[For Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll‘s “Take My Picture by the Pool” or any other recaps on Fetchland, assume the presence of possible spoilers.]
FX Summary:
Take My Picture by the Pool Gigi gets a huge record deal; Bam and Rehab quit the band to become uber-hip EDM DJs.
Gigi gets a $250K recording contract offer but the hitch is they only want her – no band. Although the record company doesn’t want the works they’ll do a deal with Johnny and Flash to write songs for Gigi – if Johnny gets a makeover. Unfortunately, “Bam is too fat and Rehab looks olds enough to be Frank Zappa’s dad.” It’s an easy decision for Gigi, the big break she sought is finally here. But devastating for Bam and Rehab who rant and rave that they’d never sell out. They’re artists! Time Out New York called them cutting edge! They have integrity! Etc!
Johnny heads out for some laser resurfacing treatments to meet his makeover contractual obligations while drinking the $5K bottle of cognac he found in the limo. Gigi’s new wardrobe consists of “glorified lingerie” thanks to the record company. She says, “I feel like a whore,” and Flash, who loves it, says, “OK, but a sexy whore.” Meanwhile Johnny looks like a wall street guy in his makeover-assigned blue blazer and frat boy hairdo. But on the bright side, Ava finds it sexually stimulating – right there in the dressing room.
Bam and Rehab are all about a quick comeback. They concoct a plan to DJ duo their way to fame. Their complex BeastCore scheme requires motorcycle suits and helmets along with kicking some serious funky jams behind turntables. Bam and Rehab can be much-younger-than-actual-reality DJs as long as they stay hidden behind those black shiny helmets. The models at the club grind to their hot BeastCore beats. So, Bam and Rehab are loving life even if it’s damn hot under those face mask helmets and full body suits that presumably they can never remove or be thus identified as “fat, old and undoable.” Then they also score one of their BeastCore tracks on a perfume commercial for some “major cash” and it’s NOT selling out because this time THEY are the ones making the choice to do it. It’s an artistic choice because they’re artists, see.
Meanwhile Gigi’s music video outfit is pretty much naked except for a bedazzled string up-the-buttcrack. There’s slightly more choreography than your typical stripper pole stuff but the worst part is the record company hides Gigi’s gorgeous voice behind unnecessary autotune. It’s explained to a protesting Johnny that, “You want the riches you gotta bring the bitches,” which is their cue to leave and abandon this whole record deal, $250K, selling out thing, right after Johnny sneaks a few bottles of that $5K cognac under his snazzy new blazer. Seems like maybe the band isn’t going to break up after all… But Flash isn’t in the winner’s circle with Gigi anymore because he was encouraging all the lingerie and explicit lyrics even as she protested. And now what’s the band going to do about losing Rehab and Bam to their new big-bucks-and-hot-models DJ lifestyle?
There’s only one episode left of season one and it’s still unknown if Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll will get picked up for a season two. It’s truly hilarious at times with cool characters and that trio of titillation established in the title. All great stuff. The only drawback is that it’s not really being marketed as a comedy – the ads and imagery on the show are mainly sexy stuff. Sure, it’s a sexy show but the real show lives in the laughs. There’s a great neverending conflict with Flash and Gigi getting together and breaking up to Johnny’s ever vacillating chagrin and delight. This coupled with the dysfunctional band dynamics and inherent family conflict keep the show delivering all sorts of emotional, financial, and sexual stakes and it’s FUN. No matter what happens with Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll, though, one thing’s for certain – Elizabeth Gillies, who plays Gigi, is definitely going places with that amazing voice and screen presence.
–Katherine Recap
