Rags to Riches (TV Series) Pilot (1987) User Reviews

Variety show passed off as a movie

[Meredith-7 · 7/10 · 3 August 1999]

There is nothing bad that you can say about Rags to Riches if you like singing and dancing children and teenagers. Its a lot like a variety show where the kids dance and sing there way through a variety of songs with changed lyrics to suit their moods. This is pretty light stuff and on an entertainment level it does the job quite well. The main actors in this all seem quite talented, so it seems a pity that none of them really amounted to much more in the film industry. Naturally, if you dont like musicals, you will hate this, but for those that like them, its a pleasant alternative to the 40s and 50s musicals that appear all the time on cable.

wish it was on DVD

[tanisha_30white · 10/10 · 23 April 2005]

I enjoyed this show when I was growing up and I wish someone would put it on DVD. I would buy it in a heartbeat. I use to watch the show whenever it came on and I really would like someone to bring it to video. There are a lot of old shows on video and DVD now, why can't we bring this one also. I would like to add it to my collection.I enjoyed the singing and dancing and the dressing up that they did. I have looking all over for this show and I am so happy that I found it. I remember Tisha Campbell in her younger days and Joseph Balogna. I loved the cast and story lines. It is great to think how everyone has grown up since this show. This show kept me from getting into trouble and I have younger cousins who would love to see it.

I love this movie

[lorisweetie · 10/10 · 30 May 2005]

I can remember when I was seven years old and my grandmother had recorded Rags to Riches for me. The first time I saw it, I must have watched it three times in a row. I watched it so many times within the next year that the VHS tape had gotten worn out and wouldn't play anymore. I'm now twenty six and I have looked for the movie everywhere. I still love all those songs and probably would remember most of them right away. I use to sing and dance around my living floor every time I watched it. I'm not quite sure why, but none of my friends, now, don't recall ever seeing it. I tell them that they missed out because it is a classic. I think that my stepdaughter would enjoy it a lot. She might think that everyone in the movie dresses funny, because she a teenager, but she would like the singing and dancing.

This was my Favorite show!

[angie-51 · 10/10 · 18 May 2002]

I was only 9 when this show came on but I liked it a lot. The cast was great and the story was a winner. I was so upset when they canceled it. But as least some of the actors moved on to bigger and better things, like Tisha Cambel is in My Wife and Kids.

LOVED this movie

[jwestervelt82 · 10/10 · 28 November 2006]

I had this movie on a video tape and the beginning was missing but I used to watch it all the time. Me and my best friend would act out some of the girls parts and we'd sing along with all their songs and everything. I used to love those outfits Diane would wear where it's like a skirt but the front of it is open and she's got shorts on - I'd wear shorts and wrap a towel partway around me to mimic the look! My friend used to like being Nina - I'm not sure why...maybe because Nina was the only one who had a boyfriend in the movie. I've since had the tape taken away from me (not by choice) and I miss it! I think I even made a cassette tape of the songs too - I might still have that. But anyway, I loved this movie and I'd love to have another (full) copy of it. It's probably a corny 80s movie to most people who have seen it, but I think it's a feel good movie. It's interesting to watch the changing emotions of the people throughout and see it all come together at the end (I hope that's not considered a spoiler - I'm not giving details!). This is my first movie review so I'm sorry if it sucks - I just wanted to share how I feel about it and what it means to me.

a good tv series in the 80's

[Mattswife97 · 10/10 · 1 June 2002]

I really loved this show. I don't remember it much since it's been years since it's been on. I used to envy the girls since they were so beautiful and talented. It's to bad more people don't adopt older kids. I can't remember how long the show was on, but I do know that I miss watching it. all the shows they have now usually sucks. I miss some of the good old 80's sitcom. please bring them back.

I loved Rags to Riches

[Wedge-9 · 14 October 1998]

This is one of my favorite all time movies, and whenever I go to a video store I search for it everywhere. I haven't found it yet. I would absolutely love to own this movie.

better than the music man

[CB-33 · 10/10 · 23 December 1999]

this is the most compelling movies of its kind. there is wormth compassion, greed, and deceet. all mixed up in a mary popins setting.

in an attempt to win a multi-million dollar contract with a frozen food company, Nick Foly, gets some girls from an orphanage. with the soul intent of shipping them back with in a month. suprize, he falls in love with the girls, and realized that the current girl is only out for his money.(almost too late.) the rest is a romantics dream come true. I feel the best sceen in the movie is nicks' realization that he wants to be a father "their" father. with teddy bare in hand he sings about his.... well you get the movie and find out, but when you do get your favorite person, a candle, and turn down the lights. guys, let her see your softer side, she'll love you for it.

very good show

[jynjerbear · 10/10 · 26 February 2006]

I loved watching this show when I was growing up. I had my Mom record every episode every week. My tapes are now starting to go bad and I am afraid of playing them for fear that the machine will eat them. I have every episode on three VCR tapes including both of the 2 hour movies. I wish that they would come out on DVD so that I can continue enjoying the shows and also show them to my children. I have a five year old that loves to listen to the 50's and 60's music so I know that he will enjoy them. The shows have lessons in each and every one and would feel safe to allow all my children of all ages to watch them. We could sing and dance right along to the music and different dances. I hope that they release the entire series out real soon so that we can enjoy watching a good family show instead of some of the shows they have on TV right now. It's hard to find good shows to watch that I would approve my children to watch. This is a very good show and I would recommend it to everyone.

Before High School Musical there was...

[newleaseonlife-06980 · 10/10 · 6 October 2023]

... This little gem of of late 80s (or should i say 60s?) sugary sweet confection. The show featured your stereotypical coming of age/fish out of water scenarios germane to hour long dramedies of the time. It's essentially Annie : The Series... if Annie had 4 sisters that is. Wealthy playboy business man Daddy Warbucks... err... Nick Foley, in an effort to solidify a business deal by improving his public image, decides the best way to do this would be to adopt 6 orphaned girls (whittled down to 5 for the series proper). RIGHT!!! That's the logical idea i would fall on right away. Anyhow, the usual 80s sitcom hijinks ensue and, in the end, the girls and Nick learn something from each other. All the while singing and dancing popular 60s tunes with lyrics adapted to fit the scenario.

Yea... my review is dripping with sarcasm but in all honesty this is a really cute, wholesome program. The song and dance numbers are catchy and accessible to about any age. Yes it's cheesy. Yes the plots can be a little far fetched but what show in the 80s wasn't? The scenarios in Rags To Riches were about as believable as a team of 4 crack commandos emptying multiple clips of ammo at the bad guys and not hitting a single thing. It's a reminder of how things used to be on TV. I actually remember gathering with my family to catch this show during it's original run on NBC. I highly recommend this show for it's uniqueness, it's sweetness and for anyone with a thing for 60s bubblegum pop.

Also features a young, pre-Martin yet post-Little Shop Of Horrors Tisha Campbell in the main cast. Guest apperaces feature the likes of Bill Mahr, Richard Grecco (21 Jump Street, If Looks Could Kill), Richard Herd (from another successful NBC show V and it's sequel, V : The Final Battle) amongst others.

Also pleased to report that 3 episodes into my viewing of the complete series DVD box that the set doesn't appear to suffer the same unfortunate fate other music-centric shows suffer when making the transition to home media. The original music appears to be intact. A show like this wouldn't be worth the effort to put on DVD without the original music. Picture quality is broadcast quality... from the 80s. The included pilot episode in the boxed set is actually the work print version with the title card saying Rags AND riches. The episodes appear uncut as the average length is about 48:20. Compared to the 41:15 average of today's hour long show. Worth the price for the nostalgia factor.