David Cassidy on the Web
'Ruby and the Rockits'
Alexa Vega brings a bit of the 50s back in 'Ruby and the Rockits'
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
By David Hinckley
www.nydailynews.com
Ruby (Alexa Vega), is the teen daughter of faded rock star David Gallagher (David Cassidy) on 'Ruby and the Rockits.'
If the signal of a '50s sitcom had gotten lost in space and bounced around for a half-century before returning to Earth, it might look like "Ruby and the Rockits."
Which isn't totally a bad thing.
The main differences are that along the way it picked up a little infusion from "High School Musical," and its nuclear family isn't entirely traditional.
The title character, Ruby (Alexa Vega), is the teen daughter of faded rock star David Gallagher (David Cassidy). As soon as Ruby - who never knew her father - finds this out, she buys a one-way ticket to live with him.
Realizing his on-the-road lifestyle isn't ideal for a high school student, David immediately tries to hand her off to his brother, Patrick (Patrick Cassidy). Patrick, who does have a classic nuclear family, runs a car dealership, is married to the loving Audie (Katie Amanda Keane) and has two sons. While they're wise guys, they're also as wholesome as Wally and Beaver Cleaver.
The catch is that back in the 1980s, David and Patrick were a hot pop band called the Rockits. They split up and have spent 20 years sniping at each other, and oh yes, Patrick secretly wishes he were still a rocker.
ow Ruby thinks it would be the cool if the Rockits got back together. Did we mention she's a singer, too?
If you think you see where all this is going, you do. You always saw where '50s sitcoms were going. The point was the ride.
"Ruby and the Rockits" serves up an endless stream of jokes about the rock star life and their self-absorption, yet keeps it all remarkably clean and wholesome. Thanks, ABC Family.
What makes it all work is the good time the Cassidys, especially David, are having in these roles. In the end it's contagious. Shakespeare, no, but clever enough to be good 'tween fun.
