0 5 ) ▁ ▁Syn opsis ▁ ▁Season ▁ 1 ▁( 2 0 0 2 – 0 3 ) ▁In ▁the ▁pilot ▁episode , ▁set ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁Meg ▁and ▁Ro x anne ▁win ▁the ▁opportunity ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁d anc ers ▁on ▁the ▁TV ▁show ▁American ▁Band stand , ▁fil med ▁in ▁Philadelphia . ▁Pass ing ▁note ▁is ▁made ▁of ▁the ▁J F K ▁assass ination ▁and ▁fun eral . ▁Band stand ▁immediately ▁becomes ▁the ▁principal ▁cre ative ▁pill ar ▁of ▁American ▁Dream s , ▁with ▁each ▁episode ▁featuring ▁re created ▁versions ▁of ▁several ▁musical ▁acts ▁that ▁originally ▁appeared ▁on ▁the ▁real ▁Band stand , ▁often ▁rendered ▁by ▁modern ▁sing ers . ▁ ▁J J ▁P ry or , ▁a ▁running ▁back ▁for ▁the ▁East ▁Catholic ▁Fight ing ▁Cr us aders ▁football ▁team , ▁tries ▁and ▁fails ▁to ▁ear n ▁a ▁full ▁athlet ic ▁scholar ship ▁to ▁play ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Notre ▁D ame , ▁so ▁he ▁later ▁applies ▁for ▁and ▁is ▁accepted ▁to ▁Le high ▁University . ▁A ▁nag ging ▁an k le ▁injury ▁cur t ails ▁his ▁football ▁career , ▁so ▁he ▁en lists ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁to ▁pay ▁for ▁school . ▁Meanwhile , ▁J J ' s ▁on - ag ain , ▁off - ag ain ▁girl friend ▁Beth ▁cho oses ▁to ▁attend ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Pennsylvania ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁be ▁near ▁J J . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁season , ▁Meg ▁develop s ▁a ▁cr ush