| Boy Wonder | |
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Written by |
Lenny Shulman |
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Directed by |
Gary Halvorson |
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Boy Wonder is the 8th episode of Season 3 of Kids Incorporated and 60th episode overall. In this episode, Kid's ego runs amok and the others try to get him brought back down to earth.
Plot Summary[]
The song begins with Kids Incorporated's performance of "King for a Day". The kids are discussing how great the audience is when Kid arrives late (having only heard the word "great") and assumes the others are talking about him before going on a tangent where he describes the other kids as his "support crew" via a backhanded comparison to other entertainers such as Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. (Kid also apparently doesn't recognize sarcasm when he hears it; as just before returning to the stage Ryan makes a crack about his not wanting to disappoint his audience).
Things only get worse when after their next song ("Don't Fight It") Kid takes three extra bows (despite only having a brief vocal in the bridge). The others continue to discuss Kid's actions when Kid returns. Renee (having described Kid as "The Ego That Ate Chicago") and Stacy then bail out. Kid notices Ryan's "Great Composers" book; resulting in Ryan mentioning that Kid reminded him somewhat of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, even mentioning how Mozart was "a genius". However, Kid runs off to the stage before Ryan could finish.
This sets up a daydream where the Maestro arrives preparing for an aria he had composed; an announcement that quickly catches Mozart's (all his friends call him "Wolfie"). They greet each other before Mozart returns to play his next number (which sounds suspiciously like "Mary Had a Little Lamb") while proving Mozart is no better at recognizing sarcasm that the Kid in 1986 (following Gloria's "You're too modest, Wolfie" wisecrack); leading to "A Genius". Renee is curious to hear what the Maestro has composed, but Mozart (bragging about if one heard the best; why bother with the rest) drives the others off. However, the Maestro gives Mozart advice about not letting one's ego carry him away by mentioning how one who toots his own horn soon is playing in a band of one; a word of warning which finally sinks into Mozart (and by extension, Kid) ("In My Own Way").
Back in the present; Kid returns and asks Ryan if when he compared Kid to Mozart, he meant in terms of talent or ego (Ryan answers by saying the comparison was in both areas) before explaining that he's finally seen the point of not letting his ego run away from him ("(Hindsight) 20/20").
Kid Cast[]
- Marta "Martika" Marrero - Gloria (credited as Martika)
- Ryan Lambert - Ryan and The Maestro
- Rahsaan Patterson - Kid and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Renee Sandstrom (credited as Renee Sands) - Renee
- Stacy Ferguson - Stacy
Adult Cast[]
- Moosie Drier - Riley
Dancers[]
- Wendy Brainard
- Darren Lee
- Mario Lopez
- Gina Marie Vinaccia
- Andrea Paige Wilson
Songs[]
- "King for a Day" (Thompson Twins cover; performed by Kid and Gloria)
- "Don't Fight It" (Kenny Loggins and Steve Perry cover; performed by Gloria and Kid)
- "A Genius" (Kids Incorporated original; performed by Kid, Renee, Stacy and Gloria)
- "In My Own Way" (Kids Incorporated original; performed by Kid)
- "(Hindsight) 20/20" (George Benson cover; performed by Gloria, Kid and Renee)
Notes[]
- The original song "In My Own Way" would be the first original Kids Incorporated song performed outside the series on a national stage when Rahsaan Patterson sang an abbreviated version of it on a return appearance on the series "Star Search".
Trivia[]
- The costumes used for the fantasy sequence had previously been used in Season 2's "One Glass Slipper.
- Moosie Drier only appears briefly in the fantasy sequence.
- While "The Maestro" is not given an actual name; it seems most likely that it would be Antonio Salieri, a real-life contemporary of Mozart who had been forgotten until the release of the 1984 film "Amadeus".
- Of the kids; Ryan Lambert (as The Maestro) is the only one to attempt an accent; though it comes closer to an obviously fake accent.
- "(Hindsight) 20/20" was previously performed in the Season 1 episode "Civic Day Parade", with vocals by Jerry Sharell.
- "Don't Fight It" was previously performed in the Season 1 episode "The Ghost of the P*lace".
- Kid sings lead in every song in this episode.
- "In My Own Way is the only song in this episode where Gloria didn't sing lead.
- Ryan didn't sing in this episode. He is also the only member who didn't sing lead in "A Genius".