Welcome to Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past!  On Mondays, I will be reviewing Hang Time, which ran on NBC from 1995 to 2000.  The entire show is currently streaming on YouTube!

Today, we finally say goodbye to Hang Time!

Episode 6.11 “High School Confidential”

(Dir by Miguel Higuera, originally aired on December 9th, 2000)

With graduation day approaching, the seniors class of Deering High is interviewed by Mary Beth and Kristy.  That’s right, it’s time for a clip show!  Interestingly, all of the clips come from seasons 5 and 6.  You would think that, after going to high school for 6 years, Julie and Mary Beth would have more memories.  No one even mentions Coach Fuller or any of the other basketball players that Julie went out with before meeting Michael.  Even for a clip show, this was a let down.

Episode 6.12 “Graduation on Three”

(Dir by Miguel Higuera, originally aired on December 16th, 2000)

It’s graduation time!  Because she’s the greatest player who has ever lived, the school officially retires Julie Connor’s number.  No one else will ever wear Number 34.  Hopefully, no one else will ever spend six years in high school as well.  Actually, if I remember correctly, Julie transferred to Deering from another school so it’s totally possible that it took Julie seven years to graduate high school.

Considering how long it took the rest of the characters to graduate high school, it’s not surprising that Kristy is the school’s valedictorian.  Kristy is especially concerned about giving a perfect graduation speech because she’s worried that she’ll never see her friends again after graduation.  I could relate to what Kristy was feeling because, when I graduated from high school, I also feared that I would never see my friends again.  Luckily, society now has Facebook so we can check in on all of our old friends from high school and discover that they’ve all become political cranks.

Kristy does eventually find the courage to give her valedictorian speech.  For some reason, Mary Beth hosts the graduation ceremony.  (Did Deering High not have a principal?)  After Coach K gets an award, Kristy gives her speech and breaks down into tears.  It was kind of sad but also pretty sweet.  Again, I could relate to how Kristy was feeling.

All that’s left is for everyone to throw their graduation caps into the air and then share one final group hug in the gym.  Awwww!

And that’s it for Hang Time!

Well, what is left to say about this show, one that I’ve spent a year reviewing?  Hang Time was a messy show, largely because the cast was constantly changing and everyone stayed in high school for way too long.  That said, the good episodes tended to be very good and the bad episodes were, for the most part, inoffensive.  The show probably should have ended when Reggie Theus left but Dick Butkus was a more than adequate replacement and, indeed, Coach K. was arguably the show’s best character during the final two seasons.  Even if the final seasons were a bit weak, Megan Parlen and Amber Barretto were a good comedic team.  The final episode ended with Kristy saying, “I’m going to miss this place,” and you know what?  So am I.

Next week: Retro Television Reviews leaves Indiana for ….. MIAMI!  Are you ready for a little Vice?