S2E22: “Journey to Shangri-La”
Hello and welcome to the JEMcast on Hologram Radio. This is Alex Knight and I am joined by Aleen Simms, founder of the Less than or Equal podcast, and science fiction writer, K. Tempest Bradford.
Synopsis: In Season 2, episode 22: ‘Journey to Shangri-La,’ “The Holograms try to find Shangri-La, the mythological city where all music and art is kept, to add a new twist to their music. When Pizzazz and Roxy end up sick and Shangri-La’s music is the only thing that can cure them, it’s a race against time to save them.”
Stay tuned for an action packed episode.
Episode 48 (S2E22) is written by Richard Merwin.
Jem and the Holograms are stuck in a bit of a musical rut. They decide to seek out a man named Andrew, a musicologist, with the hopes of revitalizing their sound. Andrew asks the Holograms if they’ve ever heard of Shangri-La.
Jerrica: Isn’t that a mythological city in Tibet or something?
Andrew: It’s not mythological. I know it exists.
When questioned if he’s been to Shangri-La, Andrew admits he has not. The Hunzas show the way to very few people, and none have ever returned. Jerrica asks Andrew what this has to do with music. Andrew explains the people of Shangri-La are the keepers of all things musical.
Tech Rat is ensconced in his workshop. We hear an alert go off from one of his computers: it’s a Jem alert, which tells him of their flight plans to Tibet. Tech Rat calls Eric Raymond to alert him. Eric asks the Misfits if they have any idea why the Holograms are interested in going to Tibet, not that it matters, because the Misfits will go wherever the Holograms will go; that’s reason enough.
The Holograms arrive at an remote airport in Tibet. Andrew introduces the band to Moki, his Sherpa guide. They decide to get moving to head towards basecamp before dark. From basecamp, the Hunza village is only a day away. Andrew and the Holograms plan on heading out in the morning.
Jem and the Holograms music video: “Shangri-La”
The Misfits and Eric arrive in Tibet. Eric introduces the band to Mian, their Sherpa guide. Once again, Eric is reduced to the Misfits’ baggage handler, as they force him to bring along an unnecessarily large pile of luggage.
The Holograms make their way toward the Hunza village, but the trip is not made easy due to a recent snow storm, which has obscured the pass. It appears Andrew and the Holograms are lost. They stop to take a break. We hear a roaring sound. A sound of a great beast. A brilliant, white Yeti surprises Jem. Andrew warns her to run away, but she stands her ground and appears to be unafraid. She carefully approaches the Yeti and it eventually warms up to her. Andrew clumsily tries to touch the Yeti, but it runs away.
The Misfits are not having the smoothest trip either. It turns out that Mian recommends a shortcut to get closer to the Holograms’ Sherpa guide, but it will require them to do some climbing, which the Misfits aren’t all that enthusiastic about. While climbing the snow covered cliffside, Eric slips, taking down the rest of the misfits as well. Their lives hang in the balance.
Cut to a commercial break.
The Yeti tries to lead the Holograms through the snow. They arrive to discover the Misfits, who are perilously close to death. The Yeti brought them there to rescue them.
Andrew: It’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen!
Moki, Andrew, and the Holograms conduct a rescue, but it backfires on them. After getting the Misfits to safety, they abandon the Holograms once they reach the top of the mountain.
The Misfits arrive at the Hunza village, ahead of the Holograms. Unfortunately for them, the equipment they brought with them is completely useless, as there’s no electricity to be found. Pizzazz rudely demands an elderly villager to show her the music they keep secret, but the old woman tells Pizzazz she is unworthy of Shangri-La.
Andrew and the Holograms decide to find shelter for the night, as the risk of getting lost in the dark is too great. They’ll make their way to Hunza village in the morning.
The Misfits talk with a young woman, Lisan, at Hunza village, who is the great-granddaughter of the old woman that turned them away. She seems far more receptive to the band.
The following morning, we see the Holograms arrive at Hunza village. They’re greeted by the old woman, who explains that the Misfits arrived earlier and intend to find Shangri-La, but even her great-granddaughter doesn’t know the way. Jem pleads with the elderly woman to show the Holograms the way, but she refuses. She believes there’s something false about Jem. I wonder what that could be?
Elsewhere, Lisan attempts to lead the Misfits to Shangri-La, who explains that only Lowen knows the way, but she seems confident she can find it.
Misfits music video: “You Oughta See The View From Here.”
After the video, the Misfits get into trouble when they slip down an icy portion of the mountain. Lisan gets stuck in poisonous snow briars and warns them to stay away. Pizzazz, Roxy, and Jetta are uninterested in saving Lisan, but Stormer, the soft one as always, insists on helping her. While rescuing Lisan, Pizzazz and Roxy are accidentally cut by the poisonous snow briars and become instantly feverish. They pass out. Lisan warns Stormer and Jetta that they must head back to the village, when the Yeti finds them. Stormer and Jetta begin hurling snowballs at the Yeti, but they quickly realize it’s trying to help them, and picks up Pizzazz and Roxy to head back to the Hunza village.
At the Hunza village, the Yeti shows up with the poisoned Misfits members. Lisan tells the Holograms there is no medicine to cure Pizzazz and Roxy, only the magic music of Shangri-La can cure them. Jem makes a plea to Lowen to show her the way to Shangri-La to find a cure for Pizzazz and Roxy, otherwise they will die. Lowen could care less and will not divulge the location of the secret city.
Cut to a commercial break.
Only the pure will find the way to Shangri-La, and Jem is false, according to Lowen. Jem has an epiphany: it’s her holographic counterpart, Jem, that the old woman has a problem with. Jem says showtime’s over, Synergy, and Lowen hands her the map to the lost city. How did Lowen known something was “wrong” with Jem?
Andrew, Moki, and the Holograms make haste to Shangri-La, but not before almost giving up. The group reaches the top of a mountain, but all they see is a thick mist, shrouding the mountains. The mist parts, and Shangri-La is finally revealed.
The doors of Shangri-La open and we are greeted by a jovial gatekeeper, who claims its the birthplace of all things music and art. The Holograms tell the gatekeeper that time is of the essence and they need the cure for the poisoned Misfits. The gatekeeper says the only way that will happen is if the band plays for the High-Lama, who is the chief guardian of all the world’s art. Also, people don’t age in Shangri-La. This episode is full-on science fiction fantasy.
Jem meets with the High-Lama and explains the situation that Pizzazz and Roxy are in. She asks for the cure. The High-Lama hands Jem an instrument and offers to play music with her. He says it has been known that Shangri-La’s music can cure the poisoned, but the music never leaves the city. As the two of them begin playing, the High-Lama complements Jem’s talent and hands her one of his sacred instruments.
Jem meets up with the rest of the Holograms and interrupts a picnic, which doesn’t make Kimber too happy. Come on Kimber, people are dying! Jem and the Holograms leave Shangri-La and head back to Hanza village.
At the Hanza village, Stormer’s concerns grow as Pizzazz and Roxy’s condition grows escalates. Lowen scolds Lisan and tells her the mistake she made was enabling the Misfits’ greed. Jem and the Holograms arrive with the magical musical instruments from Shangri-La. They beginning playing.
Jem and the Holograms music video: “Let The Music Play.”
Pizzazz and Roxy make a miraculous revival and they insist on finding Shangri-La. For a brief moment, they catch a glimpse of the city, but it vanishes into thin air.
Duration: 58:24:00
Present: Alex Knight, Aleen Simms, K. Tempest Bradford.
Episode Links- S2E22: “Journey to Shangri-La”
- “Shangri-La”
- “You Oughta See The View From Here”
- “Let The Music Play”
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Download: JEMcast – Episode S2E22: “Journey to Shangri-La”