"I Dream"
(Season 1)
The dreams of thirteen lucky teenagers (Matt Di Angelo, Rachel Hyde-Harvey, Helen Kurup, Lorna Want, George Wood and S Club 8's Jay Asforis, Daisy Evans, Calvin Goldspink, Stacey McClean, Aaron Renfree, Hannah Richings and Francesca Sandford) are about to come true, when Professor Toone (Christopher Lloyd), the eccentric head-teacher of Avalon Heights, a prestigious performing arts school (located in an impossibly sunny region of the English countryside, and whose list of past pupils reads like a who's who of today's most successful music stars), invites them to study there over the summer. The youths jump at the chance, and, before you can say "Fame!", they are at the school, and beginning to settle in to their temporary home. Under the tutelage of their experienced teachers (Rachel Hale and Adam Morris), the group slowly realise their various individual talents, and find that inspiration can come from the most unlikely of places.
The name S Club 8 should sound familiar to those who have heard of the pop group S Club 7 (and if you're in the UK, chances are you probably have). A relatively short-lived manufactured band (backed by music magnate Simon Fuller) of yesteryear whose members have since split up, they were nonetheless successful enough to act in four television shows, and a mildly successful feature film. The seven members' fifteen minutes of fame also inspired a spin-off band, S Club 8 (originally christened S Club Juniors), who have piggybacked on the S Club brand name to moderate success on the UK music charts. Possibly spurred on by the highly publicised failure of 'From Justin to Kelly' (which starred "American Idol" finalists Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini), Simon Fuller looks towards the next generation of pre-packaged pop stars to fulfil his latest project designed to cross them over from their birthplace in the music industry to the world of acting.
The Simon Fuller formula has never been airtight, but "I Dream" never even tries to sway an inch away from it. The first episode also swiftly kicks off the action with an impressive fervour, and shows an admirable intent for the writers to get down to business. However, all too soon, Dornan (a veteran of several Fuller productions) just falls back on third-hand plot devices that have worked for others in his profession before, but with him, they are simply used as life rafts when he gets out of his depth (basically any attempt at character development). How many times do we really need to see a "disapproving parents" storyline (seen in #12: "Families")? The level of clichés in this television series is almost downright offensive.
I can't really criticise S Club 8's singing, as I haven't been given a taste of that (heavily tinkered with studio recordings of their singing voices kicks in as soon as the musical numbers start), but there's certainly nothing special about these kids in the acting department. How incongruous, since over half of them are essentially playing less famous versions of themselves. Ironically, the only two members of the cast to actually convince in their roles are people who have had little to no experience in acting or singing - on the small screen. Helen Kurup is a joy to watch as the nervous and befuddled Khush, while Rachel Hyde-Harvey brings to the table with her a welcomed emotional depth for a character that is written almost too simplistically to deserve such treatment. If anybody in this lazy 'Fame' knockoff deserve long lasting singing and acting careers, it's those two.
It's saddening to see this cookie cutter tripe continue to fly with the public, as it is to see Christopher Lloyd and "Footballers' Wives" star Laila Rouass (who makes an appearance as a scheming gold digger) ham their merry way across the screen as if this flotsam is actually worth their time. "I Dream" is just another means to an end for Simon Fuller, a platform for S Club 8's rise to fame which seems destined to explode in Fuller's face (the official "I Dream" album and single barely made a dent in the charts). If, by any chance, this mess is given the go ahead for a second season (and that's a big "if"), don't count on me watching any of it.
~ 4/10 ~
(Season 1)
The dreams of thirteen lucky teenagers (Matt Di Angelo, Rachel Hyde-Harvey, Helen Kurup, Lorna Want, George Wood and S Club 8's Jay Asforis, Daisy Evans, Calvin Goldspink, Stacey McClean, Aaron Renfree, Hannah Richings and Francesca Sandford) are about to come true, when Professor Toone (Christopher Lloyd), the eccentric head-teacher of Avalon Heights, a prestigious performing arts school (located in an impossibly sunny region of the English countryside, and whose list of past pupils reads like a who's who of today's most successful music stars), invites them to study there over the summer. The youths jump at the chance, and, before you can say "Fame!", they are at the school, and beginning to settle in to their temporary home. Under the tutelage of their experienced teachers (Rachel Hale and Adam Morris), the group slowly realise their various individual talents, and find that inspiration can come from the most unlikely of places.
The name S Club 8 should sound familiar to those who have heard of the pop group S Club 7 (and if you're in the UK, chances are you probably have). A relatively short-lived manufactured band (backed by music magnate Simon Fuller) of yesteryear whose members have since split up, they were nonetheless successful enough to act in four television shows, and a mildly successful feature film. The seven members' fifteen minutes of fame also inspired a spin-off band, S Club 8 (originally christened S Club Juniors), who have piggybacked on the S Club brand name to moderate success on the UK music charts. Possibly spurred on by the highly publicised failure of 'From Justin to Kelly' (which starred "American Idol" finalists Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini), Simon Fuller looks towards the next generation of pre-packaged pop stars to fulfil his latest project designed to cross them over from their birthplace in the music industry to the world of acting.
The Simon Fuller formula has never been airtight, but "I Dream" never even tries to sway an inch away from it. The first episode also swiftly kicks off the action with an impressive fervour, and shows an admirable intent for the writers to get down to business. However, all too soon, Dornan (a veteran of several Fuller productions) just falls back on third-hand plot devices that have worked for others in his profession before, but with him, they are simply used as life rafts when he gets out of his depth (basically any attempt at character development). How many times do we really need to see a "disapproving parents" storyline (seen in #12: "Families")? The level of clichés in this television series is almost downright offensive.
I can't really criticise S Club 8's singing, as I haven't been given a taste of that (heavily tinkered with studio recordings of their singing voices kicks in as soon as the musical numbers start), but there's certainly nothing special about these kids in the acting department. How incongruous, since over half of them are essentially playing less famous versions of themselves. Ironically, the only two members of the cast to actually convince in their roles are people who have had little to no experience in acting or singing - on the small screen. Helen Kurup is a joy to watch as the nervous and befuddled Khush, while Rachel Hyde-Harvey brings to the table with her a welcomed emotional depth for a character that is written almost too simplistically to deserve such treatment. If anybody in this lazy 'Fame' knockoff deserve long lasting singing and acting careers, it's those two.
It's saddening to see this cookie cutter tripe continue to fly with the public, as it is to see Christopher Lloyd and "Footballers' Wives" star Laila Rouass (who makes an appearance as a scheming gold digger) ham their merry way across the screen as if this flotsam is actually worth their time. "I Dream" is just another means to an end for Simon Fuller, a platform for S Club 8's rise to fame which seems destined to explode in Fuller's face (the official "I Dream" album and single barely made a dent in the charts). If, by any chance, this mess is given the go ahead for a second season (and that's a big "if"), don't count on me watching any of it.
~ 4/10 ~