As Episode 1 of "Pistol" (2022 release from the UK; 6 episodes of about 50 min each) opens, it is the early 70s and we are introduced to Steve Jones, who is hanging out at the Hammersmith Odeon and fancies himself the next Davie Bowie/Ziggy Stardust, while along the way stealing music gear. He is desperate to start a band with his mates but how? Then one day he is stealing clothes from a fashion store called SEX but is caught. Turns out the store is owned by a chap named Malcolm McLaren... At this point we are 10 min into Episode 1.
Couple of comments: this is the latest from noted British director Dany Boyle ("Trainspotting"). Here he brings to the screen the Steve Jones memoir "Lonely Boy: Tales From a Sex Pistol" (and reason why this series is NOT Johnny Rotten-focused--Rotten doesn't even appear in Episode 1 at all). If you think you know the story of the Sex Pistols, well, in all likelihood you don't really, and that is one of the reasons this makes it such a compelling series. The series has the Danny Boyle touch and feel all over, including clever editing, rich use of music (Hawkwind's "Silver Machine" shows up in Episode 1), and just a very visual approach to things. I must admit that the cast was unknown to me but they do quite well. At the end of Episode 2, we get the Sex Pistols' first 'real' gig, at the London Saint Martins College of Art, on November 5, 1975. (As a complete aside: Johnny Rotten, the nice guy that he is, sued the film makers AND his former band mates in 2021 (i) from having Johnny Rotten to appear at all in the series, and (ii) from featuring any Sex Pistols music in the series, even though the series is based on Steve Jones' memoir. Thankfully a British court laughed Rotten out of the courtroom.)
All 6 episodes of "Pistol" started streaming yesterday on Hulu, and so far I've see the first 2 episodes. I am "totally in" on this mini-series, and can't wait to see the 4 remaining episodes very soon. If you have any interest in rock history, or are simply a fan of Danny Boyle's work, I'd readily suggest you check this out and draw your own conclusion.
UPDATE I've now seen all 6 episodes, and I've upgraded my rating from 7 to 8 stars. This mini-series is just fabulous. Watch the last episode when the Sex Pistols go on their disastrous US tour in early 1978. But the other thing I want to mention (not fully clear after watching the initial 2 episodes) is the major factor that was Chrissie Hynde (eventually starting The Pretenders) in all of this. She is featured prominently in all episodes. JUST WATCH.
