This article may need to be rewritten to comply with Wikipedia's quality standards.(June 2024) |
Welcome Freshmen | |
---|---|
Also known as | School Students |
Genre | Comedy |
Created by | Robert Mittenthal |
Directed by |
|
Starring |
|
Theme music composer | Peter Lauer |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 4 |
No. of episodes | 52 |
Production | |
Producers |
|
Production locations | Nickelodeon Studios, Universal Studios Orlando, Florida |
Running time | 30 minutes |
Original release | |
Network | Nickelodeon |
Release | February 16, 1991 – February 19, 1994 |
Welcome Freshmen is an American comedy series that aired on Nickelodeon from February 16, 1991, to February 19, 1994, with repeats until October 27, 1996. The show took place at Hawthorne High School with a group of high school students and a bumbling vice principal.
The earlier episodes of the series consisted of comedy sketches that loosely followed a theme, each episode had two or three short skits about the gang's misadventures in high school. Some of the comedy routines involved a tortoise named Mortise teaching children about safety, a historian named Mr. History who talks about past generations of freshmen, the bumbling, freshman-hating, vice-principal Mr. Lippman imagining himself as a stand-up comedian telling really bad old jokes that insult freshmen, and a student named Billy Cushman who, though his appearance was occasional, provided not only a good example of how not to behave but also a good example of flatulence.
In the later episodes, the sketch comedy format was abandoned, and Welcome Freshmen became a standard sitcom.
In the third season, Kevin and Alex become sophomores, Walter is held behind due to him missing summer school. Merv and Tara left Hawthorne, with Merv skipping the rest of high school and going straight to college, and Tara moving to a biosphere with her family. New characters came in: Manny, Erin and Grant, by the end of the third season, Manny left. In the series finale, Walter becomes a sophomore, as the teachers all threatened to quit if they had him another year.
The show's first television pilot was filmed in May 1990, featuring a group of local actors in the main roles, among them was future Backstreet Boys member Howie Dorough. [1] After the success of the pilot, the show was picked up, but the roles were recast, according to series creator Bob Mittenthal "Those kids did a good job, the proof is that the show was picked up as a series , but research told Nickelodeon it needed better-defined characters". [2]
According to Jocelyn Steiner, several actresses had auditioned for the role of Alex before she got cast, including Brittany Daniel who was a final contender for the role. [3]
This section needs a plot summary.(February 2021) |
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | "Express Yourself" | Scott Fishman | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | February 16, 1991 |
2 | 2 | "Extra-Curricular Activities" | Scott Fishman | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | February 23, 1991 |
3 | 3 | "Mind Games" | Scott Fishman | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | March 2, 1991 |
4 | 4 | "Knowledge is Power" | Scott Fishman | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | March 9, 1991 |
5 | 5 | "Growing Up" | Scott Fishman | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | March 16, 1991 |
6 | 6 | "Technology" | Scott Fishman | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | March 23, 1991 |
7 | 7 | "Money" | Scott Fishman | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | March 30, 1991 |
8 | 8 | "Authority" | Scott Fishman | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | April 6, 1991 |
9 | 9 | "How We Look" | Scott Fishman | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | April 13, 1991 |
10 | 10 | "Careers in the Making" | Scott Fishman | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | April 20, 1991 |
11 | 11 | "Language" | Scott Fishman | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | April 27, 1991 |
12 | 12 | "What We Eat" | Scott Fishman | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | May 4, 1991 |
13 | 13 | "Getting Even" | Scott Fishman | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | May 11, 1991 |
This section needs a plot summary.(February 2021) |
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
14 | 1 | "Friends" | Tim Hill | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | May 9, 1992 |
15 | 2 | "Conformity" | Tim Hill | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | May 16, 1992 |
16 | 3 | "Choices" | Tim Hill | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | May 23, 1992 |
17 | 4 | "Bullies" | Tim Hill | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | May 30, 1992 |
18 | 5 | "The Grass is Always Greener" | Tim Hill | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | June 6, 1992 |
19 | 6 | "Holidays" | Tim Hill | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | June 13, 1992 |
20 | 7 | "Dating" | Tim Hill | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | June 20, 1992 |
21 | 8 | "Health" | Tim Hill | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | June 27, 1992 |
22 | 9 | "Ecology" | Tim Hill | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | July 4, 1992 |
23 | 10 | "Communication" | Tim Hill | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | July 11, 1992 |
24 | 11 | "Success" | Tim Hill | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | July 18, 1992 |
25 | 12 | "Competition" | Tim Hill | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | July 25, 1992 |
26 | 13 | "Secrets" | Tim Hill | Robert Mittenthal & Tim Hill | August 1, 1992 |
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
27 | 1 | "Things Change" | Michael Berry | Tim Hill | January 2, 1993 | |
28 | 2 | "The Harvest Ball" | Michael Berry | Gena Van Winkle | January 9, 1993 | |
All look forward to the Harvest Ball. | ||||||
29 | 3 | "To Walter's Dad with Love" | Michael Berry | Michael Rubiner | January 16, 1993 | |
Lippman hires Walter's dad as a history teacher, Erin deals with other students calling her names. | ||||||
30 | 4 | "The People vs. Walter" | Ron Smith | Rob Dinsmoor | January 23, 1993 | |
Lippman's portrait is vandalized, and Walter is blamed. | ||||||
31 | 5 | "Othello the (Sopho)moor" | Ron Smith | Anne Bernstein | January 30, 1993 | |
Lippman is Iago in the school's "Othello". | ||||||
32 | 6 | "Shiny Top" | Bob Lampel | David Potorti | February 6, 1993 | |
Lippmann is taken for archcriminal Shiny Top. | ||||||
33 | 7 | "I'm Dead" | Ron Smith | Clifford Fagin | February 13, 1993 | |
A senior wants to beat up Walter. | ||||||
34 | 8 | "Manny in Love" | Bob Lampel | Veronica Alicino | February 20, 1993 | |
Manny has a crush on his baby sitter. | ||||||
35 | 9 | "Requiem for a Lightweight" | Bob Lampel | Alan Levy | February 27, 1993 | |
Erin wants to wrestle; Lippman breaks a chain letter. | ||||||
36 | 10 | "The Lippdromeda Strain" | Adam Weissman | Howard Nemetz, Simon Rakoff, Tim Hill & Michael Rubiner | July 3, 1993 | |
The kids are quarantined at school. | ||||||
37 | 11 | "Hawthorne Confidential" | Adam Weissman | Rob Dinsmoor | July 10, 1993 | |
Alex uses gossip in a journalism class documentary. | ||||||
38 | 12 | "Erin for Office" | Adam Weissman | Gena Van Winkle | July 17, 1993 | |
Erin runs for student-body president. | ||||||
39 | 13 | "Looking for Mr.Goodwrench" | TBD | TBD | 1993 | |
Walter crashes into Mr.Lippman's car. | ||||||
40 | 14 | "What Rhymes with Liar" | Helen Smith | Robert Leighton | July 31, 1993 | |
Kevin says he knows a star (Shanice Wilson). |
This section needs a plot summary.(February 2021) |
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
41 | 1 | "Math, Lies & Videotape" | Tim Hill | Michael Rubiner | 1993 | |
Erin helps Walter study; Kevin tries to cheat. | ||||||
42 | 2 | "Drawn and Quoted" | Tim Hill | Story by : Robert Leighton Teleplay by : Rob Dinsmoor | 1993 | |
Walter is a cartoonist for the school paper. | ||||||
43 | 3 | "The Genius" | Tim Hill | Story by : Robert Leighton Teleplay by : Anne Bernstein | 1993 | |
A child prodigy may attend Hawthorne. | ||||||
44 | 4 | "The Stuff" | Adam Weissman | Robert Leighton | 1993 | |
A science-class mishap results in a revolutionary glue. | ||||||
45 | 5 | "Marathon Woman" | Adam Weissman | Story by : Michael Rubiner & Jed Spingarn Teleplay by : Jed Spingarn | 1993 | |
Kevin coaxes Samantha to be his dance-marathon partner. | ||||||
46 | 6 | "Reachin' for the Stars" | Adam Weissman | Story by : Veronica Alicino & Michael Rubiner Teleplay by : Veronica Alicino | 1993 | |
Talent scouts come to Hawthorne High. | ||||||
47 | 7 | "The Courtship of Walter's Father" | Adam Weissman | Jay Martel | 1993 | |
His father falls for Walter's least-favorite teacher. | ||||||
48 | 8 | "Safety Last" | Adam Weissman | Tom Wargo | 1993 | |
Hawthorne must pass a safety inspection or close. | ||||||
49 | 9 | "Seeds of Destruction" | TBD | TBD | 1993 | |
Erin insults Mr. Lippman. | ||||||
50 | 10 | "Rainy Day Women" | TBD | TBD | 1993 | |
Walter and Kevin vie for a girl's attention. | ||||||
51 | 11 | "Getting What You Want" | Adam Weissman | Tim Hill | 1993 | |
Mr. Lippman's philosophy: karma by points. | ||||||
52 | 12 | "Year's End" | Adam Weissman | Tim Hill | 1993 | |
The gang make their plans for summer as the academic year draws to a close. |
Clarissa Explains It All is an American teen sitcom created by Mitchell Kriegman for Nickelodeon. In the series, Clarissa Darling is a teenager who addresses the audience directly to explain the things that are happening in her life, dealing with typical adolescent concerns such as school, boys, pimples, wearing her first training bra, and an annoying younger brother.
As Told by Ginger is an American animated preteen drama television series, produced by Klasky Csupo, and aired on Nickelodeon. The series focuses on a junior high school girl named Ginger Foutley who, with her friends, tries to become more than a social geek. The series first aired on Nickelodeon on October 25, 2000.
Lean on Me is a 1989 American biographical drama film directed by John G. Avildsen, written by Michael Schiffer, and starring Morgan Freeman. It is based on the story of Joe Louis Clark, a real life inner city high school principal in Paterson, New Jersey, whose school is in danger of being placed into receivership of the New Jersey state government unless students improve their test scores on the New Jersey Minimum Basic Skills Test. This film's title refers to the 1972 Bill Withers song of the same name, which is used in the film.
Hillcrest High School is a four-year public high school in Jamaica Hills, Queens, New York City. The school is operated by the New York City Department of Education.
Fordham Preparatory School is an American, independent, Jesuit, boys' college-preparatory school located on the Rose Hill campus of Fordham University in the Bronx, a borough of New York City. From its founding in 1841 until 1970, the school was under the direction of the university. In 1970, it separated from the university, establishing itself as an independent preparatory school with its own administration, endowment, and Board of Trustees.
Naturally, Sadie is a Canadian teen comedy drama that ran for three seasons from June 24, 2005 to August 26, 2007 on Family Channel. The series was produced by Decode Entertainment. It was created by Barbara Wiechmann, and developed by Suzanne Bolch and John May.
Dutchtown High School is a 5A school that was completed in 2003 in Geismar, an unincorporated area of Ascension Parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is within the Ascension Parish School Board. Dutchtown Middle and Bluff Middle Schools feed into Dutchtown High. The architecture is based on that of the old Dutchtown High, which was situated across the highway at the current Dutchtown Middle School.
Pasadena Memorial High School (PMHS) is a secondary school located in Pasadena, Texas.
Central Catholic High School is a college prep school located in Portland, Oregon, United States. Central Catholic is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, and is the only archdiocesan high school in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland.
The Rochester City School District is a public school district that serves approximately 24,900 students in the city of Rochester, New York. It is currently operating with a budget of $983 million, which comes out to approximately $39,500 per student. This is, according to Census Bureau data, $14,000 more than the New York State average of $25,500 per student, and two and a half times the national average of $14,500 per student.
The Magic School Bus is an animated educational children's television series, based on the book series of the same name by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen. Originally broadcast from 1994 to 1997, the series received critical acclaim for its use of celebrity voice talent, as well as combining entertainment with an educational series. The series stars Lily Tomlin as the voice of Ms. Frizzle. The theme song is performed by Little Richard.
Kids in America is a 2005 American comedy film written and directed by Josh Stolberg. The film is inspired by real events.
Adam Weissman is an American television director. He is known for his work directing comedy series for Nickelodeon and Disney Channel, including Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, Drake & Josh, Zoey 101, iCarly, Hannah Montana, True Jackson, VP, Good Luck Charlie, Victorious, I'm in the Band, A.N.T. Farm, Austin & Ally, Liv and Maddie, Game Shakers, Bizaardvark, Henry Danger, Danger Force, Cousins for Life, Side Hustle, The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder, and Erin & Aaron.
The 14th Youth in Film Awards ceremony, presented by the Youth in Film Association, honored outstanding youth performers under the age of 21 in the fields of film, television, theater and music for the 1991-1992 season, and took place on January 16, 1993, at the Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City, California.
Monster High: Boo York, Boo York is a 2015 animated musical adventure fantasy children's film released on home video on September 29 and broadcast on Nickelodeon as a television special on October 25.
I Am Frankie is an American drama television series based on a story created by Marcela Citterio that aired on Nickelodeon from September 4, 2017 to October 4, 2018. Based on Yo Soy Franky, the series focuses on Alex Hook in the titular role of Frankie Gaines, an android who is attempting to pass herself off as a normal teenage girl.