Spector
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Spector
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Spector is a four-part docuseries about late music producer Phil Spector. It offers lots of details about his life, his career, and how and why he murdered actress Lana Clarkson in 2003. Archive footage features popular bands, interviews, and disturbing scenes from the murder investigation. Conversations about the abuse of women, sex, drug abuse, and other mature topics are also had. Cigarette smoking is sometimes visible, and cursing is audible.
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What's the Story?
SPECTOR is a four-part docuseries about the rise and fall of one of music's most influential producers. Phil Spector is considered one of the most important cultural figures of the 20th century thanks to his innovative work on 1960s pop music. But on February 3, 2003 actress Lana Clarkson was found shot in his Alhambra, California mansion. With the help of archive footage and interviews, the show discusses his troubled childhood, successful music career, and what led to his eventual murder conviction. It also offers some insight into who Lana Clarkson was, and the hard work she put into her own career.
Is It Any Good?
The long, well-researched docuseries offers a detailed narrative about Phil Spector that celebrates the impact he had on music while discussing what some believe made him a murderer. Spector discusses the producer's impact on popular culture thanks to his innovative recording practices and studio music aesthetics, and for his work with acts ranging from the Ronettes to the Ramones. It also addresses his troubled early life, his eccentricities (characterized by many as mental illness), and how his desire for control, his treatment of women, and his drug use was enabled by the industry. All this is used as a way to try to explain why he killed Lana Clarkson. This negotiation isn't a comfortable one, but Spector does do a fair job of humanizing Clarkson rather than simply depicting her as a victim. It also offers lots of details about the investigation into her death, and the two trials that ultimately resulted in the producer's conviction in 2008. If you're interested in music history, no doubt you'll find the story interesting. However, no doubt that many viewers will find the overall story troubling.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what constitutes media violence. Can we tell stories about violent acts without showing violent imagery? How can talking about violence become a violent act?
Does Spector characterize Phil Spector fairly? How are viewers supposed to feel about him after watching this series? What about Lana Clarkson?
TV Details
- Premiere date: November 6, 2022
- Cast: Phil Spector, Darlene Love, Paul Shaffer
- Network: Showtime
- Genre: Reality TV
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: January 17, 2023
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