SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 26:00 Min.
This fourth-and-final season episode of Welcome Back, Kotter first aired on January 13, 1979, on ABC-TV. It also served as John Travolta’s second-to-last appearance as ‘Vinnie Barbarino.’ Due to an ongoing creative/contract dispute, star Gabe Kaplan neither appears, nor is his character’s non-presence acknowledged in this storyline. Norman Abbott directed this episode off Earl Barret & George Bloom’s script.
Juan Epstein (Hegyes) prods his best friend, Vinnie Barbarino (Travolta), into marrying his Guatemalan cousin, Angelina (Levario) into a quickie marriage/divorce to ensure her American citizenship. Television-saturated and constantly demanding, Angelina doesn’t speak English, which necessitates Epstein’s services as Vinnie’s translator. Despite Vinnie’s desire to hush the matter, word quickly circulates to ‘The Sweathogs’ (Hilton-Jacobs, Palillo, & Shortridge); his academic counselors (Strassman & White); and the entire high school student body.
Vinnie’s trepidations over marrying Angelina worsen once she makes specific (and likely expensive) demands for the wedding. ‘The Sweathogs’ further egg the situation on during a best-forgotten bachelor’s party the night before. Vinnie & Angelina’s marriage ceremony takes an unexpected swerve once her passion for singer Freddy Fender comes into play.
Cast:
Gabriel “Gabe Kotter: Gabriel “Gabe” Kaplan (credits only)
Julie Kotter: Marcia Strassman
Vinnie Barbarino: John Travolta (as special guest star)
Michael Woodman: John Sylvester White
Freddie “Boom-Boom” Washington: Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs
Arnold Horshack: Ron Palillo
Beau DeLabarre: Stephen Shortridge
Angelina: Rachel Levario
Sally: Linda McCullough
Priest: Uncredited
Marimba Player: Uncredited.
REVIEW:
Aside from ‘The Sweathogs’ not even remotely resembling teenagers, the absence of series star Gabe Kaplan is just as glaring. Still, had Kaplan appeared and pitched a few wisecracks, even his trademark quips wouldn’t have salvaged this dreck.
Despite game efforts from Robert Hegyes, John Travolta, and guest star Rachel Levario, there’s just one single LOL gag before the last commercial break. Otherwise, considering its eye-rolling premise, all viewers get is a dubious Latina immigrant stereotype and cliché-fest.
Let’s just say that “Bride and Gloom” is best left in the Late 1970’s TV rerun dustbin.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 3 Stars
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