Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (TV series)

Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll

Company type	Television series
Industry	Entertainment
Founded	July 16, 2015 (2015-07-16)
Founder	Denis Leary
Defunct	September 1, 2016 (2016-09-01)
Fate	Discontinued after second season by FX
Headquarters	New York City , United States
Products	Musical comedy television series
Number of employees	20 episodes (across 2 seasons)

Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (occasionally presented as Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll) is a U.S.-based musical comedy television series created by and starring Denis Leary. The show was broadcast on FX across 20 episodes, airing from July 16, 2015, until September 1, 2016. After its second season, FX decided to discontinue the series.

Premise

Johnny Rock, a 50-year-old former frontman of The Heathens—a rock band from the late 1980s that broke up after releasing a single album due to his reckless behavior—struggles to find his place in the contemporary music scene. His life takes a turn when he learns he has a 21-year-old daughter named Gigi with an ex-backup singer. Gigi relocates to New York City with ambitions to build her own music career and suggests reviving The Heathens under a new name, The Assassins, featuring herself as lead vocalist and Johnny as the principal songwriter and mentor. Johnny confronts the difficulties of aging in an industry dominated by hip-hop and pop while adjusting to his newfound role as a father.

Main

• Denis Leary as Johnny Rock: ex-lead vocalist of The Heathens
• John Corbett as Josiah 'Flash' Bacon: former guitarist for The Heathens; prior to joining The Assassins, performed regularly with Lady Gaga
• Elizabeth Gillies as Gigi Rock: lead vocalist of The Assassins and Johnny’s daughter
• Robert Kelly as Hector 'Bam Bam' Jimenez: ex-drummer for The Heathens, currently part of The Assassins
• Elaine Hendrix as Ava Delany: previous backup singer for The Heathens, Johnny’s long-term live-in partner and ethical guide
• John Ales as Sonny 'Rehab' Silverstien: former bassist for The Heathens, now playing with The Assassins

Recurring

• Josh Pais as Ira Feinbaum (season 1): ex-manager of The Heathens and initial manager of The Assassins
• Callie Thorne as Cat Zakarian: former backup singer for The Heathens, mother of Gigi, Johnny’s former lover and songwriter
• Eric Sheffer Stevens as Brook Lanley (season 2): producer specializing in hip rock
• Rebecca Naomi Jones as Davvy O'Dell (season 2): singer from the downtown scene
• Mark Gessner as Noah Perkins (season 2): replaces Ira as the new manager for The Assassins

Development

In January 2014, FX Networks revealed plans to air Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, a comedic series centered on rock-and-roll featuring Denis Leary, who also took on roles as head writer and executive producer. Leary conceived the show drawing inspiration from his experiences with both thriving and struggling bands.

Casting announcements began in March 2014 with John Corbett selected for the role of Flash. Shortly thereafter, Robert Kelly was cast as Bam Bam and Elizabeth Gillies took on the role of Gigi. Corbett brought prior professional guitar experience to his part, while Kelly acquired drumming skills specifically for his character. Leary chose Gillies due to her capacity for emotional singing coupled with comedic talent. Additional casting included Elaine Hendrix portraying Ava and John Ales taking on the role of bassist Rehab despite lacking bass-playing experience. The series also featured cameo performances by musicians such as Joan Jett.

By June 2014, FX had commissioned a ten-episode initial season produced in collaboration with Fox Television Studios, with filming conducted in New York City. In September 2015, the network renewed the series for a second season that premiered on June 30, 2016. Leary characterized the sophomore season as delving into "multiple mid-life crises occurring simultaneously." After concluding its second season in September 2016, FX opted to cancel the program.

Season 1

The soundtrack for the inaugural season, titled Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (Songs from the FX Original Comedy Series), was launched on September 10, 2015, under FX Networks.

A total of eight singles were released to promote the album: "Animal" (July 16, 2015), "Desire" and "New York 2015" (both on July 30, 2015), "Die Trying" (August 6, 2015), "Put It on Me" (August 27, 2015), "What's My Name" (September 10, 2015), and "Complicated" (September 17, 2015).

Season 2

For the series' second season, the soundtrack named Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (Songs from the FX Original Comedy Series) Season 2 was issued on September 1, 2016.

Six singles were highlighted from this release: "Ain't No Valentine" (June 30, 2016), "Don't Break Me Too" (July 14, 2016), "Just Let Me Go" (July 28, 2016), "Raise a Hand" (August 4, 2016), alongside "Already in Love" and "So Many Miles" (both on August 25, 2016).

Critical reception

The debut season of Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll garnered a mixed critical response. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a score of 59% based on evaluations from 46 critics, with an average rating of 5.66 out of 10. Metacritic assigned it a score of 60 out of 100 from a pool of 32 reviewers, categorizing the feedback as "mixed or average." Variety characterized the show as having "a great title, a good premise and a just-OK show," appreciating its more intimate moments. NPR's Linda Holmes praised Leary's acting and the quality of the writing but considered the concept somewhat stereotypical. Slate observed that the series’ premise mirrored Leary’s personal perspective on rock music. The A.V. Club recognized the program’s "scrappy charm," despite episodes beyond the pilot lacking excitement.

The sophomore season achieved a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 63% based on eight critiques, with an average score of 4.80 out of 10. The Hollywood Reporter commended season two for its enhanced exploration of family relationships and standout performances, particularly noting Gillies’s comedic timing and the character development arcs for Hendrix, Kelly, and Ales. In contrast, Verne Gay from Newsday described season two as a disappointment, remarking that the show "remains the same—all lies and jest."