This week I had the distinct displeasure of watching Dreams, a 1984 CBS sitcom that starred John Stamos as a working-class guy from Philly who aspires to musical stardom with his band (also called Dreams). The pilot begins with a dream sequence: Stamos’s Dino envisions playing a massive concert in which the crowd suddenly parts and an enigmatic blonde emerges, siren-like. Then his alarm goes off and he heads to work as a welder alongside his roommate and Dreams’ bassist, played by Cain Devore. To be honest, the content doesn’t matter much. Most episodes feature little conflict and the musical performances are the best part. The whole thing could’ve been a music video. But this little-known show that’s otherwise a footnote in TV history had a real effect on 80s and 90s pop culture.
If the concept of “young working-class people aspire to fulfill a performing arts dream” sounds familiar, that’s because producer Jon Peters essentially took the skeleton of Flashdance and applied it to the small screen (yes, that Jon Peters). Though it ran from October to December, only 5 episodes actually aired in the United States. In a surprise to no one familiar with his whole deal, Peters had a serious blowup with the network execs and they pulled Dreams from the schedule despite strong ratings and a 9-song soundtrack that had begun receiving radio play.
Its unceremonious cancelation freed up Stamos to co-star in Full House on ABC beginning in 1987. But its biggest influence on culture would be, fittingly, in the realm of music. The fictional Dreams covered “Alone”, written by the very real songwriting duo of Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly. They’d originally recorded the song as i-Ten on Taking a Cold Look, the group’s sole studio album. When Heart covered “Alone” on 1987’s Bad Animals, their version soared to the top of the charts — and for good reason. It’s an indisputable jam.
“Alone” became Heart’s only number-one hit besides “These Dreams.” And that’s how you can connect a failed Jon Peters project to Heart’s most successful single.
Dreams is viewable on YouTube in addition to a documentary that answers the questions I assume you have about the production. RIP Valerie Stevenson.
Recommendations
Well, I finally sobbed through the viral Alex Tizon story about his family’s enslavement of Eudocia Tomas Pulido, a.k.a. Lola. Phew. Set aside some time and some tissues for this one.
If there’s any way you possibly can, see the Parade revival before it closes on Broadway August 6th — cause folks, I don’t know if we’ll get another one! The score’s genuinely great and it was thrilling to see songs I’d loved since high school performed live but I understand people’s issues with the show. It’s polarizing — and hard to explain. “It’s about an anti-Semitic lynching in 1910s Georgia…but the music’s amazing!” TW: Ben Platt
Watch The Righteous Gemstones season 3, baby!!!
Shameless Self-Promotion
I have stand up shows in Bed Stuy, Bushwick, Astoria and the Lower East Side coming up, besides my weekly show at The Graham in East Williamsburg. The easiest way to keep up with my dates is on Instagram @pamnotanderson.
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Ta-ta for now!