Favorite Shows: #5: California Dreams

[katleept]

California Dreams was a show, as is often the case with the series we enjoy, that was largely overlooked. Few people even remember it, and I think I've seen fan works by only two other members, if memory serves correctly. I've not done much for it but would love to be graced with more ideas. The problem there is that it covered so much in its little time on the air that I find it a wee bit difficult to contrive new storylines for these characters that were already handled, for the most part, quite fabulously.

Looking back, there are only two things about the whole series I would change: Jake would end up with Lorena, not Tiffany, and Sly would either stay with Tiff or with Alison, the blind girl. Now there was a character many people loved to hate, fans were supposed to dislike him, and yet who I always enjoyed. Sly had a soft spot that wasn't very often explored, but the episodes that dealt with his romances with Alison and Tif really brought him into his own as a character who was scared to show how much he truly cared.

The eps with Alison were ahead of their time for the show's targeted audience, as was a lot of their other storylines. This is the first series I can remember dealing with such modern issues, ranging from literal blind dates and characters matching up online to girls with drug problems and teenagers caught in drug wars. Engel wasn't afraid to handle the tougher issues and did so much better with California Dreams than he did with Saved by the Bell, although I did love both shows.

What really brought me into the Dreams was its music (still wish I had the soundtrack on CD) and, as is always the case with my favorite shows, the characters. Jake was a '90s Fonzie, and I can't imagine why any true Fonz fan wouldn't have loved him. Tiffany was sweet but a definite go getter (I would have continued to love her if she hadn't gone back after Jake), a good role model for girls. Sam was a Chinese character in the US, when such wasn't often done yet. She, like all of them, was a true friend, and I loved her romance with Tony.

I enjoyed Mark, too. He, at times, was my favorite male character. He, Sly, and Jake kind of swapped around rather often, but my favorite girl on the show steadfastly remained Lorena once she was introduced. I found her pretty and enjoyed her passion even then, back before I realized who and what I am. I loved her fire and absolutely adored her love for Jake and his for her. They never should have broken up. The Dreams never should have disbanded, but all great fandom things are taken from us eventually except in the world of fandom. Lorena and Jake, as are so many of other favorite couples from all walks of media, will forever live happily ever after in this fan's heart.