Can a Second Season Salvage Vinyl?
The first season of Vinyl failed to catch fire. Can a second season turn things around?
Vinyl was once HBO’s most promise and exciting new series. A show from Mick Jagger, Martin Scorsese, and the man behind Boardwalk Empire? Yes, please! But not everything went as planned. Vinyl’s ratings weren’t great throughout its first season, and the series has so far cost HBO a literal fortune. Can a second season pull Vinyl out of its rut?
Vinyls first season tried to do too much. It attempted to juggle personal drama, the ins and outs of the music business of the 70’s, and a murder. One could argue that the murder plot was never needed to make the show interesting and in fact only bogged it down. It wasn’t, and it did.
Take a look inside Vinyl’s first episode:
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HBO is interested in turning things around for Vinyl, and for good reason. A show with that much money and pedigree behind it must succeed. To that end, Deadline reported back in April that original showrunner and co-creator, Terence Winter, was leaving. Apparently there were clashes between Winter and HBO over artistic vision, which comes as no surprise at this point.
Scott Z. Burns has taken over for Winter. It’s sad that Winter won’t be able to see his full vision realized, but Vinyl needs a boost. Fast. It’s rare these days that shows are allowed to grow with time, and Vinyl is no exception. HBO has a vested interest in the future of the show, and a new showrunner that aligns with their vision is more important than allowing Winter time to properly grow the series.
The first season was by no means a disaster, it just didn’t meet expectations. There are kernels of greatness featured in almost every episode, but they almost never come together. Having actors portray artists like Alice Cooper and Lou Reed has been a highlight, as has the incredible soundtrack, but the show is pulled in too many directions to succeed right now.
Next: Michael Lombardo regrets Vinyl not working out.
The second season needs to simplify matters and double-down on what works. It’s disappointing that Terence Winter won’t be guiding the ship, but Burns might be able to turn the show into an actual hit.
Or not.