Hollywood is Ryan Murphy’s (American Horror Story, The Politician) reimagining of tinseltown, post World War II, where people come to chase their dreams. In a Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood type of way, Murphy takes real people from Hollywood’s golden years and puts a Tarantino-esque spins on their lives. It is spectacular in every way.
Jack Costello (David Corenswet) is home from the war and ready to finally become the star he has always dreamed of being. He is low on his luck so he take a job at a gas station, where he has to service his costumers in more ways than just one… If you know what I mean. This leads him to meeting some of Hollywood’s elite, where he uses his new found connections to land a contact at Ace Studios, the biggest production company in town.
In classic Murphy fashion, the cast of this Netflix original is out of this world. Darren Criss plays Raymond Ainsely, a bright-eyed, wannabe director, looking for his big break, who is also dating the gorgeous and talented Camille Washington, played by Laure Harrier, an aspiring African-american actress, determined to play anything other than a maid. Other scene-stealers in this show include Holland Taylor, THEE Patti Lupone, and Jermey Pope. You really have to see it to believe it.
Some of the characters, while their stories are fantasied, are based on real people. Jake Picking takes on the stand-out performance of his career as Rock Hudson, a 1950’s heartthrob who was secretly hiding his true sexuality. Jim Parsons transformed into the creepy and predatory agent, Henry Wilson, who used his power in Hollywood to prey on young men. Other characters based on real people include Queen Latifah as Hattie McDaniel, Michelle Krusiec as Anna May Wong and Katie McGuinness as Viven Leigh.
All of these characters come together when the script for a movie called, “Peg,” about the true events of an aspiring actress with the same name that jumped to her death off the Hollywood sign, falls in their laps. They are determined to get this movie made despite any obstacle – Including the fact that it would be the first film ever produced that was written by an African-American man.
Overall, this show is outstanding. I was hooked from start to finish, enthralled by the glamour and in love with each of the characters. It is a funny, heart-warming, elaborate, devastating, and magical show that tops my list of favorite shows of all time.
What are you waiting for? Hollywood is now streaming – Only on Netflix.
Score: 4.75/★★★★★
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