by Nathaniel R
Holland Taylor is always a joy to watch. She's a studio exec with a special gift for spotting future stars.
ICYMI the kick off Eric Blume started our look at Ryan Murphy's Netflix limited series "Hollywood" breaking down the first episode by the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly... because plot has never been a Murphy strength but surfaces are obviously the primary concern in la la Land... or, excuse me, "Dreamland" a secret word to unlock (literal) pleasure in this particular show.
After the jump quick notes on Episode 2 in which the principal cast members serendipitously meets...
Episode 2 - "Hooray for Hollywood Part 2"
THE GOOD
Okay we've all daydreamed about Oscars while fucking, right? Right?!? (Just me? Oops) so every once in awhile "Hollywood" has the common sense to go straight for camp. That's true of this scene when Jack takes his benefactor (Patti Lupone) on the stairs and as he thrusts away to pay his bills we have a hilarious focus pull to the Oscars upstairs that he's staring at. The end will justify the means?
The second episode also includes a gay sex scene that is revealed to be a freebie (implausible for a prositute... could you imagine going to work and saying 'nah, I dont need a paycheck! Thanks anyway, boss). Because, well, this is the sweet aspiring actor and future "Rock Hudson" and his preferred prostitute is the sweet aspiring screenwriter Archie (Jeremy Pope) who just likes "Rock" a lot. We put the legend's name in quotes because...
Rock Hudson people are you suing Ryan Murphy? Because you should.
— Murtada Elfadl (@ME_Says) May 2, 2020
But if you remove the movie star from the equation (why oh why couldn't this show have had the decency to be purely fictional and not drag real people through its ahistorical mud?). It's a sweet scene that reminds you of how rare it is to have sex or post-coital scenes on screens (big or small) in which both characters are joyful about being together, especially queer characters. Sex positivity should be celebrated.
THE BAD
But on the flip side, Hollywood's ideas about sex and especially sex work are quite muddy. It wants to suggest that exploitation is bad (note the very icky scene where Jim Parson tells "Rock" that if he wants him as an agent, he'll have to put out.) but at the same time it keeps celebrating people exploiting their body and beauty for money. The main setting (thus far) is a gas station that's actually a whorehouse and all the hookers appear to be very happy to be exploited. Legit question: Why is putting out for an agent for fame and fortune viewed as disgusting while putting out for fortune is viewed as fun and 'hey, you gotta make a living! Why not get paid for sex?!?'
THE UGLY
Confession #1 that's probably not yet apparent from the irritated previous graphs. I was not hate-watching this show until this scene, late in the second episode, screen-capped above. In the sequence the gorgeous contract player Camille (Laura Harrier from BlacKkKlansman) has her first screen role and does a perfectly servicable take playing a domestic servant bringing the leading lady coffee. She is asked to adjust her (dull) performance "do it like Hattie McDaniel would" and then proceeds to hunch her back, squat a bit, bounce as she walks, and basically engage in the kind of minstrel work that was so viciously lampooned in Spike Lee's Bamboozled. The point of the scene is surely supposed to be that black actors had it rough and they were viewed in very reductive ways by White Hollywood.
But there's a difference between intent and execution. How the scene plays is basically to trash screen legend Hattie McDaniel. Never mind that she was actually a good actor, with fine comic timing (see Alice Adams) and Oscar winning dramatic punch (see Gone with the Wind). She was a trailblazer working within a systemically racist world (remember Mo'Nique's beautiful tribute speech at the Oscars?) but, the filmmakers of Hollywood, seem to be saying, she's part of the problem. Let's not honor her, let's lampoon her.
I was disgusted and the show lost me.
Can we do it again?
THE NOT-SO-UGLY
But yes, there is a LOT of eye candy. And at least the show gave us that aforementioned sex positive post-coital scene between "Rock" and Archie. Both actors, Jake Picking and two-time Tony nominee Jeremy Pope (side note: someone give him a movie musical. We saw both of his Tony-nominated performances and wow) are very easy on the eyes and the scene was quite sweet as they rehearsed "Rock"s screen test.
Confession #2 I almost started Episode 3 about four times in the past day since I originally intended to do a few episodes in this one post. But after the growing ickiness I was imagining would come with this portrayal of Rock Hudson, the humiliating diss of Hattie McDaniel, and the victimization of Anna May Wong plus all of the mixed messaging around beauty and sex and what's required to make it in showbiz, I think it best if I move on. Perhaps another member of Team Experience will continue on with these recaps (the eye candy is at least compelling) but it shan't be me. I have other deadlines: Smackdown Summer here I come.