The Franchise

Not sure exactly who this show is for exactly. I've watched a few movies about making movies and they were also comedies. Movies like One Cut of the Dead, Living in Oblivion those are very funny movies while simultaneously makes me wonder why I ever want to work in the industry (though I have no plans on stopping). This show does have its funny moments, again if you've worked on a set you'll definitely relate to this. My favorite moments are the "actors" Richard E Grant plays a prestigious theatre actor who hates his co star played by Billy Magnussen. They were the standout of this episode Not sure if this show is going to have much to say about the industry other than producers getting in the way of directors but I am interested in where it's gonna go.

It hit the ground running for a first episode with a rapid fire script, which had plenty of in-jokes for those who understand how a film set is organised and run. For those that don't keep watching, explainers for who does what are built in as they go along. From Veep to this, it was delivered with brilliant Armando Lannucci self deprecating wit, if he can keep the bad language on the down low, to bring more of the funny, which he's very good at. And given how many different people work on film sets, there's plenty of opportunities. Impressed to see this based in UK film studios, as they have been publicly invested in and expanded over the last couple of decades, in collaboration with Hollywood. Richard E Grant stood out with his classic acting luvvie character, as did Jessica Hynes who was loaded down with so much gear, she looked more like an expedition Sherpa. Himesh Patel is carrying the lead well. This also has the potential to attract short walk on cameos of big names, if it gains the right numbers.

"Franchise" Review: "Franchise" centers around the chaotic production of a sci-fi movie that's way off schedule. The actors can't connect with the eccentric director or make sense of the confusing script, and they're constantly at odds with each other. The show's core premise revolves around the disorder, with a cast of quirky, larger-than-life characters. At the heart of the chaos is the second assistant director (AD), who tries desperately to hold everything together. He's constantly stretched thin, dealing with a director lost in his own world, self-absorbed actors with questionable talent, underqualified and underpaid assistants, and a studio that's stifling the filmmakers' creative vision. To top it off, his personal life is crumbling too. While each of these elements is intended to be comedic, they never really come together. The jokes fall flat, and instead of feeling entertained, you end up feeling sorry for the main character. The show fails to evoke any real emotion other than frustration, leaving you with a sense that your time has been wasted.

When I first saw the rating for the show, it was sitting at a 1.0. Hopefully that has changed by then but it definitely had me curious. When they first announced this, I was sold. It'd been a couple of years now, but Sam Mendes? HBO? The plot was intriguing enough to warrant a check-out. I only feel implored as to not let this sink by the wayside. Only one episode in but it's a very solid pilot. If you have any mild interest in the film industry or any basic understanding of the toxic culture I'm sure they'll be something for you to enjoy. I could only see the negative reviews as a way of self-defensive mechanism but they show the Warner Brothers logo itself so clearly they're comfortable making fun of themselves. I could also see the complaint of everybody just being horrible people but again it's so early to tell and I think there's enough serviceable characters to make way for something more personal.