Kids Incorporated with the 26th episode; where the kids squabble among themselves over ideas for a float for the local Civic Day parade.
Riley mentions before the opening song that the next day was the deadline to enter for the local Civic Day Parade before turning it over to Kids Incorporated, setting up "Tears of a Clown". Following the song, Kid orders a marshmallow hot fudge butterscotch sundae ("heavy on the marshmallows") while the others discuss their ideas for a float for the parade (Riley then suggests trying to agree on a float idea). Kid receives his order, only to have to go back on stage for "You're the One That I Want".
Unfortunately for Kid, at some point during the cover of the iconic hit from "Grease" the freezer brokenote , ruining Kid's sundae. Meanwhile, he and the others are continuing to bicker over the theme of the float and even the material continues over Renee's efforts to get the feuding to cease so they can pick up something all of them like. No dice, though it does set up "We Can Make It Together". We then see the other's ideas: Kid has a tribute to first responders such as police officers and firefighters; Gloria has a flower float theme; Mickey doing a sports themed float (Mickey not exactly giving the impression of being the athletic type) and Stacy going with a "one-man band" approach. With none of the ideas clicking; the others finally come around to the idea of cooperation on a float theme ("(Hindsight) 20/20").
The result of the cooperation: A patriotic-themed float, with Kid finally getting a replacement sundae...just as the parade starts; leading to closing song "Back in the U.S.A."note .
In what would become a nigh-annual theme; a series of changes in the cast and production crews would commence. Most visibly, Jerry Sharell - who played male lead Mickey - left the series due to a combination of reasons; the primary one being disputes with producers Thomas W. Lynch and Gary P. Biller over the plotlines (Sharell wanted more serious plots; Lynch and Biller preferred more fantasy). Also, dancers Aaron Hamilton and Carletta Pricenote soon followed Sharell out the door for unknown reasons.
Finally, K-Tel International (which shared production responsibility for the series with Lynch/Biller Productions and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and was best known for pioneering the compilation album) ran into financial difficulties due to slowing sales of the albums and the failure of its short-lived XONOX software division (the latter a casualty of The Great Video Game Crash of 1983); leading to K-Tel filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection (the company would emerge from bankruptcy protection and is still in business, though much less prominent than in its late 1970s and early 1980s heyday). In the meantime, Hal Roach Studios, which previously collaborated with MGM on The Little Rascals and Laurel and Hardy, took K-Tel's place.
Songs performed in this episode:
- “Tears of a Clown" (Smokey Robinson & the Miracles cover; lead vocals by Gloria)
- "You're the One That I Want" (Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta cover; lead vocals by Gloria and Mickey)note
- "We Can Make It Together" (Kids Incorporated original; lead vocals by Renee)
- "(Hindsight) 20/20" (George Benson cover; lead vocals by Mickey and Gloria)note
- "Back in the U.S.A." (Chuck Berry cover {also recorded by Linda Ronstadt}; lead vocals by Stacy and Kid)note
Tropes associated with this episode:
- Imagine Spot: Used for "We Can Make It Together"
- Overcomplicated Menu Order: Kid's marshmallow hot fudge butterscotch sundae ("heavy on the marshmallows")
- Running Gag: Poor Kid never gets to enjoy his sundae (had to go back on stage; freezer broke during that song; parade starts just as Riley brings a replacement)
