Fosse/Verdon: All I Care About Is Love

May 18, 2019 1:07 PM - Season 1, Episode 6

As Bob edits "Lenny" and begins direction of "Chicago," the cost of his ongoing high-wire act becomes evident. While Bob deals with forced time to reflect, Gwen covers for Bob's absence and cleverly gets rid of a trying hospital roommate, while Ann looks after Bob in other ways.

The title of the episode comes from huckster attorney Billy Flynn's signature tune from "Chicago."

Vulture recap.

posted by Sheydem-tants (7 comments total)

This is my least favorite episode so far: for me the "Lenny" framing device seemed very much on-the-nose and actually minimized the emotional impact of the events. Perhaps I'm dissatisfied because I saw "All That Jazz" for the first time last weekend and it covers a lot of the same territory (in a more skillful manner, because Fosse directed).

Also: Nicole seems to have aged six years in, what has it been, six months since the last episode? This was such an odd casting move that it took me out whenever Nicole appeared on screen. I was also unsure why Nicole seemed so displeased with Bob this time around (although she'd certainly have grounds to be): is she finally tired of his not being around and not taking care of himself? The teleplay doesn't make her emotional process clear at all.

I'm hoping for more "Chicago" and less stand-up next episode.
posted by Sheydem-tants at 1:15 PM on May 18, 2019 [1 favorite]

Huh yeah that was a weird casting choice; I actually thought for some reason it must have been several years later but when I think about it that doesn't make any sense, but I guess I just suspended disbelief really hard and didn't even notice it. In addition to being too old the actress just seemed nothing like Nicole and it was like a new character just appeared. I just figured Nicole was being a typical mopey teen though; feeling confusion around her parents' relationship and Gwen and Anne's sister-wife thing they seem to have going on, and not yet having the emotional toolkit to do anything but mope about it and desperately insist on following the established rules. That was very relatable to me.

Something I noticed on watching it a second time was how as soon as Anne expresses to Gwen that she doesn't support Chicago, Gwen cuts off her access to Bob. In the last episode my hubby complained that the episode was just all of them saying the same stuff over and over, "Chicago chicago chicago, lenny lenny lenny" but to me there's a lot more to it than that, it's the story of how people get things done by talking about stuff with each other. The point of this story is how these two got things done throughout their lives by talking to each other and talking to other people. So when Gwen decides to take that power away from Anne (the power to give Bob the idea that Chicago doesn't have to happen) it's a pretty significant part of the story.
posted by bleep at 2:14 PM on May 18, 2019

Something I noticed on watching it a second time was how as soon as Anne expresses to Gwen that she doesn't support Chicago, Gwen cuts off her access to Bob... when Gwen decides to take that power away from Anne (the power to give Bob the idea that Chicago doesn't have to happen) it's a pretty significant part of the story.

But she doesn't cut her off? We see Ann with Bob in his private room not long after that exchange in the hallway.

I am finding Michelle Williams a revelation episode after episode. Not so impressed with Rockwell--especially in this episode (though I agree that the "Bob-As-Lenny" device was terrible, which may have added to it).

I can imagine if you just saw All that Jazz for the first time, that would make this episode that much worse as it's just a leaden retelling of the events lightly fictionalized in a far superior production.

The Nicole thing -- I just shrugged and moved past it. Honestly I wonder what I'm still tuning in for, other than because I'm this far in, I might as well finish, plus watching Michelle Williams be unbelievable, and finally because I have a weird obsession with Bob Fosse, which discomfits me since he was an objectively terrible person and knew it. It's certainly not because the series is very good, cuz it isn't.
posted by tzikeh at 3:25 PM on May 18, 2019

I rewatched All That Jazz in the last couple of weeks as well! I hadn't seen it since way way back, really before I had any idea who Bob Fosse was. The movie didn't suck as much as I remembered it--but I found the events of F/V to be more believable. (Not to mention that the stand-up in ATJ was pretty bad.)

I'm sad that this is going to be only 7 episodes.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 4:55 PM on May 18, 2019

I'm sad that this is going to be only 7 episodes.

There are eight episodes.
posted by tzikeh at 12:29 PM on May 19, 2019

Even better!
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 3:48 PM on May 19, 2019

This episode worked ok for me. I was fine with the stand-up routine framing device, and the childhood flashbacks gave me some sympathy for Bob at last. (Probably my not having seen All That Jazz yet/still works in the episode’s favor). And the scene where Verdon worked her charms on Dr. Mega-fan was a hoot,
posted by oh yeah! at 11:27 AM on May 20, 2019 [1 favorite]