Hollywood: Season 1 Episode 3 “Outlaws” – Recap/ Review with Spoilers

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The vulnerable side of many opens them up to new ideas, and manipulation, which will change Ray and Archie’s movie in ways they didn’t expect.

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Directed By		Michael Uppendahl
Written By		Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan
Aired (Netflix)		5/1/2020
Introduced This Episode
Ace	Rob Reiner

This content contains pertinent spoilers.

Everyone Wants To Be A Star – Avis, Claire, Ace, Jack, Henry, Rock

Guess what! Claire is the daughter of ACE Studio head Ace and Avis! But, to prove herself, to both the outside world and her parents, she changed her name. However, with Avis having no desire to see her daughter surpass her and Ace thinking actors are just whores, neither really support her. Though with her desire to be Peg, Ace considers this as the knock on the behind necessary for her to give up and marry someone like Dick, for example.

She isn’t along in jockeying for a position, however. Jack and Rock are both trying to get on that movie, and Henry seems to be the means to get what they want. But with Henry already repping Rock, Jack needs a way in or what could break his career may be the opportunity missed that stalls his career.

A Special Party With A Few Revelations – Jack, Claire, Henrietta, Ellen, Henry, Rock, Ernie, Dick

So, with Ellen believing in him, she gets Jack an audience with Henry, and with Jack having the look and all Henry likes, he offers him the same deal given to Rock. Thing is, Jack really has no desire to cross that line, and while he admits to himself he doesn’t love his wife, he just married her because he was going to war and needed something to cling to, his ambition doesn’t allow him to go this far. All of which, by the way, Claire sees, so who knows what she may do with all she saw.

But, while Jack makes a stand, Rock makes headway thanks to Henry. Someone who tries to use Dick’s secret against him and pushes Rock to be a lamb to slaughter. If not just someone to be used so Dick can be blackmailed.

You Put A Move On My Heart – Dick, Henry, Rock, Ray, Ellen, Camille, Archie

However, in Dick and Rock’s interaction, Dick just opens up about remaining hidden, quiet, and the suffering that has come with it. But, perhaps what disturbs him the most in the moment isn’t his own silence but Rock allowing himself to be so desperate that he’d sleep with a stranger to get ahead. For he sees Rock’s innocence, his kindness, and he can’t find himself able or willing to take advantage of that. Nor does he want Rock to let Henry continue to do so.

And it seems in Ray’s relationship with Camille, there is a little manipulation there as well. Note, she does feel bad about it after reflecting, but with being stuck in maid roles for who knows how long, and knowing she is one of ACE Studio’s top actresses, she knows she needs to do something. Also, considering her boyfriend is a director who has a major project, why not take advantage of that? It isn’t like she is laying low and spreading it wide for opportunities left and right – she knew him before he got the script!

Though in her seduction, Camille does trigger an idea, and it leads to Ray going to Dick about maybe changing the movie and making it diverse. Which, with Dick more willing to take risks than ever before, he goes for it. And it isn’t just him taking risks, Rock doubles down on his love for Archie and calls him his boyfriend. Mind you, he still is doing sexual stuff with or around Henry, despite what Dick told him not to do, but is fully committed to Archie.

Highlights

Henry and Dick’s Breakdown

Between Henry talking about a past lover and Dick about the oppression he experiences, it’s becoming clear that being the voice to the voiceless, or those who couldn’t tell their stories, is the point of “Hollywood.” Not so much these young kids who have a twinkle in their eye and the belief they can change something. Their youthful faces are but the hook. The real story is the suffering of those who feel too old to make changes and have settled into a routine they have learned to deal with.

On The Fence

The Non-Gay Storylines Are A Bit Boring

Jack’s marriage, Ray’s relationship, even all that is going to making this movie, it honestly is a bit boring. Granted, you love the characters and want to see them succeed, but that shiny new feeling is already starting to fade. Leaving you with something that doesn’t feel rehashed, but I will say uneven. Which I believe comes from two impassioned speeches in one episode about being closeted and then dealing with Ray, whose biggest issue is passing.

Mind you, I’m not trying to play the oppression Olympics here, since everyone has their thing, it’s just, “Hollywood” helps you understand why most shows focus just on one group, one area, orone thing. For in trying to create a melting pot, some are the meat and potatoes and others there just for look and touches of flavor. Maybe juices so the meat and potatoes have the means to rise up.

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