When you say you are trying to figure out why a great show gets bad reviews. Well I need to disappoint you that the issue is not with the critics or the reviewers but the show itself.
Mainly its writing, its introducing characters one after another that are either contribute nothing to the story line or doing a cheap job by filling in screen time just because you have to pay actors so you might as well give theme screen time.
Jamie's character - stars good and ends good. But what about the other 8 episodes in between that were completely lost on the character. A few scenes where she supplies sex/drugs to the musicians isnt really character development. Her being kicked out of the house, do we really care. She already slept with Kip so its not like she became his muse after being kicked out of the house. Show us how she is formulating The Nasty Bits, how she is their musical character.
Lester - probably the most likeable character for his raw musicianship and history. He does absolutely nothing as a character except saying "I dont know, what can I do" as the Bits manager. The only scene through the 10 episodes is how he is teaching Kip guitar theory. Show us the managerial side of things, how in between recording stuff they go to shows and Lester has to keep them inline. Show how Lester struggles with the fact that now Richie is working with Corrado, show how Kip is having an honest drunk conversation with him and how they are finding their own sound in the process. That's great story line and character development.
Skip's character - completely unnecessary if they dont develop his illegal record sales scheme. Why does he has screen time? Does his character influence or create any story line in regard to other characters? (If they wanted to show that a record company is influencing record sales for ratings, get Richie to make a few phone calls or a few scenes where he does Skip's job). An extra character on screen for 10 episodes is unnecessary.
Scott's character is in the show just so we can hate him for his idiotic actions/language/look? Unnecessary. How is he contributing to the flow of the overall show. Combine his character with Hal's.
Julie's character - somewhat along Jamie's but then again unlikable because he is an idiot. Why do we see him for 10 episodes nod his head on crappy music so then Richie can dis him and how dumb he looks. Waste of screen time.
Clark had been annoying since day one and the last 2 episodes he starts to get his side story interesting and appealing to the viewer. Why not start him in the mail room in episode 2, so by now we see how he hustles to find new music and earn his place in the company and possibly replace Julie. Technically they could have replaces Julie's character with Clark to begin with.
Maury - great backstory on where Richie came from, so continue his character. Instead he is introducing Corrado to Richie. Show us how a competing label is able to work with Richie, on the fake record sales maybe.
I feel that 90% of characters are static and their screen time is wasted by bad story line writing.
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A_l_a_c_h_u_a_1
9 years ago
Mainly its writing, its introducing characters one after another that are either contribute nothing to the story line or doing a cheap job by filling in screen time just because you have to pay actors so you might as well give theme screen time.
Great points on a lot of examples you used describing the characters. I agreed with most of them. For example, what you said about Jamie. She started great, but I agree - what has she done to show us why she is so valuable to the nasty bits, apart from sex/drugs. Same with Lester. A favorite character, but the character development and meaningful relationship between him and Kip/Nasty Bits wasn't really shown. And a lot of the others you mentioned just seem to waste screen time.
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