Recap / Kids Incorporated S 4 E 7 Youve Got The Wrong Date

We now reach the halfway point of Season 4^note and are now three episodes away from the halfway point of the series itself, for those curious. In this episode, Stacy - smitten with a boy named Jason (guest star Ryan Bollman; whose resume included appearances on the similar series Kidsongs^note which also featured appearances by future Kids Incorporated cast members Kenny Ford and Devyn Puett before later working primarily in horror movies) - asks big sister Renee to ask him to the Sadie Hawkins Dance on her behalf. What could possibly go wrong?

The band opens up with a performance of “Cross My Broken Heart”, during which the upcoming Sadie Hawkins Dance is promoted by Riley hanging up a sign while Ryan and Richie mention it in their announcements, with the dance reinforced by Riley introducing a new ice cream flavor: the Sun-Daisy-Mae. As this goes on; the older kids are discussing plans (a girl named Melissa had asked Ryan to the dance; while Kid had to choose between four girls who asked him) - with Ryan then explaining the origins of the Sadie Hawkins Day from the old Li’l Abner comic strip when Connie asks what that was. Before Ryan could ask Stacy who she was planning to ask; she had taken off (“In That Dream”). Renee then finds out what’s bugging her little sister; as it’s explained Stacy is too shy to ask a boy named Jason out, with Renee declaring herself “Big sister to the rescue”; proceeding to write a poem for Stacy to read to Jason only for Stacy to read it in monotone (causing Connie to laugh in the background). Stacy - throwing Renee’s “Big sister to the rescue” words back at her - manages to convince Renee to read the poem to Jason for her, setting up “Time After Time”.

Big mistake; as Renee - who for some reason is wearing a Li’l Abner-themed costume - reads the poem as planned; with Jason accepting. The only problem: He thinks Renee was asking him to the dance instead of doing a favor for Stacy; sparking a heated argument where Renee - after Stacy called her an Arnold Benedict^note meaning Benedict Arnold explains in vain “I only did what you asked me to” (“I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)”). Afterwards, Ryan catches up to Stacy; and after hearing the situation, suggests Stacy get the situation cleared up, which she eventually does; and everyone lived happily ever after…except the Kid, who goes from having to choose which of the four girls asked him to the dance he would pick to being left out in the cold (the result of the girls in question realizing they all asked Kid and instead asking four other guys); leading to closing song “Right on Track”.

Songs performed in this episode^note ”In That Dream” is the only song in this episode not to feature Renee and/or Stacy on lead vocals:

• “Cross My Broken Heart” (The Jets cover; lead vocals by Renee, Connie and Stacy)^note this is the 2nd of 3 songs; along with “I Heard a Rumor” from the previous episode and “Come Go With Me from the following episode, where the original studio recording has surfaced. In addition to Connie Lew’s vocals being heard on that version vis-a-vis Devyn Puett; the original recording includes an extra verse that leads to the song running almost a full minute longer (that version runs 2:26; the broadcast version 1:33)
• “In That Dream” (Fame cover^note the third and last song shared by Kids Inc. and MGM sister series “Fame” alongside “Bet Your Life It’s Me” and “That’s Dancing’. An abbreviated version of this song appeared at the beginning of the Fame episode “A Way of Winning” - the 15th episode of Season 3 - with vocals by Gene Anthony Ray; who played the role of Leroy Johnson in both the original 1980 film and the TV series; lead vocals by Ryan and Kid)
• “Time After Time” (Cyndi Lauper cover; lead vocals by Stacy)^note a “hand-me-down” from Renee, who sung the song in Season 1’s “X Marks the Spot”
• “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” (Whitney Houston cover; lead vocals by Stacy)
• “Right on Track” (Breakfast Club^note whose drummer in its early years was Madonna; while future American Idol judge and record producer Randy Jackson played bass for the group at one time cover; lead vocals by Renee and Stacy)

Tropes associated with this episode:

• Continuity Nod:
  • This episode, “Video Madness”, and "Front Page News" are the only times after “Identical Problems” in Season 2 where Renee wears glasses.
  • This also revisits Renee’s interest in poetry.
• Middle School Dance: Specifically, the Sadie Hawkins Dance variant.
• Imagine Spot: A hoedown-themed setting for “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)”.
• Mistaken Message: Jason thinks Renee is asking him out to the Sadie Hawkins Dance.
• Playing Cyrano: What Renee attempts to do in asking Jason to the Sadie Hawkins Dance on Stacy’s behalf.
• Shout-Out:
  • In addition to Ryan explaining to Connie the background of the Sadie Hawkins Dance; the Lil’ Abner comic strip is further referenced in a new ice cream Riley introduces named the “Sun-Daisy-Mae”.
  • There’s also a brief reference to Cyrano de Bergerac involving Renee reading her poem for Stacy.