Bad news fans, The Playboy Club has been canceled. I learned it before writing this review so I hope my opinion won't be too biased. It's going to be really hard considering this third installment featured none other than Cassidy Freeman, Tess Mercer on Smallville for the people who just fell from the Moon. She really charmed me and transformed the show from season 8. I actually found her so gorgeous that I compared her to Scarlett Johansson in my Kandor episode review. When she first appeared as Frances Dunhill I thought I was hallucinating and couldn't even remember her name. It took me almost ten minutes ● Bullet time ● to cool off.
The episodic story was entertaining but could have been more surprising if the writers hadn't decided to quickly reveal what was going on. Still I enjoyed the new bunny role because it brought some tension. It was specially welcome considering the mob arc pace is as fast as a rabbid snail. The boss got killed two weeks ago and his associate keeps asking the same question over and over. Act man, stop talking ! Soon he'll do the moonwalk in slippers ! However I have to admit that the cliffhanger intrigued so I really hope they'll air the remaining episodes even if the cancellation occurred during the 6th one production.
As for my favorite character, Bunny Mother Carol-Lynne, I'm surprised how much her role is good compared to the others. From the way she handled Nick to her speech to a reporter Laura Benanti deserved better than playing in some sort of subliminal advertisement. Her words would have been inspiring, like in the pilot, if they weren't viciously sponsored by Playboy. Even Freeman's role couldn't hide the fact that what Frances said about bunnies was sexist. Dressing waitresses would be brilliant ? What about these so-called gentlemen ? I'm curious about what really happened behind the doors of these nightclubs ! Things would be completely different if the story was authentic, based on facts for instance or featuring people trying to close the club.
It leads us to the two musical acts. Objectively the first was a masterpiece as Frances joyfully danced but it's the second that is more important. Indeed Benanti did her magic again but this time I was slightly disappointed. She sang The Lady is a Tramp, a pertinent choice considering the plot line, but the lipsync was approximate. Still she really looked ravishing in her red dress and her sweet voice is delightful to hear. In an other sequence the girls were partying crazy and singing. I instantly imagined The Playboy Club as a musical series featuring creative, witty and sensual acts reminiscent of cabaret or burlesque. Playboy Bunnies dominating male hunters ? The Mother enchainting a half naked Odysseus like a mythological siren ? There was room for so much more but as often the passion to create a beautiful and inspiring work of art became a capitalist quest of greed and lies.
The episodic story was entertaining but could have been more surprising if the writers hadn't decided to quickly reveal what was going on. Still I enjoyed the new bunny role because it brought some tension. It was specially welcome considering the mob arc pace is as fast as a rabbid snail. The boss got killed two weeks ago and his associate keeps asking the same question over and over. Act man, stop talking ! Soon he'll do the moonwalk in slippers ! However I have to admit that the cliffhanger intrigued so I really hope they'll air the remaining episodes even if the cancellation occurred during the 6th one production.
As for my favorite character, Bunny Mother Carol-Lynne, I'm surprised how much her role is good compared to the others. From the way she handled Nick to her speech to a reporter Laura Benanti deserved better than playing in some sort of subliminal advertisement. Her words would have been inspiring, like in the pilot, if they weren't viciously sponsored by Playboy. Even Freeman's role couldn't hide the fact that what Frances said about bunnies was sexist. Dressing waitresses would be brilliant ? What about these so-called gentlemen ? I'm curious about what really happened behind the doors of these nightclubs ! Things would be completely different if the story was authentic, based on facts for instance or featuring people trying to close the club.
It leads us to the two musical acts. Objectively the first was a masterpiece as Frances joyfully danced but it's the second that is more important. Indeed Benanti did her magic again but this time I was slightly disappointed. She sang The Lady is a Tramp, a pertinent choice considering the plot line, but the lipsync was approximate. Still she really looked ravishing in her red dress and her sweet voice is delightful to hear. In an other sequence the girls were partying crazy and singing. I instantly imagined The Playboy Club as a musical series featuring creative, witty and sensual acts reminiscent of cabaret or burlesque. Playboy Bunnies dominating male hunters ? The Mother enchainting a half naked Odysseus like a mythological siren ? There was room for so much more but as often the passion to create a beautiful and inspiring work of art became a capitalist quest of greed and lies.
