I’ll be honest.  I’m never been a big fan of NRDD.  I know, for sure, that I’m not their target audience, but then again, I’m not sure pre-teens and tweens would think the show is funny either.  So I sat down to watch NRDD Go Hollywood with much trepidation.  Boy was I wrong.

The one hour episode starts with the quads rueing the possibility of another Harper family camping trip.  Coincidentally, the quads see a commercial for the Ultimate Hollywood vacation.  Surprise, surprise, they win the trip. So far, standard sitcom fare.

Upon their arrival in Los Angeles, the Harpers soon discover that their luggage has been lost and Dawn’s backpack has been switched with someone else’s.  Surprise.  And double surprise, the Harper parents wallet and purse were in the backpack. No more, no clothes in LA!  I groaned when this episode appeared to be one of the famous “we’re on a trip and we get mixed up with criminals” epsiodes.  Not very original.

The quest for Dawn’s backpack takes the Harpers to the Magic Castle, to a back alley where they do battle with a thug named Gayle (Mickey from Seinfeld), to Paramount Studios (special props for the evil Jack Griffo and the cooking competition), and up to the Hollywood sign.  Each quad gets their Hollywood dream met: Ricky gets to perform at the Magic Castle, Nicky gets to cook with Alex Guarnaschelli, Dawn gets her photo in front of the Hollywood sign and Dicky gets to walk the red carpet and meet his idol, Jett Masterson.

The episode is predictable up until the end – when the Harpers arrive by balloon at a red carpet premiere (there’s a really nice use of Paramount Studios here – including the front gate, the backlot and the Paramount theatre).  The premiere is of “Ultimate Family Vacation” starring the Harpers.  The entire movie is the story of the Harpers time in Los Angeles, i.e., the Ultimate Family Vacation.  Its a nice spin on the usual family vacation movie.

Of course, many parts of the film require you the viewer to suspend belief or are wholly coincidental  but thats par for the course for a Nick program.  I’m ok with that.

Line of the episode: “Look, a real, live Thunderman!”  Tourist: “Dr. Colosso?”