Miniseries fails to 'Rock' or 'Roll'

The uninhibited spirit of rock 'n' roll was scheduled to hit the small screen Sunday and again on Wednesday in the form of a four-hour CBS mini-series called "Shake Rattle & Roll."

Rumors of Blink 182 and Dicky Barrett cameos peaked the interest of many who consider themselves connoisseurs of the rock 'n' roll genre.

But that wild carefree aura of rock 'n' roll has been thoroughly trashed and broken down to a moronic easy listening muzak depiction of the times.

Instead of offering a version of the '50s that would somewhat realistically depict the era's exciting history, "Shake Rattle & Roll" is a boring cliche-ridden account of two teenagers trying to make a future in a changing music industry.

The series opens in a high school in the small town of Swanson Mo., where Brad Hawkins plays Tyler Hart, a young rebel discovering that he cares more about making music than having keeping his popular girlfriend.

Bonnie Sommerville plays Lyne Danner, the cute air force brat who turns Hart, the leader of his own band, the "Country Shepherds," on to "colored music." That happens to be the area in which Tyler capitalizes. Tyler and friends end up starting their own band, "The Heartaches," which eventually kicks Danner, its life-force out, to keep the label happy.

Industry issues of stardom, selling out, violence and sleeping with your manager's wife find their way into the series. All the while Manager Morris Gunn (James Coburn) pushes the band to towards stardom and makes the groups insides more rotten then they were to begin with.

The mini series doesn't even offer much when it comes to the history of rock 'n' roll. They cover the basics: Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, B.B. King and Bill Haley all influence The Heartaches in their quest for mainstream success.

Perhaps Blink 182's Tom delonge and Mark Hoppus, making a short cameo appearance, are the most interesting part of the series. Identified in the credits as "Surfer Singer #1" and "Surfer Singer #2" this is the duo's stellar acting debut. But oddly enough, the men of Blink don't get a record deal from our female lead when she makes a name for herself as a label big wig.

A few other familiar characters include Danner's parents, "Picket Fences'" Kathy Baker and "Major Dad's" Gerald McRaney .

At the tail end of the mini series, CBS offering the viewer a music video of none other than the tune "Shake Rattle & Roll," by the coolest cat on the show, the Mighty Mighty Bosstone's own Dicky Barrett.

Aside from the blatant contempt for historical accuracy and the cheese soaked acting, the worst part the whole thing is CD CBS is selling along with the mini-series. At $16.98 (plus $4.95) in shipping and handling) the CD features songs from the era the show attempts to depict, covered by Blink 182, Bob Dylan and Carole King. All those rock 'n' roll fans who are not interested in being offended at CBS's misuse of the term and the image of rock 'n' roll should tune out of CBS for this one.

11-05-99