Episode Reviews

This episode begins with what appears to be a premiere party. We get our first glimpse of The Rockin' Roadster as it pulls up to a frenzy of fanatic fans. As the fans shout out for Jem, we are first introduced to Aja, the blue tressed Asian of the group. Shana, the purple haired African-American member of the band exits the vehicle next, then it's Kimber being thrusted out by Aja and Shana. Then the moment the fans have waited for....Jem! Bombarded by many questions from the fans, Jem takes this moment to remember how this whole thing started.

The flashback begins in a cemetary on a cold, rainy day. It is the funeral for Jem's father and we see the Holograms mourning with two other individuals.

It is here that we are introduced to Jerrica Benton and Eric Raymond. Eric consoles Jerrica over her loss, and Rio steps in with an obvious distrust for Eric. We are assuming that purple haired Rio is a romantic interest for Jerrica.

In the voice over, Jem explains that her father left her with two inheritances. Starlight Music(a record company) and Starlight House(a foster home for young girls). We are now in Starlight House where our crew is working hard at a lot of repairs, with

to help Jerrica out. In fact, he has big plans for Starlight Music and those plans come bursting through the door! We are introduced to The Misfits, Pizzazz,(green haired spoiled brat) Roxy(white haired tough girl) and Stormer(with curly blue hair). Here the first song of the series is introduced ("Outta My Way"--The Misfits) which gives you an idea of how much trouble The Misfits are going to become.

Eric and The Misfits tell Jerrica about The Battle of the Bands, a concert that Eric is making sure that The Misfits win! Jerrica knows she has to wrestle her father's company out of Eric's weasley hands.

Once back at Starlight House, Kimber tells Jerrica about a package that came for her. It is a pair of red star earrings, and as the girls fawn over the gift while Jerrica puts them odd, something strange starts to happen. "Jerrica Benton, I have come for you," a ghostly apparition calls out to her. "You will find instructions in the earring box, follow them," she calls out as Jerrica tries to touch the tranparent woman shaded in purple.

They follow the instructions to the Starlight Drive-In where the apparition tells them to drive into the building....crazy as it sounds, Aja lays on the gas and they drive right through the wall!

"I am Synergy," she states, "a holographic computer designed to be the ultimate audio/visual entertainment synthesizer. Your father spent years developing me..." and Synergy delights the young ladies with her expansive holographic talents. And Jerrica's earrings are remote micro-projectors for Synergy's talents! Mr. Benton also left a huge fashion wardrobe, musical equipment and...a car! Now Jerrica knows how to exactly stop Eric Raymond!

At The Battle of the Bands site, Eric displays The Limp Lizards to a very disgruntled crowd. The Leatherettes, The Space Cadets and The Misfits are the other acts, and not surprisingly, The Misfits seem to be getting top billing. Just as Eric is about to introduce the winner, a sweet melodic interruption of sound is heard....("Only The Beginning"--Jem and The Holograms) The crowd turns and runs to hear the band fronted by a pink haired chanteuse. "Thank you! I'm Jem...and these...are The Holograms!"

Eric shouts they can't join because it's by invitation, and we learn that Jem is actually Jerrica Benton(duh), as Jem uses Synergy to create a hologram of Jerrica waving in the distance.

Outraged by this act, Eric challenges Jerrica for control over Starlight Music...in six months, another battle of the bands, and the winners group gets control of it all.

We are then introduced to film producer Howard Sands who plans on sweetening the deal with a movie contract and a mansion!

Already feeling upstaged, The Misfits take off with The Holograms' instruments and a chase ensues that leaves the Rockin' Roadster dangling off a cliff(oh no!). With Jerrica's quick thinking and help from Synergy, a hologram of Jem is used to alert a passing Rio(how convenient) of the danger! Rio recognized Jem(we are just going to assume that they've met, even though we haven't seen it) and comes to the rescue. The rescue makes the papers, which outrages Eric and The Misfits.

Back at Starlight House, we are introduced to a few of the core Starlight Girls (BaNee, Deidre and the rebel Ashley) as they pool their chore money together to get a new refridgerator. Ashley is very discontent with this and voices her opinion. We also see the further romance between Rio and Jerrica.

Back at Starlight Music, Eric is on the phone with a thug named Zipper whom he's contracted to put a little "scare" into Jerrica Benton.

Meanwhile at Starlight House, Ashley takes money from the Honor Jar and is caught by Jerrica and The Holograms. Teaching a valuable lesson, Jerrica says that Ashley's punishment will be decided by the other Starlight Girls. They decide that Ashley has to find a way to earn the $30 needed to buy the fridge. This doesn't bode well with Ashley.

That night, Zipper breaks into Starlight House, startling some of the girls awake. With no electricity, it's up to candles and lanterns to find the prowler. In a hurried escape, Zipper knocks into Kimber, flailing her lantern to the ground and therefore catching Starlight House on fire!!! Stay tuned for the next exciting episode!!!

Starlight House is ablaze as Shana and Jerrica retrieve the last of the Starlight Girls. Ashley quietly sneaks back into the building and when Jerrica realizes that she's missing, Ashley emerges with the Honor Jar. A stupid act with noble intention.

As the morning sun arises, Starlight House is nothing but ashened debris. Rio shows up to comfort Jerrica and The Misfits aren't far behind, relishing in The Hologram's disaster.

As the Starlight Girls ponder where they will live, Jerrica offers up a bright idea! Jem and The Holograms will put on a concert in Howard Sands' front yard in hopes of allowing them to live in his mansion until the contest is won! Knowing that something is up, The Misfits tale The Holograms, but with Synergy's help, The Misfits decide to follow Rio instead. ("Like A Dream"--Jem and The Holograms) A song segment in which Jem and Rio go on magic locales is shown to foreshadow the budding romance between Jem and Rio. It ends on the front lawn of Howard Sands, and The Misfits aren't too happy about it!

Howard agrees to let Jerrica and Co. stay at the mansion until the contest is won, but Pizzazz doesn't think it's fair and pushes Howard into the pool. Roxy hops onto a bulldozer and starts wreaking havoc, and jumps ship when her view is blocked leaving the bulldozer heading straight for Jerrica who is attempting to get Howard out of the pool! Fortunately Rio comes to the rescue and Aja stops the bulldozer.

At Starlight Music, The Misfits whine to Eric Raymond about The Holograms staying in the mansion. Eric tells them he'll try his best to get them out, and that The Misfits shouldn't cause anymore trouble. Outraged, Pizzazz decides to find a way to get into the mansion, while Eric calls on his "trusty" pal, Zipper.

At the Mansion (already dubbed The Starlight Mansion), the Starlight Girls are in wonder, and proceed to jump in the pool with their clothes on. Mrs. Bailey marvels at the kitchen, and Rio informs Jerrica about the press junket that is arriving.

Ashley believes that because she saved the honor jar from the fire, that she shouldn't have to come up with her $30, but the other girls insist she still has to come up with it (kinda pointless really since Starlight House is nothing now, but it's the principle that prevails).

Outside the gates of the mansion, The Misfits are plotting for a way in. Seeing The Misfits outside, Ashley tells them for $30, they can get in. Pizzazz and Roxy pawn the payment onto Stormer, and Ashley tells them to push open the gates when they hear the buzzer. Meanwhile, Zipper effortlessly gets into the mansion and places a bomb underneath a sofa cushion. At the junket, Jem and The Holograms begin their performance, and is interrupted by The Misfits giving us the first duet of the series ("Click/Clash"--Jem and The Holograms and The Misfits).

Eric pulls up outside the mansion gates and sees that The Misfits have gotten in. In order to save them from the bomb, he rushes the gates and shouts that there is a bomb!

Fortunately there was no harm done, but the alerted press is a bonus attention getting material for The Misfits who feign injuries. Eric tells a reporter that he knew about the bomb because a crazed fan of Jem was attempting to get The Misfits.

Howard Sands doesn't believe a word of it, and tells Jem it is still fine for them to stay. A worried Rio looks for Jerrica, and Aja distracts him so Jem can get away.

A very pretentious woman walks onto the scene and consoles Howard on the destruction of his mansion. He introduces her as The Countess Du Voissant, and she is utterly delighted to meet The Holograms. She invites everyone to a party that she's throwing on her yacht. When Eric confronts The Countess about inviting The Misfits, she flatly turns them down which infuriates Pizzazz!

"She's got a lot to do," Jem replies, "but she told me to make sure you have a good time." This is actually quite a sick and twisted love affair that is budding!

The Countess introduces The Holograms to Lindsay Pierce, who's TV show Lin-Z TV is one of the hottest shows on television. She asks if The Holograms have a video yet, and when Jem says no, Lindsay introduces them to Anthony Julien, one of the hottest video directors in the biz! Since Anthony is an African-American, it's only right that Jem tells him Shana has great ideas for a video. The stunned Shana sneaks off with Anthony for discussion.

On a speed boat, The Misfits are determined to crash the party no matter what the cost. On the yacht, Anthony asks Shana about financial backing for the video, and learns they don't even have a record company backing them up. Taking his hand to her face, he gently tells her, "Don't worry, we'll work it out."

Rio is sulking on deck and Jem inquires if he's thinking of Jerrica. Jem asks if he likes her and he replies that he hardly knows her, or who she is. Jem begins to tell him when The Misfits come aboard and douse them with water! ("Makin' Mischief"--The Misfits) shows the destruction of the party. As The Countess asks the captain and his crew to remove The Misfits, they find their way on deck. Pizzazz brags about being able to pilot the yacht, and Roxy calls her bluff. So, naturally Pizzazz works a few knobs and pushes a few buttons causing the yacht to change course and heads straight for an ocean liner!!!

The yacht's crew narrowly averts disaster, only by sharply turning so that the yacht nearly tips, sending Jem overboard! Rio grabs ahold of her wrist and tries to pull her aboard. Once the ship is stable, Jem is very thankful to her rescuer and gives him a big wet one!

"No...this is wrong...I can't hurt Jerrica like this," he states. Just as Jem tries to disuade him, the other Holograms are happy their lead singer is safe and sound! As the Countess vents that she wants The Misfits found, there they go in a speed boat thanking her for such a wonderful party.

They know the only way to beat The Misfits is to make better music, and with the financial and technical areas covered by The Countess, Anthony Julien and Howard Sands, Jem and The Holograms are on their way to making their first video and record! The site picked by The Countess to shoot the video is none other than....Paris (I think I feel a certain song coming on!)

At the mansion, the Starlight Girls are aghast with the news of Jem and The Holograms going to Paris. Ashley bickers that it's all she ever hears about, just as Krissie asks if Ashley has earned her $30 for the honor jar. Krissie says that Ashley has to tell them how she earned it, and Ashley is kept mum about it. Thinking that everyone hates her, Ashley wigs out and storms off.

Meanwhile in the studio, JATH (gets annoying to type all the time) are cutting their first single. That seques into The Misfits doing their own recording in their studio. Pizzazz whines about Eric not sending them to some far off locale to shoot their video, and Eric replies he can only embezzle so much money out of Starlight Music until he owns it (he's so bad!). The next thing you see is Eric paying Zipper to sabotage Jem's video. (oh no!)

On the streets of Paris, Anthony Julien runs Jem through the pacing of the video. Kimber moans about Jem getting all of the attention and Aja tells her not to get bent out of shape. Kimber wanders off into the direction of an alley sneaking Zipper, and just as he's about to nab her, Rio calls out from behind her.

Rio tells Kimber that Jem isn't trying to hog all of the action and politely states she's acting like a spoiled brat. And in fury, Kimber nearly blurts out who Jem really is, had it not been for Shana and Aja coming in at THE perfect moment. They escort her back to the video shoot. Kimber states that Rio has a right to know who Jem is, and Shana says that's up to Jerrica to decide. Good thing she didn't say anything, because not only would Rio have found out, but Zipper was right there too sulking in the alley!

And the video begins ("Twilight In Paris"--JATH) and shows a romantic journey through the city of lights as Jem is being "haunted" by Rio. I'm assuming she's anxiously being Jerrica wanting to be romanced by Rio, but just happens to be Jem, so her acting this way is actually redeemable, but kinda naughty in a way. As the video wraps outside a rather tall building, above Zipper causes a stone gargoyle to plummet down toward The Holograms. Once again (sigh) Rio is to the rescue, and Jem falls deeper for him because of it (that's a pretty weak character trait, isn't it?). Aja spots Zipper atop the building and he scurries off, leaping across building tops like Batman or something.

At the mansion, Ashley ducks out on the chores and heads out the front gates. Outside some dive bar, Ashley tries to get in stating she's a friend of The Misfits. When the bouncer doesn't believe her, The Misfits show up and recognize her as the girl who helped them get in the front gates of the mansion. As they guide Ashley in, the give her a crash course on being a Misfit (They never ask, and they take what they want, and none of that "please and thank you" stuff).

At the airport, The Countess states that she's thinking of doing a line of "Jem" clothing. Kimber pipes in "You mean Jem AND the Holograms", and The Countess replies cordially and affirmatively. Jem states she has to take off and as Rio starts after her, Aja hold him back telling him Jerrica is supposed to meet them here, and Rio shrugs her off telling her to leave him alone. When Jerrica meets back with The Holograms, she asks where Rio is and Aja tells Jerrica, to her dismay, that he took off.

Driving through town, they see tons and tons of posters and banners for The Misfits. They know they're going to have to work extra hard for their promotion which leads to ("Gettin' Down To Business"--JATH) as they go about town to promote their single.

Fed up with The Misfits and their attempts to ruin the image of JATH, Kimber takes it upon herself to talk to Eric Raymond herself. Eric works on Kimber's insecurities by telling her she's the real talent behind JATH, and asks her to sign on with him. Confused, Kimber just walks away.

At the mansion, an exhausted Jerrica crashes in a recliner just as the telephone rings. It's Lindsay Pierce and she's happy to say that The Holograms' video is the hottest thing on the air! She has a spot on her show this afternoon, but she only wants Jem and that sends Kimber overboard. She tells Jerrica she quits and takes off in The Roadster. Aja tells her that she and Shana don't mind if it's only Jem that goes, but Jerrica says that Kimber is right. If Lindsay wants Jem, she gets The Holograms as well. Lindsay agrees, and the race to find Kimber is on! The figure she'll be driving around listening to her favorite radio station, KMAX, so it's up to Jem to get on the air and apologize to Kimber, which she does...and it works. (awwwwww) The Holograms take The Roadster as Rio takes Jerrica to Lindsay's studio. On the way he says he can no longer be Jem's road manager, and in rebuttle, Jerrica almost slips but recovers saying, "We could never replace you."

"Then please, say you'll stay," she hugs him only really asking for trouble, or just playing a really sick joke. Does Jerrica really have the mentality that just because he's cheating on her with herself that it is okay? That just because she knows it's herself, that it's not wrong? Oy vey...."If it means that much to you," Rio replies.

The Misfits spot JATH on Lindsay's show and decide to do something about it. JATH perform ("I Got My Eye On You"--JATH) on Lindsay's show, which basically shows Jem's intense flirtation with Rio. The Misfits arrive and tell Ashley to stay in the van, but they can't get past security, so they use Ashley to get them past. The Misfits walk right in during the interview and upset Lindsay. As Lindsay goes to commercial, she asks her crew to remove The Misfits, and in the process of it all, some equipment is damaged and Jem is in danger yet again (sigh...I think I could make a drinking game out of this) and it's Rio to the rescue, but will he make it in time.....TO BE CONTINUED!!!