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Freek runs a popular subtropical swimming pool and cafeteria in a Flemish town. He, his staff, their families and regular customers get involved in various romantic and other intrigues.

Ten candidates, aged between 18 and 35, live together in a specially designed academy. Here they are trained for several weeks by a team of professionals, whose ultimate goal is to create a new singing star. As a real-life soap opera, Star Academy takes viewers behind the scenes of the recording industry as the wannabes receive their training by an incredible team of teachers. National and international celebrities also drop in to share their experiences in the students' quest for stardom. The participants are filmed day and night. At the end of the week, contestants have to face a prime time show, where they sing the song they've prepared as well as recapping their trials and tribulations at the Academy from the past week. The live show features special guest stars, with whom the contestants have the opportunity to sing. Based on the judges' verdicts and viewer voting, the weakest contestant is dropped. The eventual winner is awarded a record deal and a passport to fame and stardom. But which star will outshine all the others?

As petty revenge for Freek's clever check move, Dede volunteers him for a podium striptease by auctioning his cloths. Before the boxers climax, grandpa cuts the current so Freek can escape in the dark. Ben has mixed feelings about accepting the donations, Freek vents his frustration on him, even suggests seeking another place for the Harley. Mark drops by but leaves angrily, refusing to let Ben explain he's not after the jealous-acting knave's 'non girl friend', swimming pupil Fran. Melissa bitterly scolds George after his check bounces. Robert and Kittie agree to part as friends, without giving their romantic potential a chance, preferring their love interests as he also has one back in New England.

Mark stand his ground despite Fran and ever-hysterical Paulien bitterly blaming him for informing the police about Ben, grandpa mediates, Kittie understands as she needs a push to visit Ben in jail and ask if he's innocent of Helena's murder. Ben feels his pro-deo lawyer isn't competent and doesn't even believe him, but needs telling off his grim attitude will only play in the prosecutor's favor. Freek is indefinitely on life support, but Betty is assured he may recover after awakening from coma.

Ben lingers on in jail, desperate as Kittie left saying they have no future without him answering her about his innocence, but amnesia prevents that. Mark arrives home exhausted from his paper round and depressed to be scolded a traitor everywhere, especially by Paulien and Fran, both feeling he should at least talk things through with Ben, but outside prison Mark can't find the courage. Melissa promises Betty, who abandons reading from the Hound of The Baskervilles to Freek as its' too spooky, to organize a benefit for him as his job isn't safe. Grandpa fails to make Fran make up with Mark and tells Kittie, who feels guilty for no longer feeling love for Ben, just to be honest with feelings. Only after a false machine alert he regains some hand control, noticed by nobody. Mother tires of Paulien snapping at everybody, doubts the theory Freek was beaten of by Betty's manager Carlo and suggests Dede make a more likely suspect, although she learned to like him.

Freek regains conscience, but is severely amnesiac. In prison, Ben is finally confident his lawyer will get him free, ignoring Paulien's warning Kittie won't come around, indeed she refuses to pretend to Ben. Mark erroneously scolds Fran for seemingly stealing Ben 's job, leaves when sets that straight and coldly claims never to want to talk to him again. Melissa raises money for Freek's rehabilitation, but actually got his manager job. The dance teacher tells Paulin Kittie has a shot at an international project he's setting up in Las Vegas, she jealously pretends to ignore where Kittie is.

Mark was caught shoplifting a silly headphone, mother realizes the constant frustration got too bad, blames herself and offers to chip in what he lacks to buy his dream synthesizer. Ben is stubbornly confident all will work out with his murder charge and Kittie when she finally visits, but actually scares her by claiming she's 'his alone'. Fran sticks it out working under bossy Melissa, who clearly wants to keep Freek's job. His memory is returning, recalling threats by Ben and Dede, just not about the night he was beaten up.

Mark asked around in pubs till he found out the name of Helena's other suitor, while Ben's lawyer manages to conclude from the autopsy report Ben has a solid work alibi for the time of the murder. After Melissa sneers at Fran the failed collection proves Freek 'has no friends', she joins Betty, who insists her manager Carlo sent goons as with another client's intimate fan, Freek doubts that but not that Melissa is after his job for good. Kittie decides to move out and live alone, but pick up Ben at his expected release from jail, where Ben duly thanks 'redeemed' Mark. Freek's unexpected hospital barber proves Carlo's goon, warning him with a knife on his throat to keep quiet and leave Betty alone.

Mark is generous with presents, but Paulien calls his flowers a cheap bribe to probe Fran for him, the latter won't even listen to his song, Freek only politely thanks him for a CD, only grandpa tries to counsel him patience. Mother goes on strike, as Paulien is too lazy to actually help in the household. Freek isn't looking forward to being released home, fearing loneliness after giving up Betty, and for his job due to Melissa, who refuses to consider a deal with father Julien, who promises to help sell her beauty salon if she helps him sell 'eco-friendly miracle soap'. Kittie seeks to move and is furious to learn Paulien, who now urges her to accept the Vegas dance masterclasses, actually kept the offer jealously secret for a week.

To Mark's relief, mother ends her 'strike', hoping lazy Paulien learned a lesson. The vixen accompanies Freek home, but he's desperate to tears about his future without job or actual friends. Julien delivers a beauty salon takeover proposal, rewarded with a meager soap order from ingrate Melissa. Kittie appreciates a visit from Mark, who inspires his sister to come and make up, but she still decides to move back to her apartment, only to find father the baron rented it to handsome devil named Filip. Visiting Freek, Mark finds him drunk as a skunk.

Fixing a hole in Mark's jeans, mother finds in the pockets cash he took from her wallet. Mark and Paulien find it hard to prevent desperately drunk Freek harming himself, he even refuses to seek his job back. While Filip kindly hands Kittie the keepsake her father threw in with 'her' furnished apartment, she decides to accept the Las Vegas dance project. Now Fran has to return to school, Melissa isn't impressed with her and Kittie's claim Freek can't just be fired for his medical misfortune, but shocked to find what huge quantities of soap her father has delivered at the pool bar. Even grandpa starts loosing his patience with ingrate brat Fran who coldly walks off on Mark and his spot-on gift with 'It's beautiful, you really shouldn't have'.

Mark is relieved when mother decides to cover up his cash thefts, even from Paulien. Kittie gets a goodbye cake there and is accompanied to the airport. Grandpa finds brat Fran unresponsive and utterly defensive. Freek comes to the Aquapool, telling Melissa he won't seek his manager job back but volunteers to help out as quiet deputy and handyman, proving he knows how by repairing the coffee machine. Melissa is forced by Julien to pay the hefty soap bill and a 25% commission for the lucrative sale of her beauty parlor.

Mark starts his job as babysitter for a toddler, but thinks the tyke is ill and Louis sneaks off. Dede finds moving out a problem, without income and Paulien not eager to have him on the couch, probably not to ma's taste. He keeps borrowing from people, only to see the cash confiscated by other creditors, including Freek, who judges him not attractive enough for a pool job and now agrees graduating would be better anyhow. Melissa, who treats 'test client' Freek to a free sample manicure and pedicure, and pa Julien want to use mentally ill ma's assets for their business projects, but that requires a declaration of incapacity signed also by Dede, who still dotes her.

Schoolboy Mark Erkenraad hates high-school, just wanting to become a musician, but doesnt take to piano scales either and needs a job to buy a synthesizer. His sister Paulien has the hots for Dirk 'Deedee' Dossche, who plans to drip out of school weeks before final exams, so bitch big sister Melissa warns she won't 'spoil' him like their runoff mother used to, and father Juline warns he'll be cut off financially. Frederik 'Freek' Desutter runs the fun pool while manning its bar and convinces Dede he needs to buy his second-hand car to impress potential employers, expecting Dede to help fixing a date with Pauliens' stuck-up school buddy, aristocrat Catharina 'Kittie' van Kalken de Colines.

As toddler Louis 'got lost', Mark isn't paid for his babysitting and duly makes fun of Dede's miserable performance, regardless of the new clothes he bought, at the ruthless job application Kitty puts him through, Paulien turns on both but Dede walks off cursing all. He turns down helping his pa Julien sell a container full of creepy robots or signing a request to have his mother legally declared incompetent. Hearing Freek considers giving Dede the old lifeguard's job, Kiki Paulien pretends to agree going to a house party with Freek, meanly standing him up so he catches a bad cold. Kiki finds Paulien depressed and secretly tries to giver her spot in the summer dance course away.

Mark is miserable, having caught small pocks, and furious to find his savings for a synthesizer missing. He accuses Dede, who finds Paulien got mother to help her advance the 40,000 Belgian francs (pre-Euro) for the second hand car he just bought from Freek, but taking it for a spin, they discover the wreck shines is a useless rust bucket. Kittie declines accompanying col-suffering Freek to a house arty but still gets to use the whole pool alone after hours, but suddenly the lights are killed.

Dede threatens Freek with a baseball bat to undo the car deal by refund or a pool job, to no avail. He's surprised to find Mark in a good mood, composing music, as turns out having his savings refunded- actually by Paulien, who got the cash from Melissa agreeing to accompany Julien to a business dinner. Kiki got a knife to turn on the scary diver, who turns out just Freek repaying her cruel, unhealthy standing-up, and still gets him to consider Dede as new pool lifeguard. Kiki gives the dance lesson a miss, knowing her spot is going to Paulien, who turns on her and Dede assuming infidelity.

Mark is bugged by his school assignment to interview pop singer Betty Joy, but delighted with a new one about first love, as he may enter a song, which he brilliantly writes. Dede is desperate for a job, showing his swimming and first aid certificates to apply as lifeguard, but Freek prefers hiring a foxy girl, offering a cleaner job instead. Kitti warns Paulien against the dinner deal, but Dede is delighted she wants to do it to help him. Melissa gives Freek another pedicure and advise to take Dede on free trial basis.

Ben starts his lifeguard trial week, and instantly outshines Dede by no-nonsense honest work and natural charm, which gives Kittie the first crush in her life. .Fan Mark was about to choke in a peanut, but Bne's impeccable first aid saves the cute kid's life.

Ben keeps delighting his first fan Mark after the gift of a HD t-shirt by treating him to a ride. Kittie obviously has a less innocent crush on the hunk, who spars mythological warnings with Freek, who even seeks his romantic advice. Mother warns Paulien against unsuitable Deedee but still sends her to the doctor for a checkup and the pill. Melissa tries her own methods to goad Freek and Paulien.

Mark firmly resists Paulien's low bribery or threats to make him fake drowning so Dede can save him and win the lifeguard job, but when he reports so to Kittie, she promises to fix everything if he plays along, then calls her socialite friend jean-Christophe. The siblings make up as Mark agrees if she helps him calm down mother about an excessive chatline phone bill. Freek waves Paulien attempting to bribe him with her (unread) savings but suggests an 'arrangement' after the house party and tells lazy, sleepy Dede he has only one day left to prove himself against thrifty Ben, whom Kitty tells he must win so dropout Dede may return to school.