The Franchise Recap: China Syndrome

As a movie aficionado who has spent decades navigating the labyrinthine corridors of Hollywood, I must admit that The Franchise has struck a chord with me. In this fifth episode, the series continues to excel at portraying the slow, agonizing transformation of visionary auteurs into mere cogs in the studio machine – a tale all too familiar to many indie filmmakers who have been swallowed up by the superhero studio system.

In “The Franchise,” Eric’s transformation from visionary filmmaker to mere studio cog remains the most engaging and humorously disheartening aspect. This mirrors reality – countless independent filmmakers have been swallowed by the massive studio system that produces superhero films. It also symbolically reflects how comic-book movies have conditioned audiences, making even a moderate success seem like a blockbuster triumph, despite the decline in quality over time.

This episode centers on Eric’s unique ability to squeeze his nose shut as Pat and the crew aim to sneak in some obvious product placement into the show Tecto. However, it’s not just about Daniel Craig’s James Bond drinking Heinekens or typing emails on a Sony Vaio; if Pat gets his way, Tecto might transform into a new platform for Chinese Communist Party propaganda. This could happen by Eric surreptitiously including Chinese-made tractors in the show’s backdrop. The challenge lies in the fact that the entirety of Tecto is set in space, and as you may know, there aren’t many tractors to be found up there. Daniel mentions early on, “Eric won’t like it, he’s a former ad guy.” He’s still remembered on Reddit as ‘the cheese man of Dusseldorf,’ a nickname that lingers with him.

The entire idea of this episode seems laughably implausible, yet it continues to hit us over the head with obvious satire. However, if we take it for what it is – a world where film studios are so reckless and self-destructive that they deliberately sabotage their own movies out of pettiness… well, that might not be so far-fetched after all. In fact, this could be the most enjoyable episode of “The Franchise” since its pilot.

Following Eric’s reckless act of smashing into the Centurios 2 set in the last episode, Pat is determined to discipline him and bring him back in check. This is where the need for Xi-approved product placement arises: Pat tells Anita at the start of “Scene 16: Eric’s Hospital Scene” that while the domestic box office for Maximum Studios is declining, the Chinese market is growing. However, to get their movies past China’s censorship, the government wants a “special favor.” Maximum would never subject their main blockbuster to such an indignity — sorry, great honor! — but it’s becoming clear that Tecto is the studio’s restroom, and what’s more disgusting than filth on top of filth?

Initially, Eric is feeling quite confident; today, they’re filming the most crucial scene of the movie Tecto, which is a heart-wrenching hospital sequence where the main character visits his ailing wife. This scene embodies everything a European art director with small spectacles and a fondness for neck scarves might imagine: Pathos, Emotion, Realism! However, Eric is unaware that this scene will be edited out later – it’s just being filmed to please him. So there he is, basking in his newfound confidence. We’ll see how long this lasts (a few setbacks later and he’ll return to solid ground).

The whole episode is mostly build-up to the grand payoff of another Eric outburst, really, in which he denounces … the entire Chinese state after the director of Centurios 2 refuses to stomach his own share of product placement. “Fuck China,” he says, very publicly, over mic, for everyone on set to hear. “Fuck finger traps. Fuck Mulan. Fuck fortune cookies. Fuck sweet-sour! … Eric say, fuck Confuscius!”

This moment is both amusing and a bit sad, not because China is dealing with stray issues – I don’t want to get involved in heated geopolitical discussions or need a PR team to apologize for any misunderstandings with the Chinese government – but because it highlights yet again how harmful this Tecto situation has become for Eric, leading him to another disorganized, pointless rant. It’s almost like he’s randomly pulling stereotypes from thin air in real-time. Poor pandas indeed. I’ve always appreciated Daniel Brühl a lot, but never quite as much as this. Even when The Franchise is mediocre, Eric is one of the best parts of my TV viewing experience every week.

Due to Eric Bouchard’s public outburst, an article titled “Did Eric Bouchard Declare War on China?” was published by Variety journalist. This incident has sparked concerns that China might retaliate against him or even escalate tensions, given their considerable military power. Steph, in a state of panic, warns Eric, “They’ve got nuclear weapons, Eric.” Pat, seeing an opportunity for revenge, steps into the Tecto set via giant-screen-FaceTime and proposes a bitter deal: China will back off if Tecto promotes a potentially harmful baby milk brand as safe, thereby increasing product placement in the film.

Currently, Team Tecto finds themselves in a predicament, drawing upon Anita’s “A Clockwork Orange” analogy: compelled to witness their efforts crumble, as Pat manipulates Tecto into a complex, destructive plot aimed at damaging Eric’s reputation, career, and life. Unfortunately, others are also affected by standing by. However, this is the nature of the entertainment industry. At least the mollusc man is now garnering attention in the spotlight.

Post-Credit Scenes

In my review of the first episode, I mentioned some doubts about whether the concept of The Franchise would remain engaging for eight episodes without becoming monotonous. This episode has mostly been a struggle to keep watching, with moments of moderately amusing, chuckle-inducing tension. However, this was my favorite installment so far, but I must admit that my excitement levels haven’t risen significantly, and there were parts that seemed unnecessary.

Regarding the topic: I wasn’t particularly fond of the fecal transplant-related matters, but I found Lolly Adefope’s portrayal of Dag’s escalating panic when she suspects Shitgate might create a scandal in the trades quite enjoyable.

There’s no one finding it amusing as Steph has an unexpected, though not completely unforeseen, outburst following Eric’s dismissal of her space cheese idea… quite humorous!

2024-11-04 07:54

The Franchise Recap: China Syndrome

Post-Credit Scenes

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