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Plot Recap
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Nikki The Dream Killer – Nikki, Chaim, Jocelyn, Tedros
With the work Jocelyn and Tedros have been doing, a part of her feels revitalized. She is passionate about music again, mixing it, playing with her voice and the track, but Nikki shuts it down. Too much money has been spent and lost due to Jocelyn’s breakdown, cancelling a tour, and so much more to allow for her to go through some experimental phase. She is going to do what’s guaranteed, and no one says anything.
Chaim, who is a father figure to Jocelyn due to discovering her when she was 11, feigns being on her side, but he is as much a puppet as she is. It’s just he is a bit more adjusted to having his strings pulled and more afraid than Jocelyn of having his cut.
Which is why, as much as Chaim pays lip service, Jocelyn desires Tedros. Beyond the sexual, she wants to be able to be around someone she isn’t sure is full of s*** or not since it has become so clear everyone else is to the point that she can barely ignore the smell.
Prepping For A Replacement – Dyanne, Jocelyn, Nikki, Chaim, Destiny
But what is a woman to do when, for nearly all her life, all she has known is performing? Never mind, for all the good Chaim does, it doesn’t seem he crafted a life for Jocelyn where she could effectively stop singing and performing. So, when it comes to a music video shoot, Jocelyn is adamant on perfection and getting things right, and when she finally does, damn if the video was out of focus and they didn’t get it.
It’s in that moment when you realize that Jocelyn can push through the pain; people like Destiny seeming like they have the best intentions for her when they really don’t, but she needs it to be worth it. She needs to be able to capture what everyone is looking for, see it for herself, and know she can still do it. Yet, they missed the moment. She didn’t get to see what she needed, and while her mother sounds like a piece of work, it sounds like she pushed her to be who she is and without the balance between a stage mom and maybe a loving person when Jocelyn was on the brink, she is on her own in the worst way.
Nikki, who frankly is growing tired of how inconsistent, erratic, and financially liable Jocelyn is getting, begins to see she is witnessing a sinking ship, and like the rat she is, she is seeking her own safety. Enter Dyanne, one of Jocelyn’s dancers, who is taken note of, and Nikki might even be considering her to replace Jocelyn in the future.
But You Believe In Me, Right? – Dyanne, Tedros, Jocelyn, Leia, Chloe, Izaak, Destiny
Who is Tedros? Based on Destiny’s investigation, he is from Hawaii, owns a club, and owes many people. However, based on Dyanne’s relationship with him and Izaak and Chloe, he is a manager, a label owner, and someone who knows how to push an artist to where they need to be. But, beyond pushing his artist into positions where they can exploit Jocelyn, it is hard to say what he has done for any of them.
Dyanne may have a potential record deal, but with Tedros negotiating her contract? Who knows what she may ultimately get out of it, considering his debts and likely penchant for using someone up till they have nothing left to give. As for Chloe? Eccentric, beautiful Chloe – with a song in her heart that mirrors a siren as she seduces Jocelyn? It’s hard to say what she may want or do, for her youthful and whimsical nature could be a ruse.
As for Izaak? The church boy who Tedros seemingly has trained to ooze sex and be able to screw Leia to the point of her being more focused on him than Tedros executing his plan? He makes not only a valuable asset as an artist but also a tool for when Tedros needs to work on the person key to this all. But, with Jocelyn used to wolves and people wanting everything from her, and her getting very little in return, whether she is willingly letting herself be used just for some feign sense of reciprocation or wants to self-destruct bigger than before is anyone’s guess.
Review
Notable Performances or Moments
The Chronicles Of A Popstar
It would be a disservice to write off “The Idol” due to the nudity and The Weeknd’s role. What Depp is providing here I think shouldn’t be swept under the rug. From the pursuit of perfection, despite injuries and knowing you don’t have a real support system, just people whose jobs depend on you being great, you can see the toll. You can see the longing for connection, people standing up for you when it matters and not after decisions have been made. It is about being heard, having a sense of autonomy, and when you aren’t what someone wants, it not being thrown in your face what they have done for you so that you humble yourself.
For whether is it Nikki recapping Jocelyn’s breakdown or Chaim trying to, ever so sweetly, remind Jocelyn where she came from, how far she has gotten, and follow that up by noting she is broke, and he’s coming to the point he can’t, and won’t support her anymore? It helps you understand why Jocelyn calls out to her mom and even bonds with someone like Tedrus or Destiny.
Yes, Destiny is as much an employee as everyone else, but the way she talks makes it feel like she is a true advocate. Also, compared to everyone else, she seems to have Jocelyn’s back when she isn’t around. Not enough to mess with her label, but when it comes to her personal life, she lurks in the shadows, waiting to see if she needs to step in. Which, in the case of Tedrus, could be necessary since he might be able to pull something out of Jocelyn, singing-wise, but something about him feels very much like Ursula in he wants her voice to reclaim some kind of power he lost.
Highlights
How Jane Adams Plays Nikki
I love female characters who aren’t likable whatsoever. Then, to add to it, Nikki isn’t really nuanced. Yes, you can note she came up in the industry long before #MeToo or #TimesUp was a thing, and you either had to take it to keep your career or leave the industry with your tail between your legs. However, her being someone you love to hate, especially considering how callous she is, almost leads me to believe, in time, she could rise to the heights of Cersei from “Game of Thrones.“
That is, as long as they keep her a strong character and don’t make her fodder for Tedros to boost The Weeknd and put down a great character and talented actress.
On The Fence
Sometimes Wondering If Tedros Helps Or Hurts The Show
When it comes to Sam Levinson, I like to believe he wants to explore the dark and murky bits of his lead character, and in the lack of balance between the real and sensational, the point is for you to understand how erratic that person’s life is. Seeing Jocelyn struggle on a music video set where she knows so much is riding on this rollout while hating the song and feeling unsupported leads to her breaking down. This is balanced out by her giving her power to a strange man she knows nothing about and allowing his friends to be in her house and potentially make it a home base.
The whole idea with Jocelyn is clear that she is a powerful woman who isn’t empowered by those closest to her, and so she uses what she has in a relationship where there is a power imbalance to strengthen herself. But, sometimes, I wonder if Tedros helps or hurts the show. There is a certain level of vanity here I can’t shake off. I understand Tesfaye is the male lead, pitched the story, and is the co-creator, but there is this feeling that it isn’t understood this show isn’t about him. He is effectively a supporting character.
But that might be part of the point. Tedros knows he isn’t the person with all the cards, influence, and power, and so we’re supposed to dislike his presence, for we know it is all ego. That Jocelyn doesn’t need him around yet, but due to his posturing and abilities, he has inflated his value to the point he can stay in her life and sometimes overstay his welcome on screen.
General Information
This section Includes information about the Director, Writer, and Cast.
| More From The Series | |
| Previous Episode: Season 1/ Episode 1 | Next Episode: Season 1/ Episode 3 “Daybreak” |
| Release Date (HBO) | June 11, 2023 |
| Director(s) | Sam Levinson |
| Writer(s) | Sam Levinson |
| Newly Noted Characters and Cast | |
| Chloe | Suzanna Son |
| Izaak | Moses Sumney |
| Previously Noted Characters and Cast | |
| Nikki | Jane Adams |
| Chaim | Hank Azaria |
| Jocelyn | Lily-Rose Depp |
| Tedros | Abel Tesfaye |
| Dyanne | Jennie Kim |
| Destiny | Da’Vine Joy Randolph |
| Leia | Rachel Sennott |
FAQs
For More, Check Out The Character Guide
Why Is The Episode Called “Double Fantasy?”
Tedros, as he gets into Jocelyn’s inner circle and Dyanne is on the brink of a record deal, is living a double fantasy as he is having two potential dreams come true.
Who Is Chloe?
Chloe is one of Tedros’ followers who, apparently, like most, can sing, but she also appears to be a talented songwriter. She is played by Suzanna Son.
Who Is Izaak
A young man Tedros discovered in a church in Ledera who, alongside being a talented singer, has been trained on how to seduce and have ferocious sex. He is played by Moses Sumney.
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