As quarantine continues and school begins to pick up again, I think it is important to take some time every once in a while, to relax and find something to help you unwind your day. For me, I came across a new Hulu Original series called High Fidelity (2020), starring Zoe Kravitz. The show is based on the movie High Fidelity (2000), starring John Cusack, who owns his own record store and reflects upon his past relationships with girlfriends. Now in 2020, Rob is back but is a black woman reflecting on her past relationships through life-changing records and pop culture references.
If it wasn’t Rob’s style and her edgy 90’s outfits or even Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s hysterical character, Cherise, it was the SOUNDTRACK that drew me in. I mean hit after hit. As a music lover, it was amazing to see myself in Rob through our love for similar artists and understanding of how influential and therapeutic music can really be. I even got a little giddy hearing references to my favorite musicians: Bowie, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead, and Fleetwood Mac, just to name a few. I even discovered new music, which drove me to create a whole new playlist on Spotify completed based on the songs mentioned in the show and had to keep myself from driving to my nearest record store and spending a small fortune on vinyl.
This show is not so much of a remake of the movie, but more of an alteration by replacing John Cusack’s character of a white male, with an admirable black female lead. Unfortunately, the show was canceled this past August by Hulu after one season, which Kravitz recently shaded the company for the lack of diversity in the industry. However, I wouldn’t say that this is the only problem with the show. While I found this show aiding in the continuous growth of my love for music, I found the writing of Kravitz’s character to be a little unsettling as a woman. The show goes back and forth between Rob and her most recent failed relationship with ex-fiancée, Mac. Throughout the entirety of the show, Rob is questioning her relationships and her ability to be loveable and take part in a successful relationship, as if being in a relationship defines her. I was a bit disappointed to see her character become so dependent upon other people and their opinions of her when in reality she is a complete badass otherwise. Had we gotten more episodes in the future, I would have loved to see Rob’s relationship with herself grow and develop into one where she does not rely on others and question her self-worth because she is not in a relationship. All things said, I think this show is less about her top 5 most memorable heartbreaks, but more about her love for music and the highs and lows it brings in her own life.
I don’t know if I’ve convinced you to watch this feel-good show, but if I haven’t, I hope to get you with this: as cliché as it sounds, I think that every person can find themselves in one of these characters because it reminds us of the messiness of life and how simply impactful music can be on our lives. This show reminded me of the importance of stepping away from technology once in a while, even in a pandemic, and focusing on the beauty around us. If that means I have to step away from Spotify, so that my eyes aren’t glued to my phone, and venture out into listening to music on a turntable, so be it.