S2E15: “KJEM”
Synopsis: “Radio station KMEL is about to be shut down after years of being on the air. Jem makes a deal with the station owner, Elzer Marcus, offering to turn it into a college-run station funded by Starlight Music. A rival media mogul named Adrian Lassiter is determined to buy the station at any cost, and spoils its opening broadcast by hiring The Misfits to air a concert on a pirate signal. The signal source has to be found in order to reclaim the channel before all the sponsors pull out.”
Summary: Episode 41 (S2E15) is written by Christy Marx.
We open with Danse giving a workout session to the Starlight girls. After warming up, Danse requests that one of the girls turn on the radio to find some music, but an argument breaks out when they can’t decide what station to tune into.
Jem and the Holograms music video: “When It’s Only Me And The Music.”
Mondo: That was “When It’s Only Me and The Music” by Jem and the Holograms. This is KMEL on your FM dial. We’ll be back, after these messages.
Well, how’d I do?
Elzer Marcus, the owner of radio station KMEL, is disappointed when his senior DJ and engineer decide to leave for a rival radio station after they’re offered a salary that’s three times that of what KMEL can provide. After the two men leave, a somewhat unsavoury looking man confronts Elzer with an offer from an anonymous buyer to purchase KMEL. Unfortunately for Elzer, the offer is barely enough to compensate him for the mountain of bills he’s been collecting. The prospective buyer claims nobody would want the “worthless little station” anyway, so it’s either he takes the deal or risk going bankrupt. Feeling pressured to sell, Elzer’s students try to prevent him from signing the contract as they offer to help find someone who can pay the bills. Elzer gives Mondo until tonight before he signs off the air to find a new prospective buyer.
Eric Raymond is shilling the Misfits to the head of KBST, Adrian Lassiter, to try and convince the station to give the band more airtime for their music, more interviews, and promotion. Jetta mentions that she’s personal friends with the royal family, however, that doesn’t seem to work when Adrian tells her he’s entertained the royal family on his yacht, and they failed to mention her name. As a last ditch effort, Eric offers to pay KBST for every time they play a Misfits song.
Adrian Lassiter’s hired goon returns to give him the bad news that Elzer Marcus has given a group of students until the end of the day to secure a new financial backer. Adrian is not pleased and explains why he has a personal vendetta against Elzer Marcus–it turns out Adrian worked for him in the past, but was fired when they didn’t see eye to eye with respect to how the business was run.
Adrian: Why should we worry? What could these college kids possibly do before tonight?
KMEL’s student interns get together to brainstorm how they’re going to find a new financial backer. Switch makes a suggestion that they approach Jem and the Holograms, since he went to school with Kimber and knows her sister runs Starlight Music. There’s some debate as to why they would help, as they only give money away for the publicity like the Misfits, but he tries to convince his friends that the Holograms are not like that.
At Cloud 9 restaurant, Jem and the Holograms make an appearance to support Rio getting his pilot licence as well as to give a private show. Rio offers to show Jem the new Cessna he purchased, but when he does, two men interrupt and mock his plane.
Heheheh. Hey, you call that toy a plane? Now, that is an airplane.
We’ll key an eye out for you, Pacheco, so’s we don’t run over ya!
Switch drops by Cloud 9, but is promptly turned away as the private event requires you to have a pilot licence. After a failed attempt to climb the fence and stern warning from security, McDuffy Airlines offers to help Switch, and all it would cost is $50. They take him up in the plane, put a parachute on him, and kick him out of the plane. Jem and the Holograms are seen performing on stage as Switch comes crashing down onto the stage, putting the band in harms way as a live electric wire comes loose and nearly kills Kimber. Rio gets the power company to cut the power.
Kimber recognizes her old schoolmate, Switch. They reminisce about old times and skipping out on study hall. Rio grabs Switch by the shirt and berates him for nearly getting everyone killed, but Switch places the blame on McDuffy. Of course, that still doesn’t explain why Switch is at the event, so he explains that KMEL desperately needs help from Jem and the Holograms to back the station before KBST buys it out. Even though it’s for a good cause to turn it into a college-run radio station, Jem turns Switch down as they have too many obligations already, which include the Starlight Foundation.
Later in the evening, Jerrica decides to tune-in to KMEL to hear Elzer Marcus’ final farewell, but she decides to take the Rockin’ Roadster out and changes into Jem, while driving (which is awfully risky!)
Elzer meets with Adrian Lassiter’s moustached goon to sign the contract, but the initial buy-out offer has been lowered by 10%. Out of desperation, Elzer decides he’s going to sign the contract, but just in time, Jem walks in and tells him not to sign it. Jem explains she just left Jerrica Benton’s office after they looked over the books once more. Starlight Music is now in a position to make an offer. The offer, is a partnership with Starlight Music, which entails the company paying KMEL’s bills for as long as possible, while the college students try to make it a success. Kite, Adrian Lassiter’s goon threatens Elzer about how his plans to revive the station will never work, but Mondo kicks him out and slams the door on his face. Part of KMEL’s revival and new team, is to do a complete rebrand, so Switch and the other students come up with the name KJEM. Jem is honoured.
The next day, the new KJEM sign goes up and Switch, the other students, as well as Elzer and the Holograms, discuss plans for the new content they’ll be bringing to the radio station.
Elzer: Let me show you how to cue up a record.
At Starlight Music, Shana shows the artwork for a new KJEM bumper sticker to Jerrica. After getting her approval, the Holograms rush to the roof to see Rio flying overhead with a large KJEM FM banner streaming behind him (everyone cheers).
At KBST, Adrian is furious that he hasn’t been able to acquire rival radio station, KMEL. He tells Kite that he doesn’t want them on the air. Kite has a plan to use Eric Raymond and the Misfits in some way to sabotage KJEM’s revival plans. If Kite fails, he’s out of a job.
At Misfits Music, Eric and Kite shake hands on a deal to work together, though we don’t know what the exact plan is just yet. Pizzazz runs in as the deal closes and is screaming at the top of her lungs. Eric tries to calm her down and explains everything is under control, now that a plan has been formulated with Kite and KBST. Kite explains that the Misfits are going to play their own live concert, directly opposite the opening KJEM broadcast on a pirate radio frequency (though Kite doesn’t divulge this to the Misfits).
Kite picks up the Misfits and they head to a special location to perform their concert, something he believes will keep people talking for a long time.
Live at the new KJEM studio, Mondo gives Jem and the Holograms an introduction as they go on the air for the first time.
At the secret studio location, Kite explains to the Misfits that when the lights turn green, they can begin playing. The band is hesitant and curious as to why they’re at the isolated venue, but end up complying with his request. In the booth, we see Kite setting up the equipment to try and cut into the KJEM live broadcast.
Just as Jem and the Holograms begin playing, their show is taken over by the sound of the Misfits latest hit song being played over the PA system.
Misfits music video: “Listen Up.”
Jem enters the studio to ask what is going on (we hear Misfits music playing in the background). When Jem asks if anything can be done, Elzer explains they’re only broadcasting at 1,000 watts, and whoever is jamming their signal must be operating at 10,000 watts or more. Elzer decides to call in for emergency help (the FCC).
The FCC arrives with special equipment to try and isolate the jamming signal. Meanwhile, the college students are overwhelmed by angered sponsors that want their money back because of the Misfits music that’s being played on KJEM.
Jerrica tells Rio and the FCC that she’s going to try and figure out who’s behind the sabotage. We see Jerrica get in the Rockin’ Roadster and drive to Misfits Music.
Jerrica barges into Eric Raymond’s office and demands to know who’s jamming KJEM’s signal, but Eric seems just as clueless as Jerrica and explains the Misfits were supposed to be on KBST (since he made a deal with Kite). After explaining the situation, Jem tells Eric that even he is not dumb enough involve himself with a pirate radio station broadcast, and so she drags him out of the office to pay a visit to Adrian Lassiter at KBST.
Jerrica and Eric confront Adrian about being responsible for the pirate radio broadcast, but he denies any involvement with the ploy, and proves they have no evidence since Kite never mentioned KBST was responsible. Even so, Jem vows to take him down and Adrian says he looks forward to being her enemy.
The FCC is having a hard time finding the source signal. It’s almost as if the signal is coming out of thin air, which triggers Rio to mention McDuffy’s plane, which has been flying overhead all day. Elzer suggests the plane’s engine could be supplying the necessary power for the pirate radio signal, so Rio runs off to put a stop to it. Jem and the Holograms are concerned and head to the airport to try and stop Rio, which tries to take down McDuffy by flying on a head-on collision course. McDuffy lands the plane and the police are waiting to arrest the Misfits. This is the first time we’ve seen the Misfits arrested for their illegal attempts at sabotaging Jem and the Holograms! The Misfits claim innocence that they didn’t realize they were taking part in a pirate radio broadcast. Jerrica feels bad for them as technically they are innocent, for once. Rio offers to help get them out of jail, but not until the next day.
We wrap with KJEM resuming its regular programming as Mondo makes the announcement.
Jem and the Holograms Music video: “KJEM.”
Duration: 1:00:10
Present: Alex Knight, K. Tempest Bradford.
Episode Links- S2E15: “KJEM”
- “When It’s Only Me And The Music”
- “Listen Up”
- “KJEM”
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Download: JEMcast – Episode S2E15: “KJEM”