Parents' Guide to Fosse/Verdon

True story or no, this isn't the first time we've watched a mercurial, booze-addled man ascend to great professional heights thanks in large part to his long-suffering, largely uncredited wife. Fosse/Verdon doesn't make either player out to be an absolute angel or a villain -- the two met and embarked on a relationship, after all, while both were in committed relationships (in Fosse's case, during his second marriage). Fosse is depicted as a troubled workhorse with a penchant for showing off who, despite achieving great success, was still haunted by childhood trauma and his failure to become the next Fred Astaire. Meanwhile, though early episodes stress Verdon's own formidable talent and magnetism (and her uncanny ability to "speak Bob," a skill that made her invaluable on his film sets), too often she is relegated to going through the usual domestic dramas until she finally tires of enabling his bad behavior. The performances by Rockwell and especially Williams are fantastic -- they're utterly believable both as performers and as partners -- but the era-jumping the show utilizes can be a bit dizzying, making it a challenge to stay invested in the timeline. Still, theater junkies will likely swoon over Fosse/Verdon, while more casual fans may not find the series salacious or sensational enough to maintain their interest.