michaeladrion Review of Instant Star

Instant Star (2004–2008)

Low key expose on predatory hollywood proclivities

[8/10 · 26 August 2020]

I remember watching a few eps of this show back in '07 and liking it due to its similar production values to Degrassi TNG -- I'm a huge TNG mark! Their similar look is due to the shows sharing producer Linda Schuyler. Although these shows share a similar aesthetic, they differ in mores. Degrassi's purpose was to speak on the human condition as it relates to being a developing teen in an ever changing world with a theme of the week structure including but not limited to: abuse, sexuality, bullying, and peer pressure. However, Instant Star's focus is narrowed down to an inversion of the Andy Warhol quote, which reads "In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes." In the case of Instant Star, "In our future, one person will be famous in 15 minutes." After that one person, in this case, 15year old Jude Harrison -- a cute mash up of the Beetles classic Hey Jude and Beetles rhythm guitarist George Harrison -- spends 4 seasons being exploited, dropped from her label, kidnapped, colluded against, kidnapped again, shamed, resigned to her label, extorted, dropped again, and embezzled by a relative. Most of which happened before senior prom. At the core of the show, like all TV, is a love story. During it's run, Instant Star had more instant love triangles than instant hits. By season 2 Jude was in 2 at once, which both involved her producer Tommy Q. Tommy was in a silly late 90's boy band "Boyz Attack", but has moved on as a serious producer in charge of getting the best art out of Jude. Tommy takes a very very hands on approach with Jude, and although he does not make the first move he instigates a series long intimate relationship with Jude. Jude of 15. Tommy Q of 23(ish). The show makes it a point to have an episode per season that revolves around her birthday. The countdown to Jude being legal tender is a crucial plot point. I enjoyed the heart of the show. Everyone knows their art and are written and portrayed with depth and dimension. However, while watching the show again, after the #meetoo movement, I was made inherently aware of the process and nature of Tommy as predatory industry groomer. In the beginning, Tommy was a good producer for Jude, until later when it became apparent that she was too codependent upon him, and as a result failed considerably when it came time to self produce her 3rd album without him guiding or subverting her choices. I mean by your third album you should be able to figure out, on your own, that kettle drum doesn't belong on every song on your project. Unless you're doing an album of Beethoven covers limit the use of kettle drum to one song. Looking at the show now gives the viewer edification on how we have so many #metoo testimonies and how it may no longer take as much time to get famous, but how the cost is much higher.