The show seemed wish fulfillment writ large to me. The writer peeved about a movie adaptation; been there. Beautiful women throwing themselves at him; seen that. A single novel (apparently) having made a fellow rich, respected, and loved; imagined that in my darker moments. Oh, the novelist is a tough guy and beats up “hispanic cell phone guy” in a theater too; be still my Chuck Norris loving heart.

All taken together I’m left with the impression I’m reading some weird variety of Salman Rushdie fan fic.

Since it’s only a half hour set up I’m trying to hold some goodwill for the show in reserve. But it’s difficult.

Want my interest back in the show? Ramp up the conflict. Here some changes I’d consider.

Have this be one of the movies where the movie was much better than the book, and have Duchovny’s character unable to write because he’s come face to face with the fact that he couldn’t honor his idea as well as the movie-makers. It’s shattered the ego he needed to make it as a novelist.

Have Duchovny’s character desperate to get back to New York, where he can recapture the “good old days”, and ignore the ego smashing that the mere fact of residing in the city that is now the living embodiment of his lost confidence. Of course, however, he can’t go because his daughter’s here.

Can’t believe that all these beautiful women are falling in bed with Duchovny left and right? Maybe they’re not. He could be delusional and it’s a lie. The first scene turned out to be a dream sequence, so there’s some precedent for rewriting his sexual experiences. Write it up so his “conquests” are, at least in large part, stories he’s telling his LA friends to keep up his feelings of self-worth.

Give the guy some financial woes. One novel and one movie option rarely put anyone on easy street. Have this eat at him too. Duchovny sold out his book for the cash, thinking he’d be able to say “Man, look how the ruined it. At least I got paid.” And now, since the movie’s great, he’s concerned he was the hack AND he didn’t get paid enough.

Add all that together and we have a writer with a bundle of neurosis that don’t seem bought at the character warehouse.

I don’t have much to say about his ex, because she was pretty underdeveloped. It’s only the first episode, so I’ll let that slide.

Same thing with the daughter, her character seemed a plot point more than anything else so far, so I don’t have much to say about her either.

-same old Anonymous