Series Review: Hollywood

Set in the the 1950s, Hollywood is a show about how the movie business evolved in the post War world and the people who changed it. The series opens with a shot of the Ace Studio house, where everyday hundreds of aspiring actors clamor to be selected as an extra for a movie. Amongst the meleé is Jack Castello, a recently returned soldier, trying to catch a break in the movies. As Castello acquaints himself with Hollywood, the narrative expands, new characters are introduced and gradually the show’s perspective moves away from Castello’s.

The first two episodes of the series can feel overwhelming, as you acquaint yourself with what seems like an endless flow of characters. But by the third episode, arguably the best one of the mini-series, the narrative settles and you find yourself sucked into the this world

Hollywood has all the character tropes we’ve come to expect from depictions of films — the struggling actors, the ambitious director, the studio tycoon, the romantic screenwriter, the nefarious agent and the do-good producers. The plot, however, is anything but trite. All the characters come together in the production of the film Meg — a groundbreaking film at the time for its use of a colored lead. The entire show is centered around the cast and crew of the film, and the challenges they face at every step of the way in making Meg.