Bobby (Sarah Solemani) is an independent film director who finds herself pulled into reshoots of another director's work by producer Cameron (Steve Coogan). Despite working in the industry they are totally different characters, so how will they be able to work together?
This is the premise. And it's intriguing. But despite a talented cast and a costly production budget the series just fails to deliver.
It feels like Solemani and Coogan had a handful of good ideas (a conversation with the outgoing director, a self-conscious body double, a revelation of abuse, an unexpected racist rant) but couldn't find a good way of linking them all together.
The single biggest problem is Bobby. She is effectively the lead character, and the early episodes encourage you to side with her, because she is the one exposing the bad behaviour of Hollywood men (as per the over-used hashtag). Bobby is also a working mother who is having problems in her own relationship. Easy to sympathise with, right?
Wrong. Because it turns out that Solemani's Bobby is just as self-serving as the rest of the industry. And she simply doesn't have the charm or heart of Coogan's Cameron.
Ultimately the person that is exposing bad behaviour is the worst behaved of them all. Although that is actually quite believable, it doesn't work in the context of this show, which has been set up to sanctify the issues she is fighting for.
Many storylines are barely explored, or resolved suddenly so that they can move on to the next scene. All very unsatisfying, with the final episode going for a dramatic climax that comes out of nowhere, and a bizarre scene involving a cake.
I think there was a good series buried somewhere in the script, but in trying to tweak it to meet the political agenda of the day, it lost its way.
One really weird thing about the show that I just have to mention is Sarah Solemani's wardrobe. She's in great shape. But did every outfit need to be quite as tight fitting and revealing? Didn't seem necessary for her character, and several scenes seemed more dedicated to showing her body off Baywatch-style than anything else. Odd.
This is the premise. And it's intriguing. But despite a talented cast and a costly production budget the series just fails to deliver.
It feels like Solemani and Coogan had a handful of good ideas (a conversation with the outgoing director, a self-conscious body double, a revelation of abuse, an unexpected racist rant) but couldn't find a good way of linking them all together.
The single biggest problem is Bobby. She is effectively the lead character, and the early episodes encourage you to side with her, because she is the one exposing the bad behaviour of Hollywood men (as per the over-used hashtag). Bobby is also a working mother who is having problems in her own relationship. Easy to sympathise with, right?
Wrong. Because it turns out that Solemani's Bobby is just as self-serving as the rest of the industry. And she simply doesn't have the charm or heart of Coogan's Cameron.
Ultimately the person that is exposing bad behaviour is the worst behaved of them all. Although that is actually quite believable, it doesn't work in the context of this show, which has been set up to sanctify the issues she is fighting for.
Many storylines are barely explored, or resolved suddenly so that they can move on to the next scene. All very unsatisfying, with the final episode going for a dramatic climax that comes out of nowhere, and a bizarre scene involving a cake.
I think there was a good series buried somewhere in the script, but in trying to tweak it to meet the political agenda of the day, it lost its way.
One really weird thing about the show that I just have to mention is Sarah Solemani's wardrobe. She's in great shape. But did every outfit need to be quite as tight fitting and revealing? Didn't seem necessary for her character, and several scenes seemed more dedicated to showing her body off Baywatch-style than anything else. Odd.