Dylan Brandsema: Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll

FX’s Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll is a hard show to talk about. It’s advertised as full-blown comedy, but anyone who’s seen even a few episodes can attest otherwise. There’s certainly lots of comedy elements, but the show, at its core, is more of a character drama then anything else. The majority of the series consists of the cast members pent up in one music studio/apartment condo, and is primarily just them talking to one another, with a few external sequences here and there (usually live music performances). While it’s genre and category is certainly debatable, one thing that is certain about the series is its strong writing partnered with equally strong performances.

Created by actor-musician-comedian Denis Leary, the show centers around the newly reunited 90s one hit wonder The Heathens as they try to write new material, and send themselves back into their former stardom. When old beef comes back between members, this task proves more than difficult. It’s made even more impossible when the band’s frontman Johnny Rock’s (Leary) daughter Gigi, played Elizabeth Gillies of previous Nickelodeon fame, comes into the picture and slithers her way into the band. It’s a simple concept, and it’s a simple show, but it’s the delivery such concept that it made it one of the best things to watch in the month of August 2015.

Every episode of the show, with the exception of one, is written by creator and star Denis Leary. Coming from his previous series FX series Rescue Me, Leary has proved himself a more than competent writer, and his work is only complementing by the terrific ensemble of actors portraying his characters. Comedian Robert Kelly, John Corbett, and John Ales all do a great job as members of the band, and Elaine Hendrix is also very good as Johnny’s girlfriend, Ava, but the shining star of the series is Elizabeth Gillies. Known almost universally for her role as the rebellious teen Jade on the Nickelodeon show Victorious, Gillies plays Gigi with every ounce of her ability, never wasting a moment of her time on screen, and squeezing every drop of acting juice that the role provide. As great as her acting is, Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll is also a great outlet for her to show off her singing talent. Of the Nickelodeon brew that she came with, Gillies is arguably not only the best singer, but also a terrific showwoman. When Gigi begins fronting the band instead of Johnny, her position and her casting choice is more than justified. Just 22 years of age, this is unthinkably Gillies best work as a screen actress, and one of the many reason to give this series your time.

Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll began back in July, and is currently working it’s way to the tail end of its first season. Not every episode has been as terrific as it probably could have been, but over the last month, as a whole, it has carved itself out as a thoroughly entertaining, riveting new television series.

Even if it’s not quite your tempo, it still has, at the very least, some great old school rock ‘n roll jams.

https://youtu.be/h_nOWFcEuP0

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