The Backyard Gang's Big Musical Movie

The Backyard Gang's Big Musical Movie is a television movie that aired on June 12, 1984.
== Synopsis ==
Follow the Totally Radical Backyard Gang as they put on a big music show!
After a fight occurs while rafting in the lagoon, the Backyard Gang decides to go camping for the night. However, Jessica ends up tying the ropes to their tents to a nearby van, which leaves in the middle of the night and takes the tents with it. Her friends blame her for what happened and exclude her from the group. Heartbroken, Jessica runs away into the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
After hearing about Jessica's disappearance, the other Backyard Gang members begin to feel guilty for what they said and decide to go find her to apologize, especially because they're scheduled to perform later that night. But when Jessica hears them calling for her, she runs off thinking they're still mad and a chase ensues around the resort. As evening approaches, Nita soon finds herself lonely, but the Backyard Gang's caretaker, Miss Holloway finds her and they talk. Miss Holloway explains to Jessica that her friends didn't really mean what they said and that they miss her. She forgives her friends and the show goes on.
Throughout history, there have been three different versions of School and the Backyard Gang. The original one from the 1960s spawned several entertainment legends and the one from the late 2000s/early 2010s gave us some of the pop and entertainment stars from the last decade.
But this episode features the forgotten version of School and the Backyard Gang, the one from the 1980s, which did not produce any big stars and only a few went on to any kind of career. In short, the 1980s version may have been the closest thing to Julie Aigner's original vision of School and the Backyard Gang when she helped create it back in the early 60s.
In this episode, the Backyard Gang begins to quarrel with each other. After that gets settled, they head to a campsite, where Jessica, feeling left out, begs to try to help in some way, but when she forgets to tie down the tent, everyone gets mad at her, and she runs away, with a performance in New Jersey coming up.
The rest of the group searches far and wide for her, but it's to no avail, as she doesn't want to be found. Finally she is found, but not by any of the Backyard Gang members, and she's told that the group's been looking for her. Then, through the magic of television, she's back with the rest of the group for the performance.
== Cast ==
* Goldie Hawn as journalist
* Kurt Russell as Mr. Osborne
== Trivia ==
* The special's release on Paramount Plus includes commercials from its original 1984 broadcast.
Category:Television specials