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Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
Nathan Fielder has found a new individual to assist in this weekend’s The Rehearsal. This sets off a chaotic chain of events that deals with performance and identity. The HBO docu-comedy series’ second episode is titled, “Scion”. It is written by Fielder, Carrie Kemper, and Eric Notarnicola, and directed by Fielder.
In this review, I will be discussing The Rehearsal Season 1 Episode 2. There will be no spoilers here, as the title of this article suggests. Nonetheless, please proceed with caution and read ahead at your own discretion to avoid any possible revelations.
Discussion
Please note that I have seen the first 5 out of 6 episodes of The Rehearsal ahead of release. In writing this review, this will be my second time having seen the current episode. One particular spoiler I am told not to spoil is his shifting roles throughout the documentary.
“Scion” is an interesting episode of HBO’s new comedy project. Given the nature of the context of last week’s pilot, this new episode is just as hectic. Nathan Fielder enlists Kemper (The Office, Nathan for You, Silicon Valley) and Eric Notarnicola (Nathan for You, Who is America?), so it is safe to know that it is in good hands. Still, I cannot help but feel weary. From a narrative standpoint, I do have some issues before covering what I appreciated.
On One Hand…
The first problem I saw with this documentary is its runtime. “Orange Juice, No Pulp” had run for 44 minutes, providing proper pacing in the path for Fielder and citizen, Kor Skeet. Season 1, Episodes 2 and 3 are a quarter-hour shorter apiece, with Episodes 4 and 5 running for 33 and 31 minutes, respectively. The runtime itself may not be what’s wrong, although I do believe that Fielder could have spent time explaining how he found his new “client”, a 44-year-old woman named Angela.
Consequently, my second gripe, albeit minor, regards the transition from Kor Skeet to Angela. The next three episodes of the season progress the documentary fantastically, giving reasons for taking the overall narrative from episode to episode. Between these first episodes, nothing much. “Scion” ignores the previous episode’s story, treating it as a stand-alone pilot rather than a series premiere. Perhaps, that’s how all pilots are meant to function, that is, at the very least, as mere testing grounds for the rest of the project.
Lastly, the episode lacks intrigue. All parties outside of Nathan Fielder and the crew, i.e., the “client(s)”, actors, and the parents, were aware of the experiment. At least with the pilot, Trisha and other patrons of the Alligator Lounge were unaware of what was going on. Only Skeet knew what was going on, and so the entire scenario was all the more authentic. With Angela’s rehearsal, outsiders were informed on the goings-on, which impacted the variables of the experiment. Furthermore, this leads to a wider issue, which I will discuss next weekend.
On the Bright Side…
Make no mistake: this week’s episode holds an interesting title. The Rehearsal’s episode titles provide hints on what the background of the narratives would involve. At the same time, they do notably not spoil the main premises of the weekend.
“Scion” is particularly interesting given the fact that Angela yearns to form the foundations of a Christian household. The word is repeated a few times in dialogue in reference to a vehicle. It also seems to tie in with the Christian term, Zion, which is seen as “utopia” or “the Promised Land”. Extrapolating from this definition, it does provide the hint that the series fails to use this as a vessel to something greater. In a manner of speaking, I can at least confirm that this project will take various detours and matters will only get worse from here.
What continues to make the series hilarious is the creator’s proclivity to take risks. While he does follow some rules he’s established — such as labor laws for child actors — there are others more personal to the context of the experiment that he breaks. This does allow the narrative to veer off into more ridiculous territory in the latter half of the episode. However, it does so to an extent where there is no intrigue. Maybe, that is why I found it to be the weakest of the five of six episodes I have seen thus far.
The Cast and the Crew of The Rehearsal
The Rehearsal is created by Nathan Fielder.
Charlie Cherman, Ulla Feldman, Audrey Galvin, Logan Sanchez, and Perry Nolan Wood portray Baby Adam.
Fielder, Dave Paige, Dan McManus, and Christie Smith serve as the executive producers. Carrie Kemper and Eric Notarnicola serve as the co-executive producers. David Cress and Amanda Schulz are the producers of the documentary.
Marco Cordero is the director of photography. Adam Locke-Norton serves as the editor, while Aashish D’Mello and Isaiah Fernandez are the assistant editors. Rachel Hein is the writers’ assistant for the episode.
Schuyler Telleen is the production designer. Briana Jorgenson serves as the costume designer, while Sierra Robinson is the set costumer. Peter Falanga is the art director, while Andrae Covington serves as the set designer.
Simon Max Hill is the casting director for the episode. Lexi Morsch serves as the casting associate, while Brian Brose is the extras casting director.
Final Thoughts on This Weekend’s Episode of The Rehearsal
Fielder has organized one of the wildest documentaries I have seen so far. I still cannot tell whether this series will fool audiences to the end or if there is definitely a majority realism in itself. While the pilot brought the project on a terrific start, “Scion” falls behind on some aspects. Yet, it does strive to maintain the essence of what it is: a comedy documentary. I could be wrong and it could be that some of its flaws are actually done with intention. After all, does anyone outside of the production know where this is headed?
With that said, where is Fielder’s lie here? I can assure you that The Rehearsal does up the ante in its following three episodes. I have not seen the finale, but I do have faith in Fielder’s craft to keep the larger picture together. This is a ride you do not want to avoid!
Nathan Fielder’s The Rehearsal is now airing on HBO and streaming via HBO Max!
Have you seen this series? If so, then what are your thoughts on it so far? Let us know! For more The Rehearsal updates as well as comedy and documentary-related news and reviews, don’t forget to follow The Cinema Spot on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
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