S3E7: “The Day the Music Died”

Hello and welcome to the JEMcast on Hologram Radio. This is Alex Knight and I am joined Aleen Simms, founder of the Less Than Or Equal podcast, and science fiction writer, K. Tempest Bradford.

Synopsis: In Season 3, episode 7: “‘The Day the Music Died,’ Jem and The Holograms,Jem is led away from her responsibilities by Riot on a cruise. When the rest of The Holograms are unable to pay Starlight Music’s debt, The Misfits buy out both Starlight Music and Stingers Sound, forcing the Holograms and The Stingers to submit to the Misfits’ control. This makes the Misfits into a mega group, ruling the airwaves. Rio, The Holograms and The Stingers have to find Riot and Jem fast, in order to get their lives back to normal.”

Stay tuned for an action packed episode.

Episode 60 (S3E7) is written by Roger Slifer.

This week’s show notes are written by K. Tempest Bradford.

We open with the theme song, as always, but about halfway through Kimber’s voice yells STOP and the theme winds down like an old movie reel. There isn’t going to be a story today, Kimber informs us, because Jerrica is gone and so is Jem. Also, Kimber is wearing an outfit we haven’t seen since that time she started having lesbian sex with Stormer. Something is up.

Uh oh, she says that Jem and the Holograms will never play again.

What??

It all started 3 months ago. This episode is full of flashbacks and the characters talking directly to the audience.

Kimber starts us off. Jerrica is doing her typically terrible job of being CEO of Starlight Music. She’s fighting with Shana and Rio, snapping Kimber’s head off, screaming at the staff, and in general not being managerial material.

Kimber continues to blame herself for not seeing how stressed Jerrica was. She relates how, at a concert later, Jem is continuing with her I’m Stressed And I’m Going To Take It Out On Everyone schtick. She’s mad at Rio because his van broke down and he can’t set up the concert. Jem proceeds to try and do so herself, attempting to lift a giant speaker that’s twice as wide and as tall as she is. And she’s trying to do this in heels.

The other Holograms help out—because for some reason they can only afford one roadie—and whisper to each other about how stressed Jem is and how they are worried.

Kimber’s reminiscing is interrupted by Pizzazz, who calls her a “Holo-twerp” and tells her to come on, they have work to do.

Whaaaaaaa?

We switch to Reya, who is hanging out at the concert venue, reminiscing. She’s wearing a slightly more than usual ugly outfit. She says joining the Holograms was the happiest day of her life, but didn’t realize her happiness would be over so quickly.

She flashes back to the concert, which was apparently a double header since the Stingers are playing, too. Everyone in the audience is enchanted by Riot, including Jem.

The Stingers music video: “Under my spell.”

While singing, Riot pulls Jem on stage and does everything short of making out with her. Then immediately after, he grabs her, runs out of the building into a limo and is gone before anyone really understands what’s happening. This is bad. But, Reya warns us, it’s about to get worse.

Back in the present, Roxy rolls up in the Rockin’ Roadster and yells at Reya that there’s work to be done.

Uh oh….

We switch to Riot, who is wearing some kind of Tarzan outfit and laughing. In a jungle. While Jem lounges in a hammock nearby.

What is going on??

Riot is his typical jolly self, laughing and also addressing the audience.

“This is great. No Rio. No Holograms. I have Jem all to myself.”

Grosssssss.

He tells us that he got what he wanted, as usual, and relates what happened after he whisked Jem away from the concert.

Turns out he took her to the docks, where cruise ship awaited. The ship was bound for Mexico, and he brings Jem on it becaus…