Hollywood Season 1 Episode 1 Hooray for Hollywood

Hollywood, created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, is a limited series that takes us back to post-World War II Tinseltown. The show examines the power dynamics, biases, and exploitation that are present in both the entertainment industry and society as a whole.

Episode one, titled "Hooray for Hollywood," introduces us to a group of aspiring actors, writers, and directors who are looking to make it in the film industry. We meet Jack Costello (David Corenswet), a World War II veteran who dreams of being a leading man, and screenwriter Archie Coleman (Jeremy Pope), who is African American and gay. They are two men who have not had an easy road to success.

Jack lives in a motel with other struggling actors where he works as a gas station attendant to try and make ends meet. Archie, on the other hand, is seen unsuccessfully trying to sell his scripts to powerful Hollywood executives who dismiss him due to his race and sexual orientation.

After a chance encounter with Ernie (Dylan McDermott), the owner of a servicemen's massage parlor, Jack is offered a job that will change the course of his life. The job is working as a "paid escort" for women who come into town looking to get a taste of the Hollywood dream. Jack initially refuses but eventually agrees, realizing that this may be his only shot at making it in the industry. Meanwhile, Archie gets a job working as a gas station attendant with Jack and the other struggling actors at the motel.

The scene then shifts to Ace Studios, where we are introduced to the head of productions, Dick Samuels (Joe Mantello) and his assistant, Ellen Kincaid (Holland Taylor). They are in the process of casting a new film, Meg, which is about the life of actress and socialite Peg Entwistle, who famously jumped to her death off the Hollywood Sign in 1932. The studio is looking for a big name star to play the lead role and is courting both Claudette Colbert and Mae West for the part.

However, things take a turn when aspiring actress Camille Washington (Laura Harrier) auditions for the role of Meg. Camille is black, and at the time, Hollywood was deeply segregated. Ellen is impressed with Camille's performance and believes she is perfect for the role, but Dick is hesitant, knowing that the public will not accept a black actress in a leading role.

In a later scene, we see Camille and her boyfriend Raymond Ainsley (Darren Criss), who is half-Filipino and half-white, discussing the realities of being a person of color in Hollywood. Raymond is a director who is trying to get a film made about the battle of Bataan, but he is told that it will only be greenlit if he can find a white star to play the lead.

Throughout the episode, we see how the entertainment industry is rife with prejudice and that minority groups are often excluded and marginalized. The episode ends with a glimmer of hope, as Jack gets his big break and is cast in the titular role of Meg, and Camille is offered a role in the film as well.

The first episode of Hollywood sets the tone for the rest of the series, exploring themes of ambition, racism, homophobia, and power dynamics. It's an engaging and stylish show that looks at the darker side of Hollywood's golden age. With its fantastic performances, beautiful cinematography, and sharp writing, Hollywood is a must-watch for anyone interested in the workings of the entertainment industry and the biases and exploitation that are inherent in society.