High Fidelity's cancelation is devastating because it served as pandemic escapism

Wired

The Zoë Kravitz-led gender-flipped reimagining of Nick Hornby’s book and John Cusack 2000 movie, which was canceled after one season this week, premiered on Valentine's Day, a month before the coronavirus shutdown. Watching High Fidelity in quarantine amid Zoom hangouts "was like a broadcast from an alternate timeline where impromptu meetups at dive bars were still happening," says Angela Watercutter. "In many ways, High Fidelity is just one of many shows and movies that have come along to fill the void during quarantine," says Watercutter. "Everything from Twister to Tiger King has proven to be a comfort, or at least a distraction, as people while away the hours. Hulu’s show tapped into a certain kind of layabout, day-drinking malaise that is currently missing from a lot of people’s summers." Watercutter adds: "Of course, the thing that makes High Fidelity great—the hangout vibes, the hours spent in record stores and friends’ apartments—is the same thing that likely makes it hard to produce. Hollywood is slowly figuring out how to make TV shows during a pandemic (::waves at Tyler Perry::), but on High Fidelity there was a fair amount of hugs, making out, close talking—all things that break the rules of social distancing. Sure, Hulu could’ve bought some blow-up dolls, but that definitely would’ve chipped away at the show’s authenticity. Still, Rob (Kravitz) and her coterie deserved more time. We would’ve waited." UPDATE: Zoë Kravitz calls out Hulu for lack of diversity: "It’s cool. At least Hulu has a ton of other shows starring women of color we can watch. Oh wait.”