Some 13 years after School of Rock (2003), a teencom version premiered on Nickelodeon: School of Rock (2016-2018), with Tony Cavalero playing Dewey, a failed musician turned middle school teacher with a special interest in winning the "Battle of the Bands."
In 2016 Nickelodeon was still promoting the "all kids are heterosexual" myth, so I doubt that there is any LGBTQ representation. But I'll review Episode 1.7, where Dewey dresses in drag as a scary Goth lady. .
Scene 1: Four kids and Dewey performing, while the others in the classroom watch -- from behind them? Dewey explains that rock is about showmanship more than music: strut your stuff! Freddie (Ricardo Hurtado, top photo) does a guitar zing. Lawrence (Aidan Miner, below) demonstrates that he can play the keyboard with his butt, so Dewey calls him "Lawrence von Butthoven." Emphasizing one's butt is a queer code. Summer (Jade Pettyjohn, who will befriend Kelvin and Keefe in RG Season 1) has her face painted onto her tambourine. Lead singer Tomika is hiding.
Dewey demonstrates the signature moves of Mick Jagger and Miley Cyrus (a rock musician?). Zack (Lance Lim, not the naked guy) asks him not to twerk. It would be too erotic for middle school, anyway, but interesting that the boy emphasizes that he definitely doesn't want to see a man being erotic. He's apparently got a problem with gay men.
Scene 2: Dewey wants to know why Tomika was hiding during practice: she's embarrassed by the funny faces she makes while performing. He points out that her favorite singer, Demi Lovato, is shy in real life, but when she goes on stage, she becomes a confident rocker (these guys have a different definition of "rock").
To boost her confidence, Dewey claims that he knows Lovato and will call and tell her all about Tomika. Whoops, he's doesn't even know who Demi Lovato is! He's in trouble now!
Scene 3: Zack and Freddie ooze with horniness over Tomika's new style. Lawrence thinks they're talking about him (gay joke, har har): "Thanks. I went with my Superman underwear today."
"We can't actually see your underwear." Would things be different if you could see it, guys?
Scene 4: Dewey teaches science, too. The textbook says that he was wrong: lightning is not caused by two angels having a fistfight. I'm sure he was joking. After five seconds of science, they scoot the desks aside and start practicing. The newly confident Tomika wants them to play Demi Lovato's "Heart Attack."
Lawrence asks if it's cool for dudes to like Lovato (that is, does liking Lovato mean that you're gay?). They assure him that it's fine (e.g., heterosexual).
Tomika tells the band that Dewey and Lovato are besties, and hang out together all the time. "Sure, when she's in town," Dewey says, hoping that she's far away. Of course, she happens to be in town, playing the Texas Memorial. This show is set in Texas? Ugh, I spent the worst year of my life in Hell-for-Certain, Texas. That's enough to get a F grade.
The band pleads with Dewey to get Lovato to listen to them play. Like, sure, even if they were friends, the big star wouldn't want to spend her time off reviewing a middle school band. She'd want to see the sights, if there are any in...ugh, Texas.
Scene 5: Dewey at Lovato's hotel, trying to bribe the desk clerk with "a prescription for fungal medicine." Lawrence happens to be staying there; he's on his way to a couple's massage -- with his Mom. "Gay men are all in love with their mother." Rather a homophobic queer code, but I'll take it.
Scene 6: Tomika has turned aggressive and demanding: they've practiced the song 15 times, but it's still not good enough. Plus their outfits and props look like they belong in a middle school. Well, to be fair, Lawrence doesn't actually play his keyboard. He just mashes his hands down on several keys at once.
They try it with disco ball motorcycle helmets, Tomika emerging from a barrel of ink, and a wind machine that destroys everything. Instantaneous props! I'm in a 1950s sitcom. Tomika screams that they're not worthy of her great song.
More after the jump break