Earlier this season, Riley’s desire to become an inventor was referenced on a couple of occasions. Here, we get our first actual look at an invention in “Rock of Ages”.
We start off with an energetic performance of “Only You Know and I Know”note ; following which the kids race to the break room only to discover Riley working on an invention — specifically a time machine (Kid jokes his watch is one and notes that the time is 5:22). While the kids remain skeptical, Riley is convinced he’s on the verge of a breakthrough, and after making some final adjustments (by which time the kids have returned to the stage); he tries it out and succeeds in taking Kids Incorporated…AND everyone else in the P*lace 20 years back to 1965 (:Let’s Twist Again”).
The kids return to the break room, upon which they realize they’re in a time warp (the room was being used for storage) and that they were in 1965, a time when acts like The Beatles were big (Stacy is unfamiliar with the band from Liverpool, expressing surprise Paul McCartney was in a band prior to Wings); upon which Riley (dressed in tie-dye that would be more appropriate a few years later) attempts to repair the machine, only for the attempted repair to instead send the P*lace and everything in it 10 years further into the past in 1955; setting up “Blue Suede Shoes”. In 1955, the dressing room was the owner’s office, as Riley explains (he mentions Ike is the President; as in Dwight Eisenhower. Stacy then asks if Tina Turner is the First Lady {clearly, she’s thinking of Ike Turner}), with Renee then noting that their mom would be 5 years old at this pointnote . Ryan, meanwhile, is curious about what music in 1945 would be like. Ryan is alone in that regard, as Riley — uncertain how much more the machine can take — tries instead to see if he can get the kids back to the present, setting up “Time Warp”
Happily, everyone lands back in 1985 safe and sound; discussing what happened among themselves when Ryan wonders what it would have been like to stay in 1955. Again, the others aren’t in agreement with that sentiment. However, Riley returns announcing having made adjustments that allowed time travel into the future. The kids pass, setting up closing song “Time Machine”note .
Songs performed in this episode:
- “Only You Know and I Know” (Phil Collins cover; lead vocals by Ryan and Stacy)
- “Let’s Twist Again” (Chubby Checker cover; lead vocals by Kid)
- “Blue Suede Shoes” (Carl Perkins cover {also
recorded by Elvis Presley}; lead vocals by Stacy) - “Time Warp” (Richard O’Brien, Patricia Quinn, Nell Campbell and Charles Gray cover; lead vocals by Gloria, Stacy, Riley and Renee)note
- “Time Machine” (Barbra Streisand cover; lead vocals by Gloria)
Tropes associated with this episode:
- Bungling Inventor: One of several episodes where Riley’s attempts to become an inventor don’t exactly go according to plan.
- Imagine Spot: Setting of “Time Warp”
