Or at the High School Dance...

Or at the High School Dance

Episode Information

Season	Episode
1	8

Airdate

May 18, 2023

Written by

Alison Wong

Directed by

Annabel Oakes

Episode Guide

Synopsis[]

The Pink Ladies must team up with Susan to get the school dance they envisioned approved by the PTA. When nothing goes as planned, friendships are broken and secrets are revealed, leading to major consequences. Along the way, the Pink Ladies debate whether Susan, or anyone, can really change. Nancy and Cynthia are afflicted with crushes, but deal with them in very different ways.

Plot[]

Channel 8 news, led by Jim Johnson, ran a broadcast on ‘The Changing Teenager'. It highlighted the alleged effects of marijuana, bigger hair, leather jackets, and rock n' roll. They interviewed Tippy St. Clair about the upcoming rock and roll dance, a topic that horrified her. They also asked “The Pink Girls” gang and Olivia Valdovinos thought it would bring people together, and Jane Facciano noted change was good. Buddy Aldridge declined to be interviewed.

The Pink Ladies argued with the student council dance committee which consisted of Dot, Susan, Lucille, and two other girls. The Pink Ladies wanted the dance to be fun for everyone, with no dress code or expensive tickets. Lucille was sure Buddy would side with them. Jane argued he wouldn't because he was the one who got Johnny Vavoom. With Buddy absent, Susan was in charge, and she agreed with the Pink Ladies. This shocked everyone, though Susan believed their dance sounded fun. There was a problem because they had to get the dance approved by Nicholson, the boosters, and the PTA, which would never happen if it came from a girl gang. Susan offered to present it, which Olivia, Cynthia, and Nancy scoffed over.

The Pink Ladies talked about it as they ascended the staircase at Rydell High. Olivia didn't trust Susan, though Jane believed she might be changing. Olivia told the story of the scorpion and a frog, which drew comparisons to Susan being incapable of change because it's in her nature. Jane saw Buddy across the hall and dragged the Pink Ladies away. She quickly changed the topic as Susan had a point, and the girls slowly agreed. The T-Birds stumbled through the open doors as Gil told them to move their asses or they would get another tardy. Shy Guy shouted for Richie to hurry up. Jane grabbed the Pink Ladies again and dragged them away. Cynthia complained about being dragged away, so Jane explained that both Buddy and Richie asked her to the dance. They both swore they changed but she can't decide who to go with. Nancy thought they should complain because none of the other girls had dates. Jane asked Olivia for her opinion, though she merely asked if there was a third option.

Over at the Frosty Palace, Jane told Richie that she had decided to go to the dance with the Pink Ladies. It made sense since they worked so hard to get the dance together, and it was fine if he wanted to ask someone else. He was visibly disappointed and said he would catch her later. She headed into the restaurant and moments later, Gil entered and walked over to Olivia. He knocked menus out of people's hands as he walked over to her. He turned on the charm to ask her out for milkshakes Saturday before the dance. She told him bye but he followed her over to the jukebox. He asked if she would ever give him the time of day. She told him it was half past never and asked for a nickel. He looked around for one then hurried over to Hazel and Geraldine's table, where he stole the change on his way past.

Wally asked Hazel if she was too busy to go to the dance, and she realized he asked her to the dance. She apologized because she wasn't allowed to date, which was for the best. After all, she was bad at dances. He proposed an experiment where they both happened to be at the dance to see if she could have fun. She agreed with a smile. Jane told Buddy that she was going to the dance with the Pink Ladies and he morosely thanked her for letting him know. She stopped him to ask if he was okay, as he missed the student council. He overslept but promised to make sure the dance was everything she wanted it to be. She watched him walk off and Gil passed Jane on the way to Olivia, who was at the jukebox. He dropped to one knee and presented the nickel like an engagement ring. She took it without a word and he insisted they'd be good together. No girl could fire back at him like her. He thought she was funny as hell, smart as hell, and she was a knockout. He gestured up and down wildly to prove his point. But she was more than that. He's more than the dumbass lines he gave her, too. He just talked that way because he was terrified that if he told her how crazy he was about her, and she turned him down, that would be it. She looked at him, paused, then told him seven was the time of the day to meet her for the dance. She grabbed her book and scurried off as he celebrated gleefully. He picked up the rest of his change, spun, and declared his love of nickels.

Lydia walked into the Frosty Palace and Cynthia watched her until Nancy shouted if she would order something or just stare into space. She couldn't take it anymore and dragged Cynthia into the back room, past a beaming Gil. Nancy tearfully admitted she had cancer, which saddened Cynthia, who asked how long she had. Nancy corrected that it wasn't cancer cancer but was it inside her. She had a crush. Cynthia asked who it was and Nancy emerged from the back room as the Frosty Palace changed form to an old Western, and a spotlight hit Potato, which shocked Cynthia. Everyone except the two girls was frozen, which gave them the free reign of the restaurant. Nancy messed with the couples in attendance by repositioning them and swapping objects, while Cynthia found her way to a frozen, yet spotlighted, Lydia. They sang about their crushes and how they had to deal with them. They were later surrounded by the student body and took shelter in the backroom as everyone pressed against the small windows. The girls peeked outside to watch the destruction they had caused. Nancy planned to take care of it right now and walked up to Potato. She asked him to the dance and he eagerly agreed, as he would love to, but she grabbed his shirt to warn him to keep love out of it. She also told him not to wear his current outfit. Dot overheard and ran out of the diner in tears, while Potato slid into a booth with Gil to celebrate his date.

Cynthia told Shy Guy they weren't the most traditional match but they had a connection, so she asked him to the dance. He agreed and when she walked off he cheered silently and then hurried over to the T-Birds booth. Cynthia sat down at the Pink Ladies booth as Jane gleefully told the girls she turned both Richie and Buddy down so they could all go together. They broke the news to Jane that they all had dates now. Jane thought Nancy hated boys, though she told her to catch up. Cynthia smirked and slid a ketchup bottle across the table to Jane.

Outside, Richie played with his lighter in the T-Birds car when he heard someone cry. He hopped out of the car and found Dot on the curb. He asked if she was okay and she wasn't. The person that she liked was going to the dance with someone else. He knew how that one hit, and she gave him a lollipop. All her friends always got dates but she never did, which was humiliating. Richie smiled at her as they were the last two losers on the shelf.

Susan pitched the Fall dance to the PTA and the two biggest threats to Rydell - delinquency and Rock and roll. The Pink Ladies watched through the gym doors. Susan told them that the JDs who would otherwise be on the streets, would be at Rydell under supervision and Rydell's code of conduct. Jane called the strategy brilliant. Susan added that Channel 8 news would cover the dance and their report would show a great dance under excellent leadership. Nicholson liked it but Tippy spoke out. The PTA had concerns. Rock and roll led to drinking and drugs, and she spelled intercourse but no one got it. She covered Susan's ears to spell sex. Everyone gasped and Nicholson awkwardly laughed that McGee usually handled these kinds of situations, but was on vacation. A mother questioned that McGee was at a family funeral, but Nicholson called it the same results. Tippy turned to the boosters for assistance, and Dick Aldridge was on Susan's side. The dance was important to his son and he knew he'd keep a leash on the kids as president. Nicholson agreed to the dance with the PTA as chaperones. Jane burst into the room and hugged Susan gleefully while Olivia watched. Rosemary called the embrace interesting. Tippy overheard the moms call Susan bold. She saw the girl's embrace and then eyed the code of conduct.

That night, Kellie and Lucille sucked helium from the balloons, while Rosemary and a friend tried to put up a VIP section. Buddy told them to move it as the dance had to be the same for everyone. Jane entered the gym and greeted Olivia, who hung ribbons around the banisters. Susan eagerly waved from her spot by the stage, which annoyed Olivia, though Jane thought she tried to be nice it just didn't come naturally. Nancy arrived and asked the girls for their opinion on her dress, which had her face plastered on the hem, chest, purse, and back. Cynthia arrived in heels and a dress. She demanded help as she extended lipstick, and Nancy took it to help. Olivia finished setting up while Jane and Nancy left to help Cynthia. Susan walked over to Olivia to ask if she could help. Olivia said she had it but then saw Mr. Daniels across the room and instructed Susan not to mess anything up while she went to get confetti from the computer room.

Olivia and Mr. Daniels went into the classroom. She didn't show up at his office because she didn't want to be the other woman. He broke things off with Barb last night. When she didn't show up last night he realized what he wanted, and it wasn't beige Barb. He pulled her in for a kiss, but she pushed him away after a moment. She refused as she can't trust him. He insisted he had changed. He invited her to his house tonight after the dance to talk. She couldn't as she had a date. Susan walked into the room as she came to help with the confetti. Olivia left and shoved it at Susan as she walked out.

Students checked into the dance through Tippy. Wally waited for Hazel who walked in through the arch. She felt overdressed as her mom made her wear it. If this were a date, Wally would tell her she looked beautiful, but it wasn't, so he couldn't. She commented on it being so many people and he chuckled as that made it fun. They got in the check-in line when Rosemary stormed up with her friend. She wanted to tell them both that they have her total blessing. They make so much more sense, anyway. Her friend gushed that they made a cute couple and should get married. Wally and Hazel forced smiles.

In the principal's office, Dick helped Buddy get prepared. He reminded Buddy to tell the cameras who he was and that he was the president, to have the Aldridge name out there before his campaign. He asked where Buddy's arm candy was, though Jane turned him down. Dick told him not to tell Jane about the election business. He eagerly spotted the camera crew. Buddy didn't tell her, he couldn't, which Dick thought was for the best. Nicholson would never admit that he threw out Jane's votes. He urged Buddy to get himself together because he looked terrible. After Dick left, Buddy took a bottle of liquor out of his jacket and drank it. Unbeknownst to them, Richie sat on the other side of the wall and heard everything.

Shy Guy, Potato, and Gil arrived at the dance in search of their dates. Jane called out for them and, along with Nancy, presented Cynthia to the boys. Cynthia stalked over to Shy Guy, who remarked she looked different. She grabbed the corsage and stormed off. She saw Lydia and stopped, turned away, and walked in a different direction. Potato showed Nancy his suit. She mused that he managed to get the cut, color, and proportion all wrong, but she can't look away. He grinned and gave her the corsage. She swatted his hand away to take the corsage out herself. She called it stunning and they walked off. Jane greeted Gil and began to explain Olivia's absence when the girl swooped in. She apologized as she was finishing setting up. She noted that he looked very handsome and he returned the compliment, then fumbled as he meant to say beautiful. He explained his desire to repress the urge to act like a cartoon wolf. He dropped the corsage, picked it up, then presented it.

Jane found Richie in the hall. She assumed they both flew solo. Dot arrived in a black dress and greeted Richie as a stud. She fumbled with a cigarette, dropped it, then tried to recover. She called him “cowboy” and that they would rock the rodeo. She walked over to him, looped her arm through his, and told Jane “You snooze you lose”.

The Pink Ladies and T-Birds were next in line for the dance sign-in. Tippy reviewed her clipboard and refused to let them in. They made recent changes to the code of conduct, approved by the PTA earlier, and agreed that dances were a privilege and those with permanent marks on their records were not allowed to attend school functions. Olivia called it convenient and saw Susan inside. Dot pushed past and tried to bargain for her to just let Richie in as they were on a date. Tippy refused as rules were rules. Jane called it unfair as this was their dance. Olivia knew it wasn't anymore and they all walked away

Susan emerged to ask Tippy why they were headed home. Tippy pulled Susan aside to tell her their decision to not let the JDs corrupt the students with rock ‘n' roll. Susan promised that Tippy would see it was just music when Johnny Vavoom got there. He was there, hours ago, but she sent him home. He didn't meet the dress code requirements. Susan promised this dance would be fun and Tippy ruined everything. Tippy coldly said she had to act this way because he knew how corrupt her daughter was. She then repositioned Susan's neckline. Susan, tearfully, reminded Tippy that she promised they wouldn't talk about it again. Tippy didn't want to, but she needed a reminder of how fun had consequences. They were out of favors with Dr. Winston. She still thought Buddy Aldridge had a right to know. She told Susan to go back to the dance and the girl forced a smile.

Susan passed the T-Birds and Pink Ladies on the steps. Olivia scoffed as they spent hours decorating that gym. The night was still young, so Cynthia recommended the drive-in, but Jane just wanted to go home. Shy Guy didn't want to give up since the girls made this dance happen. Richie suggested they have it somewhere else, and smiled at Jane, who realized they didn't need a gym. She asked Nancy about the Frosty Palace. She initially said no as her parents closed on dance nights. She realized after obvious looks from her friends that was what made it perfect. As everyone scattered toward the gym, Gil offered his hand to Olivia and she took it giddily. Jane started to approach Richie but Dot swooped in and they walked off.

In the gym, the jazz band drearily played. Lucille and Kallie complained to Susan about the terrible music. Wally asked Hazel to dance but she declined. She asked if he had read any good books lately but he wasn't much of a reader. By the refreshment table, a drunk Buddy made a scene for the reporter. They should play this music at someone's funeral. He's Buddy Aldridge, the big bad president, and his dad is running for mayor soon. Dick confronted Buddy once the cameras were gone and realized his son was drunk. He wanted to take him home, but Buddy shoved him away.

The Pink Ladies and T-Birds snuck into the dance through a side door in the gym to pass along their message of a party at Frosty's. Nancy plucked decorations and other students followed suit. News spread quickly and Hazel told Wally it sounded fun, so they had to go in the name of science. Susan told the band to get their things as the party moved - and she needed Johnny's phone number. Olivia started to take food and the thespians helped. Tippy came inside with a huff and tried to stop the students, who ignored her. Gil asked her to hold a jello tray which allowed him and Olivia to run out. She shouted they weren't permitted, and nearly everyone vacated the gym. Tippy shouted for the camera crew to stop filming.

The party arrived at the Frosty Palace. Nancy told them not to break anything or ask her to make milkshakes because she was off the clock. Dot told her not to worry as they stopped by her house and got all the refreshments they needed. Richie opened a sack full of liquor, and the T-Birds peeked inside. She had raided her dad's liquor cabinet, which was full of 50-year-old scotch and nothing newer. Richie raised a bottle and shouted for them to get the party started. Gil poured scotch into coffee cups and then took a swig.

The party started in full swing as everyone danced. Dot danced in front of Richie before she joined the crowd. Jane shimmied up to Richie to congratulate him on having snagged the hottest girl in school. He still had his eye on someone else, but she turned him down cold. She smiled at him and Dot noticed so she grabbed Richie and pulled him away to dance. Gil and Olivia danced together and she pulled him closer with permission. Wally and Hazel danced together and she told him not to laugh at her. He insisted he wasn't and joined in on her odd dance moves.

Shy Guy and Cynthia danced clumsily and Lydia approached them. She wanted to talk with Cynthia, who insisted she was busy dancing with her boyfriend. Lydia snarked that it was good for her, but just so she knew, she couldn't pull off the look. Cynthia turned around and grabbed Shy Guy. She dragged him into the back room, pinned him against the wall, and aggressively kissed him. He broke it apart to ask what had gotten into her. It was him - she just couldn't resist him. She threw herself at him but he pried her off. He didn't want to start a fire, but she said it was too late. He removed her again and she tried to undo his belt, but he stopped her, as she didn't have to do that. Angry, Cynthia told him that a real man would like it. He looked at her hurt and left the room without another word. Cynthia leaned on the wall, breathless.

Shy Guy made his way through the crowd of dancing students. He passed Olivia, Jane, and Richie, the first of whom celebrated the party they always wanted. Jane welcomed Richie to the dance party committee, but he didn't want her to get any ideas. She flirtatiously said she already had a few. Dot shoved between them. She wanted to be honest. She got interest from other people and didn't want to feel caged. He put his hand over his heart, remarked she was breaking it, but got it. He told her to fly free. She kissed him once more for the road then gestured for Jane to go for Richie. She approached him now that he didn't have a date. He asked about Buddy, but she merely responded with, “What about Buddy?”. As they were about to kiss, Johnny Vavoom loudly entered. Dot screamed that it was Johnny from the radio, and everyone flocked to him.

The music changed to upbeat rock ‘n' roll. Cynthia tried to make her way through the rambunctious crowd which had grown aggressive. Wally asked Hazel if they should go, but she just started to have fun. Nancy remarked this was getting scary and wanted to get some of these people out of there. Hazel cut in that, if she may, they didn't have a capacity problem but a personal radius problem. People needed to dance smaller and Nancy asked how that happened. Wally told her to show the Pink Ladies how she danced, and she did. Jane gushed that she was a lifesaver. Jane adapted it quickly into the hand jive. The song worked as they took control back of the party together. Olivia joined in and danced against Gil, then Nancy on a table with a seated Potato, and Cynthia on the counter. Hazel and Jane climbed on top of the tables to show everyone the dance moves. The song spilled out into the parking lot and Johnny Vavoom joined in. Potato and Nancy danced in the middle of a circle. She ran over to the Pink Ladies to complain that Potato had her under a spell. Giddy, Olivia reminded her there was only one way to break a spell in a fairy tale. By the cars, Shy Guy saw Arthur and Floyd talk. Cynthia danced her struggles out on the hood of a car, while the students around her kept up. When the song ended, Nancy grabbed Potato and kissed him. On the hood of a car, a breathless Olivia told Gil that was fun. He asked if he could get that nickel back and she chuckled. They leaned in for a kiss when someone shouted that Susan was there.

Susan headed into the Frosty Palace in search of Jane, but the handsy students inside were no help. Olivia confronted her about not letting them into her party, so she couldn't come to theirs. Susan tried to get them in but Olivia didn't believe her. Jane wanted to hear her out. Olivia asked if she forgot this was the same girl who tried to get Richie beat up, who threw an entire party to make sure Jane wasn't elected, and who humiliated Jane at the pep rally. She was a scorpion. Susan saw Rosemary, Dot, and everyone else staring. She blurted out that at least she wasn't a homewrecker like Olivia. She saw Olivia with Mr. Daniels, but Jane butted in that it was last year. Rosemary realized that meant the rumors were true. Susan confirmed it was last year but also today, as she saw them kiss in his classroom before the dance. A hurt Gil questioned the statement, and Olivia turned to look at him. He shook his head and left. Dot pushed between them, but the girls shouted to stay out of it. Nancy suggested they go somewhere else, and Cynthia seconded they should go somewhere without a crowd. Olivia saw Buddy enter and turned back to Susan. She knew Susan thought she was superior on her high horse, but she was the one who tried to make everyone think Jane was easy when Susan was the one who put out for Buddy Aldridge. Buddy shouted that it was no one's business. Susan grabbed his hand and pulled him away.

Jane confronted Olivia as they weren't supposed to tell anyone. Olivia accused her of being on Susan's side, and Jane insisted she wasn't on anyone's side. Olivia was glad to see where she stood. Buddy saw Rosemary laugh with a guy and shoved him to stop laughing at Susan. He went to punch the guy but elbowed Dot in the nose, and the girl burst into tears. Wally didn't think they should be there, and Hazel agreed. The duo left just as Richie approached Olivia to suggest they leave. She accused him of being on Jane's side and thought he should know Jane kissed Buddy less than 24 hours after breaking up with Richie. Everyone gasped, and Jane quickly explained that it was after the election. Richie couldn't believe that Buddy kissed Jane after he stole the election. Jane questioned Buddy, who admitted he came there to tell her. His dad and Nicholson rigged the votes. He tried to stop her from walking away, but Richie stopped him. Buddy shoved him back and said to get out of his way. Richie shoved him back, and Jane tried to stop it, but Cynthia pulled her aside. Buddy came at Richie, who reared to hit Buddy and accidentally elbowed Dot in the nose again. Nancy pushed Dot out of the way, and the girl bumped into a line of students, which made people fall into each other. A student threw a bottle that hit a window and cracked it. Buddy grabbed Richie's shoulder so the boys were face-to-face. Olivia shouted for her brother, but the Pink Ladies kept her back as police sirens wailed.

Everyone spilled into the parking lot. Rosemary pulled Dot, Johnny Vavoom exclaimed he was never there, while Shy Guy and Potato ran from the entrance. Buddy and Richie, who fought, toppled through the open doors. Richie grabbed Buddy, and they grappled before they fell to the ground. The police came and pulled the boys away to arrest them. Olivia cried out for her brother again, but Cynthia held her back as the cops already had him. She yanked away and stormed back inside.

Hazel and Wally walked together as she told him about the constellations. He asked how she got into all the stars. She did it to get away from everything down here. She asked if it was strange how people were to see them together as if they belonged when they were different. He didn't think they were as he did his own thing to get away from it all. He surfed in the ocean. He got a lot of looks, but once he got far enough out, he couldn't even see them. A barbershop trio harmonized behind them. To explain his love of surfing and how their two interests weren't that different, he sang her a song about meeting in the middle, and she eventually joined in. They danced along the street with background vocalists in the downpour of an open fire hydrant, and he gave her his jacket when it began to rain. They ended their duet with a kiss.

Olivia tearfully talked on the phone. When she hung up, the Pink Ladies asked if he was okay, if her parents saw him, and if he was alright. He wasn't as he was in jail. Jane offered to go to the police station with her. Olivia called her crazy as this was all her fault, which Jane didn't think was fair. Olivia told her to shut up about things being fair. That's what got them there in the first place. If Jane would just pick a side - pick a boy. None of this would have happened. Cynthia and Nancy intervened for her to stop, to cool it, as pink ladies have to stick together, especially now. Olivia shook her head as she was done being a pink lady. She stormed out as the girls tearfully watched.

Cynthia went home in the rain where she dried off her hair. She put on Shy Guy's jacket that she still had and sat on the couch with a beer. Nancy looked around the trashed Frosty Palace. She walked behind the counter where the window was cracked and looked out. Jane walked up her front steps and saw Olivia's pink lady jacket on the bench. She picked it up and looked around for her friend. Olivia knocked on a door, and Mr. Daniels opened it. He let her inside.

Cast[]

Starring[]

Marisa Davila as Jane Facciano
Cheyenne Isabel Wells as Olivia Valdovinos
Ari Notartomaso as Cynthia Zdunowski
Tricia Fukuhara as Nancy Nakagawa
Shanel Bailey as Hazel Robertson
Johnathan Nieves as Richie Valdovinos
Jason Schmidt as Buddy Aldridge
Maxwell Whittington-Cooper as Wally Winslow
Jackie Hoffman Assistant Principal Greta McGee
Madison Thompson as Susan St. Clair

Guest Starring[]

Danny Burstein as DJ Johnny Vavoom
Nicholas McDonough as Gil Rizzo
Maximo Salas as Shy Guy
Alexis Sides as Potato
Josette Halpert as Dot
Charlotte Kavanagh as Rosemary
Niamh Wilson as Lydia
Chris McNally as Leonard Daniels
Dylan Sloane as Neil
Ty Wood as Trip
Todd Thomson as Dick Aldridge
Danny Mac as Principal Nicholson
Fiona Vroom as Tippy St. Clair
Mayumi Yoshida as Mrs. Nakagawa
Kevan Ohtsji as Mr. Nakagawa

Co-Starring[]

Benjamin Wilkinson as Jim Johnson
Emma Pedersen as Dee
Mackenzie Morrow as Lipstick Girl
Steven Huy as Greaser
Abbygale Chung as Lucille
Lola Clare as Pearl
CJ Damaso as Maria
Peter D'Souza as Tommy
Sarah Formosa as Edith
Summer Lynn Gillespie as Polly
Kallie Hu as Peg
Kenya Jordan as Virginia
Matt Kennedy as Orson
Andrew Kyrzyk as PR
Victor Lau as Floyd
Dominique Mailloux as Ellen
Ryan McEwen as Roy
Julien Naud as Arthur
Cole Neumeir as Bill
Emilee Nimetz as Alice
Sam Scherzer as Gus
Aidan Springle as Ernie
Zac Vran as Irving
Rachael Withers as Geraldine

Soundtrack[]

Title	Performer	Notes
Bye Bye Baby	Bay City Rollers	Jane told Richie her dance plans, and Gil asked Olivia to the dance.
Jump Little Children Jump	Ralph Willis	Olivia selected the song on the jukebox after Gil asked her out.
Crushing Me	Tricia Fukuhara & Ari Notartomaso	Nancy told Cynthia about her crush.
The Hand Jive	Cast ensemble (Marisa Davila & Shanel Bailey as leads)	Jane and Hazel taught the student body to "dance smaller".
Land Don't Look So Bad	Maxwell Whittington-Cooper & Shanel Bailey	Wally and Hazel sang in the rain.

Notes and Trivia[]

This episode's title is a lyric from the song "We Go Together" by Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta, performed in the 1978 film, Grease.
Dot's "greaser prom" look is a direct reference to Sandy Olsson's final look in the 1978 film, Grease. They both had curled updo hairstyles, a black outfit, bold red lip, hooped earrings, and smokey eyeshadow.