I can't quite pinpoint the reason I continue to watch Denis Leary's FX Network show "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll". The premise is a bit clichéd (What? A rock musician finds out he has kid he didn't know about?) and the show is purposefully titillating to keep the predominantly male audience interested. But as a former rock and alternative radio DJ who was on the air from the mid-80s to the mid-2000s, I'm definitely drawn to tales surrounding punk, rock and indie music.
Leary plays Johnny Rock, the lead singer of a 90s rock band called The Heathens. The quick and dirty summary of the band's dissolution is a pretty familiar one - they imploded after recording their first album because the lead singer had slept with every band member's wife and/or girlfriend.
Now 51, Johnny is still a hard partying musician pining for fame and fortune. During a night out clubbing he meets his 21-year-old daughter who is also chasing the Rock God dream.
Johnny's gorgeous, talented daughter Gigi brings The Heathens back together, renames them The Assassins and embarks on her own journey as the lead singer of this extremely dysfunctional group of musicians.
What I like about the show:
Elizabeth Gillies has a no-bull$#^* outer confidence that hides a typically neurotic 21-year-old inner monologue. It's usually a toss-up between Gillies and Leary for the best lines in each episode.
Denis Leary's snarky portrayal of a bitter, almost-been rock star stuck in the past is spot-on. I've met guys just like him. Well, I've actually met Leary and he's a lot like Johnny, except for the almost-been thing. He's extremely successful as a comedian, actor and writer.
The dialogue is quick, realistic and often spit-take hilarious.
The show does a great job of showcasing the varied stereotypes everyone in the music business has encountered, including record producers who are not actually "on fleek", aging musicians and actors who are obsessed with their failing looks, ridiculous over-the-top hipsters and gold-digging backstage bimbos.
It's super entertaining to see the occasional cameos of famous actors and musicians who are often playing a crazy version of themselves à la Neil Patrick Harris in the Harold and Kumar movies.
I'm enjoying the burgeoning relationship between Johnny and Gigi. Their inappropriate father-daughter conversations are like a car wreck you don't want to see, but look anyway. And yet you can feel their affection for each other.
What I don't like about the show:
Every woman in the show is hypersexualized. I've yet to see a shot with one of the female leads that doesn't feature some prominent cleavage (at the very least). Their talent takes a back seat to their f*#^ability. Hey, not all women in the rock music biz dress like hookers and simulate coitus while on stage.
The timeline and punk-esque vibe developed for The Heathens feels off. The show's intro clip displays band images that look more like scenes from CBGB in the 70s than scenes from the era that gave birth to grunge. Also, if Johnny Rock is 50- 51 today, he was 26-27 in 1992. That's kinda old to be in a punk rock band getting record company traction. To someone like me who was playing alternative/rock/punk records in 1992 and met plenty of bands on their way up, the years and band persona just don't quite fit together right.
I don't think making fun of the fat drummer with a food obsession is that humorous.
The music isn't that good. I wish they'd spend the money for the rights to use great songs that fit the flashbacks and current scenes (But not Lady Gaga!). And I wish they would get someone to write better original songs.
All that being said, I'll definitely continue to watch the show. I'm a sucker for rock and roll movies/TV shows - plus I look forward to Denis and Elizabeth's snappy dialogue, the humorous appearances of famous actors/musicians and to see where the storyline goes.
