In the 70s we saw a series featuring a fun teacher dealing with a bunch of slackers. Well in the 80s we saw another series that was a reverse. A fun teacher dealing with ultra smart kids. That show was Head of the Class. The show was so much fun bad sadly been mostly forgot about over the years.
Warner Archive has rescued this show from home video oblivion and gave the first season a DVD release. You can read our review of that release here. But now it's time for season 2 to get it's time to shine of DVD. And I am so excited about it.
The once substitute teacher Charlie Moore (Howard Hesseman, WKRP in Cincinnati) is now a full fledged high school teacher. Assigned to the Individualized Honors Program. The I.H.P. is a group of kids are the best and brightest of New York's Fillmore High School. In Season 2 all the kids we knew from season 1 return including; Arvid (Dan Frischman), Darlene (Robin Givens), Simone (Khrystyne Haje), Alan (Tony O’Dell), Dennis (Dan Schneider), Sarah (Kimberly Russell), Janice (Tannis Vallely), Jawaharlal (Jory Husain), Eric (Brian Robbins) and Maria (Leslie Bega).
Episode Ratings:
****=Don’t Miss it!
***=Worth a look.
**=An Ok way to spend some time.
*=You haven’t missed anything.
Disc One:
1. Science Fair-Weather Friends: Sarah, Arvid, and Dennis compete, deceive and even indulge in sabotage to try and win the science fair. ****
2. The Write Stuff: Charlie encourages the class to revitalize the school's literary journal, and the class votes Simone as editor-in-chief. Unfortunately, the power this position gives Simone slightly goes to her head. ***
3. The Big Squeeze: The IHP are concerned when they learn a transfer student might join their class, making it necessary for one of them to leave. They fight over who it should be. ***
4. Child of the 60's: Dennis holds a sit-in for better cafeteria food after Charlie teaches a lesson on the rebelliousness of the '60s. ****
5. Trouble in Perfectville: The class puts out a lampoon issue of the school newspaper, but a guy threatens to get in between co-editors Darlene and Sarah. ***
6. Coach Charlie: When Dr. Samuels is ejected from the meets, he gets Mr. Moore to take his place as coach. When the team is intimidated by a losing streak, Eric tries to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem. ***
7. That'll Be the Day: The class puts on Grease, but Alan is reluctant to participate. ***
8. Poltergeist III: Janice says there is a poltergeist following her, and soon the class begins to believe her. ****
Disc Two:
9. Psyched Out at Fillmore: The class takes a standardized personality test and then worry about the results. ***
10. Revenge of the Liberal: The rest of the IHP is worried when a talk show host (Kevin McCarthy) invites Dennis and they fear how he will represent them. ***
11. Play it Again, Woody: Charlie and Arvid reflect on their love woes at a Woody Allen marathon going on at a movie theater. ***
12. Will the Real Arvid Engen Please Stand Up?: Arvid sends his penpal (Suzanne Snyder) Eric's picture. **1/2
13. On the Road Again: Darlene and Sarah buy a car; problems with Mrs. Samuels has Dr. Samuels rooming with Charlie. **1/2
14. Fatal Distraction: When Maria kisses him and Simone asks him out on the same day, Eric's imagination conjures up a Fatal Attraction-style scenario (egged on by Dennis). ***
15. Cello Fever: Janice tries to get first chair in the school orchestra. ****
16. Parent's Day: The IHP's parents come to see how the class is taught, which highlights major problems within Eric's family. ***
Disc Three:
17. Love is Debatable: Darlene pretends to like Alan to win debates. ***
18. For Better, For Worse: Ms. Meara teaches a class on marriage. Nichelle Nichols makes a special cameo appearance. ***
19. We Love You, Mrs. Russell: Maria has difficulty coping with a popular teacher (Mary Carver) who has Alzheimer's disease. ****
20. Don't Play With Matches: When Dennis matches Simone up with an awful computer date (Richard Horvitz), she can't get rid of the guy. ***
21. The 21st-Century News: Dennis sees a bleak future. ***
22. Radio Activity: Charlie tries to garner interest in the school radio station, but is met with some resistance. ****
23. I Am King: Dr. Samuels objects when moonlighting Charlie does late-night TV commercials for appliances. ***
The writing, direction and the chemistry of the actors was great in season 1 and it seemed to just get better in Season 2. As a huge fan of WKRP in Cincinnati it can be hard to see Howard Hesseman not as Dr. Johnny Fever, but he is amazing as teacher Mr. Charles Moore.
Head of the Class is a show of a different era. Yes the computers a huge, there are no cellphones and the styles are not what we in this generation are used to, but the comedy is still hilarious. There is truly no expiration date on funny.
As for the DVD release the episodes are presented in their original full screen format. The audio is presented in English 2.0 Mono Dolby Digital. The 22 episodes of season 2 are stretched across 3 DVDs. 8 episode on 2 discs and 7 on the third. I have to say I am extremely impressed with the quality of these episodes. There is no signs of pixelation, they are clear and clean and look amazing on DVD.
So if you are a fan of the 80s TV. Of if you already have season 1 of Head of the Class you really need to add this one to your collection. Head over to WBShop.com today and get your copy today.
Head of the Class Season 2 will be released on October 27th 2020.
Out of 4 TV Sets (4 being the best) Head of the Class Season 2 on DVD receives....
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