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If new Jem episodes, novels, or movies are to be made, a timeline of events in the original series is needed to help avoid
errors. It will also serve as a helpful reference for Jem fanfic writers.
This timeline is my attempt at nailing down the time that the series occurs in. The timeline will grow as I gather more information.
Before I begin with the dates, I want to explain how I determined the timeframe of the series. According to "THE FAN",
Jerrica was born on June 1. Emmet's final diary entry in "OUT OF THE PAST" is for May 30. That was the day that he created
the Jem Star earrings. Presumably, he was planning to give them to Jerrica on her birthday, had he lived. He probably
programmed Synergy to reveal herself to Jerrica, Kimber, Aja, and Shana on June 1. Emmet's funeral was probably the day
before, May 31, to allow the girls some time to compose themselves and get to work fixing Starlight House. Emmet knowing of
his illness and taking care of the arrangements himself could explain how the funeral could've happened so quickly. Eric held
the 1st Annual Starlight Battle of the Bands on June 2, the day after Synergy revealed herself. The next Battle of the Bands
was held 6 months later on December 2.
Now that we know the months and days, let's determine the year. In "THE MUSIC AWARDS" PART 1, the flyer that Danse gives Jerrica says the benefit concert will occur on August, 1986. Since "THE MUSIC AWARDS" can't occur in the time period of the first 5 episodes ("Truly Outrageous!"), the first 5 episodes must occur in 1985. So, the first scene in "THE BEGINNING" (Emmet's funeral) occurs on May 31, 1985. the scenes of the gang fixing Starlight House, Jerrica going to see Eric at Starlight Music, and the girls meeting Synergy occur on June 1, 1985. The Battle of the Bands scene occurs on June 2, 1985. The scene in "THE BATTLE OF THE BANDS" where Jem and the Holograms win the second contest occurs on December 2, 1985.
Emmet's diary entries in "OUT OF THE PAST" fall into two main time frames. The first batch goes like this: March 6 (Jerrica is 10), June 30 (Jerrica is 11), November 13, April 29, June 6, August 13, September 5, January 31, February 8. The second batch (a few years later) goes like this: May 31, November 9, May 6, May 10, May 21 (Jerrica is 17), June 23, July 1, July 6, February 2, May 30 (final entry). Since the second batch of dates flow in sequence to the creation of the Jem Star earrings and Emmet's death, the May 21 entry must occur in 1984. So, if Jerrica was 17 on May 21, 1984, then she turned 18 on June 1, 1984. So, Jerrica Benton was born on June 1, 1966. The March 6 date in the first batch would then occur on March 6, 1977.
The final day of "HOLLYWOOD JEM" PART 2: "AND THE WINNER IS..." occurs on the date of the 60th Annual Academy Awards, placing it sometime in March of 1988. There's a beach scene in "CHANGE OF HEART", so that episode probably occurs in the Summer of 1988. In "RIOT'S HOPE", Jem feels cold enough for Riot to start a fire in the fireplace for her, yet the Llewellyns' swimming pool is filled with water, suggesting that the temperature rises and falls by a great amount from day to day. For what it's worth, that happens in October here in Florida. So, "A FATHER SHOULD BE..." occurs in late 1988, making Jerrica 22 years old at the end of the series.
Now that we know the timeframe of the series, let's get to the actual timeline itself. Wherever an explanation is needed for
the time placement of an episode, I'll include it after that episode.
Wednesday, June 1, 1966
Jerrica Benton is born to Jacqui and Emmet Benton.
Sunday, March 6, 1977
Rio's family had just moved next door to the Bentons.
Rio comes by and helps Emmet in the garage.
Jerrica is 10 years old.
Jerrica has a crush on Rio.
Rio stays for supper.
Wednesday, June 1, 1977
Jerrica Benton turns 11 years old.
Thursday, June 30, 1977
Aja arrives.
Aja and Jerrica are 11 years old.
Jerrica and Kimber don't like her.
Jacqui tells them she was a foster girl.
Jacqui decides to resume her musical career.
She and Emmet start Starlight Music.
Emmet starts the Starlight Foundation.
Sunday, November 13, 1977
Shana arrives.
Saturday, April 29, 1978
Jerrica is still trying to get Rio's attention.
Aja helps Rio fix a lawn mower.
Jerrica becomes friends with Shana.
Thursday, June 1, 1978
Jerrica Benton turns 12 years old.
Tuesday, June 6, 1978
Jacqui performs at another sold-out concert.
Emmet tests his new sound equipment and records master tapes.
Rio helps him.
Sunday, August 13, 1978
Lela arrives.
Kimber loves her, because she's younger.
Tuesday, September 5, 1978
Jacqui, Jerrica, Aja, and Shana make a pledge in the Starlight Treehouse.
They seal the pact with lemonade.
Wednesday, January 31, 1979
Jacqui's band is performing out of town again.
Jerrica doesn't want her to leave.
Flight 909 crashes in a thunderstorm.
Jacqui Benton dies.
Emmet, Jerrica, Kimber, Aja, Shana, Rio, Lela, and ? stay by the wreck.
Thursday, February 8, 1979
Jerrica, Kimber, Aja, and Shana beg Emmet to not send the girls away.
Tuesday, May 31, 1983
Emmet has an idea to use holograms to recreate music performances.
Deirdre and 3 other Starlight Girls are there.
Wednesday, June 1, 1983
Jerrica Benton turns 17 years old.
Wednesday, November 9, 1983
Emmet makes an amazing breakthrough in computer-generated holograms.
He needs to find a more private, quiet place to work.
Sunday, May 6, 1984
Emmet moves his work to the old Starlight Drive-In Theater he had purchased.
He gives his computer a name - Synergy.
He must protect Synergy until he can patent his work.
Thursday, May 10, 1984
Emmet has been feeling tired lately.
He must find someone to oversee his affairs at Starlight Music.
He decides to see his doctor.
Monday, May 21, 1984
Emmet hires Eric Raymond.
Jerrica has a crush on Eric.
Jerrica is "only 17".
Friday, June 1, 1984
Jerrica Benton turns 18 years old.
Saturday, June 23, 1984
Rio comes home from engineering school for the summer.
He drives by to visit Jerrica.
Eric comes by to pick up some papers from Emmet.
Jerrica uses Eric to make Rio jealous and immediately regrets it.
It takes Jerrica 2 weeks to thaw Rio out.
Sunday, July 1, 1984
Synergy is near completion.
Emmet programs her with Jacqui's likeness and recordings.
He can't bear to make her too much like Jacqui.
Friday, July 6, 1984
Synergy is complete.
Emmet knows he doesn't have long to live.
Saturday, February 2, 1985
Emmet continues to plan for his family's future.
He moves the Rockin' Roadster and the quipment to the drive-in.
Thursday, May 30, 1985
Emmet makes the Jemstar earrings for Jerrica.
He programs Synergy to reveal her existence to Jerrica and Kimber.
Friday, May 31, 1985 - Monday, December 2, 1985
Truly Outrageous!
STARBRIGHT
09) THE WORLD HUNGER SHINDIG
10) ADVENTURE IN CHINA
Winter, December 1985 / January 1986
11) LAST RESORTS
Jem mentions that it's a holiday, so it probably occurs during the Christmas season.
12) IN STITCHES
Summer, 1986
13) THE ROCK FASHION BOOK
It seems hot in this episode.
August 1986
14) THE MUSIC AWARDS - PART 1
15) THE MUSIC AWARDS - PART 2
According to the flyer in Part 1.
16) BROADWAY MAGIC
17) IN SEARCH OF THE STOLEN ALBUM
18) HOT TIME IN HAWAII
19) THE PRINCESS AND THE SINGER
20) ISLAND OF DECEPTION
21) OLD MEETS NEW
Sunday, May 24, 1987
22) INTRIGUE AT THE INDY 500
The last day of this episode occurs on this date.
23) THE JEM JAM - PART 1
24) THE JEM JAM - PART 2
25) CULTURE CLASH
26) GLITTER AND GOLD
"GLITTER AND GOLD" occurs significantly after "IN SEARCH OF THE STOLEN ALBUM", judging by the dialogue in the episode.
27) THE TALENT SEARCH - PART 1
28) THE TALENT SEARCH - PART 2
29) SCANDAL
30) ONE JEM TOO MANY
31) THE BANDS BREAK UP
32) THE FAN
"THE FAN" does not occur on June 1.
Sunday, June 21, 1987
33) FATHER'S DAY
The last day of this episode occurs on this date. Father's Day always falls on the third Sunday of June.
34) JOURNEY TO SHANGRI-LA
35) AZTEC ENCHANTMENT
36) THE TREASURE HUNT
37) MUSIC IS MAGIC
38) THE JAZZ PLAYER
39) DANSE TIME
40) ROXY RUMBLES
41) ALONE AGAIN
42) KJEM
Saturday, October 31, 1987
43) TRICK OR TECHRAT
44) THE PRESIDENTIAL DILEMMA
45) ROCK 'N ROLL EXPRESS
46) THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE
47) RENAISSANCE WOMAN
Tuesday, February 16, 1988
48) MARDI GRAS
Mardi Gras falls on Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. Fat Tuesday is always 47 days before Easter Sunday, which fell on April 3 in 1988.
49) OUT OF THE PAST
50) BRITROCK
51) JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
52) HOLLYWOOD JEM - PART 1 - "FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION"
Monday, April 11, 1988
53) HOLLYWOOD JEM - PART 2 - "AND THE WINNER IS..."
The last day of Part 2 occurs on the date of the 60th Annual Academy Awards.
54) THE STINGERS HIT TOWN - PART 1
55) THE STINGERS HIT TOWN - PART 2
56) VIDEO WARS
57) BEAUTY AND THE ROCK PROMOTER
58) HOMELAND, HEARTLAND
59) MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S MADNESS
Late Summer / Early Fall, August / September 1988
60) THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED
In this episode, Ashley mentioned that they needed new clothes for the new school semester. Since I don't think anyone would take a cruise in December or January, the episode probably occurs in August or September of 1988.
61) THAT OLD HOUDINI MAGIC
62) STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART
63) A CHANGE OF HEART
64) RIOT'S HOPE
65) A FATHER SHOULD BE...
Do you have any comments or questions about this timeline? If so, please
e-mail me!