American Dreams

- Season 1

(2002)

Meg Pryor's lifelong dream is to dance on the iconic 1960s television series, Bandstand (1952), and along with her adventurous confidante, Roxanne Bojarski, the 15-year-old's persistence pays off when they find themselves on camera, dancing amongst a variety of teen idols. While his younger sister realizes her dreams, J.J. Pryor, questions his own childhood ambitions as he struggles to decide between striving for a Notre Dame football scholarship and making a life-altering change. Family patriarch Jack Pryor, concerned with his children's defiant behavior as well as with his wife ...

The Pryors try to deal with the Kennedy assassination. Meg deals with making the cut for Bandstand (1952) and Roxanne being jealous about it.

Sam deals with the negative reaction by East Catholic's track team. Helen has to make time for school and home. Meg handles Teresa McManus' jealousy and rumors about she and Jimmy Riley being more than dance partners on _"Bandstand" (1952)

Meg has her date with Jimmy Riley that includes going to the cinema and ends with Sam having to walk her home. J.J. gets two left feet as he takes Beth to a college mixer.

J.J.'s wild night with Tommy DeFelice prevents him from meeting a Notre Dame recruiter and Jack is furious with him. Helen deals with the prospects of birth control and Meg has to accept that Jimmy only likes her as a friend.

Meg appears in the Bandstand (1952) magazine and uses her new fame to get Jay of Jay and the Americans for a party. Jack relives his World War II experiences with his old Navy buddies.

Meg is angry to hear Luke, the new record shop employee, criticising the music that she is about to buy. Elsewhere, a sudden cancellation of his deal to supply a hotel with all of their new TVs, forces Jack to examine his family's financial outlook and question his own business philosophy. Sam, who is still adapting to life at East Catholic High school, deals with a prank that goes too far while J.J. looks on, unable or unwilling to intervene.

While preparing for the city championships, J.J. discovers some of Philadelphia's police officers have offered his teammates money to throw the game (although Tommy denies it at first), forcing him to question their integrity, as well as that of his police officer uncle Pete, who stops by the house for a sudden strategy session. Meanwhile, Meg, who shows signs of affection for Luke, a record store clerk at the Vinyl Crocodile and Patty's new piano teacher, is upset with Roxanne's sudden interest in him.

As the Christmas season takes place, Meg decides to spend more time with Luke, venturing to the rough streets of North Philly (with Roxanne) to hear him play with a local Church choir. Meanwhile, J.J. catches the eye of a slightly older and more experienced country club employee and sneaks out of the house, just as Meg is sneaking in. Catching on to both of his older children's escapades, Jack implores a slightly uneven standard of discipline, by grounding Meg, but saying virtually nothing to J.J., upsetting the family's growing feminist Helen.

With Christmas a day away, Meg and her dance partner Jimmy Riley are voted one of Bandstand (1952)'s favourite couples landing them a date under the mistletoe for their first kiss, which hurts her budding relationship with Luke. Meanwhile, J.J. receives an early Christmas present with his acceptance into the University of Notre Dame, which prompts him to reconsider his break-up with longtime girlfriend, Beth. Elsewhere, Jack's military expertise is called upon when a local boy serving in Vietnam goes missing and Henry looks for a raise during the store's holiday rush.

Beatlemania has taken over the Pryor house, as well as the rest of the country. JJ gets word that, although he was accepted into Notre Dame, he was denied the football scholarship. Jack seeks financial help from his distant older brother Pete, despite Helen's concerns. Meanwhile, Meg tries to classify her relationship with Luke by taking him on Bandstand.

Meg gets two Cs on her report card and Helen, more concerned about it than Jack is, thinks it would be a good idea for Meg to accompany her to her Temple class. Meg dislikes the idea, but not as much as she dislikes the fact that Luke agrees with her mother. Roxanne is also at odds with her mother, so she stays with the Pryors. Meanwhile, Beth notices J.J. talking to Colleen and Jack hires Henry's nephew, Nathan; and it seems that there's a bullying problem in Will's third-grade class.

In the aftermath of his confession to Beth, J.J. struggles to put their relationship back together again, but quickly realizes that it might be too little too late. Elsewhere, Meg strikes up a musical friendship with Sam as they decide to save money by sharing records - causing problems with J.J. who quickly reminds his sister about the trouble that she faced after her previous interactions with Sam.

Preparing for the East Catholic High School Valentine's Day dance, Meg tries to convince her boyfriend Luke of the importance of the holiday, while Roxanne waits for a brave boy to ask her to the dance. Meanwhile, a health scare sends Jack to the hospital and J.J. searches for forgiveness from Beth. Elsewhere, Patty braces for her own Valentine's Day festivities as she makes arrangements for her first coed party.

In the first track meet of the season, J.J. and Sam square off to determine who will race one of the fastest runners in the city, creating a newfound relationship between this unlikely pair. Meanwhile, after their break-up, Meg and Luke try to figure out exactly what to call their relationship with the help of their confidants Roxanne and record store owner Mr. Greenwood. Elsewhere, Helen's classmates lead her to believe that Professor Witt has a crush on her.

Helping a classmate recover after the sudden loss of her unborn child, Helen is caught off-guard when she learns the truth behind the woman's loss, forcing her to wrestle with her own feelings. Elsewhere, Henry is prompted by Nathan's comments about his future as he presents Jack with a new business endeavor. Meanwhile, Meg helps a friend in love when she agrees to question Bandstand (1952) producer Michael Brooks about his feelings for Roxanne. A competitive J.J. attempts to step up track abilities in order to catch his new rival Sam.

Celebrating a Pryor family tradition, Jack and Uncle Pete make their annual trip to the cemetery to tend to their father's grave, only to be joined by an unexpected visitor: their elder brother Ted. After impressing him with her musical knowledge, Bandstand (1952) producer Michael Brooks asks Meg to help him put together an upcoming special. However, when she is drafted as part of the cemetery expedition, Meg asks Roxanne to fill in, offering her best friend a chance to spend time with her latest crush.

Making an appearance to sign autographs at the Vinyl Crocodile, Meg struggles with her lingering feelings for her ex-boyfriend Luke and her rekindled interest in Bandstand (1952) partner Jimmy Riley. Meanwhile, Jack moves forward with Henry's suggestion as he investigates the possibility of opening a second store. Prompted by interest from his brother Ted, he decides to make this a family venture enlisting the help of younger brother Pete, thus leaving Henry out of the deal. Elsewhere, J.J. pushes Sam to forget about his accident and run his best for the rest of the year.

In the midst of a special memory lane Bandstand (1952), Meg copes with a hostile Bobby Darin, while attempting to help roving columnist Roxanne land an interview with the hit singer. In the midst of the chaos, Jimmy Riley surprises his dance partner when he shares the big news that he joined the marines. Elsewhere, Jack, Henry, Nathan and Pete spend a rainy day playing an allegedly friendly game of poker. Helen receives a friendly ride home from her professor while J.J. spends a rainy afternoon drowning his sorrows in beer.

As Meg's recently rekindled romance with Luke begins to heat up, she grows concerned over his level of "experience" in matters of love. Prompted by some sagely wisdom from Roxanne, she attempts to broaden her sex appeal with shocking results. Elsewhere, Jack decides to rethink Nathan's employment status after learning of Helen's brush with danger, and his involvement in her defense during the recent voter registration drive. Meanwhile, J.J. reignites his romance with Colleen as he prepares to celebrate his 18th birthday and Helen agonizes over her own secret from that...

Meg and Roxanne are chosen for East Catholic's Prom Committee. Their assignment: get "cool" seniors onto the Bandstand (1952) set so they can take candid photos known as "senior snaps." Success, Roxanne gushes, will make them "the coolest sophomores in history." But they don't have permission from Bandstand (1952) to do it. Meanwhile, Will's Soap Box Derby is coming up, but he's afraid of the hills, and J.J.'s afraid of testing his newly healed leg; Patty has joined the Robins, and is very competitive about earning badges. Jack hires Sam to do a job at the Girard Avenue store.

J.J.'s senior prom is coming up but he's not going because Colleen has made him another offer. Then he hears from Beth. In other prom-related doings, Meg's new friend Carol invites her - but not Roxanne - to a pre-prom sleep-over at her house. Meanwhile, Patty's afraid that no one likes her (there's some reason for this: she has a reputation as being a "know-it-all"). Nathan puts Henry in another delicate situation at the Girard Avenue store. Jack runs into Professor Witt near the store and senses that there might be something between him and Helen.

June 19, 1964: Jim Bunning's on the mound for the Phillies and the Pryors have just begun their annual Wildwood vacation. Roxanne isn't with them because she's still mad at a still-distressed Meg. However, her rich new friend Carol has invited her to her beach club at "the Crest." And Meg returns the favour, getting Carol and her friends into a Bandstand (1952) beach "hop" featuring the Kinks. Meanwhile, Helen finally tells Jack about Professor Witt's advance. Back in town, J.J.'s at home---with Beth while Henry's minding the North Philly store. The neighborhood is steaming and the ...

J.J., tender ankle and all, arrives at Lehigh to begin football practice. And Roxanne, who's still on the outs with Meg, meets someone she has been on the outs with for eight years: her father. Meanwhile, Meg gets her learner's permit and wants Luke to teach her to drive. The Girard Avenue store is about to open, but the timing could be better: riots in Harlem have prompted the Philadelphia police to consider a curfew for North Philly.

In the season finale, racial tensions begin to flare in North Philly sparking a massive riot, while an oblivious Meg makes final preparations for her sweet sixteen birthday party. Unaware of the violent situation building around her, Meg attempts to save her friendship with Sam, visiting him at the new store, and finds herself in the middle of the urban chaos. Elsewhere, an angry Nathan who helped incite the violence, urges the enraged rioters forward, while Pete and the rest of Philadelphia's finest race to quell the disturbance. Meanwhile, a defeated J.J. returns ...