For a show brought to you by big name talent like Martin Scorsese, Mick Jagger and Terence Winter, and given untold millions by HBO for what seemed like a no-brainer concept, "Vinyl" has been a disappointment. Lower-than-hoped-for ratings coupled with mixed notices from critics have seen the network react swiftly and surprisingly, firing Winter, and replacing him with Scott Z. Burns ("Contagion"), who will be the showrunner for season two. For now, there is a lot of respect between the network and Winter, who have a fruitful relationship dating all the way back to "The Sopranos." But speaking at the 8th Annual TV + Film Finance Forum East, the writer wondered if the ’70s setting was simply too close for comfort for the creators.
"Period pieces are really tough," Winters said of the show that takes place four decades ago. "It’s tough to depict reality that’s still fresh in someone’s mind."
"Maybe it’s too soon?" he thought out loud. "I don’t know."
I’m not sure if it was being too close to the material so much as just bungling it in general. Not to mention there have been plenty of films about the era already that have done just fine (Cameron Crowe‘s "Almost Famous," just to start). And while Winter has had a stellar track record with HBO until "Vinyl," maybe he just missed the mark. It happens. Meanwhile, we’ll see if Baz Luhrmann has any problems riding similar territory with Netflix‘s "The Get Down" later this year. Thoughts? Let us know below. [THR]
I would be all over this show if Bobby Cannavale wasnt the lead. Cannot stand him as an actor.. so off putting.
Yeah, he really is a polarizing performer. Even back in Boardwalk, many people criticized Cannavale. I personally like him.
James Gray had an old project called "Mecca" based on the rapid rise and sudden disintegration of Casablanca Records during the disco era. Would rather HBO had done that as a limited series.
No, the period isn\’t the problem. The recreation of it, the music, is actually one of the show\’s virtues. The problems is that the characters are off putting, the antics seem like leftover "Wolf of Wall Street" bits, and none of the stories pack any punch. I really hate it when artists essentially blame the audience for not being ready for their masterpieces, when, in fact, it\’s really they that dropped the ball.
The problem is not the period, the problem is the story, the main character and the actor and the stupid main conflicts. I don\’t like absolutely nothing about Richie or neither care about what happen to him. The only story that looks appealing for me is the Nasty Bits one and sadly is the one going reeeally slow and sloppy.
I feel Bobby Cannavale is the HIGHLIGHT of the series. He personifies his character wonderfully. Sexy, dysfunctional, genius…..he has it down. I like the series, I do, however, feel that a little more character development is called for. I think that\’s what is missing
I personally love the show and find Bobby Cannavale extremely compelling. But … I hate the musical bits (I was actually offended by the Bowie portrayal) and the characters have few redeeming qualities. Friendships and relationships are tossed about like trash. Maybe the music industry really was that superficial, but it doesn\’t make for the best TV. The sets and costumes are fab though.
Too soon for what, endless scenes with Richie Finestra bellowing and coke binges? Or too soon for a boring storyline that goes around in circles and gets nowhere? The 70\’s Rock music scene has been done before–heard of Almost Famous? The problem is the poor storyline and character development. Vinyl works best as an ensemble drama about the music, but there has been way too much focus on Richie and Devon\’s soap opera rather than on the joy of music and it\’s place in our lives and culture.
The biggest problem is the point of view of the rich white guy who has magic powers to discover the next great way of music. We have seen this storyline before, and Vinyl is just repeating the same old tired cliches. Vinyl isn\’t ahead of it\’s time, if anything it\’s too far behind the curve.
I love the show! I was 14 at the time this takes place and I\’m from back east, so I really dig it. I love the throwbacks to the real music that influenced rock and the emerging genres at the time. I\’m a music slut. I like it. So do others I know that watch it.
Rockin" in Seattle (where I lived during the emergence of the early 90s. Awesome time, too.
It happens? How would you know? You write for Indiewire, hardly an insider\’s trove of first-hand industry tattle. You\’re far outside the moat, so drop the know-it-all H\’wood posing.
If he thinks the 70s setting is fresh in the audiences mind, he obviously doesn\’t know his audience.
I love this show. I loved the 70s and i get to take a trip to that era with vinyl. Not a boring moment yet. I love all the characters. I love the storylines and the music….
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I\’m hooked on Vinyl. It\’s not as good as Soprano\’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
I’m hooked on Vinyl. It’s not as good as Soprano’s or Boardwalk, but I love Cannavale and if I see that he plays a major role in something, I will watch it, cause he will always make the role memorable. I first saw him in The Station Agent, with Peter Dinklage (2003), and most everything through Boardwalk Empire, where his psycho gangster was a standout. I think he is spot on in his portrayal of a label guy – reminds me of people in the record industry I have met or known, though for me it was the nineties.
Boom, boom, paw.
Here\’s how it looks to me:
1) 100,000,000$ was spent on the series that romanticizes the DYI aesthetic, depicting a corporate head as a decadent knight on a mission to \”save music\” from onslaught of Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, Focus or whatever featured more than three chords. Around 3000 new, DYI albums could be recorded in average US studios with this sum.
2) Vinyl\’s agenda echoed a retrograde, exclusive agenda of musical criticism that has been going since late-70s and included demonising one style and movement while favouring others – exactly what modern radio and TV stations do. And it has been going on for 40 bloody years. TV watchers might have gone fed up with all that. Or what\’s even worse, the recent musical development might have rendered music so uninteresting to a wide public that it cannot be bothered to watch a whole season of it. And that\’s what happens when you\’re so selective with what you push.
3) And with all that, Mr. Winter is still wondering, whether the spectators have not yet grown enough to absorb the ideas and agendas that have been there for decades, been shoved up into the most of the musical media outlets out there. Might it imply it\’s not enough and we are in need for more?
And after all, don\’t you feel that cynicism too?