Fame: Season 05 (1985)

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Still riding high as one of the most-watched dramatic series in off-network syndication, Fame eases into a fifth season on the air, with 25 brand new episodes. Three of the series' longtime favorites have moved on to other things. Doris (Valerie Landsburg) has graduated from New York's High School of the Performing Arts; former dance major Leroy Johnson (Gene Anthony Ray) is now a faculty member; and obstreperous vice-principal Morloch (Ken Swofford) has been transferred to another school, but not before being forced to atone for his past selfish misdeeds in the series' Yuletide episode, which--surprise, surprise--is a rehash of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." Morloch's replacement is Principal Dyrenforth (Graham Jarvis), not nearly as anal-retentive as his predecessor but almost as clueless. Also, Loretta Chandler joins the cast as new student Dusty Tyler. Midway through the season there is another cast turnover, as drama student Holly Laird (Cynthia Gibb) leaves school to take a role in a daytime soap opera; at the same time, a round of auditions yields two more additions to the student body, Reggie Higgins (played by Carrie Hamilton, the daughter of Carol Burnett) and Kate Riley (Page Hannah), the sister of Darryl Hannah). Though Fame was pretty much grounded in reality during its first seasons on the air, the show has gotten to be mighty whimsical by this time. Case in point is the episode "His Majesty Donlon", an outrageous "Prisoner of Zenda" takeoff in which dance student Christopher (Danny Hufsey) switches places with his lookalie, Prince Freddie of Vatonia; and later, Chris overcomes "Stage Fright" with some assistance from the ghost of Elvis Presley (Robert Firth). Then there's "Holmes Sweet Holmes", in which the traditional bump on the head transforms would-be comedian Danny (Carlo Imperato) into celebrated detective Sherlock Holmes. More believable chords are struck as Danny faces the possibility of being forced to change his professional name to get an Equity card in "Leroy and the Kid"; ultra-ethical music professor Shorofsky (Albert Hague) may well have to compromise his values for the sake of his students in "Selling Out"; dance student Jesse (Jesse Borrego) is tempted to rejoin his former street gang in "Savage Streets"; and a staging of "Huckleberry Finn" causes racial friction between Danny and Leroy in "A River to Cross." A number of interesting guest stars dot the landscape of Fame's fifth season, among them stars-to-be Don Cheadle, Bebe Neuwirth, Kathleen Wilhoiteand Dermot Mulroney. Among the better-known guest performers are Russ Tamblyn, making the first of several appearances as a burned-out choreographer; veteran western actors Myron Healey and Leo Gordon, cast respectively as a faded cowboy idol and a disgruntled movie villain; and Kevin McCarthy as a quixotic substitute teacher who sends his students forth on a quest for Absolute Truth. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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