Recap / Kids Incorporated S 6 E 6 Pollution Problems

Our second consecutive Very Special Episode (and second explicitly environmental-themed episode) sees the kids try to convince a factory owner (guest star Bill Rafferty, a game-show host best known for hosting the 1986-87 syndicated version of Card Sharks; a short-lived 1987 NBC revival of Blockbusters and co-hosting early reality show Real People) to stop dumping sludge into a local river.

The episode kicks off with “Iko Iko” (in keeping with the episode’s theme, notice Devyn’s tie-dye shirt; the song also provides a dance solo for Leilani Legamy) before the kids go on break, with Devyn - after getting compliments on her shirt - noting the shirt was one she found in a magazine Richie had marking the 20th anniversary of Woodstock (a confused Robin mentions the only Woodstock she was familiar with was Snoopy’s friend), leading to Flip filling her in while joking that he’d have been there too…except he hadn’t been born yet. Stacy notices some pictures in the article showing the performers wearing identical tie-dye shirts and mop-tops. Flip then points out that The '60s were also a time of activism, noticing that getting people together was “like a powerful train picking up steam”…fittingly setting up “The Locomotion”.

Nostalgia about a major music festival wasn’t the only reason for Flip bringing up activism, as he tells the kids about a petition to get a factory outside of town to stop dumping sludge into the water, which the kids quickly sign. We then cut outside where Kenny - practicing for a planned father-son fishing trip - accidentally hooks Devyn’s paper. Unfortunately, Kenny’s plans are derailed when Richie notes that the chemicals being dumped made the fish unsafe to eat, leading to two questions for the kids: What more can be done and how? Stacy suggests writing a letter (with Robin adding that they could ask for a representative to be sent).

Meanwhile, Flip attempts to cheer up Kenny - down after his father canceled their trip after reading the article Richie brought up - with a joke that falls flat when Richie arrives with a letter from the company president, which appears to be a standard form letter asking them to “trust their experts”; causing the kids to set up a rally, setting up “All You Need is Love” (with the kids wearing 1960s-themed outfits such as Devyn. Richie and Kenny all wearing glasses similar to those worn by John Lennon) and - after a brief interlude with a kid reporter^note whose actress is uncredited - “Hand in Hand” (note no one is playing the instruments). The kids, excited about the reaction, return to the P*lace when Richie arrives with another letter from the company president, this time wanting to meet with the kids. However, things appear to be at an impasse when the company president notes that they were meeting safety guidelines (despite the kids’ protests, noting that they couldn’t eat the fish or even swim in the lake). Afterwards, the company present - a child of the 1960s himself - realizes his error and vows to buy a new filter system that would result in cleaner water; setting up closing song “The Way You Do the Things You Do”.

Songs performed in this episode^note the only episode of Season 6 not to contain at least one original song:

• “Iko Iko”^note originally recorded under the title “Jock-A-Mo” in 1953 (James “Sugar Boy” Crawford and his Cane Cutters cover^note also recorded by The Dixie Cups under the more familiar name as well as Dr. John among others; lead vocals by Robin, Kenny and Devyn)
• “The Locomotion” (Little Eva cover^note also recorded by Grand Funk Railroad, the song’s writer; Carole King and by this time Kylie Minogue - the latter of whom’s version provides the basis of this cover; lead vocals by Stacy^note the song was previously used in Season 2’s “Identical Problems”; with then-cast member Martika {as Gloria} on lead vocals that time)
• “All You Need is Love” (The Beatles cover; lead vocals by Stacy, Devyn and Kenny)^note when the episode was being produced, music director Reg Powell; who had done some work with the Fab Four, noted that of the cast members; Richard Shoff was the only one that had heard the song previously
• “Hand in Hand” (Koreana cover^note a South Korean band whose song was chosen as the official theme song of the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul; lead vocals by Richie and Kenny)
• “The Way You Do the Things You Do” (The Temptations cover^note also recorded by Rita Coolidge and most recently UB40; lead vocals by Kenny, Robin and Stacy)

Tropes associated with this episode:

• Bearer of Bad News: Richie when he tells Kenny about the chemicals being dumped making the fish unsafe to eat…as Kenny was looking forward to going on a father-son fishing trip.
• Green Aesop: This is the second episode - alongside the previous season’s “Kahuna Kids” - to have an overt environmental theme, and at roughly the same point in the season.
• Shout-Out:
  • Robin, upon hearing the discussion of Woodstock, can only think of Snoopy’s bird friend.
  • Based on the magazine layout; it appears Richie’s magazine covering the 20th anniversary of Woodstock appears to be a copy of Time. This could also count as a Freeze-Frame Bonus.
• Vague Age: Flip’s reference after discussing Woodstock includes a joke about how he’d have been there if he had been born indicates that he’s not yet 20 (and worth noting is Flip had already been established in his debut episode as having made a fortune with a line of sneakers).
• Very Special Episode: The second of four consecutive episodes of this nature.