Vinyl

It is a shame they canceled this series. I lived the 70s rock n'roll, and it is the way it was. I lived with those people. Totally authentic. Smoking cigarettes, drugs, the music, the clothing, the "scene", the all of it. Does anyone think that Mick Jagger wouldn't know how to authentically portray the 70s? Martin Scorsese is brilliant. Mick Jagger's son is amazing. The story line is believable and I felt it the entire way through.

Let's be clear. This show is NOT an attempt in social realism. Nor, is it trying to present the viewer with an accurately documented history of the biggest rock stars of the 70's or actual industry insiders.

What it does do, is take an interesting idea, create fictional characters and look at how they behave and react against each other, while referencing real performers from the period. Vinyl is no more of an attempt to convince its audience that what it portrays really happened than say House of Cards is in presenting a factually accurate representation of a US President or the American political system. Once you accept that, you can sit back and enjoy the real story. It is the story of a 'record man', Richie, and his conflicts, his demons, his dreams, his selfishness and his inability to seemingly make any good choices. The characters, like the clothes from the period are flamboyant and loud and colourful. Clichéd? Sometimes yes, and that is partly why it does work. This is not straight a rock 'n roll drama, how could it be with so many interwoven scenes where 'stream of consciousness' musical performances suddenly interrupt the plot? There is plenty of humour here too - perhaps a nod from the creators that they don't take it all too seriously. There is also some subtle and clever historical references (no spoilers), such as a throwaway comment about a food buffet while Mamma Cass is in a background scene, and a scene following a Vegas performance where a clearly unwell but pre-heart attack Elvis rubs at his left arm.

It does not really matter that the rock stars portrayed do not mirror their real life counterparts as some reviewers on here seem to get upset about. They are incidental to the overall story and if the creators of this show had focused on that then this would have been a story about the greats of the 1970's music scene. Instead, we have something better, a fictionalised story that is set amidst the 1970's music scene. And it is a great story with good characters, over the top stories and excellent performances.

Some people here imply that good reviews on IMDb are paid critiques. Well I hope somebody paid me to write TV shows reviews, but it is not the case.

I liked this show a lot and I regret that HBO has decided to kill it after a great first season.

Many people complain of a clichéd depiction of the rock and roll 70s, with all the drugs, the sex, the deals and rising stars. Clichés come up in the first place because they represent an established perception or behavior, so if you set the action right at the time when those behaviors were taking shape, you can't really find fault at this. It is as if you watched a movie about the Belle Epoque and you complained that women look like flappers. It's simply not fair.

I also find negative reviews are quite contradictory. While some say they have been bored, others point that the frantic atmosphere is excessive or that there are many parallel plot lines.

I get the feeling that just because many people (myself included) lived through that period, they all consider they own the "real truth" about rock-and-roll and the 70s, and so they tend to measure up the show against their own memories or experiences, and they suppose the series should have reflected their subjective imprint about the time and the culture. This is also not fair.

I liked the show quite much. The talented and experienced people who set their hands on the show did a fantastic job, the music, story, characters and performances were above standard from every point of view.

Also, the cast was magnificent, particularly Bobby Cannavale whose performative skills I have come to appreciate, having seen him on Nurse Jackie and Boardwalk Empire. He is an extraordinary actor who filled the role and even offered more.

If you are open-minded and fair, if you trust on the great team involved in The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire and other outstanding shows, please give this a try. Yes, there are drugs, sex, rock and roll, and excess everywhere, and the embrionary stages of the recording label industry which, in later years, would destroy the music we loved. It is, precisely, the whole point of the show. And it is wonderfully well portrayed.

Why in the world would anyone stop Vinyl? I just read a interview with Juno Temple, as I'm watching the final episode of the first season, when I found out. So well produced with solid performances! Is it the usual widespread American paranoia with a little nakedness, that did the show in? Whatever the reason it's not valid to leave us hanging....at least tie up the loose ends with a second season! WTF guys!

As a former record producer at the top end of the international rock / pop business who came a generation later than the protagonists of Vinyl, who knows intimately the reality of the music scene that the show documents, I found it superb.

I can only laugh at the ignorami bleating "cliche" and thinking they're clever for it. Clichés typically become clichés because they're accurate and true...

I can't even begin to count the people I've met irl who could so easily be characters in Vinyl. This show totally hit the nail on the head, which makes it even sadder that HBO couldn't see the value in it, and cancelled. But they do that with almost every single decent show they produce, so no surprise there.

The energy, the momentum, the desperation to stay afloat... it's all there. The direction and performances are top-notch too. 10/10. RIP.