Prior to the airing of this episode, the Disney Channel was airing promos of the making of it. Clips included director and co-choreographer Debbie Allen trying to coach Shane Haboucha on how to perform one of his lines, and many of the cast-members recording and performing their respected musical numbers. I don't remember what I was expecting when I saw the brief clip of Annelise Van der Pol starting off her song, but once it actually aired, it became impossible to deny how great of an actress and singer this young woman truly is. I said in my review of the series at large that Anneliese Van der Pol outshines Raven-Symone for playing the environmentalist air-headed second banana, but it's this episode where she does so for a completely different reason altogether.
While Raven and the rest of the Baxter family watch an episode of "Undercover Superstar" (an American Idol-type show) Raven gets a vision that a scout from that very show is posing as a janitor and looking for new talent at Bayside High School, and can't keep the story under wraps. That janitor is played by Patrick Bristow, who kids everywhere would later see as a recurring character on "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody." Raven, Eddie, Chelsea, and other kids go out of their way to impress him, as Raven tries to dodge the wrath of an arrogant young hall monitor (Haboucha), as well as a theater-snob nemesis named Jasmine played by Dana Davis who you'd suspect would've been in more episodes. Jasmine does an early Motown girl-group type song bragging about how great she would be on stage, but when Chelsea comes on and does that elaborate Broadway number known as "Alone in the Hallways," it's a major revelation. The girl who went from playing the dim-witted eco-conscious airhead friend, exposed herself as the Broadway-geared performer she truly is, and a damned good one at that. Orlando Brown's basketball-themed rap song, and Raven's number "Shine" are completely dwarfed by Miss Van der Pol, although Raven's song isn't necessarily worth blowing off.
Meanwhile Cory has to take piano lessons, but is preoccupied with finding his parents old videotape as an Ashford & Simpson-type musical duet named "Toast & Jelly," more accurately a reference to "Peaches & Herb." Before he succeeds in that we see a fantasy sequence where he imagines himself as a would-be Little Richard. After this, it's standard sitcom hijinks as we find out why his parents are trying to keep that tape hidden. Nevertheless it's the ex-Chelsea Daniels who will make you forget everything else about this episode.
While Raven and the rest of the Baxter family watch an episode of "Undercover Superstar" (an American Idol-type show) Raven gets a vision that a scout from that very show is posing as a janitor and looking for new talent at Bayside High School, and can't keep the story under wraps. That janitor is played by Patrick Bristow, who kids everywhere would later see as a recurring character on "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody." Raven, Eddie, Chelsea, and other kids go out of their way to impress him, as Raven tries to dodge the wrath of an arrogant young hall monitor (Haboucha), as well as a theater-snob nemesis named Jasmine played by Dana Davis who you'd suspect would've been in more episodes. Jasmine does an early Motown girl-group type song bragging about how great she would be on stage, but when Chelsea comes on and does that elaborate Broadway number known as "Alone in the Hallways," it's a major revelation. The girl who went from playing the dim-witted eco-conscious airhead friend, exposed herself as the Broadway-geared performer she truly is, and a damned good one at that. Orlando Brown's basketball-themed rap song, and Raven's number "Shine" are completely dwarfed by Miss Van der Pol, although Raven's song isn't necessarily worth blowing off.
Meanwhile Cory has to take piano lessons, but is preoccupied with finding his parents old videotape as an Ashford & Simpson-type musical duet named "Toast & Jelly," more accurately a reference to "Peaches & Herb." Before he succeeds in that we see a fantasy sequence where he imagines himself as a would-be Little Richard. After this, it's standard sitcom hijinks as we find out why his parents are trying to keep that tape hidden. Nevertheless it's the ex-Chelsea Daniels who will make you forget everything else about this episode.
