Famous in Love: Season 1/ Episode 4 “Prelude to a Diss” – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

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After a little break from the show we are back and I’m starting to think shows wait till episode 4 to make some last minute attempt to win you over.

A Whole New World (Paige & Tangey)

While Cassandra notes Paige does have some acting credit to her name, by playing a role in A Streetcar Named Desire, when it comes to working on a film? Well, she is quite green. So green that Wyatt, especially with Alexis playing hookey [note]with Jake[/note], has no tolerance for her ignorance.

Luckily, she is able to pull it together and deliver one quality steam with Rainer to redeem herself.

Switching to Tangey, she has yet to step in front of the camera but she is venturing to be her own woman in front of the mic. Rather than stick to some form of pop or upbeat R&B, she wants to go a little country. Something her mother Ida does not support what so ever since she has dedicated her life to the child. So, naturally, she doesn’t want her changing something that works. However, Tangey is her own woman and she makes a choice to sing with emotion and use her feelings over Jordan as a source for her new record.

Commentary

Considering how in love Rainer seems to be with Paige, I’m surprised he didn’t introduce her to some things and didn’t look out for her more on set. Granted, Adam the PA guy was there, but he doesn’t have the same clout as Rainer. Only he could have calmed down Wyatt when he was going off on Paige. But, then again, the show having it addressed how Paige has shortcomings and letting her get yelled at was needed to a certain point. She can’t maintain this image of perfection, or even being the victim when it comes to confrontation. If she does, this show will remain a watered down soap opera with very little in the way of hooking an audience. Well, any sort of mainstream audience anyway.

Switching to Tangey, I must admit I liked her song. I’m indifferent about her and her momma drama, but the song was cute. I think, like most of the show, the problem with her is that looks were chosen over someone who had really honed their skills and was ready to move into a position like the actress got. Which isn’t to say, with time, she may not get there, much less forgetting people got to start somewhere, but it only takes a few, sometimes one, bad production to taint a career. See Kristen Stewart and her still fighting to get out of Twilight’s shadow. Perhaps even Shailene Woodley who, even though Secret Life of the American Teenager was worse than Twilight, recovered for it seemed like a blip but not what is to come.

The Secrets We Keep (Cassandra)

The struggle to remain in school left Cassie selling her mother’s things, cleaning homes topless and put into a position where a man dared proposition her for sex. Though what may hurt the most, well, the latest pain anyway, is having to pawn a bracelet recently given from Paige. One worth a pretty penny but had to be sold if she was to stay in school. Especially with a final notice given.

Commentary

Cassandra remains the one you wish was the lead as her story contains a bit more emotion and more depth. Alas, she is but the best friend whose drama may be touched upon but never seriously looked into. Which is quite the shame since her struggles are becoming more and more clear. Especially if she pawned all her mother’s things, her dead mother, in an attempt to survive. And yes, I know, she could have gotten a tax paying job as a receptionist, waiter, or something like that, but remember: she is an actress. She needs flexible hours and also, if you think the competition is bad for an acting role? Imagine how bad it is for a menial, low wage job which every Tom, Dick, and Alice is trying to get to pay at least their cell phone bill. Thus opening them up to abuse since they would so badly need that job to survive.

So, at least with what Cassandra does now, yeah, it maybe a bit undignified, but she gets paid more in a few hours than some may get paid in a week. Plus, she doesn’t have to worry about anything she does following her. After all, most of these men are fulfilling a fetish, not looking for a relationship.

Relationship Drama (Paige, Jordan, Rainer, Tangey)

As you can imagine, putting together a bunch of young twenty-something-year-olds are going to lead to a few hot and heavy romances. Well, at least if one side could get that. For Paige, she wants Jake but Rainer is the one available. Someone who appears to be a playboy by some standards and a serial monogamous type to others.

Then there is Jordan and Tangey. After their night in Chicago, she would like to continue things. However, bro code comes before love and being that Rainer, sort of miraculously, has forgiven Jordan, even to the point of saying he could sort of move back in, he doesn’t want to lose that. Plus, with Nina having some sort of hold on him, he can’t leave her. Thus forcing Tangey to only get a sad love song out of the whole experience.

Commentary

Would I be cruel to say the relationships on this show, platonic or not, have little to no chemistry? They can be dramatic, yes, but none make you swoon. None of them make you all googley eyed and maybe even a bit jealous. For even with everyone knowing everyone for years, maybe at least 5, you never get that in their interactions. It is purely the dialog that signals these people have been around each other for a long time.

I mean, the two exceptions I may make are between Alexis and Rainer alongside Cassandra and Paige. But, again, I feel those two relationships are the only exceptions because those two characters have gotten roots and have grown on me a bit. Meanwhile, everyone else is a pretty face just saying lines.