Despite a running time of almost 6 hours, this series feels rushed. Events involving careers, relationships and significant social change occur with lightening speed. It mashes together almost every cliche about Hollywood that you've ever seen or heard and right from the start the dialog features such standards as " a dime a dozen" and "just another pretty face". Hollywood relentlessly hammers home the same points over and over where transactional sex is just a matter of routine and alcohol use is non stop.. There is little sense of real or reel life here. Holland Taylor, Joe Mantello and Michelle Krusiec (Anna May Wong) manage to suggest actual human beings, but most of the cast is rather dull and unmemorable. The ostensible lead David Corenswet was more effective in a smaller role in The Politician, and Jack Castello as Rock Hudson maintains the same expression throughout. The portrayals of Hudson, Tallulah Bankhead, Vivien Leigh and Noel Coward are unconvincing and insulting to their memories. Though watchable, Hollywood never approaches the level of it's so bad it's good or even rises to the level of entertaining camp though Jim Parsons tries hard with his dance of the 7 veils. The scattered script, breathless pace and character overload makes it hard to sort it all out or really care. And what's up with the appearance of Eleanor Roosevelt?
