Hollywood Review: The man of the moment taking over the digital/TV screens with unmatched creativity and a keen eye for stories with narratives that boast of diversity is Ryan Murphy. He is the man behind shows such as Glee, American Horror Story, Pose, The Politician and now Netflix's Hollywood. With the new show, Murphy tried to reimagine Hollywood's golden era, the one where the studios dominated the scene and agents referred to themselves as 'star-makers'. Blending fact. and fiction, Murphy's limited series is set in the post World War II Los Angeles with aspiring actor Jack Castello (David Corenset) at its fore. Hollywood Trailer: Ryan Murphy's Netflix Series Rewriting the History of Film Industry Looks Interesting (Watch Video).

The seven-episode series unlike Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a  Time In Hollywood, isn't' a love letter to the movie business or least of all Los Angeles. It, in fact, is a cautionary tale for dreamers about what the industry was like back in the day and also a hopeful PSA for what this glamorous world would be if it overcame its own shortcomings. Murphy showcases Hollywood's ugly side, the predatory agents, racism, homophobia with enough clarity but also fantasies an alternate reality to it. What I find most disappointing whilst watching this show though is that unfortunately, we haven't come a long way, have we? We're celebrating the sentencing of Hollywood's disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein in 2020, the diversity debate seems to have just begun, especially for LGBTQIA artists and #OscarsSoWhite is still something that trends every year after the Academy puts out their nominations. So even as Murphy tries to change the course of history here, it seems we are still struggling with the present.

For those who have been ardent fans of old Hollywood, the mere references of the likes of Anna May Wong, Vivien Leigh, Hattie McDaniel will be enough to get you excited in the series. Among other real-life personalities that make their way in this show are also the famous 'star-maker' Henry Wilson (Jim Parsons) who back in the day was well known for being the most powerful agent, known for preying on new talent. Murphy takes us through his journey with Rock Hudson (Jake Picking).

From Hollywood's parties for the closeted gay men to gas stations that also provide gigolo services, Murphy's show indulges in enough of crowd-pleasing tropes to bring in the audiences who want to see something scandalous. The show after its disappointing first two episodes tries to better itself with some genuine storylines like that of a coloured actress wanting to star as romantic leas as opposed to a maid, a trophy-wife of a studio-head realising her power and intelligence when she's forced to handle her husband's business, a coloured-gay screenwriter fighting for getting credit for his work, an American-Chinese actress hoping to break the glass ceiling and play a character that doesn't mock or stereotype her 'oriental' background. All these are potent and interesting subplots and I'd have been more than happy had Murphy given each of them their own voice to tell their story, episode by episode. Instead, what we get is a white male, struggling actor, Jack Castello at the centre of this tale, connecting us to these characters. My point is, if you want to tell a story about marginalised people, let them do it. Another huge disappointment is a fleeting reference to Ku Klux Klan.

Hollywood shines best in scenes where it hits the nerve with its direct approach. One of the most amazing scenes is actually without dialogue as we see Michelle Krusiec's Anna May Wong teary-eyed as she watches Luise Rainer's character receiving an award for The Good Earth, a film about Chinese farmers with a Chinese lead character. In yet another scene, we see Wong giving a stellar audition for the same role but being denied the opportunity due to her oriental looks with the role being offered to a white actress. Unfortunately though, whilst trying to rewrite history and giving Wong her deserved Oscar win with a fictional storyline in the show, the makers don't do enough justice of bringing forth the forgotten actress' struggles. It merely touches on the whole 'yellow-face' scandal with one dialogue.

Another moment that did stand out for me in the series is when Hollywood agent, Henry Wilson (Jim Parsons), apologises to Rock Hudson (Jake Picking) for his brash, predatory behaviour towards him. Sometimes alternate realities make you feel better and even though in real-life Wilson and Hudson never had such an exchange, it seems more than believable when Hudson says he can't forgive Wilson for all that he's done. For the uninitiated, in reality, Wilson forced Hudson to remain closeted all through his career and even forced him to marry a woman to 'save his public image'. The duo had a strenuous relationship that eventually resulted in Rock Hudson firing the agent.

Hollywood certainly packs a punch with its gorgeous production design. It's always a treat to get sucked into the charm of old Hollywood with the swanky, colourful cars. the fedoras, the recreated versions of institutions like Schwab’s Pharmacy and so on. The costumes, hair and makeup departments also deserve a shoutout for their fantastic work. Also, kudos to casting for choosing Jake Picking for Rock Hudson's role, not only is the resemblance uncanny, his awkward mannerisms make it even more endearing.  Robe Lowe and Ryan Murphy Working on a New Tiger King Project (Read Deets).

Check Out the Trailer Of Hollywood Here:

As for performances, unfortunately, this is one department, the show needed a greater boost. While actors such as Joe Mantello, Dylan McDermott, Patti LuPone and Jeremy Pope stand out with their brilliant performances, it the main cast consisting of David Corenset, Darren Criss, Laura Harrier fail to showcase the difference between their regular characters' tones and when they are 'acting' in the scenes for the film that is being shot in the series. Jim Parsons who seems to be trying hard to break away from his popular TV image of Sheldon Cooper, does well as he slips into the creepy character of Henry Wilson.  For me, it's Patti LuPone and  Dylan McDermott who truly shine in this show.

Yay!

- Production Design and Costumes

-  Jim Parsons, Patti LuPone and  Dylan McDermott's Performances

Nay!

-  Missed Opportunity on Re-telling of Hollywood History

-  Poor Performances From Lead Cast Including David Corenset

- Nudity and Sexual Advances Used as Crowd-Pleasing Tropes

Final Thoughts:

Ryan Murphy's Hollywood tries hard to give a happy ending to the starts who didn't get their due back in the day but it doesn't do so very convincingly because it doesn't highlight their plights that well. The show wavers a lot before getting to point and the first few episodes aren't a great build-up for the show's history-altering storyline. With a stronger lead character, the show could have made its point more powerfully. While the show is entertaining, it does force you to Google Hollywood history after watching it, and that proves it is a missed opportunity.

Rating:2.5

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 04, 2020 04:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).