Grade: D
The 1960’s are the new go-to arena for television drama. Much like the love for crime investigation shows it seems that
Mad Men really started a fire under the networks by winning all those
Emmys & it's now the cool era where a show should be set.
NBC’s attempt at a 1960’s drama is the surprisingly controversial
The Playboy Club which is really not controversial at all since most of the time we are listening to era music & watch people pretending to be Ike & Tina singing at the club. Of course, this is the while being narrated by the actual Hugh Hefner. The raciest thing we get during this late night time-slot series is some of the ladies in era bra’s & "negro band" being said. One main storyline of the series follows new bunny Maureen & her recent troubles by killing a head mob boss & how rising prosecutor Nick Denton is helping her to cover it up. Now, this whole scene that we watch has just about zero blood meanwhile on rival network
ABC,
Castle is dancing in blood like Jack Lemmon in rain, & this series is the one that is racy for its viewers.
The Playboy Club has set up a number of great threads to work on if the series lasts but it has to overcome its bland caricature characters & fear of being controversial to pull out great stories from its great setting.
