S Club 7 in Miami (1999–2000)
"The A-Teens" Meet "Hangtime"
13 August 2005
If you are reading this and wondering what the heck a "S Club 7" actually is, then you are probably a fan of either Rachel Stevens or Hannah Spearritt looking for things they did early in their careers. Rachel and Hannah appear to be the only members of the cast who have been visible in the industry since the BBC show ended and the group broke up.

I say "group" because the premise of the thing is that they are a seven member musical group-imagine "The A-Teens" playing the main characters on "Hangtime" and you will have a pretty good idea of the concept. Like "Hangtime" they placed a premium on diversity although they shot themselves in the foot by turning the black guy into a "step-and-fetch-it" caricature who is patronized by the other six members of the group.

The "Miami 7" tape opens with the group's first performance at a Florida resort. This becomes unintentionally hilarious when the owner makes them do "Tie a Yellow Ribbon" as their first song. Then they rebel and insist on doing their own songs-the producers try to dial up the contrast between the geriatric first number and the youthful zest of their natural style. Amusingly, other than exposing their abs there is almost no difference since the "S Club 7" style is just an updated version of "Tony Orlando and Dawn" Although the group actually had some hits, the BBC show just reveals their acting and performing inadequacies. The 1999 "Miami 7" episodes on the VHS tape have some historical interest because even a casual observer can see that Rachel and Hannah stand out from from the others talent-wise and charisma-wise.

A word of warning-although the VHS tape I watched was new it would not play smoothly and jammed frequently, the only tape that has ever done this in my player.
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