Jess Hallam

Well produced and well acted, with Martha and Teri as standouts. They made the show for me. The plot kept me glued. However, there were several uncomfortable bits that are lauded by many but don't sit well with me. For instance, like Donny himself, I didn't quite sympathize with his story of sexual abuse. It seemed more like prostitution, as he was a grown man who wanted an easy path to stardom. That does not excuse the abuser, by any means. I think there's some interesting grey area on display here. Further, to equate this abuse with his father's childhood SA at the hands of a priest made me a little angry. Ego, boredom and laziness seem to drive the main character to encourage his abusers, including Martha. The show deserves lots of praise but I don't think the plot is as straightforward (a depiction of the cycle of abuse and trauma bonding) as most reviews suggest. Donny truly is an well-crafted anti-hero; I'm just not convinced his anti-heroics are truly recognized by the audience or the man who experienced, wrote or depicted them. I'm left agonizing over how to feel, which is good. I hope I get to see the actresses who played Martha and Teri in more stuff.