Written by Ryan Murphy & Ian Brennan
Directed by Daniel Minahan
Raymond (to Archie): "I'm gonna change the way they make movies in this town. I'm gonna make sure that people like us aren't on the outside looking in anymore."
Getting into the second part of this double bill pilot episode, we have more new players added into the mix while everyone here seems to be experiencing some mixed fortunes as they continue on their quest to crack Tinseltown.
This episode introduced half-Asian Raymond Ainsley (Darren Criss) who made his debut by trying to coax Anna May Wong (Michelle Krusiec) out of retirement with the promise of a leading role in a passion project named Angel Of Shanghai. However despite Raymond's sincere intentions, things didn't go as to plan and Anna was left somewhat despondent as this episode lamented on Hollywood's poor treatment of her.
Raymond was instantly likeable from the off here as he compromised with studio head Dick Samuels (Joe Mantello) and ended up signing up to do Archie's Peg while Jack also tried to schmooze for the role of the love interest in the movie. There's a lovely if somewhat cheesily written conversation midway this episode between Raymond and Archie but I respect what it's trying to do here.
As for Archie, he's managed to get his script off the ground and he seems hesitant to define his relationship with Roy just yet. I know a lot of creative licencing has been taken with the Archie/Roy story but again, the chemistry with Jeremy Pope and Jake Picking really elevates the scenes with the two of them.
As for Roy, well he also got something of a break and like Jack, it came at a casting couch price when sleazy agent Henry Willson (Jim Parsons) not only decided that Roy needed to go by the name Rock Hudson in order to be a star but also that poor Roy had to let Henry blow him as well. I do wonder if this miniseries is overplaying Rock's naivety at times but at the same time, he's also emerging as my favourite character in the series so far.
Meanwhile getting back to new characters, we also met Raymond's girlfriend, Camille Washington (Laura Harrier), also keen to make her mark and facing prejudices herself as well as the spoiled would be starlet Claire Wood (Samara Weaving), who didn't waste much time in making an impression on Jack either.
Speaking of Jack, the cliff hanger from the first part was quickly resolved with Ernie bailing him out so the focus was in in getting a screen time leading to Ellen Kincaid (Holland Taylor) giving him a contract while also dealing with his wife's wrath and of course, Avis, who went down a bit for the way she dismissed Archie. Jack's parts were the weaker elements of this episode but watchable enough.
- We got the opening credits, which are stunning and list all the regulars but only Jack, Raymond, Camille, Claire, Archie and Roy appear in the sequence climbing up a certain sign.
- Also introduced in this episode was Mora Sorvino's Jeanne Crandall, who Camille shared a scene with. They also mentioned Hattie McDaniel who will show up in the series.
- Standout music: Dinah Shore's You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To, Errol Gardner's I'm In The Mood For Love and Irving Aarson's Let's Misbehave.
- Chronology: From where the first part left off.
A delightful second part that did a terrific job in introducing the rest of our main players but it's clear from the title sequence that it's the six younger characters who journey into potential stardom and everything good and bad that comes with it that will be the focus here.
Rating: 7 out of 10
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