Yesterday Once More (Vinyl)

Last updated
"Yesterday Once More"
Vinyl episode
Episode no.Episode 2
Directed by Allen Coulter
Written by Terence Winter
Featured music
Cinematography by Reed Morano
Editing byTim Streeto
Original release dateFebruary 21, 2016 (2016-02-21)
Running time56 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
 Previous
"Pilot"
Next 
"Whispered Secrets"

"Yesterday Once More" is the second episode of the American period drama television series Vinyl . The episode was written by series creator Terence Winter, and directed by executive producer Allen Coulter. It originally aired on HBO on February 21, 2016.

Contents

The series is set in New York City in the 1970s. It focuses on Richie Finestra, American Century Records founder and president, whose passion for music and discovering talent has gone by the wayside. With his American Century Records on the verge of being sold, a life-altering event rekindles Finestra's professional fire, but it may leave his personal life in ruins. In the episode, Richie makes a controversial move at American Century, while Devon remembers the past.

According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 0.667 million household viewers and gained a 0.2 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. The episode received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise towards the character development, although the subplots received criticism.

Plot

At a theater, a heavily intoxicated Richie (Bobby Cannavale) annoys the audience during a screening of Enter the Dragon . He then returns to the American Century offices, where he shocks his associates by announcing that he won't sell the company to PolyGram. The Germans angrily leave and Richie faces the ire of Zak (Ray Romano), Skip (J. C. MacKenzie) and company attorney Scott Levitt (P. J. Byrne).

Devon (Olivia Wilde) is angered with Richie's behavior, and she decides to take the kids for breakfast at a restaurant. However, she gets distracted by a memory, in which she met Richie while she was a muse to Andy Warhol (John Cameron Mitchell) at his Factory. This makes her forget her kids at the restaurant. She visits Richie in New York to scold him for his actions, when they are visited by Detective Eddie Voehel (Greg Vrotsos). Voehel is not investigating Richie for Buck's murder, but he actually wants his help in tracking Maury Gold (Paul Ben-Victor), a record executive who possibly hired Corrado to murder people. After he leaves, Richie promises Devon that he will change.

Richie pushes the staff into finding new talent, threatening with firing them within two weeks if they don't get anything. Jamie (Juno Temple) convinces him in giving a chance Nasty Bits, as she brought the band's attention to him. Richie sends head of A&R Julian "Julie" Silver (Max Casella) to check a performance, but is unimpressed with the band. Still seeing potential, he decides to make the band change their sound.

Devon attempts to seduce Richie, but he is not interested in sex. Another memory depicts Richie and Devon thinking about their plans when she got pregnant with their first child. That night, Richie decides to visit Lester Grimes (Ato Essandoh) at his house.

Production

Development

In February 2016, HBO announced that the second episode of the series would be titled "Yesterday Once More", and that it would be written by series creator Terence Winter, and directed by executive producer Allen Coulter. This was Winter's second writing credit, and Coulter's first directing credit. [1]

Reception

Viewers

In its original American broadcast, "Yesterday Once More" was seen by an estimated 0.667 million household viewers with a 0.27 in the 18–49 demographics. This means that 0.27 percent of all households with televisions watched the episode. [2] This was a 13% decrease in viewership from the previous episode, which was watched by 0.764 million household viewers with a 0.25 in the 18-49 demographics. [3]

Critical reviews

"Yesterday Once More" received generally positive reviews from critics. Matt Fowler of IGN gave the episode a "good" 7.5 out of 10 and wrote in his verdict, "'Yesterday Once More' assumedly kicked off what's to be the main crux of the series - Richie's play to reinvent his own label and find the newest, hottest thing in music. So far, it's just him and his ego driving the series, though there were some moments this week that suggested that - eventually - the mob will come into play. I'm not sure if that'll make things more interesting or not, but at least it might act as a foil for our lead's boisterous and bullying ways." [4]

Dan Caffrey of The A.V. Club gave the episode a "B+" grade and wrote, "Is Vinyl positioning Richie to be right about everything? Is he being set up as a coked-out music revolutionary or a tragic antihero? Although many of you would probably say the latter, if we're speaking in Scorsesian terms, I'm not so sure. We've seen many drug-fueled rise-and-fall tales from him before, but we've also seen the other side with The Wolf of Wall Street . And for anyone who argues that film as being another example of a rise-and-fall story, I view it more as a getting-away-with-it story." [5]

Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly wrote, "Do you smell a rat? Because that's the first, furry face we see on screen this week, and even a garbage-eating rodent probably thinks Richie Finestra is kind of losing it." [6] Noel Murray of Vulture gave the episode a 3 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "It doesn't appear that Vinyl intends to ignore the damage that a spoiled idealist like Richie Finestra can cause, either directly or indirectly. This is what it really means to be a big shot. Richie makes the plans and everyone else makes the commitments." [7]

Gavin Edwards of The New York Times wrote, "Richie is firmly in the recent tradition of the cable TV 'difficult man' who charms the viewer not just in spite of his bad behavior, but because of it. [...] More interesting than Richie's domestic life has been how his rebirth as a raging bull affects his staff at American Century." [8] Dan Martin of The Guardian wrote, "Richie's crisis is in full swing and Devon recalls her 60s heyday at Andy Warhol's Factory. It's seductive stuff – but is it all too strange and self-indulgent?" [9]

Tony Sokol of Den of Geek gave the episode a 4 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "'Yesterday Once More' moves Vinyl into the series proper from the cinematic opening episode. The characters are getting more familiar and the camera continues to get intimate. The excitement is building and so are the stakes. Something big is going to break and the air is filled with promise and danger." [10] Robert Ham of Paste wrote, "If you're Richie Finestra, you apparently snort some more blow and make a fool out of yourself in a shady theater, acting along with a Bruce Lee movie like it’s a midnight screening of Rocky Horror. I'm slowly accepting the fact that this show is completely removed from reality, but that sure doesn't make a dumb scene like that one any easier to swallow." [11]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Sopranos</i> American crime drama television series (1999–2007)

The Sopranos is an American crime drama television series created by David Chase. The series revolves around Tony Soprano, a New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster who struggles to balance his family life with his role as the leader of a criminal organization, which he reluctantly explores during therapy sessions with psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi. The series also features Tony's various family members, Mafia colleagues, and rivals in prominent roles—most notably his wife Carmela and his protégé and distant cousin Christopher Moltisanti.

<i>Crashbox</i> Canadian-American educational childrens television series (1999–2000)

Crashbox is a stop-motion animated "Edutainment" children's television series co-created by Eamon Harrington and John Watkin for HBO Family that ran from 1999 to 2000 in the United States. It was HBO's second series focusing on educational skits.

"The Night Lands" is the second episode of the second season of HBO's medieval fantasy television series Game of Thrones, and the 12th overall. The episode was directed by Alan Taylor and written by series creators and executive producers David Benioff and D. B. Weiss. It first aired on April 8, 2012.

<i>Game of Thrones</i> American fantasy drama TV series (2011–2019)

Game of Thrones is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss for HBO. It is an adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire, a series of fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin, the first of which is A Game of Thrones. The show premiered on HBO in the United States on April 17, 2011, and concluded on May 19, 2019, with 73 episodes broadcast over eight seasons.

<i>Vinyl</i> (TV series) American period television drama

Vinyl is an American period drama television series created by Mick Jagger, Martin Scorsese, Rich Cohen and Terence Winter. The series stars Bobby Cannavale as Richie Finestra, a New York City-based record executive in 1973. It premiered on HBO on February 14, 2016, and concluded on April 17, 2016.

"Pilot" is the series premiere of the American period drama television series Vinyl. The episode was written by Terence Winter and George Mastras from a story by Rich Cohen, Mick Jagger, Martin Scorsese and Winter, and directed by Scorsese. It originally aired on HBO on February 14, 2016.

"Whispered Secrets" is the third episode of the American period drama television series Vinyl. The episode was written by Jonathan Tropper, Debora Cahn, and Adam Rapp, and directed by Mark Romanek. It originally aired on HBO on February 28, 2016.

"The Racket" is the fourth episode of the American period drama television series Vinyl. The episode was written by Debora Cahn and directed by S. J. Clarkson. It originally aired on HBO on March 6, 2016.

"He in Racist Fire" is the fifth episode of the American period drama television series Vinyl. The episode was written by Adam Rapp and directed by Peter Sollett. It originally aired on HBO on March 13, 2016.

"Rock and Roll Queen" is the ninth episode of the American period drama television series Vinyl. The episode was written by Debora Cahn and directed by Carl Franklin. It originally aired on HBO on April 10, 2016.

<i>Sharp Objects</i> (miniseries) 2018 psychological thriller television miniseries

Sharp Objects is an American psychological thriller television miniseries based on Gillian Flynn's 2006 debut novel of the same name that premiered on July 8, 2018, on HBO. The series was created by Marti Noxon, directed by Jean-Marc Vallée, and stars Amy Adams, Patricia Clarkson, Chris Messina, Eliza Scanlen, Matt Craven, Henry Czerny, Taylor John Smith, Madison Davenport, Miguel Sandoval, Will Chase, Jackson Hurst, Sophia Lillis, Lulu Wilson, and Elizabeth Perkins. It follows Camille Preaker, an emotionally troubled reporter who returns to her hometown to cover the murders of two young girls.

<i>Sex and the City</i> season 6 Season of television series

The sixth and final season of the American television romantic comedy-drama Sex and the City aired in the United States on HBO. The show was created by Darren Star while Star, Michael Patrick King, John P. Melfi, series lead actress Sarah Jessica Parker, Cindy Chupack, and Jenny Bicks served as executive producers. The series was produced by Darren Star Productions, HBO Original Programming, and Warner Bros. Television. Sarah Jessica Parker portrays the lead character Carrie Bradshaw, while Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon played her best friends Samantha Jones, Charlotte York, and Miranda Hobbes.

Euphoria is an American teen drama television series created and principally written by Sam Levinson for HBO. It is based on the Israeli miniseries of the same name created by Ron Leshem and Daphna Levin. The series stars Zendaya, Maude Apatow, Angus Cloud, Eric Dane, Alexa Demie, Jacob Elordi, Barbie Ferreira, Nika King, Storm Reid, Hunter Schafer, Algee Smith, and Sydney Sweeney in main roles. The series follows Rue Bennett (Zendaya), a troubled teenage drug addict who struggles to get sober, find her place in the world, and adjust to her relationships after rehab. Though Rue is the central focus of the show, the beginning of most episodes provides backstories for the rest of the main characters.

"Cyclone" is the sixth episode of the American period drama television series Vinyl. The episode was written by Carl Capotorto and Erin Cressida Wilson and directed by Nicole Kassell. It originally aired on HBO on March 20, 2016.

"The King and I" is the seventh episode of the American period drama television series Vinyl. The episode was written by David Matthews and directed by Allen Coulter. It originally aired on HBO on March 27, 2016.

"E.A.B." is the eighth episode of the American period drama television series Vinyl. The episode was written by Riccardo DiLoreto and Michael Mitnick and directed by Jon S. Baird. It originally aired on HBO on April 3, 2016.

"Alibi" is the tenth and final episode of the American period drama television series Vinyl. The episode was written by series creator Terence Winter, and directed by executive producer Allen Coulter. It originally aired on HBO on April 17, 2016.

"Acres of Diamonds" is the third episode of the fourth season of the American period crime drama television series Boardwalk Empire. It is the 39th overall episode of the series and was written by series creator Terence Winter, and directed by Allen Coulter. It was released on HBO on September 22, 2013.

"Havre de Grace" is the eleventh episode of the fourth season of the American period crime drama television series Boardwalk Empire. It is the 47th overall episode of the series and was written by executive producer Howard Korder, and directed by Allen Coulter. It was released on HBO on November 17, 2013.

"Friendless Child" is the seventh episode of the fifth season of the American period crime drama television series Boardwalk Empire. It is the 55th overall episode of the series and was written by Riccardo DiLoreto, Christine Chambers, and executive producer Howard Korder, and directed by producer Allen Coulter. It was released on HBO on October 19, 2014.

References

  1. "(#02/102) "Yesterday Once More"". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on August 29, 2023. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  2. Metcalf, Mitch (February 23, 2016). "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 2.21.2016". ShowBuzzDaily. Archived from the original on February 23, 2016. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  3. Porter, Rick (February 17, 2016). "Sunday cable ratings: 'The Walking Dead' returns a little lower, NBA All-Star Game up slightly". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on February 18, 2016. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  4. Fowler, Matt (February 22, 2016). "Vinyl: "Yesterday Once More" Review". IGN . Archived from the original on August 29, 2023. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  5. Caffrey, Dan (February 21, 2016). "Vinyl's Richie Finestra flirts with both the light and the dark in the show's second episode". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on August 29, 2023. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  6. Greenblatt, Leah (February 22, 2016). "Vinyl recap: Yesterday Once More". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on August 29, 2023. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  7. Murray, Noel (February 21, 2016). "Vinyl Recap: The Dotted Line". Vulture . Archived from the original on August 29, 2023. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  8. Edwards, Gavin (February 21, 2016). "'Vinyl' Season 1, Episode 2: Mugged by Gold". The New York Times . Archived from the original on January 30, 2023. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  9. Martin, Dan (February 22, 2016). "Vinyl recap: episode two – a show still spinning too many discs at once". The Guardian . Archived from the original on July 11, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  10. Sokol, Tony (February 22, 2016). "Vinyl: Yesterday Once More Review". Den of Geek . Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  11. Ham, Robert (February 22, 2016). "The 6 Most Ridiculous Things from Episode Two of Vinyl: "Yesterday Once More"". Paste . Archived from the original on November 27, 2021. Retrieved August 28, 2023.