EpisodeGuide

Hamilton: "It's so Hardy Boys" Jake: "Yeah, meets Nancy Drew"

Blue blood meets blue collar in "Young Americans," a drama series starring an exciting cast of newcomers premiering this summer on the WB.

Set at a boarding school in a small New England town, the series unfolds with the summer session, where kids who come from different pasts and face uncertain futures are thrown together to prepare for the rest of their lives.

07/12/00 Pilot (Series Premiere)

It's a fresh start for Will Krudski when a short ride takes him not just across town but into a whole new world at Rawley Academy. A blue-collar kid from the wrong side of a working-class community in New England, Will has won a summer session scholarship to the elite boys' school nearby in an effort to escape his mediocre life as well as his abusive dad. He's lucky to find that his wealthy and well-bred roommate Scout Calhoun is a warm and open-minded friend, but Will's new-found life looks ready to crumble when he reveals to Scout that he cheated on his entrance exam and is soon found out by a teacher.

Scout, meanwhile, has his own epiphany about life on the "other side of the tracks" when he meets and is immediately smitten by Will's longtime friend Bella Banks, who works at her dad's garage. Scout is determined to overcome the resistance that Bella's dad has to their friendship until a little chat with him reveals a long-held secret that proves devastating, and makes it impossible for Scout and Bella to ever be together. Also, Hamilton, son of Rawley Academy's dean, befriends an intriguing new student who rides in on a cool motorcycle. But his world, too, is rocked when he suddenly realizes that he is feeling a very disturbing but undeniable attraction to his new buddy.

07/19/00 Our Town- 101

Friction builds between Will's old life and his new one when his childhood friend Sean finds out he's at Rawley Academy. Will continues to show up for baseball practice with his old cronies, but somehow can't bring himself to tell the truth when Sean asks where he's been lately. Caught between the fears that his new friends might not accept him and his old ones will become alienated, now he's not comfortable in either world. So instead of coming clean, he runs himself ragged trying to live life on both sides, until Sean discovers the truth and confronts him.

Meanwhile, Scout crosses over to the "townie" side with mixed results when he takes a job at the local Friendly's restaurant in order to be closer to Bella, whose gas station is just across the street. The intrusion of rich kid into his turf does not thrill Sean, especially since he has set his hopes on dating Bella and notices Scout's attraction to her. And as Jake and Hamilton continue to wrestle with the secret that lies between them, they also strengthen their friendship during a nighttime resuce mission.

07/26/00 Kiss And Tell- 102

Sexual tension builds on campus and off at Rawley. When Will comes upon Finn passionately kissing the Dean's wife Kate, he's horrified, but things get worse when obnoxious upper classman Ryder sees the kiss too and determines to use the information to stir up trouble. When Will tries to keep his mentor's dalliance a secret, he only gets himself into hot water.

Meanwhile, cross-campus and off-campus dating heats up as new Rawley girl Paige, as rich as she is beautiful, befriends Bella at the same time she makes clear her intentions to snare Scout, whom she's known for years. Will immediately falls for Paige, who could care less, Bella accepts a date out with Sean, and another new Rawley girl Lena asks Hamilton for a school tour but falls for Jake instead. They all end up one night at the drive-in movie, which begins to look a little like a scene out of "A Midsummer Night's Dream," with longing in the warm evening air and romantic mishaps at every turn.

08/02/00 Cinderbella- 103

Love is in the air as students prepare for The Rawley Summer Cotillion, white gowns, black tie and all the glittering trappings befitting those of well-bred privilege. But as is typical at any high school, not everyone gets to go to the ball with the girl or guy of their dreams. While Scout still longs from afar for Bella, he accepts Paige's prompt to invite her. Will meets and pines for a gorgeous Rawley girl named Caroline, but she seems to have eyes for a rich hunk named Josh. And, Jake and Hamilton unconsciously avoid asking anyone else so they can go stag together, only to have Lena intrude and invite Hamilton to go with her.

By the time the big night arrives, Will has borrowed a tux and persuaded Bella to come with him and show the rich kids how to really have fun. But once there, Will can't take his eyes off Caroline and the proximity of Scout drives Bella off the dance floor and onto the balcony, alone. The night's most dramatic moment is still ahead, however, as Jake, lying disconsolate in her room, suddenly decides to throw on a tux and head to the Cotillion, where a confrontation with Hamilton leads to a big surprise.

08/09/00 Winning Isn't Everything- 104

Parents' Weekend creates an uproar amongst our group. As Scout and Bella wrestle with the issue of whether she should meet his father, Jake gets word that her mother is arriving to see her beloved daughter at Rawley Girls Academy --only that isn't where Jake is enrolled. While Jake scrambles to find a dress and shave her legs, Bella decides she'd rather avoid her "real" dad. But Will just wishes that he had the kind of relationship with his dad where he could share all the joys of his new life and maybe, finally, make this difficult man proud of him.

The weekend reaches a crescendo with the big crew race, as scores of parents flock to the lake to cheer on their sons. By this time Jake has run herself ragged trying to be a girl at lunch with Mom while getting ready for the race and Will tries to make contact with his dad only to be rebuffed yet again. Perhaps the biggest challenge arises for Scout, who suddenly sees his handsome, perfect father the Senator in a new and unflattering light - and in a way that could permanently change the close bond they have always shared.

08/16/00 Gone- 105

Will and Bella just can't seem to win as they race against time and dodge the authorities in a joint effort to retrieve stolen goods. In an outpouring of emotion, Bella decides to put her feelings on paper in the form of a letter to Senator Calhoun. Through a comedy of errors, the letter ends up in the trunk of Ryder's Corvette along with Will's laptop computer, collateral attained by Ryder in a high-stakes poker bet. If an effort to retrieve a potential award-winning essay from the laptop, and to save the reputation of the esteemed Senator; Will, Bella, and Scout find themselves in a desperate fight for justice where their local ties just might save the day.

Meanwhile, Jake and Hamilton decide to play it straight and go on their first official date. They soon find that a skirt and pumps won't make their relationship any clearer.

08/21/00 Free Will- 106

Bella's sweet sixteen begins on a sour note when she receives a birthday gift from her absentee mother. While Bella wants no part of the package, Scout swipes the return address in order to learn the truth about their parentage. As Bella struggles with this sudden reminder of her mother, she discovers a new female presence in her life.

Meanwhile, Will's reputation as poet laureate of Rawley Academy proves to be profitable, first when he lands a job as an English tutor, and yet again when Ryder offers him $100 to write a love sonnet. However, his talents become a liability when Caroline, Will's new tutoring student and the inspiration for the love sonnet, accepts Will's sweet-nothings from Ryder. And while Jake tries to ignore the constant speculation about her sexual orientation, the pressure may be too much for Hamilton to handle.

08/28/00 Will Bella Scout Her Mom?- 107 (Finale)

Hard luck plagues the town of New Rawley as the school's summer session comes to a dramatic close. While Scout prepares for his vacation in St. Martin, Will is informed that his scholarship money has been withdrawn. Meanwhile, Bella discovers the family business has put on the auction block because her mother did not put Charlie's name on the deed; and Jake is more-than exposed when Finn finds "the boys" in a compromising position. Determined to make things right, Bella sets off for Carson with her run-away friends: Jake, Hamilton and Will. Out of a mutual concern for Bella, Scout and Sean soon catch up with the gang, and everyone spends a tense night together in an abandoned cabin. Though the fate of the garage may still be in question, Bella and Scout could get the answers they've been looking for.

-Courtesy of Columbia Tristar

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