While on Youtube I stumbled upon the pilot for a tv series based on the movie, Dirty Dancing. I was aghast while I was expecting a spin off or a rip off, but not a complete bastardization.
In this series Baby is not a Houseman but in reality the daughter of Mr Kellerman the owner of the resort. Her parents are divorced and there is no mention of a sister. The gawky sister role is fulfilled by a cousin whom Baby is forced to share a room with.
Baby comes to Kellerman's for the summer in order to reconnect with her estranged father. She asks for a job and is immediately given the job of talent coordinator. The original talent coordinator Johnny is put off by Baby's arrival and does his best to make her feel like an outcast.
Of course Baby and Johnny are attracted to one another, of course Baby defies her father and does the big dance scene thus winning his approval, and blah blah blah. The cast consisted of The Office's Melora Hardin as Baby, Mash star Mclean Stevenson playing her father, and Constance Marie played Penny.
Penny is the most irritating casting choice on the show. She goes from being a tall, blond, Caucasian to a short, brunette, Latino. They even go as far as to imply that the she is jealous of Baby and Johnny when in the film they are just close friends. Neal who was once the conceited son or grandson of Mr Kellerman turns into a sleazetastic lifeguard whom Baby's father wants her to date.
In a word the pilot is so awful you can't stand to watch it but cannot look away. I assumed it was just a pilot and was stunned to learn it had ran a whole season. For the love of God when will people realize that television shows based on movies hardly work. There are some shining gems but they are rare indeed.
