Ep26–Back to the Classroom Part IV (Featuring Special Guest Gregg Paschall)

Seen on the Small Screen Podcast

Editor's Note: This episode was recorded with equipment I hadn't used before in order to connect three microphones. Because of that, the sound levels clipped a lot during the recording. I did my best to lower the loud audio during the post process, which took away most of the peaked audio. However, there are a number of spots where the audio sounds washed out and crackly. But with that said, enjoy our discussion of High School USA!
Just in time for the end of the school year, take a step back in time with Becky, Jake, and Gregg Paschall of Gregg's Guide to New Music, right in time for the start of a new school year, the year of 1983 at High School USA. This charming time capsule unites the star power of Michael J. Fox, Crispin Glover, Nancy McKeon, Todd Bridges, and Dana Plato to name but a few in the high school classroom of yesteryear. Beth Franklin (McKeon), a regular girl, is given the chance to climb the school social ladder when she starts dating the school's premier alpha jerk, Beau Middleton played by Anthony Edwards. And it's around that time she meets J. J. Manners (Michael J. Fox), a laid back latchkey kid who does nothing to hide the fact that he's a slacker like his father if his dad ever appeared onscreen, which he doesn't. When Beau catches J.J. chatting it up with his gal on the ferris wheel, he puts a plan in motion that will pit the patrician alpha kais against the plebian geeks and losers in a car race. Sure, that may sound like the plot of every other 80s school movie out there, but it really doesn't matter. The collective starshine here is more than enough to vaporize the clouds of all the teen dramady troupes it uses. Bottle this film's nostalgia like fine wine for enjoyment on a chilly night.

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