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Hollywood: A few real characters, better than real story


Hollywood


The show starts in a light, funny mode. An aspiring actor, to whom everything seems to happen. Everything bad. 

It's difficult to understand exactly what this show is really about. What's the main message? It has more than one, I assume.

How far would you go?


From the beginning, the idea you get is that people would do anything to get what they want. The ends justify the means. Their lives are full of schemes and plots. More complex plots than the ones in the movies they are trying to act out. 

The show tends to represent the more decadent side of Hollywood's history with a touch of humor. 

Racism


It is a fact that racism is real in the film industry, but in the golden age, people didn't even try to be "subtle". The protagonists must be white, and a black writer was impossible to imagine. It wasn't accepted. By anyone.

The approach was interesting. The movie doesn't seem to have the intention of demonizing the studio owners or the industry itself. They didn't exclude an Asian actress because they are bad people. They did it because they felt that the world wouldn't accept her. It was what it was. They wouldn't have any support from society. 

This is shown by the general society fury and threats when they announce Meg. The main character in the new movie is black—a terrible crime. 

The question was not only about the feelings of the studio owners but also about money. Money or talent? The black actress was more talented, but people would not watch the movie if she were the protagonist. So she was put aside. Until…

Sheldon!


It was so good to see Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) again, and this time in a disgusting role. Henry Willson is an actor's manager who shows zero respect for his proteges. In fact, he abuses his position to take advantage of them. 

Everyone knows what kind of person he is, but apparently, he is also needed. To what? To do the dirty job when needed to erase inconvenient past mistakes from the stars' lives. 

Behind the scenes


Hollywood tries to show us what life is like behind the scenes. The movie Meg is full of young people striving to reach success. It is not only about the bad side of the movie industry, but also about friendship and union. It is about fighting for a dream. 

The dream seems to die when the tape is burned. It is one of those "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" moments, but also a slightly ridiculous one. How is it possible? Hadn't they made a copy?

Indeed, someone did, but you only know that much later. It is the disaster before the happy ending. It wouldn't be Hollywood without a happy ending, right?

How it should have been


Young actors, writers, and directors fight for glory in the unfair world of cinema. Racism, corruption, schemes. Is it what Hollywood is all about? No, it is also a story of ambition, courage, and conquest. 

There was a lot of criticism about this show. Rarely kind. I must admit that there were, let's say, "unnecessary" things but also good choices. The main goal was to present us with a different reality. What would it have been like if…?

Some topics and even characters could be more explored? Yes. Is it fun to watch? Also yes.  

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