In the truly outrageous world of rock music, Jem and the Holograms reign
supreme as the top divas. Together they must navigate through the fickle and
competitive music industry, while lead singer Jem juggles a double-life as record
label impresario Jerrica Benton. If that wasn’t enough, the crooked Eric
Raymond and rivals The Misfits spend their every waking moment trying to de-throne
Jem and the Holograms.
Like many cartoons from the 1980s, Jem
is rife with campy fun. Its colourful animation, infectious music and soapy
storylines are trademarks of the opulence of the era. While it would be easy to
write Jem off as a 20 minute
commercial advertisement for Hasbro’s doll line of the same name, it was actually an innovative series that captured the essence of the MTV generation.
In addition to the main storyline, each episode from the first season
features at least two fully produced music videos with original songs as
performed by Jem and the Holograms and The Misfits. While the quality of these
songs varied, most were actually quite contagious (especially that darn theme
song!). Lyricist Barry Harman and musical arranger Anne Bryant are to be commended
for the work they did on the series. They were able to create songs that not
only fit within the narrative and thematic context of each episode, but also
craft a sound that was unique to the show’s fictional bands. For instance, Jem
and the Holograms had a radio-friendly pop sound, while the Misfits were edgier
with their punk electronica music. Britta Phillips, the singing voice for Jem,
is also to be applauded. Her unique vocals carried each song with depth and
emotion.
During the first season, most episodes follow the same formula. Each
week, Jem and the Holograms and The Misfits are pitted against one another in
some kind of contest that determines which of the two is more popular and
successful. These contests range from anything as official as a battle of the
bands to something unofficial such as gaining public favour. More often than
not, Jem is the clear favourite, which leaves Eric Raymond to hatch some kind
of plot to sabotage the group. In the end, Jem overcomes the odds while The
Misfits’ lead singer Pizzazz, the sorest loser there ever was, throws some kind
of violent temper tantrum. Such a formulaic format can make a show predictable
and stale real quick, but Jem somehow
makes it work. The overall campy tone
helps to keep things light, but it’s also the music and surprising amount of
action that makes the first season so watchable.
Jem’s biggest flaw within its
first season is inconsistency. While lead characters like Jerrica, Pizzazz and
Stormer are clearly defined, others are woefully lacking in development. Aja is
distinguished by nothing save for her blue hair and an accent that seems to
change whenever she speaks, while Roxy is nothing more than Pizzazz Lite. Out
of the 26 episodes that make up the first season, not a single one makes an
effort to flesh out these characters. To rub salt into that wound, the writers
instead opted to spotlight many of the children at Jerrica’s foster home for
girls, most of whom are prone to melodrama and bratty behavior. Characters like
Kimber and Shana fare much better in the realm of development, but not by much.
Kimber struggles to move past seeming like the group’s resident airhead, while
Shana’s only distinguishing trait is that she’s stated to be a talented fashion
designer. There’s also the matter of Rio. Despite being the series’ central
love interest, there’s very little to like about him. He’s moody and disrespectful,
which makes the viewer wonder why Jerrica even puts up with him to begin with.
The first season of Jem is a
lot of fun if you take it at face value as a high camp series full of catchy
music and over-the-top drama. The cartoon holds up better than most of its contemporaries (despite the dated and often hideous fashions),
perhaps due to our continued fascination with celebrity and glamour. Aside from
a few instances where Eric Raymond’s plots get a little too real, Jem is at its
core a family show and is appropriate for kids and the young at heart. The
characters and music are endearing in a cheesy guilty pleasure kind of way. If
nothing else, the first season of Jem proves
why the series is worthy of being considered one of the most iconic cartoons of
the 1980s.
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