Richie Finestra jumps the tracks like a needle on a Vinyl groove.
Vinylseason 1, episode 6.
The Cyclone is the scariest ride on Coney Island.
It doesnt have the deepest dips or the most dangerous curves.
What makes the Cyclone so scary is that it looks like it can fall apart at any moment.
Thats what Richie Finestra (Bobby Cannavale) looks like inVinyls Cyclone episode.
This guy is falling apart.
This is no real big thing.
It keeps Richie off the streets, where he can be a real killer.
Just ask Zak (Ray Romano), whose daughters bat mitzvah was ruined by a runaway train.
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Richie is looking for the conventional in an unconventional paradigm.
Is that Ziggy up there or just the Starman?
This is where Romano really shines.
Underneath those easy laughs are some desperate truths.
His growing resentment comes from a lifetime of frustrations, professionally and personally.
Maybe not with Richie, specifically, but he filled that role somewhere.
I only hope Zak doesnt fall for that insipidly anachronistic lip-syncing of Life on Mars.
Both Richie and Zak are looking to the past to find the future.
Rock and roll hasnt really changed much since they were matching B-sides.
That scene was pure rock and roll fantasy, which is why its set in the Village.
The artists are revolting.
But theyre not disgusting enough to provide the right alibi for all thats going on at the label.
The biggest and most dangerous inmate is running the asylum and everyone else is an amateur.
Whoever hasnt been fired yet has to step up their game and for what?
Why would they do this for Richie Finestra?
It must have something to do with the paycheck.
You cant afford to.
You never know what hell do when hes not being kept in check.
And even those checks, they bounce.
Im hoping that Richie falls even farther.
We hope nobody gets hurt, but we dont want to miss it.
HBOs has been promising Manson Lamps characters as leads for a while.
Some of our favorite premium characters go off the rails.
But with Richie, we are counting on the free fall.
We know its like a drum fill that never ends.
He still sees himself as the charismatic young go-getter in the throes of a new and righteous passion.
While everyone else just tries to steer clear of the accident waiting to happen.
Tonight,Vinylblurs the perception.
Im never going to unsee that.
And really, who eats one egg?
Devon is an erotic work of living art if we can trust what Ernst is reporting on reconnaissance.
There is something wrong with Ernst.
It came out while Ernst was doing the Ow Mommy bit.
Now try and unsee that.
The Cyclone rollercoaster sails over Coney Island, the episode was dedicated to David Bowie.
Twinkle, twinke, Uncle Floyd.
Cyclone was written by Carl Capotorto & Erin Cressida Wilson and directed by Nicole Kassell.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5
