S01.E05: He in Racist Fire

[Muffyn]

Richie visits a relative: Devon plays the vixen at dinner with Richie, Hannibal and Cece; Kip faces a dilemma; Clark gets a new job; Richie is inspired to name his new label.

 

 

[Muffyn]

To continue the episode description:

Muffyn creates an episode thread the day after this aired because no one cares about this POS show enough to add one.

Muffyn questions why she watched this.

Muffyn wants all of the main characters to die in a fire. 

Muffyn thinks Bobby Canavale may stroke out while playing mad Richie, coked up Richie or, best of all, mad, coked up Richie. 

 

Also, if they are going to have bands lip synch/fake play, can they try to be more convincing?  Hold the microphone near your mouth when "singing."  Hold the flute near your mouth when playing.  I'm not asking for absolute realism, just a little effort, mmkay?

[thuganomics85]

Yeah, it's kind of bad that when Jackie Javis began gloating about how he got one over Richie, I suddenly realized that I might actually prefer watching a show with him as the lead instead of Richie.  He's at least amusing and Ken Marino is a blast, while even though I really do like Bobby Cannavale, Richie just keeps getting more and more obnoxious, and for whatever reason, he lacks whatever made other anti-heroes more interesting like Don Draper, Walter White, and even Nucky Thompson from Terrence Winter's past superior show.

 

I ask once again, why they are even bothering with this murder plot.  It adds nothing to the show.

 

Richie is already fucking around with the Nasty Bits by making them fire their guitarist.  Of course, Kip can't bring himself to do it, so that job ends up being for Lester to do.  Welcome to band management, Lester!

 

Glad for more Jamie, but so far, it really feels like she's this show's version of Peggy Olsen.  Working just as hard as the guys, but not getting anywhere near as much credit as they do.  

 

At least Andrea joining American Century might shake things up, since she has no issues telling Richie to go fuck himself.  

[2AT]

I keep watching week after week, expecting things to be different and it never is. Isn't that the definition of insanity? I just can't let go until I see what they do with

David Bowie

.

Can someone please explain to me why Richie needed an alibi from his estranged father, other than to inject said estranged father to the storyline? They went to see "Enter the Dragon?" Really? That's the best they could come up with?

I would have fired Cece. If you are going to date Hannibal in the middle of contract negotiations, can't you at least supply some intel in a timely fashion? Is she in love now? Oh please...

I really hope they pull a "Halt and Catch Fire," and flip the focus of the series from the guys to the ladies, as Jamie, Devon, Cece and now Andrea are the only intriguing characters on the show.

Edited March 16, 2016 by 2AT

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I quit watching after the Alice Cooper episode so I salute you guys for sticking with this show!

 

[SoothingDave]

"The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Richie Finestra"

[Hanahope]

Yeah, its going downhill at light speed for me.  I couldn't give a rats ass about Richie or most of the rest of the characters either.  I think Jamie might be the only one and its awful seeing her get crapped on by everyone.

[charks]

I'm too big of a music nerd to not watch this show...but damn what a mess.

 

That said...loved hearing Big Star. Just hope they didn't scratch the record!

[PamelaMaeSnap]

As mentioned, just hearing those few strains of "Thirteen" made my night, just like hearing "Sweet and Dandy" in an earlier episode did. I think there may be people surprised that the song was around then since it really seemed to gain a "second wind" much later. Truly one of the most exquisite songs ever ... back when my daughter was gigging and doing originals, that was one of the only covers her band did (her bassist, guitarist and drummer were all amazing singers). 

 

That said, while I certainly can't say I like the show, I have a hard time putting words to how I feel about it and it's still high on our watch list for weird entertainment value. 

 

And this week I thought it had one of the best throwaway lines ever from Janice's dead husband re: "Enter the Dragon" -- "WTF kind of name is that for a dragon?"

 

PS The alibi came because that actually WAS where Richie was after the murder, wasn't it? Didn't he go nuts in a 24-hour Bruce Lee marathon movie theatre?

[kassa]

The Enter the Dragon line was golden.  More music biz, less murder stuff, please.

 

Unfortunately, the biggest draws of the show (for me) are the blonde chick who signed the Nasty Bits, Lester, Devin, and the day players.  I do not believe this is what was intended.  Not good for a show with this much power and talent behind its creation. 

 

Nepotism is all very well and good, and the child of Hall and Jagger should be camera-friendly, and he is.  But more suited to stills, I think.  I kept looking at him, wondering who he was reminding me of (other than the obvious), and finally it hit me.  The kid who played Jim Bob on the Waltons.  The later years.  Not a compliment.  

Edited March 16, 2016 by kassa

[susannot]

OK,I'm not crazy about the show either but I love the music and the latest episode was worth it just for "White Light, White Heat."  I do enjoy the contrast between the music that is selling at the time and the music that is about to explode onto the scene.  I think it is suspenseful to witness the explosive birth of the punk scene, even though the show isn't doing it very well.  I like James Jagger's character; the black guy who grabbed the Bits as their manager; and the blonde A & R girl who discovered them.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

How long does it take a public accounting firm to not count missing Donny Osmond records?  Too funny.

 

It was rather hilarious seeing both Richie and his A&R chief actually behaving like actual executives, and not being all hinky.  When is the last time you saw the Ray Romano dude not in crisis mode?  His schnoz had the quickest recovery in history, didn't it?  

 

The fun moment for me was trying to figure out the Ian Anderson/Jethro Tull band.   It is flat out impossible that there was no Tull reference when they were challenging Jim Bob at the talent night.   Ren Faire?!   Not one allusion to Tull when the flutist nearly fell over and magically played the flute which was a foot or two away from his lips and the mic?  The disrespect for its audience this show demonstrates is a pretty great parallel to the feelings heroin boy Jagger has for Richie. 

 

I think they misspelled the title of this effort.  It is more like Vi-Null.

[revbfc]

the biggest problem with this show is that it's paint by numbers HBO. It has all the things we expect from an HBO drama with no innovation. It has the antihero, the period setting, the sex, the drugs, the squalor and violence. It even has great actors chewing the scenery with glee. What it lacks is an effort to push forward and challenge themselves (and by extension the audience).

-Deadwood changed how we viewed westerns.

-The Sopranos made us love and cherish horrible human beings.

-Game Of Thrones gave us a fantasy epic that was inviting to non-fantasy audiences.

Vinyl? Vinyl just proves that Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger have enough caché that not even the people at the network want to tell them they have the ability to suck.

[qtpye]

the biggest problem with this show is that it's paint by numbers HBO. It has all the things we expect from an HBO drama with no innovation. It has the antihero, the period setting, the sex, the drugs, the squalor and violence. It even has great actors chewing the scenery with glee. What it lacks is an effort to push forward and challenge themselves (and by extension the audience).

-Deadwood changed how we viewed westerns.

-The Sopranos made us love and cherish horrible human beings.

-Game Of Thrones gave us a fantasy epic that was inviting to non-fantasy audiences.

Vinyl? Vinyl just proves that Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger have enough caché that not even the people at the network want to tell them they have the ability to suck.

 

 

I agree.  It is like that took every trope about rock and roll, through it in a blender, and came out with this garbage.  It really should be better, but it is soul less and derivative of much better work.

 

There is nothing new and everything that is supposed to be exciting is a boring cliche.  I do not even like the way the real life bands are being represented.