Kids Incorporated's season 7 premiere was the first of two episodes to feature an eventual cast member of the 1992-94 Nickelodeon sketch comedy series Roundhouse with an appearance by Micki Duran. This episode, the penultimate one of Season 7, is the other with a guest appearance by Natasha Pearce (who joined that series during its fourth and final season) as Becky Devlin.
The episode begins with a performance of "Open Your Eyes" before we begin with Robin chatting with Becky (who is noted as being on the shy side; confirmed when Becky exits as soon as Ana and Haylie show up, with the guys not far behind). As soon as Kenny and Eric show up; they start making jokes about Becky (with Eric going so far as to suggest Robin take out an insurance policy the next time she talked to Becky) prior to returning to the stage for "Big Girls Don't Cry". After a brief interlude (long enough for Eric - trying to decide whether to go to the mall, a movie or get food - to do all three) the guys resume the Becky jokes; and by this point Robin's had enough, leaving to discuss math homework with Becky. The others, perhaps in an attempt to make up for the jokes, try to get Becky involved - apparently a little too hard given that none of the things they're interested in are things Becky is good at ("Games"), leaving Robin to try to catch up to her in an attempt to build Becky's confidence up, only for Becky to fret that she let Robin down ("Hold On").
Back at the P*lace, Robin starts worrying that she didn't let Becky be herself and inadvertently made things worse. The others, hoping to do a better job, then show up; only for Becky to lighten the mood by making a joke about knocking over a fruit salad, then - after Flip nearly spills her chocolate malt - jokes that was the first time she prevented an accident, setting up closer "When I See You Smile".
Songs performed in this episode:
- “Open Your Eyes” (Kids Incorporated original; lead vocals by Ana, Haylie and Robin)
- “Big Girls Don't Cry” (Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons cover; lead vocals by Haylie and Kenny)
- “Games” (New Kids on the Block; lead vocals by Eric, Haylie, Robin and Kenny)
- “Hold On” (Wilson Phillips cover; lead vocals by Robin and Becky)
- “When I See You Smile” (Bad English cover; lead vocals by Kenny, Haylie and Ana)
Tropes associated with this episode:
- Be Yourself: The aesop that both Robin and Becky end up learning.
- Cute Clumsy Girl: Becky seems to fit both this trope and Shrinking Violet.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: Both Kenny and Eric come off as rather mean-spirited with their constant jokes about Becky's clumsiness.
