Hannah Montana wasn’t that original. A female who changes her hair to be a singing superstar while maintaining her normal identity was already the basis of a cartoon in 1985. Jem and the Holograms was an animated musical sensation and a hot selling doll. The syndicated show was the reason why elementary school girls raced to get home. Jem was like Barbie if she had a personality and enemies. Skipper wasn’t sworn to crush Barbie’s Malibu Dreamhouse and steal Ken. Girls of that age were learning that it’s a struggle to maintain love and a career when there’s so many jealous backbiters in the world. They needed to view the harsh truth before hitting sixth grade. Jem and the Holograms: The Truly Outrageous Complete Series! packs all three season inside one boxset.
Jerrica Benton’s life changes when he father dies. He leaves her half of his Starlight Records and control of a house for foster children. Jerrica focuses on the needy kids, but notices they need more money. The record company was the big patron of the place, but it’s cut back in funding. The label’s head, Eric Raymond, needs all the cash to launch the Misfits onto the world. Jerrica doesn’t like the female trio that have an edgy punk vibe to them. The Misfits might bankrupt the label. What will she do to help the foster children and save Starlight records? Dad might be dead, but he left his genius inside the Synergy computer. The machine has the ability to project holograms around people. With a pair of special earrings, the computer transforms the already good looking Jerrica into the outrageously beautiful Jem. She uses this technology to alter three of her friends into a backing band. Thus Jem and the Holograms head off to a Battle of the Bands with the Misfits. The winner gets the big record contract. Trouble is the contest is fixed so the Misfits will win. Even when Jem gets the crowd on her side, Raymond doesn’t want to dump his favorite group. He’ll do anything to mess things up including hiring a goon that burns down the foster home. He can’t be happy promoting both bands.
What’s amazing is how this series doesn’t glamorize the music business. It’s back biting and ruthless. Barely anyone is in it for the joy of music. They all crave the money and the power except for Jem. She can’t be allowed to be happy and focus on her art. Eric Raymond wastes most of her time trying to expose the truth about Jem and take complete control of Starlight Records. This honest view of inner turmoil is refreshing in a kid’s show. These are the attitudes that helped kill the major record labels. The second season starts with the drummer splitting form the line up to pursue her career in fashions. They have a national talent search for a replacement. This predicts the show that found a new singer for INXS. A later episode has members of Jem and the Misfits get fed up with the fighting and form their own band. That’s how Blind Faith was formed. There are nonsense moments too like the time Jem rebuilds a wrecked race car so she can compete in the Indy 500. The final season marks the arrival of a third band to cause more chaos. The Stingers are fronted by the hunky Riot. He’s got severe ‘80s hair. The only way he’ll sign with Jem’s label is that she break up with her clueless boyfriend Rio. What’s curious is that Rio also dates Jerrica. At what point does this guy not notice his two ladies kiss alike? The final episode feels like a finale without giving away all the secrets.
Jem and the Holograms mixes the soap opera elements with snazzy MTV-esque songs. The show still appeals to young girls. While we’re supposed to favor Jem’s band, the music of the Misfits sounds even better today. They’re so edgy and raw unlike the polish pop of Jem. Shame they had to be viewed as so evil. Even after all these episodes, there is a lingering question. Did the IRS know that Jem and Jerrica were the same person? How did the record label pay her if she didn’t produce a social security number on her tax info? Jem and the Holograms works better as a secret identity female singer show than Hannah Montana since Jerrica didn’t revive the career of Billy Ray Cyrus.
The video is 1.33:1 full frame. The animation looks rather clean. You get all the details of ‘80s outrageous fashion with jagged shapes and blaring colors. The audio is Dolby Digital Stereo. It’s a simple mix that plays more to the musical moments. You’ll want to crank up the volume to blast all the hits.
For Jem and the Holograms’ encore, after having its first two seasons released back in 2004 and only part of season three, Shout! Factory loads the complete series with truly outrageous extras.
Video Jukebox is featured on every DVD so you can just watch the musical numbers of the episodes.
Showtime, Synergy! The Truly Outrageous Creation of an ‘80s Icon (48:28) goes from how Hasbro wanted a rock ‘n roll girl doll. Christy Marx explains how she took an upcoming toyline and turned them into a series. Marx had worked on G.I. Joe. She had never seen the dolls during preproduction.
Glamour and Glitter: Cast Members Look Back at Jem and the Holograms (24:06) lets you see the faces behind the voices.
Jem Girls( and Boys!) Remember: The Fans of Jem and the Holograms (27:19) let you meet the people obsessed with the show. It’s a testimony that these girls think Jem was cooler than Thundercats. One fan brings up her issues with the face that Jerrica didn’t have an issue with her boyfriend Rio lusting for Jem.
Original Commercials (5:40) has 11 of the ads for the dolls and other show related toys. These were some big hair wearing dolls. This bonus feature makes the boxset sparkle. One ad has The Misfits playing “Welcome to the Jungle.” Is this where Axl got his inspiration? Or was Slash the Jem Boy?
Animated Storyboards (4:03) are five scenes including an early attempt at the opening titles and three music videos.
DVD-ROM allows you to copies of the Writer’s Bible, Jem Catalogs, the Licensing book and Rock Rap magazine.
Jem and the Holograms: The Truly Outrageous Complete Series! is the perfect gift to get any woman in her 30s who thinks she’s truly outrageous. The show maintains it’s quirky weirdness a record label owner becoming a superstar with her hologram disguise. She didn’t use the Synergy computer for Autotune so she’s more talented than today’s stars.
Shout! Factory presents Jem and the Holograms: The Truly Outrageous Complete Series! Starring: Samantha Newark, Britta Phillips, Kath Soucie and Neil Ross. Boxset Contents: 65 Episodes on 11 DVDs. Released on DVD: October 11, 2011. Available at Amazon.com.
