S01.E06: Cyclone

[susannot]

OK, like Muffyn last week I will start this topic, since only diehard music fans are watching this show.  The only possible reason to watch this episode was David Bowie.  Yes, David Bowie. Somehow, this awful show keeps finding good actors and singers to play icons like Lou Reed, Andy Warhol, and David Bowie.  The David Bowie character absolutely nailed Suffragette City.  Fast forward and watch it for that. And later, at the otherwise sad bat mitzvah for Ray Romano's daughter, a random guest did a really credible version of Life on Mars.  I think Ray will sign him if he can wrest control of the record company from psycho drug crazed Richie.

 

I won't even try to explain the title reference to the Cyclone, except that it involved a ghost that Richie is dragging around from a fatal car wreck he caused years ago.  Devon also apparently lost a baby in the same wreck. All I can say is that if I had been Devon, I would have sued the bastard and had him thrown in jail instead of marrying him.

 

I am still hoping that the show improves in the next episodes to focus on music instead of Richie and Devons' messed up personal lives.

[This2getsold]

Just got picked up for a second season!

[lucindabelle]

I am enjoying this show. I guess that makes me a loner here! We knew that Ernst WASNT really there early on the way people kept reacting to Richie saying he was so the reveal didn't do much but then again I think we were supposed to know. I think Richie bottomed out now which is good because I don't need to see any more scenes of his being high, Devon. Leaving when he's delusional seems cold... Shouldn't she be worried? The show was dedicated to david Bowie and it was hard to watch and poignant. Was it filmed that recently?

[Fisher King]

I'm sure this ep was completed before Bowie's passing, and the tag was added for this airing.

I totally agree about the actors playing the major musicians. Great casting in that regard.

 

This was a really good episode IMO.

[thuganomics85]

I honestly didn't recognize Noah Bean (Ryan Fletcher from Nikita, Aaron from 12 Monkeys) as David Bowie, until I saw his name in the credits.  I thought he was pretty good as Bowie, and I liked his scene with Andrea and Zak.

 

So, I guess this was the episode where they decided to spice things up and throw in a bunch of extensive Olivia Wilde nudity.  I know she's done it before, but I was still surprised over how much it had.  Not that I'm complaining!

 

Anyway, I do think this might be my favorite episode so far, because at least Richie is finally getting pushback for being an obnoxious asshole.  Loved Zak shoving him and telling him off at the bar mitzvah, Devon taking the kids and bailing, and even Kip basically telling him to go fuck himself, and not backing down.  They just need to get pass that, because I'm getting tired of the hundredth scene or so of Bobby Cannavale just snorting up coke and yelling at someone.  He's going to collapse if he does this for too long.

 

Figured early on that Ernst was some kind of ghost/coke vision, but I enjoyed the actor and all of his lines, so I didn't mind.

 

Glad that it looks like Andrea is going to shake things up at American Century, and hopefully she'll help just start more stories involving the company and the music.  Annie Parisse is fun in this role.

[Cramps]

We almost got to see a Vinyl world Iggy, but coked out Ritchie and Ernst the Unfriendly Ghost got into a fight, and got blocked from Max's, so we never got the chance.

I'd say that was the worst part of an awful episode, except that any time Devin is onscreen the story almost drags to a halt.

Edited March 21, 2016 by Cramps

[Dewey Decimate]

Wow, we open with ANOTHER scene of Richie snorting coke. How shocking. Yawn. I know lots of people did drugs then, still do 'em now, but I have zero interest in its use as a substitute for plot development. Not sure if it's supposed to make me feel anything for the users (including every time we see the little magic heroin box for the Jagger spawn), but it sure doesn't.

 

Weirdly, the only story I'm somewhat interested in is Devin's, and that's more because of the Warhol aspect - not interested in the family drama. Felt a little bad for Olivia Wilde in her gratuitous nudity scene - she has a fantastic body, but it felt more like the hopefully-imaginary teenage advisor checking off the "ubiquitous spank factor" on the HBO list.

[revbfc]

Just got picked up for a second season!

Not surprised, but not enthused. Maybe cooler heads will prevail and the decision will be reversed (like with "the Brink").

[hkit]

Really annoyed with this show, but I can't stop watching. I keep waiting for it to improve and every week, I'm disappointed.

 

I hate the angle that Richie is a one man show at his label. He can't delegate a few tasks a few weeks ago, because he's the only one who could possibly be doing the dozens of things at once? The guy with the facial hair, whose name I can't bother to learn, doesn't know who Pink Floyd is? Zack, who has been in the business for years, doesn't know how to talk to an artist and ends up babbling like a school girl? Nobody sees the brilliance of the Nasty Bits but Richie? Give me a break... Richie - Super Cokehead/Record Exec makes for a tiring storyline.

 

And Devin... I can't imagine a character with less maternal instinct. She leaves them at Friendly's (seriously, who does that?), then seems to have zero guilt for her 3 day abandonment/existential crisis. She doesn't go home out of guilt, and doesn't even seem to remember that she had left them - until Richie says something. Then, on a whim, she packs them up, and goes...where? To the Factory? Where would a woman like her have to go that's appropriate for 2 children?

 

I hate these 2 characters so very much.

[hkit]

duplicate post

Edited March 21, 2016 by hkit

[2AT]

Really annoyed with this show, but I can't stop watching. I keep waiting for it to improve and every week, I'm disappointed.

You summed up exactly why I keep watching this show.  I keep thinking that the next episode is going to set everything right and it just doesn't happen.  Did all the marquee names involved with this project read scripts or watch an actual episode?  

 

Can we please have "Ernst the Friendly Ghost" make snarky comments throughout the rest of the series?  He was the most entertaining presence on the show, even if his death was telegraphed throughout.  I don't think anyone actually bought that it was ketchup on his knee...

 

Can Bobby Cannavale please tone down the Scarface routine every time he snorts?  The Richie character is just not working.  He is supposed to be this music impresario with a golden ear, but as others have expressed elsewhere, where is the evidence?  I just don't see any of the "genius" that explains why people need to put up with his boorish behavior.  It just doesn't feel like he has anyone's respect, so scenes with him flexing his authority seem anti-climactic.  

 

I think that it's clear that Devon doesn't want to be there just as much as Richie.  The only difference is that Richie gets to hide in his office, Manhattan business apartment, and meetings/events that take all night.  

 

Vinyl would be much more interesting if it took place in a fictional universe.  Major storylines where real artists are courted by the label have no pay off because most viewers already know the outcome - Led Zeppelin is not going to sign with American Century.  Even last night's David Bowie scene lacked interest, because I felt like nothing was going to come out of it.  Same with Alice Cooper.  

 

ETA - The above also doesn't bode well for the Nasty Bits.  If they exist in a past alongside David Bowie, Alice Cooper and other known artists, yet we the viewers have never heard of them, it stands to reason that they never really amount to anything.  That kind of takes away the suspense of a will they/won't they make it storyline - especially since they are being built up as the labels only prospect.

Edited March 21, 2016 by 2AT

[susannot]

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2016/03/20/vinyl-david-bowie-noah-bean-trey-songz/

 

The singer at the bat mitzvah was none other than R & B star Trey Songz.

[StevieRocks]

Really annoyed with this show, but I can't stop watching. I keep waiting for it to improve and every week, I'm disappointed.

 

I hate these 2 characters so very much.

Co-sign. I can't even BELIEVE I keep watching this show. It's horrible. But I will concede that they're doing a great job of casting actors who are wonderful in the roles of the artists. That's what I expected the show to be--not Richie in the role of an idiot savant without the savant part. And I was too bored to rewind to see if it was Andrea who was humping Richie, as if someone like her would come within 500 feet of smelly, sweaty Richie who looks like a dirty crackhead who hasn't bathed in a month. Andrea seemed like a real record executive with Bowie, and there's Ray Ramano's character standing there looking and acting like someone's corny old grandpa. With the exception of Andrea, the "record people" look like the loser-y hangers-on of the Rat Pack, not visionaries of the 70s. And when Andy Z. said that artists think American Century is square, I thought, they're not just square; they're lame, corny, and embarrassing. They're the Willy Lomans of the music business. I just realized that the skank humping Grandpa Cornball (Richie) was the dumb secretary. Gross.

[StevieRocks]

And exactly what is the purpose of the guy who comes on after the episode and EXPLAINS the episode? Thanks, Professor. We understand the events of the show; we just think it stinks.

[revbfc]

And exactly what is the purpose of the guy who comes on after the episode and EXPLAINS the episode? Thanks, Professor. We understand the events of the show; we just think it stinks.

I guess HBO likes to give the viewers some bonus view of the series. It also may be a poor attempt to answer angry viewers who yelled "What did I just watch?!?!" at their screens.

[Cramps]

That's the creator of the show. He also created Boardwalk Empire and was a Sopranos writer.

[bookrat]

Shouldn't Richie have gone to prison for drug/drunk driving that killed his friend and soon to wife's baby? Even in the 70s I think you would still get jail time if you caused a death. At least do jail time for all the drugs in the car.

[This2getsold]

I was hit by a drunk driver in the late 70's. It was her 2nd offense. Laws were very lax at that time. I wasn't even awarded punitive damages. She went on to have a 3rd offense and no jail time.

Every time Richie does Coke I expect him to pull a Don Simpson & drop over dead.

Edited March 23, 2016 by This2getsold

[jamblastx]

I hate this show more and more each week but am compelled to watch because I like the subject matter of early 70's rock.  That said, the show's real subject matter is Richie who is one of the most boring and unlikable characters being played by Bobby Cannavale...one of the most boring and unlikable actors around.  I was just about to put the nail in the coffin and just cancel it from my DVR when I realized I could just skip over Bobby's overacting and Devin's brooding and suddenly the show got a lot better.  There is a halfway decent show in there if they just cut out their leads.  Have Bobby arrested and sent away for murder and Devin move far far away...perfect

[Mr. Sparkle]

Add me to the list of those who are finding it harder to watch this show every week. The punk rock subplot is ok, and I like the "live" performances, but the Richie-Devon show is just painfully boring. 

 

Forgive me for being "that guy," but did this site announce they're not doing recaps of the show anymore, or did they just stop? I think it's safe to assume lack of interest as the reason. 

[dinkysquid]

I can't believe that the people responsible for Boardwalk Empire - including Bobby - had a hand in this.

 

Like many others here, I really, really want to like this. Having lived through the 70s, it was such an amazing time musically but why isn't that here? They are taking a decade of change, exciting new inroads and turning it into a weekly update on Ritchie's coke/booze binge and consequent marital problems. Are we really supposed to believe that these people are managing a MAJOR RECORD LABEL?!!!! Wow! Talk about suspending your belief!! They seem incapable of managing a lunch order, not to mention top, million dollar acts of the day. And is it just me or does Ray Romano seem terribly out of place here?

 

Loved the nod to Bowie. The guy who played him was great. Suffragette City is one of my favorite songs period. But unfortunately that didn't save the episode.

 

I see that HBO is falling back on its we-push-the-envelope-because-we-can burning need to show T&A, in each episode, this time with poor Olivia as the Meat of The Week. And that lurid, cringe-worthy scene with the slutty receptionist and Ritchie in the can was gross as well.

 

I think Bobby is an amazing actor. He was brilliant in Boardwalk, on Nurse Jackie, and pretty much anything else I've seen him in but to say that his talents are being wasted here, by just constantly showing him getting wasted, is the understatement of the year. I'm sure Ritchie could be an interesting character but they have got to get him away off this coke/booze train. It's getting boring....real fast.

 

I keep tuning in with the hopes that this show will get better and live up to it's potential and every week I'm let down. 

 

I don't know if I'll even bother with Season Two. Or finish this one for that matter.

[Hanahope]

Add another 'wtf am I watching and why?"  Honestly, I'm so bored/disgusted by the constant drug use, I just fast-forward through Richie's and Devon's scenes.  I think all I watched was the Bowie scene (and yes, wonderful performance there), the scene with the Nasty bits interviewing guitarists (until Richie went off again), the lead bit playing guitar in the shop with the other guy he offered the lead guitarist job to, the guy singing at the Bat Mitzvah, and Andy telling the record execs that their logo looks like a toilet (heee!).  Maybe the lead characters' interaction with others is interesting, but I have really no interest in them.

 

I was surprised that Cece still worked there, I would have thought Richie would fire her after Hannibal went to another label.

 

Oh, and it was odd that Andy asked if the company had started doing or arranging something or another with that other music guy that Richie had killed.  I mean, its been at least a month, doesn't she know he died?  You would have thought that the news would be all over the music biz.

[revbfc]

You know what's fun?

Doing cocaine.

You know what's not fun?

Watching other people do cocaine.

Edited March 23, 2016 by revbfc

[2AT]

Add another 'wtf am I watching and why?"  Honestly, I'm so bored/disgusted by the constant drug use...

 

I was surprised that Cece still worked there, I would have thought Richie would fire her after Hannibal went to another label.

 

THIS!!!!!!!

 

I don't mind the "Devon goes back to The Factory" scenes since she's a lot more interesting when she is away from Richie.  

[right]

 

 

Oh, and it was odd that Andy asked if the company had started doing or arranging something or another with that other music guy that Richie had killed.  I mean, its been at least a month, doesn't she know he died?  You would have thought that the news would be all over the music biz.

 

I believe she was referring to the guy that was with Richie and helped dispose of Buck Roger (Dice).  Is his name Joe Corzo?  He was the one who is now planning to blackmail Richie over the murder.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Inside the episode:

[Hanahope]

I think Richie is to some degree based on MANY people who WERE IN CHARGE of ACTUAL RECORD LABELS.  And, by the way, they not only ran those labels successfully while snorting piles of coke off their desks, but they actually ripped off their artists much worse than anyone has been ripped off so far on this show.

 

That could very well be.  I presume that most were able to do that, at least in part, because back then the only way to listen to music was either through the radio or on an album.  Cassette tapes (and being able to record an album onto a cassette tape through the stereo) didn't become as much of thing until late 70s, maybe? 

 

Doesn't make it interesting TV.

[buttercupia]

The Life on Mars cover sucked.  It was auto-tuned to death.  The guy lip-synching it at the bat mitzvah wasn't the singer.

 

Hubs and I clocked Ernst as not really there about 5 minutes in.

[Bunky]

I think this may be a stupid question but was the piano guy supposed to be a young Billy Joel? I think the timing is slightly off but I don't know. Like, will Ray Romano "discover" Billy Joel? Everything about that barfs me out if it's true.

I caught up on the past few episodes yesterday. I'm not hate-watching, I'm disgust-watching. I feel gross and wish I could stop.

[qtpye]

In many ways I like Ray Romano, but he and Bobby C come off lamer then my grandpa and are not believable as hip cool record execs, with their finger on the pulse of rock culture.

 

Ricky losing control was so contrived and cliche.  Add two parts Henry Hill from Goodfellas and one part Tony Soprano fevered dream sequence.

 

I was wondering what the heck Andrea was doing with these losers.  She seem far too good for Richie and I don't find it believable that he dumped her, because Devon was "more beautiful".

 

I hope she takes over and throws Richie out.  Also, why the heck would she think David Bowie would like Ray Romano's character?  Was that to set him up to fail?  She seemed sincere in her motives.

 

I feel sorry for Richie and Devon's kids.  I do not understand why the heck Devon can not go out into the city once in a while, when she probably has nannies and servants who can take care of the house?  Does Richie make her stay in Connecticut, because he is too jealous and wants her to be the happy housewife?  If this is the case, then that is reason 115 on a long list of why it is good that she finally left him.

Edited April 1, 2016 by qtpye

[This2getsold]

Boy nothing shows how old the viewers on here are like this show. Haha

8 tracks came out in about 1971.

Like another poster said this is mild compared to what was really going on the music industry. Find some books on the music industry in the 70's, they are out there. We know a guy whose own brother put a hit on him! Both music industry guys.

The mobsters making an appearance, was waiting for that.

Why hating on Richie and mentioning the love and enduring nature for that fat fuck tony soprano. Richie is an addict of about everything the rest of us are lucky enough not to suffer from. If you ever been around an addict, they are controlled by their addiction. Yes they longingly look at alcohol. They lie when it's just as easy to tell the truth. Talk to a sex addict, their stories are unbelievable.

You had to live through the 70's to appreciate them. Remember this is all before the AIDS crisis.

Tony Soprano was the most truly disgusting character ever on tv.

[qtpye]

You had to live through the 70's to appreciate them. Remember this is all before the AIDS crisis.

 

 

Most people were too young to appreciate the sixties, but that did not keep people of all ages from enjoying shows like Mad Men and the Wonder Years.  Also, many people who have lived threw the era say this show is a piece of shit.

 

No one has any issue with amount of addiction being shown, but that it is all being executed rather poorly.

 

Bobby C looks at a bottle and suddenly his eyes glisten and the corner of his mouth opens wistfully...it's very contrived.    You see the acting and it is quite amateur. 

 

When James G played Tony, you forgot you were watching a t.v. show, because he so vividly embodied that character (good and bad) in a complex and nuanced way.