Unbalanced Portrait of ‘Teen Idol’ Rick Nelson in VH1’s Biopic

“You can’t please everyone, so you gotta please yourself,” quips the title figure of “Rick Nelson: Original Teen Idol,” quoting his own 1972 comeback triumph hit. It’s New Year’s Eve 1985, he’s long past his glory years, has just relived his “Ozzie & Harriet” past with a scrapbook-toting obsessive fan and he’s about to board the plane in which he--as we, the viewers know--will perish minutes later.

Please yourself? It’s hard to believe that anyone will be pleased with this biopic, VH1’s second original movie following last week’s debut of “Sweetwater: A True Rock Story.” From the contrived setup for the reminiscing session that provides the show’s framework to that final aphorism, it rings hollow. And it’s as mean-spirited as the TV version of the Nelson family was innocent. It’s also less entertaining.

Here’s Ozzie--a scheming, coldhearted control freak. Here’s Harriet--a spineless lush, martini always in hand when the camera’s off. Here’s David--a nonentity. And here’s Ricky/Rick--teen rebel, adult lump. Hey, their show was black and white, but their story shouldn’t be. We know that the Nelsons’ life wasn’t all pep rallies and ice cream, but trust us with the whole, balanced story, a la last year’s terrific “A&E; Biography” of the family.

Here, even in the country-rock reinvention of the late ‘60s, Rick’s not given any credit for being an active participant, but rather is a mere pawn of a producer--as he is portrayed as a TV pawn of his dad. And this really only hints at any triumphs of later life, as shaky as they may have been. We never actually see him in full early-’70s comeback glory, or near the end of his life when he again was earning new respect as an influence on younger musicians. And we never actually hear the song “Garden Party” at all--just his spoken, generic line drawn from it. Fact is, since he wrote that song, it’s owned by his family, and they wouldn’t participate in this production. Who can blame them?

Actor Greg Calpakis actually invests his role with some depth, both as teen idol Ricky and drugged-out, passive adult Rick. And Jamey Sheridan as Ozzie is a solid villain, even if his delivery misses the winning, if false, naivete of the TV dad. But, based on San Francisco Chronicle pop critic Joel Selvin’s unauthorized and generally unflattering but detailed biography, “Ricky Nelson--Idol for a Generation,” the script by Arlene Sarner relies on cliches--when Ricky meets his girlfriend-to-be beatnik chick at a party and asks where she’s going, she replies, “Further.” If only this show had gone further in telling the whole tale.

* “Rick Nelson: Original Teen Idol” will be shown at 9 p.m. Sunday on VH1. The network has rated it TV-PG-S (may be unsuitable for children younger than 14 with special advisories for sexual situations).