This episode is the second of the previous four (along with “Grandma, Won’t You Dance with Me” three episodes earlier to feature a high-profile guest star; this time Ruth Buzzi, who takes center-stage in this Very Special Episode dealing with a subject gaining a lot of media attention during this period: The issue of homelessness.
We start things off with “Don’t Lose My Number”note ; but during that song a woman is seen lugging her belongings into the break room before deciding to hide as the song ends. When the kids arrive, Ryan (following a quick complement toward Stacy on her performance) offers to buy the others sodas before the unexpected guest gives herself away by a sneeze. The kids then find the woman, introducing herself as Blanche Taylor; and when they explain they play at the P*lace, she’s thrilled to hang with “show people”. as she happened to have played at what was then the Palace during her vaudeville days. The kids have to go back on stage, though Ryan promises to bring some food once they finish the next song (“My Girl”).
As she finishes her meal; Blanche shares more about her past (having played lead trombone in a Big Band group; though not long after that was when Rock & Roll first took off, falling on hard times that culminated in her becoming an alcoholic {though, fortunately, she kicked the bottle a year prior} and homeless). Upon learning this; the kids - minus Stacy, who stays behind - go to see if Riley will let her stay at the P*lace; during which Blanche mentions having an estranged daughter, to which Stacy responds by saying Blanche could treat her like a daughter (“Miracles”). Riley then mentions needing to fill a nightwatchman…er, nightwatchperson opening; while the kids then offer to help set up a reunion (even giving Blanche a makeover); setting up “You Can’t Get What You Want (’Til You Know What You Want)” - with Kid even finding a trombone for Blanche to play midway through the song.
The kids succeed in finding Blanche’s daughter, named Christine Lasker; who had spent the previous 15 years trying to find her mother and who by now is married with a 14 year old son named Jimmy (named after Blanche’s late husband) who happened to be starting his own rock band and hoped that his grandmother would manage the band (thus hinting at the possibility of Kids Inc. getting a Friendly Rival); setting up closing song “People are People”.
Incidentally, Ruth Buzzi would later return to Kids Incorporated in Season 6’s “The Storybook House”.
Songs performed in this episode:
- “Don’t Lose My Number” (Phil Collins cover; lead vocals by Ryan and Stacy)
- “My Girl” (The Temptations cover; lead vocals by Kid and Ryan)
- “Miracles” (Stacy Lattisaw cover; lead vocals by Stacy)
- “You Can’t Get What You Want (’Til You Know What You Want)” (Joe Jackson cover; lead vocals by Ryan)
- “People Are People” (Depeche Mode cover; lead vocals by Kid, Gloria and Stacy)
Tropes associated with this episode:
- Actor Allusion: When we first see Blanche, she is dressed in a manner identical to Ruth Buzzi’s ‘’Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In’’ character of Gladys Ormphby.
- The Alcoholic: Until a year prior, Blanche was this.
- Continuity Nod: Like “Grandma, Won’t You Dance with Me” three episodes prior; we then get another reference to the P*lace’s history as the Palace from a guest star who had ties (in Blanche’s case, as a performer) at the Palace in her younger years.
- Dead Guy Junior: Blanche’s grandson Jimmy is named after her late husband.
- Descent into Addiction: Blanche, having been a trombone player in the big-band era, found gigs hard to find when rock-and-roll first became popular and led to her becoming an alcoholic and homeless, though as mentioned above she managed to quit drinking.
- Long-Lost Relative: The kids also help reunite Blanche with her estranged daughter Christine and her family.
- The Makeover: Takes place during “You Can’t Get What You Want (’Til You Know What You Want)”
- She Cleans Up Nicely: Blanche fits this after the makeover is completed.
- Very Special Episode: The first of four episodes (along with Season 3’s “World Traveler”; Season 6’s “Roughing It” and Season 9’s “One Man Band”) involving the kids interacting with a homeless character.
